Videos
Duluth Hockey: There Goes the Neighborhood
In Duluth, community hockey is neighborhood hockey. From late-night flood squads at outdoor rinks to the iconic Duluth Heritage Center, it’s all made possible by the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association and legendary hockey families like the Frybergers. While the rest of the hockey world may have changed, Duluth continues to find success with a proven recipe, serving up community hockey at the neighborhood level.
The short documentary embedded above is voiced by the notorious hockey-hair video guy John King and produced by Pulltab Sports for Minnesota Hockey, the governing body of youth and amateur hockey in the state. It is part of a web series called The Association, which delves into nonprofit community hockey organizations throughout Minnesota.
Making it Up North: Northern Raven Studio
Dive into the meditative and deeply connected world of Lake Superior agate hunting, lapidary and jewelry making with Abby Schaefer of Northern Raven Studio and her best friend, artist Amanda Penley.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Grandma’s Marathon 2025 Double: Thunderbolts and Lightning
Eric Strand has been running what he calls the “Grandma’s Marathon Double” since 2012. Along with a handful of other runners, he starts at the marathon finish line, runs to the starting line, then turns around and runs the regular marathon. He releases videos of the runs each year, usually shortly before the next year’s run. (more…)
Making it Up North: Ursa Minor Brewing
From a high school teacher’s garage experimentation to launching the beloved Lincoln Park taproom in 2018, Ursa Minor Brewing has always been about more than just great beverages.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Making it Up North: Grizz Works Wood Sculpture
Grizz Works is a full-time chainsaw carving business that ships custom art all over the world.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Making it Up North: Highbridge Hills
Highbridge Hills is a 225-acre disc golf paradise tucked away in the woods of northwestern Wisconsin. It features six unique disc golf courses designed by Chuck Kennedy, ranging from tight, technical woods to wide-open bomber lines.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Sparking a Larger Story: Return of Fire to Minnesota Point
For the first time in more than 150 years, fire (“Ishkode” in Ojibwe) is returning to Minnesota Point. A prescribed cultural burn this fall will clear accumulated underbrush and tree debris to restore the ecosystem, allowing native species like red pine and blueberries to regenerate while also mitigating wildfire hazards. (more…)
International Falls: Icebox of the Nation
The Dispatch is a new travel documentary series visiting 50 cities in 50 states, “searching for the best stories, food, people, and experiences off the beaten path in the USA.” Host Sam Neumann is from Chisago City in central Minnesota, and he chose International Falls and neighboring city Ranier to represent his home state. Some of the stops include the Cantilever Hotel, Hallett Brewing and Border Country Outdoor Adventures.
Making it Up North: Warrior Printress
Janelle Miller and Stacie Renné are the creative duo behind Warrior Printress. From their beloved 1910 printing press, “Gertie,” they create custom, hand-carved, limited-edition posters for iconic regional landmarks like Glensheen Mansion and Bob’s Cabins.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Lee Clark Allen – “S.I.I.T. (Said I’m in Trouble)”
Duluth’s Lee Clark Allen has a new music video for a track from his 2025 album My World is Yours. It was shot primarily in Downtown Duluth and Canal Park.
Barker Bark
The James R. Barker’s security call to the Aerial Lift Bridge announcing her departure is known as the “Barker Bark.” The ship is one of 13 thousand-footers built for the Great Lakes. Built in 1976 by the American Ship Building Company, the Barker is celebrating 50 years of service.
This video was shot April 28 by Jon Columbus, who shoots Duluth-area shipping videos for Dre Designs Great Lakes Marine Products.
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles at Fitzgerald Theater
Alan Sparhawk and Trampled by Turtles celebrated their 2025 collaborative album with a performance at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul on Dec. 11. The Current captured the entire show on the video embedded above. (more…)
Wild Happenings on an Old Forest Road
The latest montage from the Voyageurs Wolf Project shows the array of critters that trotted down an old forest road over the past year. The trail camera footage was shot in Voyageurs National Park, about 100 miles north of Duluth.
Making it Up North: Gary Mueller
From his early days apprenticing under legendary Minnesota sculptor Paul Granlund to fabricating large-scale public art commissions across the region, Greg Mueller uses raw, reclaimed metal and local history to create striking pieces of community storytelling.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Alan Sparhawk with Trampled by Turtles — “Stranger” (Live at Fitzgerald Theater)
Clean those dashboard cup holders, the Current has released a video of Alan Sparhawk performing “Stranger” with Trampled by Turtles during a Dec. 11 concert at Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. Video of the entire show will be released on Friday, May 29, to mark the one-year anniversary of Sparhawk’s second solo album, With Trampled by Turtles.
Making it Up North: Voyageur Donuts
Tracy Owens, owner-operator of Voyageur Donuts in the historic DeWitt-Seitz Marketplace, shares her journey from executive chef to donut entrepreneur, the inspiration behind the famous savory “Hot Dish” donut, and how the shop keeps its menu fresh and eclectic with monthly seasonal creations.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Ish Meets a Mermaid
Written and directed by Duluth’s Jonathan Thunder, the short movie Ish Meets a Mermaid was produced in 2025 and premiered at the Historic State Theater in Ely during the Ely Film Festival in March 2026. It recently made its Duluth debut at the Zeitgeist Minnesota Film Festival. (more…)
Toby Thomas Churchill – “The Bridge by the Crib”
“The Bridge by the Crib” is the third video release from Toby Thomas Churchill’s new album Nighttime.
Making it Up North: Kelly Schamberger
A chance encounter at the Tweed Museum sparked Kelly Schamberger‘s passion for plein air painting. This video explores the delicate balance of turning a creative passion into a sustainable business, the importance of artistic mentorship, and the unique joy of connecting with strangers in the middle of the woods. It is a story about building a legacy of beauty and finding common ground through the stroke of a brush.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Steve Solkela’s “Overpopulated” One-man Band – “She Taught Me How to Yodel”
Steve Solkela covers “She Taught Me How to Yodel” — a hit song for Frank Ifield in the 1960s — during a performance at the TapRoom in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Making it Up North: Northernly School for Music
Kyle Orla grew up surrounded by music, but his path to becoming an educator was anything but traditional. From playing 1990s hardcore and metal with jazz chords to traveling the country with a fiddle and no fixed address, he learned that the best education often happens outside the classroom. Today, he’s helping lead Northerly, a Duluth music school run by musicians, for musicians.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
West Duluth Snake Orgy
These garter snakes on the edge of Waabizheshikana Trail in West Duluth have formed a “mating ball,” with the males competing for a little time with the female, who is releasing irresistible pheromones.
Making it Up North: Scott Murphy
Local painter Scott Murphy shares the raw, honest truth about his creative journey. From the high-pressure world of painting 17 years of billboards to the surreal hallucinations of a coma following a major accident, his work is a reflection of a life lived in “low gear” but high intensity.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Writers Speak Out: Power to the People
Writers Speak Out: People Have the Power was held at Wussow’s Concert Cafe on April 21. (more…)
Palomino: Trampled by Turtles Live at First Avenue
Trampled by Turtles has released to YouTube a 2020 documentary featuring the band performing all the tracks from the 2010 album Palomino, with commentary on the process of writing the songs.
The documentary is directed and edited by Charlie Berg.