Events

This past week, I went to see Gao Hong, Sarah Deer and Ed Downs give public talks, each a kind of rethinking for me. (more…)

Last night, I went to the TED at the Teatro. This regular event (on the third Wednesday of every month) has both a Facebook Page and a Youtube Channel. It’s the second time I attended, and it’s an event I’d like to return to, even if it had some complexities.

The event is structured with a chatty welcome, last night including an uncomfortable handshake (getting us to meet the people around us, like the handshake in a church). There is a Raymond Carver essay in which Carver reflects on something Tobias Wolff told him when Carver invited Wolff to an event, to meet some people. “I don’t want any new friends. I can’t do right by the ones I have now,” or something more or less like that. If, unlike me, you are into meeting strangers, sure, this was fun.

There was music from Medical Underground. Others, more into local pop/rock music, might chime in on their quality. I found them pleasant. One of the refrains of one of their songs appeared to be something like “We will be okay,” which maybe is reassuring. (more…)

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

Celebrate Labor Day at the AFL-CIO Labor Day Picnic, artists are invited to take advantage of open studio time at the Depot, St. Luke’s opens an art show with items by cancer survivors, adventurer Lonnie DuPre gives a presentation on what he’s learned during his various trips, the grounds of Glensheen Mansion become a classroom where folks can use fresh vegetables from their garden during lessons, Green Day’s rock opera is staged at The Underground and Twin Cities band Rogue Valley performs at Sacred Heart Music Center.

Hip-hop crew Doomtree performs during the End of the Summer Block Party outside Dubh Linn, the biggest slip-and-slide to ever hit Duluth asphalt gets unrolled, the 2016 Lake Superior Harvest Festival takes place on Saturday, the monthly Nice Girls of the North arts and crafts show happens at Lakeside Lester Park Community Center, kitties and bunnies are looking for homes, the Harbor City Roller Dames are back in action and Rachael Kilgour releases her latest LP.

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

August is ending, and many ongoing summer events are winding down. The Hermantown and Downtown farmers’ markets are closing up shop in the upcoming weeks, the last Doggy Happy Hour at the Fitger’s Brewery complex happens on Tuesday, the Shark-Watching Society meets for the final time in 2016 and Teague Alexy performs during the last installment of the Chester Creek Concert Series.

Also: Woodland is ground zero for BBQ on Tuesday, Mayor Emily Larson and City Councilor Elissa Hansen invite the public to City Hall in the City, the 2016 Pride Celebration kicks off with the mayor’s reception and includes the Bayfront Pride Festival, the dark history of American assassins is explored in musical form, the classic football rivalry between East and Denfeld continues at Public Schools Stadium on Friday and a gaggle of musicians play the Super Big Block Party.

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

The Miller Auction Service holds its weekly auction on Monday, people can play mini-golf in Superior to benefit the Old Firehouse and Police Museum, the Head of the Lakes Fair runs from Tuesday through Sunday, the public can attend an open house on the Superior Street reconstruction project, the Lake Superior Zoo is showing its Wild Side and Ladies’ Night Karaoke is going down at R.T. Quinlan’s on Wednesday.

The Silk Shieks bring the instrumental thunder to the Red Herring, little tykes can join up with the River Rovers Nature Playgroup, Sour Fest 2016 is the place for people who like their beers to make them pucker up, Jack Sparrow stars in the final Movies in the Park of the year, the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival is back, there’s a block party going down on Jefferson Street, the fifth Superior Man Triathlon will host over 400 athletes and the 125th anniversary of Minnesota’s state parks and trails is celebrated.

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

The Hoghead Festival begins in Proctor with a golf tournament, North Shore Scenic Railroad presents an onboard murder mystery, it’s the dawn of the Nerdaissance at Teatro Zuccone, Mary Bue brings her Holy Bones to the Chester Creek Concert Series, the latest installment of Take it With You goes live at the Underground, Gaelynn Lea releases her latest EP with a show at the Red Herring and families who have Olympic fever can compete at the Duluth Family YMCA.

It’s the season for kids to run wild in Wednesday Night at the Races, the Tall Ships are back in the harbor, the 4-day Art in Bayfront Park event opens, the punk/hardcore music festival Northern Isolation II runs from August 19 to 21, the Duluth Experience takes people on a Dark History Walking Tour of Duluth, Rich Mattson and the Northstars join Space Carpet at the Red Herring and local fare is celebrated at Farm Fest.

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

The University of Wisconsin-Superior hosts the inaugural Aeronautics and Space Camp for high-school girls, the 2016 primary election takes place on Tuesday, nationally-recognized kids’ comedy duo Mixed Nuts performs at the Duluth Public Library, Mama’s Stolen Horses make an appearance as part of the Chester Creek Concert Series, the completely bonkers cult film Miami Connection screens at the Zinema, supergroup Case/Lang/Veirs plays Big Top Chautauqua and the Shark-Watching Society is keeping their eyes peeled on Wednesday.

