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West Salem’s Garland Days celebration is a couple weeks away, but there are a few elements of the annual event that might require a little advance planning.

Two programs at the Marie W. Heider Center for the Arts during Garland Days are free but will require tickets, so Errol Kindschy, president of the West Salem Historical Society, is advising people to call ahead to reserve tickets.

First up is Kenny Salwey, who will bring his tales of the “last river rat” to the Heider Center on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 7 p.m.

Salwey is the subject of the Emmy Award-winning movie featuring Salwey, “Mississippi: Tales of The Last River Rat,” which will be shown on the theater-sized screen in the Heider Center. The BBC-Discovery Channel documentary also has won six international wildlife film awards and been translated into 13 languages.

Salwey has written two books about his life on the Mississippi River, and his blend of humor and respect for the natural world has gained him wide acclaim and a steady stream of speaking engagements.

Salwey will give a talk about life on the Mississippi and will take questions after the one-hour documentary is shown.

The next day will feature Granny, a sit-down comedienne who has shared the stage with Jim Nabors, Reba McIntyre, John Connelly and others. Her one-hour show starts at 2 p.m. in the Heider Center.

There is no charge for either show, but donations for the West Salem Historical Society will be gratefully accepted. People can reserve their free tickets by calling Kindschy at 786-1675.

Another part of Garland Days that will require a little planning is the all-village rummage sale, which runs Friday and Saturday, Sept. 12-13. People who call Kindschy on or before Sept. 5 to let him know they will be participating in the rummage sale will be included on a map to be published that will show where people can find West Salem rummage sales that weekend.

Other activities planned for this year’s Garland Days, which pays tribute to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Hamlin Garland, include an art show at the Garland House, a pioneer stew lunch, an auto tour of Garland’s Coulee Region, a Neshonoc Cemetery walk, music by Kelly Bleich and birthday cake and ice cream on Sunday at the Garland homestead.

To reserve tickets for the Heider Center events or to get on the rummage sale map, call Kindschy at 786-1675.