(MINNEAPOLIS)March 12, 2012It is time to start preparing for those sunny, spring days that are meant to be spent outdoors. The 2012 Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow will be the premier spot to find all of your outdoor equipment and ideas. Take another trip to the Minneapolis Convention Center, March 28 April 1, to find a variety of camping or hunting equipment and then extend your getaway in Minneapolis City by Nature.

Meet Minneapolis, Convention & Visitors Association, provides plenty of deals, events, hotels and restaurants to enhance your stay in the city. Go to www.minneapolis.org/promotions and find plenty of information about things like what shows are playing at the Orpheum Theater or get a fun Outdoor Adventure Itinerary to follow while youre in the city.

The 80^th annual Progressive Insurance Northwest Sportshow Celebration will have all the family favorites back again: Learn how to improve your fly fishing skills at the Discover Fly Fishing exhibit or bring the kids in to fish for live trout at the Trout Pond and then receive a complimentary book from Fishing Kids to encourage your kids to go outside and play. A highlight to the show this year is the chance to meet stars of History Channels hit series Swamp People. R.J. Molinere Jr. and son Jay Raul will tell stories about their crazy adventures of hunting alligators and visitors have the opportunity to get autographs from the two adventure-seeking celebrities.

Dont just head home after the show; nows the time to think spring break. Stay a night or even the whole week in Minneapolis. Minneapolis.org is THE place to find great deals and unique ideas to do while the winter is coming to an end. For more details on the show, check hours and buy tickets online, visit www.northwestsportshow.com.

ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS

Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit of the greater Minneapolis area.

Online: www.minneapolis.org

On Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/meetmi...

On Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetminneap...

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MEDIA CONTACT

Kristen Montag, media communication manager, 612.767.8038, kristenm@minneapolis.org, Minneapolis_PR on Twitter

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