A Parachute Project in Duluth
By Adam Carr on Dec 7, 2011 in Weird Stuff
I’m an independent radio/media producer currently living and working in Milwaukee. However, for a variety of reasons, I find myself strongly drawn to Duluth (I’ve visited a few times and a couple close friends currently live in Duluth).
To satisfy that interest, I’m thinking about spending next month implementing a project I’ve cooked up called January In Duluth. The idea is fairly straightforward — I’m going to spend the month (1) getting to know as much as I can about the culture/people/history/state-of-mind in Duluth and (2) exploring how the winter cold effects a community (I’m currently sitting in the half-outside section of a coffee shop, practicing/conditioning myself).
I’d be coming into the city looking to listen and learn, so conversations in physical and digital spaces would be a central part of my approach. All of the stories, conversations, interviews, videos, photos, etc. produced would then live on an interactive website, much like this one.
Since such a project would rely so heavily on the kindness and knowledge of strangers, I thought this would be the perfect space to kick up a short conversation about the prospect of January In Duluth. Does this project sound interesting to you, either as a person who might share some thoughts about Duluth or perhaps an audience member? Beyond your own feelings, is this the kind of project Duluth might respond to? Any feedback will be warmly appreciated!
Awesome plan! You’ll be welcome here. I first visited Duluth in January and loved it here. Eventually moved here 11 years ago this month.
Bring vodka.
What an interesting project -- welcome to Duluth!
However, I will warn you that Duluthians are introverts, and even more-so when the wind-chill gets ridiculously low. You have your work cut out for you.
Duluthians are indeed introverts. What’s the deal with that anyway? I’m told that it takes years to break the ice. Quite different from the Midwest norm alas.
We’re not all introverts! And some of us even enjoy being outside in the winter! This is an awesome project and I know many Duluthians who would support it and love to be a part of it (including me!)
I can put you in touch with the folks at Skydive Superior. I’m not sure they do many jumps in January however.
How do we contact you?
January shows a different side of Duluth. The college students are gone, which is nice. Tourists are gone, which is nice. And the weather makes life interesting.
I would recommend hitting up the Beargrease sled dog race, check out a few shows downtown, head up to Spirit Mountain for a day, take a stroll down Park Point to chat up some of the ice fisherman out on the bay, and go check out a high school hockey game.
Ha! I’m not certain that sitting semi-outside at Alterra is prepping you properly for Duluth January… but welcome!
I’ll happily photograph you freezing your pants off in January.
Short Circuit Duluth II is January 21st at Teatro. The line-up this year includes Duluth’s own If Thousands!
I think it sounds like a great idea. I’m new to Duluth myself, preparing for only my second winter here, so I would love to see the finished project and perhaps be involved as well.
Welcome! I must commend you for taking on a January in Duluth!
Along with the above suggestions, I would recommend connecting with the old timers of Duluth.
Don’t forget to grab yourself a “Duluth is a Cool City” t-shirt.
wow — thanks for all the responses! i can’t wait to get into the city and start working. and it already sounds like there will be far too much to do in a single month.
i’m going to start a website, e-mail address, etc. in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for that.
Adam. you’ll want to get some footage of a broomball match, which is very Minnesotan (MN is second only to Canada in the number of broomball leagues, teams, tournaments, etc.)
I don’t think all Duluthians are too introverted to talk to you. Maybe certain PDD users are introverted.
You should do it! If your angle is “why do people stay in the ninth coldest city in america in the dead of winter… and what do they do here?” then yeah, by all means, hit up the all the local dram-shops, college hang-outs, ice hockey rinks, ski and snowmobile trails, etc. you like and get acquainted with what it is, exactly that keeps people here in the midst of such unforgiving conditions.
Me, personally? It was sharing good times with good people like our mutual friend, Jamie Blodgett, and other great friends with whom I grew up here in Duluth that brought me back on breaks from college and even afterward. Plus, it’s always swell to see the area get some positive press… as long as this isn’t some dark, twisted mental-health exposé or something… ^.~
I’m trying to convice my old friend Nola to drop in from Seattle to bring his bubble project to town to further his social experiment.
He’s working on bubble2 right now…
Just get ready to drink! I know people from The Good Land pride themselves on their drinking ability but you haven’t seen anything close to a drinking Duluthian. We are the best of the best. Real pros!!! One more thing, if Duluthians are such introverts then why are the bars packed with party people all the time?
How do we get in touch with you? I have a fairly cool activity that might shed some light on “how winter cold effects a community”
When I was in college we had “J-Term” and most other similar schools had the same. Taking January, our coldest, darkest month a time to explore the place and ourselves. Look at diffrent ideas, etc.
Now my school and all the others have abandoned J-term. Sad.
Oh, I suppose you should ask around town for directions to the Bigloo… maybe even help in the construction.
Dress up really warm one night in a winter storm and go down to the shore to watch the waves come crashing in.
Dress up really warm during the day in a winter storm and go out in the woods.
Sub-zero bar crawl?