If you’re a Bob Dylan fan, you might be interested in a trek up to the Iron Range to celebrate Dylan Days this year.  Dylan Days is always the weekend of his birthday, which is May 24; one month from today.  He’ll be 68 years old.  This year will be especially meaningful as it’s the 50^th anniversary of Dylan’s graduation from Hibbing High School.

The events kick off on Wednesday night and run through the weekend.  A few activities that caught my eye:

Thursday, May 21:  Open stage for musicians at Zimmy’s begins at 9:00am and runs through the day and evening.

Friday, May 22:  3 pm. Colleen Sheehy, co-editor of the soon-to-be-released book “Highway 61 Revisited: Bob Dylan’s Road from Minnesota to the World” will  present at the Howard Street Booksellers in downtown Hibbing and then remain available for book signing and discussion until 5 p.m.

Friday, May 22:  7:00pm Dylan Days songwriting contest (full for ’09) finalists will each perform their song at Zimmy’s.  Admission is free, but seating is on a first come basis with no advance reservations.

If you can’t make it up to Hibbing you may be interested in a documentary called “Tangled Up In Bob.” Catch a clip and if you like it, it’s available for purchase on this same website.

If you want to see Dylan himself, you’ll have to travel a little further than Hibbing to catch his tour this summer. Dylan’s 2009 Ballpark Tour doesn’t include his home state of Minnesota.  The closest he’ll be is Milwaukee on July 1.  Tickets for that tour stop go on sale May 2.