DIY floor refinishing
What does it take to refinish hardwood floors? Homeowners can walk through the process step by step at a Wood Floor Basics workshop offered by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota. Kadee Macey, owner of Pete's Hardwood Floors and a floor-sanding coach, will host the two-part class. Part 1, sanding, will be held at a 1909 house in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood of St. Paul. This class will demonstrate how to prepare your home for a sanding project. Part 2, finishing, will be held at Pete's Hardwood Floors shop in St. Paul, where Macey will discuss the pros and cons of various finishes, plus offer application tips. Part 1 will be offered 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 10, $25. Part 2 will be offered 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 17, $25. Register at mnpreservation.org. (Click on Events, then Classes.)
Create a rustic country flower arrangement at Bachman's Farm Fresh Florals Design Workshop. Participants will use sunflowers, liatris and other elements that can be enjoyed now, then dried to transition into fall. The workshop will be held 2 to 4 p.m. Aug. 12 at Bachman's on Lyndale, 6010 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. A $50 fee covers all materials. Register at bachmans.com, Workshops and Events.
A new tour focused on Prince's early years is back for an encore. Prince's Side of the Street: North Minneapolis Landmarks Walking Tour, hosted by Preserve Minneapolis, will visit three of Prince's early homes, as well as his neighborhood school. Tour-goers will learn how growing up in Minneapolis shaped the musician, and how desegregation of the city's schools helped expose Prince to new musical influences and key collaborators, resulting in the Minneapolis Sound of the late '70s and early '80s. The tour will be held 6 to 8 p.m. on Aug. 2, $10. Register at preserveminneapolis.org, Events.
Private garden tour
Visit two distinctive Twin Cities home gardens as part of the Garden Conservancy's Open Days program. The featured gardens are an Edina backyard with raised timber beds, a vintage fountain and lush plantings, and a Roseville home and landscape that demonstrate how intensive energy efficiency can be beautiful and sustainable. Experts will be on hand to answer questions. Both gardens will be open for touring noon to 4 p.m. July 29. Admission to each garden is $7. For more information, visit gardenconservancy.org/open-days/open-days- schedule/minneapolis-mn-area-open-day.