Events

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

A cheery celebration of the music of misery lands at Bayfront Festival Park for the 27th time: the three-day Bayfront Blues Festival takes place, this weekend.

Also happening: John Cusack hoists his boombox of love, Brandi Carlile hits the Big Top, the National Night Out is city-wide on Tuesday, Spirit Valley Days are afoot in West Duluth on Wednesday through Sunday, there’s a talk about baseball at Karpeles Manuscript Museum to go with their current exhibit and Eastland: A New Musical sets sail at Teatro Zuccone.

Beers and the symphony orchestra meld together at Great Lakes Aquarium, the Two Harbors Kayak Festival is happening up northways, the Superior Downtown Summerfest is taking over Tower Avenue, the St. Louis River Alliance is holding their annual canoe and kayak tour and you don’t have to be an animal to run like one at the Lake Superior Zoo.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Chamber Golf Classic is teeing off bright and early on Monday morning, the Duluth Huskies are in the final games of their regular season, there’s dancing on the Lakewalk, the Great Lakes Aquarium is celebrating its sweet fifteen, the Kidney Walk is taking place and puppets will talk dirty at the Underground.

Kids can play musical instruments at the Library, it’s a board-game avalanche at Studio 15, the Howling Moon festival goes pop-country (yee-hawoooo!), Movies in the Park is showing the Pixar film Cars, Thomas the Tank Engine is rolling into town, the 29th Brewhouse Triathlon is being held at Island Lake Park and the Scenic Train on the St. Louis River is chugging right along.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Gentlemen’s Anti-Temperance League brings its Prohibition swing to Chester Bowl, kids can make a racket at the West Duluth Branch Library, Tippi Hedren shows us why having lions for roommates is a bad idea in Roar, Take it With You does their 12th show (complete with tailgate party) and a heat-beating opportunity presents itself in the form of a free open-skate.

The Lake Superior Chamber Orchestra joins forces with Magic Smelt Puppet Troupe and Lake Superior Youth Chorus to present a Persian fable, farmers peddle their wares in West Duluth, the Minneapolis radio station The Current comes to Duluth to show Duluth some Duluth bands at a couple of events, the Free Range Film Festival fills a Wrenshall barn with indie films, the Duluth Huskies play the St. Cloud Rox and the All Points North Summer Brew Fest hits Bayfront Park.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

It’s a big week for art in the Northland, with the Plein Air Art Festival getting underway. Also taking place: an ARAC grant-writing workshop, a night of board games for grownups at Studio 15, the 48th annual Tour of Homes, the activity-packed Hermantown Summerfest and the Fractals play Fairlawn Mansion.

There’s a community bike ride on Wednesday, Guys & Dolls opens at the Duluth Playhouse, the Northern Hammer Fest swings into action in Lake Nebagamon (a heavy-metal town if there ever was one), there’s party-polka in Superior, Titanic: the Musical is, uh, going down at Fitger’s, the Bayfront Reggae Festival is happening on Saturday and Shannan Paul is bringing the funny to Dubh Linn.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

It’s a busy week of summertastic events large and small. Make a clay animal at Duluth Makerspace, watch the Huskies battle the MoonDogs, Lawrence Lee defends a favorite film of his at the Zinema, there’s comedic magic for kids at the Library, the South St. Louis County Fair kicks off in Proctor and downtown Duluth’s Sidewalk Days get underway.

At Teatro Zuccone, the New Works Festival brings the freshness, the heat can be beaten at the Heritage Center’s weekly open-skate, the still-envious-of-Jesse Rick Springfield hits Bayfront Park (as do Trampled by Turtles with several guests) and Emilio Estevez’ enduring classic The Mighty Ducks ushers in the Movies in the Park season.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

Like birthday parties? Come to ours. Perfect Duluth Day turns 12, today. Free donuts, y’all!

Other stuff going on that may or may not include totally awesome free donuts: there’s a new Nerd Nite going down at Teatro Zuccone, the Tom Cruise classic Top Gun gets riffed in the Zinema by Renegade at the Movies, Southwire’s playing Glensheen, Tim and Eric company player David Liebe Hart brings his spacey puppetry and music to the Red Herring, there are Magic: the Gathering tourneys all over town, Hairball coughs up another performance, a 20-person Japanese delegation arrives to celebrate 25 years of sister-cityhood and the 4th of July is already here, which means Bayfront’s annual Fourth Fest is, too.

On Saturday Common Language will be firing up the artisanal foundry at the 45th annual Park Point Art Fair. Watch the little furnace spit out 100 pounds of iron every 12 minutes or so, and make an iron tile to take home. Instruction and tools will be provided. 10 a.m. until they last. $20.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Spirit Room celebrates its first year with a multi-day bash, Wordsmith Wednesdays is going down at Amazing Grace, the Three Bridges International Music Festival continues, the Duluth Huskies battle a team from Alexandria that is unfortunately not called the Big Oles, the River Rovers Nature Play Group for kids is assembling in Billings Park and Art in the Alley opens its Mall-area location.

In Lincoln Park, there’s music on the 22nd and the Neighborhood Summer Celebration on the 25th, the craft-beer documentary film Blood, Sweat and Beer plays at Bent Paddle, the Chum Rhubarb Festival gets underway on Saturday (as does the 45th annual Park Point Art Fair) and the Gala of the Royal Horses is at Amsoil Arena.

Have you ever thought that your love of the community and desire to send someone off a building would ever come together in a socially acceptable way? It finally has!

For the third year people will be going “over the edge” for a great cause, rappelling over the side of the nine-story Sellwood Building in Downtown Duluth on July 8 and 9. This exhilarating and completely safe experience is open to everyone with a sense of adventure and the desire to raise support for an incredible cause: the Y!

