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You may not know it, but this November will be a wonderful time to visit Minneapolis. By then the mosquitos will all be gone and, with luck, Governor Jesse Ventura will have run out of "quotable" things to say. V-formations of Canada geese will fill the sky and the city's many lakes will still be deep blue and free of ice. And, to get to the point, lots of mandolin players will be in town.

Take my word for it, you really want to come to this year's CMSA Convention in Minneapolis, which has the theme "The Mandolin at the Turn of the Century" and is being hosted by the Minnesota Mandolin Orchestra. Right now, set aside November 4-8 on your calendar. Get time off from work and call the babysitter. Come a day early if you want to take advantage of a great pre-convention concert, sponsored by Plucked String, spotlighting the artistry of mandolinist Richard Walz. Immediately break the news to your family and friends that you'll be gone, or better yet bring them along.

We're planning a great event for you. The convention will feature your favorite mandolinists, including some who have never before performed for a CMSA crowd. The week will be crammed with concerts. The convention hotel, the downtown Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, is one of the city's finest, located near Orchestra Hall and the prime downtown shopping and dining district. And if shopping on a grander scale is more your thing, a bus leaves regularly from the hotel and heads straight for the Mall of America, the nation's largest shopping mall.

Which artists are participating in this year's convention? Here's a (still preliminary) list: The Butch Baldassari Trio, Neil Gladd, Caterina Lichtenberg, the Mair-Davis Duo, Evan Marshall, Simon Mayor, the Milwaukee Mandolin Orchestra, Peter Ostroushko and Joan Griffith, the Uptown Mandolin Quartet, Richard Walz, Tony Williamson, and many others who will astound you with their facility with fingers and a pick.

Jim Bates and Jeff Dearinger are set to conduct the convention orchestra, whose rehearsals and performance promise to raise us to new heights of collaborative artistry, orchestral slickness, and sheer numbers. The convention vendors will offer great deals and plenty of interesting stuff to examine. We'll have workshops on composing, conducting, mandolin orchestra history, playing technique, the mandolin's orchestral repertoire, and many other topics too numerous to mention and yet to be determined. And we're trying to arrange the appearance of an electronic device that will allow you to peer into the inner construction of your instrument.

We'll also offer a concert by Minnesota's mandolin master Peter Ostroushko, who will perform with his musical partner, Joan Griffith. We'll have a bus tour of notorious gangland shootouts and kidnappings in St. Paul, as well as a convention banquet featuring local specialties. Also in the planning is a panoramic end-of-the-century group photo including all convention participants - your chance to prove to friends that you were part of the mandolin scene as the century drew to a close.

Did I forget to mention the weather? I know that many of you in America's southern and western climes are probably wondering how you will survive exposure to temperatures below 50 degrees F. Actually, the average daytime temperature in Minneapolis during early November is about 45 degrees and the average evening low is about 29. Half the days are sunny. It might snow, but it might not.

All in all, the convention will be, as always, a chance to meet friends, learn new tricks, and fill your ear with amazing mandolin music. Undoubtedly it will also rank as the most fabulous mandolin extravaganza ever to take place within walking distance of my house. (You think I agreed to coordinate it only out of the goodness of my heart?) Come join us!

It is not too early now to nail down your hotel and airline reservations. For reservations at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency, call 1-800-233-1234 and mention the convention. Special room rates for the convention begin at $89/night. As the official airline of the 1999 convention, Northwest Airlines is offering discounts of five to ten percent off published rates. For reservations, call 1-800-328-1111 and mention our group Worldfile NYD5T. The earlier you book, the bigger the discount.

Please contact me, Jack El-Hai, if you have questions or suggestions concerning the convention. You can reach me by e-mail at el-hai@reporters.net or by phone at (612) 870-3488.