Twin Ports Bridge Festival 2012
Saturday, July 7:
10:00 Gate opens
10:15 Zumba, main stage ~ Join right in and get moving
11:00 Food, craft, nonprofit vendors open along with kids’ activities (bounce houses, Positive Energy Outdoors climbing wall, activity tent)
Welcome from masters of ceremonies, Drew & Jon Anderson
11:00 Batteryboy, tent stage
11:30 Sara Thomsen & Michael Laughing Fox Charette, main stage (more…)
Another post-flood trails update
Note: Please do not use trails if they are wet from today’s thunderstorm. See the link at the end of the post for info on trail work days.
There are a lot of trails open and ready for use, but some are still badly damaged. Here’s the latest report from Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Dept.:
(more…)
Hang gliding in Duluth
Have you ever seen someone hang glide in Duluth?
I think I did once, but it might just be a weird dream I had back when I was kid. What I remember is that I was at the Little League baseball end-of-season carnival/Olympics, or whatever it was, at Wheeler Fields. It would have been about 1984. I think I saw some guy launch off the hillside where “The Wall” is on Skyline Drive, and then land on one of the baseball fields at Wheeler.
Is hang gliding just a dying sport in general, or is there something about Duluth — maybe the lake winds are too unpredictable and strong or the hills aren’t high enough to produce a good “ridge lift” or whatever — that makes hang gliding here rare or impossible?
And whatever happened to the guy with the hot-air balloon?
Mayor Ness giving key to the city to Wilco
The video is a tiny bit out of order, with Ness giving the band the key to the city in the beginning. Wilco talks about wanting the key later in the video. Ness drew one or wrote it on a sheet of paper. He was then hoisted up and made his way to the stage to give the key to lead singer Tweedy.
It was a nice family friendly show, but Wilco seems to have difficulty writing hooks in its songs. Good band and entertaining, but I am not sure what they think about all the local love. We may be coming off a little clingy.
Post-flood swimming?
Like a lot of you, I’ve got the day off. The weather over the past few days has put swimming back on my to-do list, and I’m itching to toss the kids into the car and get into the water. Has anyone heard from those in the know whether area streams or lakes are safe for swimming? Our go-to spots are Amity Creek, Island Lake, Twin Ponds and Park Point, but we’re always looking to add new spots to that list.
(more…)
Calling All Traphagen Nerds!
Since I am moderately obsessed with local history, I decided start up a project on Duluth architect Oliver Traphagen. While the Internet is great, I am looking for more perspectives on the man as well as some information on his personal life and ideals. If you want to share your knowledge then please contact me: romen021 @ d.umn.edu.
Strawberry vendors in Duluth?
Has anyone seen any roadside strawberry vendors in Duluth in the last day or two? Finke’s down in Mahtowa is having a really rough season and we need our berries bad enough to buy them from the back of a truck.
So long, Laura MacArthur Elementary
Demolition has begun on the old Laura MacArthur Elementary School (aka MacArthur/West Elementary). The new school, which was built last summer, is visible in the background of the photo below.
Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream on Lake Superior
Who can’t use ice cream during these hot days of summer! There’s a new ice cream shop at 1631 London Road (where Dairy Queen used to be). My husband and I were there on Saturday for their ‘soft’ opening and the ice cream was wonderful. They have soft-serve and traditional hard-serve ice cream. Take a detour off the Lakewalk and check it out!
Graffiti in Duluth
I’m currently working on a small photography project, and was looking for tips on where to find spots with graffiti in Duluth, especially West Duluth.
Chain restaurants are fun: Leeann Chin and other Duluth restaurant gossip
So, Leeann Chin is recruiting for employees in Duluth on Craigslist. Where’s that going to go?
And whatever happened to Noodles & Co. coming to the mall?
Lost Dog: Otis – Bassett Hound Mix
The dog of some out-of-town guests ran away from our yard last evening. 19th Ave E and 5th St. area. Otis is a Bassett mix. Very friendly. If you see him, please call the number on the poster, instead of the one on his tags. Thanks.
