Next week the Mower County Free Fair hits the Austin fairgrounds.

While at the fair this year, be sure to stop by the Austin Arts and Culture booth in the Plager Building.

The Austin Area for the Arts is partnering with Matchbox Children’s Theatre, Austin Public Library, Riverland Community College Theatre and Music, and the Austin ArtWorks Festival to provide information on several of the upcoming arts and cultural activities happening in Austin over the next year.

The AACA will be distributing flyers for our 2012 fall and winter seasons.

In addition to some fantastic concerts including Adam Wayne Wollenberg on Sept. 22, Allison Scott on Oct. 5, 4onthefloor on Oct. 26, Home Free on Dec. 9 and SimpleGifts on Dec. 13, we are also planning more unique activities. These include Austin’s Got Talent on Sept. 29, Saturday Night Fever disco dance onstage on Oct. 27, a piano competition in partnership with the Hormel Historic Home and Austin Public Library on Nov. 17.

We are also going to be bringing back movies to the Paramount.

Besides stopping by at the Fair to get the latest and greatest Art/Cultural news, you can also win fun prizes. If you need a break from Fair activities, the AACA is presenting the Zimbabwean Afro-pop artist Oliver “Tuku” Mtukudzi in partnership with Riverside Concerts and the Austin Public Library.

This free concert is at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Historic Paramount Theatre.

Tuku has arguably become the most recognized voice to emerge from Zimbabwe onto the international scene.

A member of Zimbabwe’s KoreKore tribe, he sings in the nation’s dominant Shona language along with Ndebele and English. He also incorporates elements of different musical traditions giving his music a distinctive style, known to fans as “Tuku Music.”

For more information about Tuku, visit paramounttheatre.org.