Events
PDD Quiz: Creepy Northland
In honor of the upcoming Halloween holiday, this edition of the PDD Quiz tests knowledge of the Northland’s creepy places, events and history.
The next quiz, on headlines from October 2018, will be published on Oct. 28. Please email question suggestions to Alison Moffat at aklawite@d.umn.edu by Oct. 24. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2018
It’s officially summer, now, and the PDD Calendar is stuffed with every ding-dang concert from here to eternity (or at least, like, Tower or somewhere). Of course, the usual suspects like Bayfront Festival Park and Big Top Chautauqua are in there, as are smaller series like Bayside Sounds, Chester Creek Concert Series and Summer (Mostly) Thursdays. Here’s a peek at some of the upcoming sure-to-be outdoor-music highlights. (more…)
Three Festivals
Festival season is here. I didn’t get to the Park Point Art Fair until after it had closed on Saturday, but that was OK. I was only really there because I wanted to check out the gluten-free fair food. Auntie M’s Gluten Free Fair food tempted me to make the drive to the end of the Point. (more…)
Boards and Brews
I’ve attended two fun games nights lately. “Boards & Brews” is an event sponsored by UMD Alumni Relations, Bent Paddle Brewing, and Dungeon’s End Game Store. UMD provides snacks, Bent Paddle sells beer, and Dungeon’s End teaches games. (more…)
Art of Peace continues with “Soulstice”
In 2002, the Art of Peace exhibits/events in Duluth sprung up as a response to the events of 9/11 and the resulting Iraq War. From those events, the Echoes of Peace Choir (led by Sara Thomsen) was born. The choir and its associated nonprofit organization still thrive.
Once again a grass roots effort has sprung up in Duluth to address violence, injustice and the erosion of our democratic principles. A peaceful, artistic event is planned in response to the president’s visit to Duluth on June 20. In just a few short days, a grassroots impromptu group of individuals and nonprofit organizations have put together a diverse program with members of our community.
This is, in effect, a new Art of Peace event in Duluth.
Soulstice: A Celebration of Peace, Love and Democracy is a free concert and community gathering at Leif Erikson Park on Wednesday, June 20. It begins at 5 p.m. (more…)
Selective Focus: Run Smelt Run
Sunday, May 13, is the annual Run Smelt Run Parade. If you’ve never witnessed or been a part of the parade, it’s a blend of art, absurdity, puppets, community, ecology, humor, music, dancing and things that sparkle.
The festivities begin at 3:30 p.m. near the Aerial Lift Bridge and north pier, on the lawn in front of the Maritime Museum. Look for the people on stilts. (more…)
Circle of Hope Boot Camp
I went to the Circle of Hope Boot Camp at Clyde Iron Works on Saturday Morning. (more…)
Duluth Superior Film Festival accepting short films for 2018
The 2018 Duluth Superior Film Festival is right around the corner. No official date has been set, but the event typically occurs in early June.
In the meantime, short films are needed. Local and regional shorts of all genres will be considered.
To submit, e-mail a link to the film and a brief description to matthew.dressel @ gmail.com. Feel free to also e-mail Duluth Superior Film Festival Coordinator Matthew Dressel with questions.
High Bridge Comedy expands Duluth-area stand-up offerings
From left: Chad Gallo, Joe Mosier, Danielle Thralow, Alex Meyers and Scott Zank
Stand-up comedy is not one of the more glamorous forms of entertainment in Duluth. A group of comedians called High Bridge Comedy is trying to change that. (more…)
The Duluth Hard Enduro
[arve url=”https://youtu.be/b_24xCNFyro”]
The Duluth Hard Enduro is coming up on Oct. 28. It is a big-mountain style all-day epic enduro race across the city of Duluth hitting all of the raddest trails from fast and flowing to rocky techy gnar! (more…)
Running for Our Heroes 5K
I ran, then jogged, then walked in the “Running for Our Heroes” 5K. I learned something about running, about 5Ks, about myself. (more…)
PDD at Fall Fest
Despite a little drizzle, Fall Fest is happening today as scheduled, Saturday, Sept. 16, at Chester Bowl Park, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Join us in the PDD tent, located between the playground and the stage. You can hang with us in our photo booth and listen to Woodblind, Ingeborg von Agassiz and Mama’s Stolen Horses perform throughout the day. Keep up with happenings via #pddfallfest.
Selective Focus: Erika Mock
Erika Mock is a textile artist and arts activist who uses recycled materials to make zero-waste artwear. On Thursday, Aug. 24, she will be co-hosting a Pop-Up Shop and Open Studio along with Kristina Estell (previously featured in Selective Focus).
E.M.: I create textiles for body and soul; free-spirited sculpted art to wear to wake your body and perceptions. Most are richly colored accessories (wraps, eco-scarves, skinnies, wings, feathers, talismans, and tendrils), both organic in shape and elegant … a kind of sensitive chaos juiced with symbolism and surprise. (more…)
Iron Range to host inaugural craft beer festival
The Iron Range’s first craft beer festival is on tap this Saturday in Virginia. In addition to a craft beer village, the Olcott Fountain Brew Fest will feature food, live music and kids’ activities.
The event is a fundraiser organized by the Olcott Park Fountain Restoration Committee, whose mission is to restore the park’s historic fountain to its former glory.