This week: fireworks and outdoor concerts
Here’s a sampling of what you have to look forward to this week on the PDD Calendar.
If you are still glowing from the Wilco concert you could practically live at the Bayfront Stage this week with the Hairball concert on Tuesday, the Fourth Fest on Wednesday, and Bridge Fest on Saturday with a special extra day of Bridge Fest featuring Trampled by Turtles on Sunday to raise money for flood relief.
If you are looking for an alternative to Bayfront this Fourth of July you could head up the shore to Two Harbors where the Two Harbors City Band has its traditional July Fourth concert as well as performing Thursdays during the summer.
This is also the closing weekend for Superior Story, a locally written and produced comedy playing at the Play Ground.
So what are you doing this week? Can we tag along? Any upcoming events that you want to promote? Let us know!`
And, by the way, this calendar editor is going to be in infrequent contact with the internet for a few weeks, so if you have events you want to publicize for July I kindly suggest you submit them now.
Exploring Lake Superior by Submarine
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-q0T5FyxAc
Jim and Allen Richardson of Gonzo Science explore Lake Superior in a two-man sub.
Duluth Button Collection
If you have a button to add, upload it to the comments. It’s one of the nice things about the Internet — we can all have a button collection without having to have a button collection. (more…)
Win Community Action Duluth a new van
With a Facebook account and five minutes of your time, you could win Community Action Duluth a new minivan. We’re up against four out-of-state nonprofits in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good Contest. (more…)
Sexhawk – “Duluth is Still Afloat (In Our Hearts)”
When life gives you lemons, Sexhawk gives you lemonade. And a stirring anthem about last week’s flood: “Duluth is Still Afloat (In Our Hearts)”
Duluth Album Releases in 2006
Cheer Up Poems
Here Not Up There
Wire Heart
Sara Softich
Pipe Dream
Available on CD Baby
Centerville All Stars
Not Dead Yet
Campaign for two Rivulets videos
[This post originally contained an embedded video that is no longer available at its source.]
Video director Adam Barnick is running a crowd-funding campaign to produce two Rivulets videos.
Rivulets is the musical outlet of part-time Duluthian Nathan Amundson. (He still rents a place in Duluth, plays the Homegrown Music Festival every other year or so, and considers the Zenith City to be his “spiritual home.” Three Rivulets albums were recorded in Duluth, mostly at Sacred Heart Music Center).
Duluth Trail Update
Info from Duluth’s Parks and Recreation Division:
– The COGGS mountain-biking trails are not open due to wet conditions. It is possible the trails will be open next week.
– Kingsbury Trail is closed.
– Western Waterfront Trail is passable. Hikers are asked to use caution.
– The Lakewalk is repaired and open to the public.
– Chester Trail is closed
– Lester Ski Trail is currently being surveyed for damage. Use with caution.
– Hartley Trail is open.
– Lincoln Trail is closed.
– Superior Hiking Trail can only be summed up section-by-section …
(more…)
Happy ninth birthday to us
Perfect Duluth Day is nine years old today – Friday, June 29, 2012. We’ll be celebrating tonight at Tycoons Alehouse and Eatery (in the board room upstairs) starting at 8 p.m. There will be cake and an array of door prizes. Come on out and share in the merriment.
PDD Calendar entry | Facebook invite
What started as a fun little experiment for Barrett Chase and Scott “Starfire” Lunt in 2003 has grown into a hideous beast containing well over 10,000 posts about everything from wood ticks to roller derby. Thanks for all the support, whether you are a PDD user, lurker or just someone searching Google for karaoke photos.
Chris Monroe Interview
Cartoonist Chris Monroe discusses the flooding in Duluth, her 848 comics and the upcoming show at the Duluth Art Institute in this MinnPost article:
PAVSA launches 856 campaign
Hello PDD Community! PAVSA would like to announce the start of its month long fund-raising drive, the 856 Campaign. (more…)