LOCAL 10: Apple Season, School Auditions and Labor Day Hours
Visit Krazy Kat Vintage in Hastings, Minnesota. Photo by Ashley Media.
Whistling Well opens for the season, Hastings Middle School prepares for Elf The Musical Jr., and several local businesses are adjusting hours and offerings as Labor Day weekend begins.
Friday weather: Hot, sunny and near 90
Weather + On This Date by HastingsNow.com
Friday, September 4, brings sunny and hot weather to Hastings, with a high near 90°F and a heat index as high as 96°F. Friday night turns mostly clear and cools to around 65°F, with patchy fog possible after 3 a.m.
For the full forecast and today’s local-history time capsule, read Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Friday, September 4, 2026.
Friday’s LOCAL 10 arrives with a distinctly early-September mix: the start of apple season, plans for the school year, Labor Day schedule changes and a handful of useful reasons to check in with local shops and organizations.
Here are ten Hastings-area updates worth knowing as the holiday weekend begins.
Local 10 infographic by HastingsNow.com
TOP 3 TODAY
1. Whistling Well Farm opens its 2026 season Friday
Whistling Well Farm in Hastings, MN. Image by HastingsNow.com
Whistling Well Farm opens for the season Friday, September 4. The main farm lists hours of 9:00 AM–5:00 PM Thursday through Sunday and will also be open on Labor Day, while the Red Barn Store is open daily from 9:00 AM–5:00 PM.
Pre-picked apples are available, but pick-your-own has not started yet. Anyone planning an apple-season stop this weekend can check the farm’s current information before heading out.
Whistling Well also shared its opening update directly in its current Facebook post.
2. Hastings Middle School sets Elf The Musical Jr. auditions for September 9–10
Students interested in Hastings Middle School’s fall production of Elf The Musical Jr. can audition after school Wednesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 10, in the auditorium.
Hastings Public Schools is directing students and families to its audition information for preparation, rehearsals and performance details.
Exact after-school audition times, grade eligibility and additional audition requirements should be confirmed through the school’s information before students make plans.
3. Hastings Frattallone’s will stay open until 4 PM on Labor Day
The Hastings location of Frattallone’s Hardware & Garden will be open until 4:00 PM Monday, September 7, for Labor Day.
The Hastings store is located at 375 33rd Street W. Residents planning a holiday-weekend hardware, garden or home-project stop can find the Labor Day schedule on the company’s current locations page.
Frattallone’s also shared the holiday-hours notice in its first-party Facebook update.
QUICK HITS
4. Hyggefullr switches to fall hours beginning September 7
Photo by Ashley Media
Downtown Hastings café Hyggefullr says new fall hours begin Monday, September 7.
The announced schedule is 8:00 AM–3:00 PM Tuesday through Saturday and 8:00 AM–2:00 PM Sunday, with Monday closed.
For this change, readers should rely on Hyggefullr’s new September 3 announcement, because the business website was still displaying its previous Tuesday–Saturday hours during verification.
5. Hometown Dairy says fresh cheese curds arrive every Friday
Cheese curds at Hometown Dairy in Hastings, MN on Vermillion St. Image by HastingsNow.com
Hometown Dairy says fresh muenster, ranch and natural cheese curds arrive every Friday at its Hastings shop, 1700 Vermillion Street.
That makes Friday, September 4, the latest scheduled delivery day for residents looking for fresh curds. Availability can change after delivery, so the business’s current Friday-curd post is the best place to start.
6. Crème de la Crème announces year-round operation and September hours
Photo by Ashley Media
Crème de la Crème says it plans to remain open year-round in downtown Hastings and has announced its September schedule.
Hours are 3:00–8:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 3:00–9:00 PM Friday, noon–9:00 PM Saturday and noon–8:00 PM Sunday.
Those are specifically September hours, rather than a permanent year-round timetable. The business posted the schedule in its current first-party update.
7. New All-State Popular Music Ensemble opens an opportunity for local musicians
The Minnesota Music Educators Association has created a new All-State Popular Music Ensemble covering styles including rock, pop, country, R&B and hip hop.
Auditions are due at noon March 2, 2027. Students must meet MMEA eligibility requirements, including enrollment in a school ensemble, although their school does not need to offer a modern-band program.
The opportunity is statewide rather than Hastings-specific, but it could be relevant to eligible Hastings-area musicians. Hastings Bands Boosters & Alumni also shared the announcement in its local Facebook post.
8. City launches a “Beyond the Red” look at firefighter Anna Henn
Hastings Fire Department fire truck at the City of Hastings Police Department Open House in 2025. Image by Ashley Media.
The City of Hastings has published another installment of its “Beyond the Red” series, this time introducing Hastings firefighter Anna Henn.
The feature looks at Henn’s role, why she entered firefighting and what she values about serving with the Hastings Fire Department. Residents can watch the City’s original feature on Instagram.
9. Downtown Tire & Auto posts Goodyear rebates through November 30
Greg Kasel, owner of Downtown Tire & Auto at 320 Vermillion Street in Hastings, MN. Image by HastingsNow.com
Downtown Tire & Auto says customers purchasing four qualifying Goodyear tires may receive up to $100 back.
An additional bonus of up to $100 is advertised for qualifying purchases using the Goodyear Credit Card, creating potential savings of up to $200. The offer is listed for September 1 through November 30, 2026.
Qualifying products and complete rebate requirements apply, so readers considering the offer should review the original promotion details.
10. Lawrence Interiors launches its Fall Remodel Sale
Lawrence Interiors says its Fall Remodel Sale is underway at its Hastings showroom.
The sale includes special discounts from participating vendors. No verified sale-ending date, specific discount percentages or complete vendor list were established, so homeowners interested in the promotion should use the current Lawrence Interiors announcement for the available details.
IF YOU ONLY CLICK ONE
For a broadly useful Labor Day weekend planning link, start with Whistling Well Farm. Its current site gives residents the most practical combination of opening information, farm hours and the important distinction that pre-picked apples are available while pick-your-own has not yet started.
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