It's that time again, the first weekend in March, just before the official start of spring, when old roosters crow at possibilities and young people tear off their clothes as the temperature gets a stuffy nose above freezing. It's the 25th annual Winter Bluegrass Weekend.

This year 50 bands will help celebrate at the Radisson Hotel in Plymouth, Minnesota, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There will be three stages with a new band every hour from 7 p.m. Friday evening to midnight, from 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 pm Sunday. There will be a Dance Parlour with Cajun, clogging, old fashioned square dancing and even Scandanavian dancing. There will be workshops for legal issues, composing and approaching the fiddle. And there will be exhibit rooms where at least 10 different shops can help tune your guitar.

The headliner for Saturday night this year is Larry Stephenson, considered one of the best voices and best mandolin players in Bluegrass today. Buffalo Gals will start the main event at 7 pm. Cagley Black Schaefer & Njoes will play at 9:30, and Larry will follow.

Advance tickets can be purchased at the website: http://www.minnesotabluegrass.org or by calling 800-635-3037.