The 2016 Wisconsin Space Conference takes place at UW-Superior, the Duluth Art Institute holds an ongoing workshop on digital-based art, Iron Range mining communities are the focus during a talk with photographer Vance Gellert, ad agency Swim Creative celebrates a decade in business, Har Mar Superstar schools fools at the Red Herring, the Bayfront Blues Festival returns to Bayfront Festival Park, the Duluth Huskies play their last regular-season home game and the Duluth Children’s Museum holds its eighth-annual Bubble Festival.

I passed through Movies in the Park on Friday while walking home from Suicide Squad at the Duluth Movie Theater at the DECC. On the way home, I conservatively passed seventy people playing Pokemon Go. I know this because I was playing, too. (more…)

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

The Zeitgeist Arts complex is the place to find art and film becoming entangled, juggling maniac Tuey performs stunts and tricks at the Duluth Public Library, Tuesday is Market Day in the Plaza on the UMD campus, the 60th anniversary of the passing of last Union Civil War soldier and Duluthian Albert Woolson is marked, the 2016 National Night Out brings together police and communities, Charlie Parr and Red Mountain both get a chance to make up for their weather-scuttled outdoor concerts on Glensheen Mansion’s pier and the 2016 Spirit Valley Days celebration begins on Wednesday.

Paul and Gene and a guy dressed like Ace and a guy dressed like Peter return to the DECC for one of the summer’s biggest concerts, a musical about a director facing a midlife crisis hits The Underground, Mozart and pantomime are married at Mitchell Auditorium, Beaner’s Central is the place for all-ages metal, the Howling Moon Music Festival returns to Bayfront Park, a classic Rob Reiner film plays at Movies in the Park on Friday, what’s left of the Beach Boys and the Temptations perform at the DECC to help celebrate the complex’s 50th anniversary and the co-president of the Freedom From Religion Foundation speaks at the Radisson on Sunday morning.

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

The Duluth Area Chamber of Commerce holds its 47th annual golf classic, juggler and aerialist Laura Ernst brings her stunt spectacular to the Duluth Public Library, the Duluth Huskies battle the Bullfrogs of Green Bay, the Trans+ support group holds their biweekly meeting, Beaner’s Central gives performers a chance to do their thing at their Wednesday Open Mic, the Superior Singers perform Disney songs at Barker’s Island and Charlie Parr plays his country-blues at Glensheen Mansion.

Renowned weird man David Liebe Hart stops at the Red Herring as a part of his latest tour, folks can learn about water safety and build sand castles out on Park Point, CASDA holds their Socks for Survivors Golf Scramble, the annual Northern Minnesota Swap Meet and Car Show is at the Itasca County Fairgrounds in Grand Rapids, the 13th annual Free Range Film Festival gives film buffs a chance to see flicks in a barn, Bold Choice Theatre presents an old-fashioned mystery set in a mansion, the 125th anniversary of Skyline Parkway is celebrated with a family picnic and the Goo Goo Dolls perform with Collective Soul at Bayfront Park.

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

There’s a seminar about voter engagement taking place at the Ordean Building, folks can get a hand in uncovering the roots of their family trees at the Duluth Public Library, veterans can receive assistance with looking for employment at the Minnesota Work Force Center, Haley Bonar comes to town to play the pier at Glensheen, rapper P.O.S. plays a micro show, PAVSA is selling BBQ and cupcakes to support their services and Anthony Bush talks baseball at the Depot.

A contemporary take on the original spoiled rich girl plays at Teatro Zuccone, famed comic Jerry Seinfeld stops at the DECC, The All Pints Eve Hootenanny is transpiring at Bent Paddle Brewing, Dem Atlas and Reflectivore play Pizza Luce, the Lake Superior Classic & Custom Boat Show lands at Barker’s Island, the 2016 All Pints North Summer Brew Fest is at Bayfront Park and the Rolling Thunder Reunion brings together musicians with Bob Dylan ties at Weber Music Hall.

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

Local vendors sell produce, baked goods and other items at the Hermantown Farmers Market, the Backpacker Magazine Get Out More Tour visits Trailfitters, Kenny Ahern brings his Kaleidoscope show back to the Duluth Public Library, folks can learn about whitetailed deer at Gooseberry Falls, brews and literature are paired up at the Red Herring Lounge, Boku Frequency plays as part of the Chester Creek Concert Series and an adaptation of one of the most beloved action films ever comes to the Zinema.

Downtown Duluth’s Sidewalk Days are happening once again, Red Mountain plays on the pier at Glensheen Mansion, Hermantown is the place to catch live music and grab some suds and grub, glam metal meets Broadway at the Duluth Playhouse, forty artists are featured in the Duluth Art Institute’s outdoor-painting festival, Lake Place Park is the site for two evenings of dance, the Hilltop Obstacle Fun Run goes down at Marshall School and the Bayfront Reggae & World Music Festival returns.