Help Cheryl Skafte and others reach their fundraising goal.

If you would like to participate, the ticket to your “Over the Edge” adventure is raising $1,000 for the Duluth Area Family YMCA. You don’t need to be an experienced rappeller, just at least 14 years old and between 100 and 300 pounds.

Special VIP day on July 9 available for those who are in Don Ness’ book … or know they should be.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

Lots going on, this week, with Grandma’s Marathon taking the prize for the biggest event. In addition to the main race, there’s also the Garry Bjorklund half-marathon, the William A. Irvin 5k, two nights of non-local music in a big tent and two nights of mostly-local music in a big tent.

Events not directly related to running people (or people who are running) include guitarist Billy Barnard, a big kids’ games day at the Duluth Library, a chess grand master at the Superior Library, a meeting meant to keep locals informed about the Grand Avenue rehab project, the Duluth Farmers Market, the interactive comedic play Game Show goes up and local comic artists show their stuff.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Friends of the Library Used Book Sale is underway June 8 to 11, the Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank perform in Chester Bowl, the Three Bridges International Chamber Music Festival gets underway, there’s a bus tour that aims to depict Duluth as a work of art and the Renegade play Title of Show opens.

Master watercolorist Cheng Khee-Chee does a live painting demonstration at the Tweed, the Albert Maysles documentary Iris opens at the Zinema, the big Park Point Rummage Sale is happening, there’s a rap festival in Sturgeon Lake (yeah, you read that right), the North Coast Creative Alliance Community Fair is at Greysolon Plaza and there’s a live-read of the movie Clue at the Underground.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Tweed Museum’s offering up another of its Tweevenings, the Chester Creek Concert Series is back in action with the North Shore Big Band, the Duluth Superior Film Festival gets underway with its five days of free programming and the watercentric Reel Paddling Film Festival also joins the film fray.

The Duluth Playhouse opens the play Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Fitger’s Brewhouse serves up its 4000th (!) batch of beer, Duluth’s Parks and Rec department holds a public meeting on what the future might hold for the zoo, a shop is popping up at the Depot, Pete from Beaner’s is throwing his big ole music festival again and Rich Mattson is releasing a new album with his band the Northstars.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

Lots of post-Memorial Day activities on tap, including Thunder of Freedom at Teatro Zuccone, Charlie Parr’s album-release show at the Red Herring, the Duluth Huskies’ home opener at the evolving Wade Stadium, Art Night Out 2015 at the Depot and an exploration of the Duluth Children’s Museum for adults.

There’s also the 2015 Berserkon gamestravaganza, the 2015 Arrowhead Arts Awards, the unlocking of a long-locked room at Glensheen Mansion, a fundraising tribute to the life and work of Eric Swanson at Sacred Heart, Bent Paddle’s Festiversary and the Spirit of the Times fundraiser at Zeitgeist Arts.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Nerds are having another Nite, there’s a TED Talk at the Teatro, people can get their antiques appraised at the Depot, a Nepal relief benefit is happening and bands and fans jam themselves onto a train.

The 2015 Northeastern Minnesota Book Awards take place, it’s Community Day at Glensheen Mansion, rock bands play an Italian restaurant, Blake Thomas continues his residency at the Zeitgeist Arts building and Bob Dylan gets even more adoration at Sacred Heart.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

Guitar wizard Jimi Cooper hits the Brewhouse, the Chamber Campaign Camp aims to help potential political candidates find their footing, writers meet at Amazing Grace, Duluth’s Life House holds its second Night to Shine event, a new Cheng-Khee Chee show opens at the Tweed with a reception and Grammy-winner Pat Donahue lands at Sacred Heart.

The owner of the Duluth Huskies baseball team discusses the team’s history, the Duluth Art Institute celebrates three solo exhibitions, the latest Wise Fool Shakespeare production opens, the Duluth Playhouse holds its casino night fundraiser and Portrait of a Drowned Man releases its vinyl soundtrack to Mike Scholtz’ Wicker Kittens.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The 2015 Homegrown Festival is in the books, but that doesn’t mean there’s any shortage of post-fest activity in the Northland. UMD Dean of Fine Arts Bill Payne will defend a favorite film at the Zinema, the second-annual Veterans Expo is taking place in Superior, the 58th annual Lions Club Pancake Day is happening at the DECC, the Filmed by Bike Festival is at the Zinema, Grandma’s Sports Garden is throwing a party in honor of the end of the school year and Caroline Smith plays the Red Herring.

Mayor Ness hosts his final Bike Luncheon, the YWCA is having its Mother’s Day Walk/Run, the Cat in the Hat opens a month of shows for kids at the Underground, there’s stand-up comedy at Dubh Linn and kids can learn how to draw with Chris Monroe.

Here’s a bit of what you’ll find on this week’s PDD Calendar:

The Homegrown Music Festival is upon us, and that means that every single day is packed with music.

One could be forgiven to think that there’s nothing much else to point out, this week, but there is. For instance, there’s a ramp closure on the Blatnik Bridge coming up on Wednesday — locals are saying it’s going to be the ramp closing of the season. And, uh, that’s about it.

Just kidding. There’s author Tim Jollymore at UMD, a pow-wow dancers photo exhibit at the Depot, author Linda LeGarde Grover is speaking in Superior, the Kurt Weill opera Street Scene is at Marshall Performing Arts Center, the Zenith Social Media Marketing Conference is happening at Greysolon Plaza, unWINEd ’15 takes place at Duluth International Airport, there’s a Minnesota Ballet wine/cheese benefit at the Depot, May 1 is Law Day in Duluth and there’s stand-up comedy at Dubh Linn.

It’s a veritable smorgasbord for those who like giant music festivals, ramp closings and other things, too.