“It’s the first brew fest north of Duluth. We seem to have a lot of interest from all over the Iron Range, which is awesome,” says Carly Gobats, who curated the event’s brewery and music lineup and serves as the its volunteer coordinator. (more…)
Summer 2017 Duluth-area Beer Festival Primer
There’s nothing quite like kicking back to quaff a cold beer in the summertime. The warmest season ushers in plenty of chances for those craving craft brews to get outside, sit back and sample suds. We’ve done the legwork for you and compiled a list of some of the top tasting events and beer festivals in the Twin Ports area. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2017
Summer is upon us (you can tell because that big hot bright ball is occasionally up in the sky), and that means a gaggle of outdoor concerts are in the PDD Calendar, ready for consideration. Of course, the usual suspects like Bayfront Festival Park and Big Top Chautauqua are in there, as are smaller series like Bayside Sounds, Chester Creek Concert Series and Summer (Mostly) Thursdays. Here’s a peek at some of the upcoming sure-to-be highlights:
June 16
Everclear
Canal Park
1990’s hitmakers Everclear, Vertical Horizon and Fastball perform during Grandma’s Marathon weekend in Canal Park.
June 16
Lake Ave Live 2017
Canal Park
Local original artists also get some tent time at this two-day tenttacular.
June 23
Warren Nelson
Big Top Chautauqua
The founder of Big Top Chautauqua, Warren Nelson, celebrates 50 years in show business with a concert of songs chosen from way back to now.
A Certain Kind of Nerd: Wrestling, Art, Politics, Nerds, Games
It’s Nerd High Culture in Duluth this week. (more…)
Homegrown Kickball Classic: Friday shuts out Saturday
Team Friday celebrates after winning the 2017 Homegrown Kickball Classic.
DULUTH, Minn. – The Friday bands shut out Saturday to win 2017’s high-stakes Homegrown Kickball Classic 8-0, tying up the overall series at 9-9. (more…)
Paul McCartney booked to play Duluth … Georgia
Paul McCartney announced a set of U.S. summer tour dates yesterday. According to a City Pages story and comments on paulmccartney.com the press materials for the tour originally stated it “takes Paul to three cities and venues he’s never played before” including a July 13 show “at the Infinity Energy Arena in Duluth MN.” McCartney’s website has since fixed the error, clarifying that the Infinity Energy Arena is in Duluth, Ga. (more…)
Now/Here: Poetry and Music
A few snapshots from Sunday’s event at Peace United Church. Jim Perlman of Holy Cow Press organized the poetry reading, which featured Crystal Gibbins, author of Now/Here, and Gary Boelhower, author of Naming Rites. The event included musical interludes by Sara Thomsen.
Empty Bowls
It was good to go to the Empty Bowl event tonight. For $20, every year, I get a handmade pottery piece. I have more than a half a dozen of these small bowls holding change and keys and so on. I also get soup — tastings of clam chowder, chicken spaetzle, chicken noodle from the best restaurants in Duluth. A local food pantry receives the cash.
And this year, among the bowls, there was what appears to be a spoon rest for the stove top, or possibly a small bowl for after-dinner chocolates, or possibly just a cool thing. (See picture.)
If you know OAR, the signature on the back, mention I adore the work. It made me so happy. If OAR is a practicing artist, I’ll edit this to add info. Love the work.
Empty bowl was a salve. Empty Bowl reminds me that I can do the right thing, I can make positive change, in a way that rewards me and the world. Hoping for more of that.
Spring 2017 Duluth-area Beer Festival Primer
The United States now boasts over 5,000 craft breweries as the thirst for quality beer continues. The Twin Ports are clearly part of the trend. Duluth and Superior are home to eight breweries, with two more planning to launch in 2017. Several others dot the north and south shores of Lake Superior. The great news for beer aficionados: there’s no shortage of local beer and opportunities to taste the latest batches. The next three major swillfests are highlighted here.
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2017 Duluth Superior Film Festival seeking submissions
The Duluth Superior Film Festival is taking a call for entry for all forms of film presentation. No specific parameters. All submissions will be considered. Shorts, features, docs, narratives, animation, experimental. Festival dates are May 31 to June 4.
To be considered, send password-protected Vimeo links to richard@ds-ff.com and/or jordan@ds-ff.com.
The awesome poster was created by Duluth artist Jonathan Thunder.
Fragments of chalk and glass in an oil painting
I’ll be talking about art on Saturday at Zinema 2 in an event sponsored by the Duluth Art Institute, for the showing of American Splendor. Here is other writing of mine on art; if you like it, I hope to be this elegant Saturday.
A Woman Bathing in a Stream by Rembrandt
When I was 22, I took the bus to New York and visited the Rembrandt/Not-Rembrandt exhibit.
I learned that conservators struggle with Rembrandt’s work, because he added ground chalk and bits of glass to the paint to add texture and to speed drying. These practices make the paintings hard to preserve hundreds of years later.
… fragments of chalk and glass in an oil painting, causing the paint to crack over time.
Those fragments have become integral to identifying a Rembrandt — a painting without them starts from the presumption of forgery. The bits of glass have become a sign of authenticity.
It is impossible to admire a Rembrandt without admiring the cracks and breaks caused by the ground and broken things.
… so it is with falling in love.