Aquarium hosts “Ships in the Night”

Great Lakes Aquarium will exhibit photographs by Mary T. George from March 2 to May 22 in the Aquarium’s fine arts gallery. The public is invited to an opening reception Wednesday, March 2, from 5-7 p.m.   The exhibit features photos of ships that have made recent history in the Twin Ports including the Mesabi Miner, Edgar B. Speer, Edwin H. Gott and others.  

Aquarium Executive Director Jack LaVoy says that Mary “brings the energy and majesty of our working waterfront to life and sets a standard of excellence that can only be achieved by someone with an artist’s eye and an abiding love of the harbor.”

ArtEventsGreat Lakes AquariumGreat Lakes Ships and Shipping IndustryMary T. George

Lion or Gazelle – Bad Thoughts, Farewell

After a distinctly long hiatus (for us), Lion or Gazelle is pleased to bring you our newest EP, Bad Thoughts, Farewell. Free streaming and/or downloads on the Bandcamp page.

MusicAlbum Releases
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Early Bird Music at Chester Creek Cafe Saturday, February 26

Start your Saturday evening out At Sara’s Table/Chester Creek Cafe and get in on some fantastic acoustic folk sounds performed by John Martin from 6-8.  Partake in Happy Hour drink and food specials from 4-7 pm.  After that, head out on the town to enjoy the eclectic live music scene that only Duluth can offer!

Music

Coyote and Healthy Band Music Club

Music
Barrel Room Smokehouse
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Art Jam 2011

It may not be the solution to the education budget … but it’ll keep your kids busy for at least ten minutes during Winter Break.

Art Jam is a youth art contest for kids ages 7 through 12 in the Twin Ports. Have you seen the commercial yet? If not, it’s probably because you don’t watch enough cartoons.
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ArtEventsVideos

Big Top Chautauqua 2011

Summer is approaching, slow though it may seem, and concert junkies need to begin filling in their 2011 summer itineraries. Our good friends in Wisconsin are helping get a jump on this planning as Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua has announced its initial summer performers.

See the full list here. Highlights include Greg Brown, Arlo Guthrie, Dar Williams, Nanci Griffith, and many more. The clincher for me is a two-night stand from folk legend John Prine on Aug. 20-21. A trip to Wisconsin may be in order.

EventsMusic
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Tuesday
Pizza Luce: The Stelvio

On Wisconsin

Random

Mike Page, Mike Fitzsimmons and Tom Houle | Duluth graffiti that wouldn’t fade away

PageFitzsimmonsHoule2010

I first took notice of this graffiti in the late 1980s. It’s on the side of the old West Duluth Hotel building, which for many years now has been home to the Italian Village, along with various other businesses.
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HistoryPhotosGannucci's Italian MarketGraffitiWest Duluth
Glensheen
Weis Eye Center

Yoga-tta sign up for the new session!

A new registration session begins March 14th (just a couple of weeks away)! This includes over 20 weekly (open and registration) classes ranging from beginning to advanced.
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Events

Low – “Belarus”

This video was shot at various familiar locations in and around Duluth.

By the way, in addition to being a country, Belarus is also the name of a manufacturer of upright pianos.

MusicVideosLow
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts
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Special Guest at Amazing Grace Bakery and Café: Bill Staines

Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7pm Bill Staines will be playing his annual Amazing Grace show.

“Any new song that can live comfortably beside the well-worn songs of folk tradition has a good chance of surviving the test of time. Such, we believe are the songs of Bill Staines.”   –Charles “Sandy” Paton, Folk Legacy Records.

Music

Let’s Talk Trees!

Ethan Perry, DNR Plant Ecologist and a former member of the Duluth Tree Commission, will talk about trees, how to identify them in the winter and the important functions they provide in urban landscapes.  Following Ethan’s presentation Wild Ones members will be available with all their favorite books about native trees and shrubs to help those looking for more info to select trees and shrubs to plant at home.
 
When: Wednesday, Feb. 23.  Socializing begins at 6:45 PM, program at 7 PM.  We’ll get to the “free tree help” by 8 PM.
Where: Hartley Nature Center in Duluth, MN.  see hartleynature.org or call 218-724-6735 for more info/directions.

Events
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Weis Eye Center

The Camel Incident in Madison

A crew from The Daily Show with Jon Stewart was at the Capital in Madison on Monday to shoot some sort of a bit that involved a camel. As handlers started to walk the camel around a barricade, well, things got ugly. Jack Craver of the weekly Isthmus newspaper caught it on video.

The camel was not injured. Firefighters on the scene helped untangle things.

Videos

Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale

Wednesday, June 15 to Friday, June 17.
10am – 3pm daily.
A great event to stock up on some good summer reads!

Events
Pier B Resort: Courtside Concerts

The Winter Sessions Songwriters Showcase at Sacred Heart

Saturday Feb 26, 2011 7:30 PM
Sacred Heart Music Center
201 W 4th St
Tickets $5 in advance/$7 at the door
www.sacredheartmusic.org

Sonja Bjordal, Sarah Krueger, Charity Huot and Hattie Peterson

EventsMusic

Riding the Lake Superior Waves

Here’s what they were doing Sunday off Stony Point, just south of Knife River. 50 mph wind gusts, 21 degrees.

OutdoorsPhotosLake SuperiorStoney PointSurfing
Barrel Room Smokehouse
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

5th Annual Bike Swap

Bike Swap 2011 poster

Despite the current weather outside, spring is in fact on the way, and the United Way and Continental Ski & Bike  are gearing up for the 5th annual Bike Swap, April 16 and 17 at Continental, 1305 E 1st St.  Now is the time to check your garage to see if you’ve got a old bike you’d like to sell or donate… or to start dreaming about what kind of new-to-you bike you’d like to buy.  If your bike sells, you get 75% of the selling price and the remaining 25% goes to the United Way.  We’ve set up a Facebook page to watch for updates.  Thanks!

Events

Lake Superior Waves Video

I’m new to the area, so I was really excited to see the waves and film some this morning. To all locals: what’s the biggest waves you’ve seen?

OutdoorsVideosLake Superior
Weis Eye Center

Hockey Day Minnesota: Portman Bruins vs. Glen Avon Red Army

[This post originally featured video from nhl.com that has since been removed.]

OutdoorsSportsVideosHockey

Last Day to Celebrate I Love to Read Month!

Kids and parents come and join United Way Success By 6 at the Duluth Public Library for our final Cozy Pajama Story Time!

The last three weeks have been a huge success and we want to make sure more people can enjoy our final story time on Thursday, Feb. 24, at 6:30pm in the Green Room at the library.

Three teen readers from the Boys and Girls Club of Duluth will be reading as a part of a service project.  The stories are expected to go from 6:30-6:50 with a craft activity planned for 6:50-7:15.

It will be another great night of fun during that restless time between dinner and bedtime for your little ones.

EventsNews and Current AffairsFamilyKidsReading
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Grandma\'s YAF Wednesday Races

2011 St. David’s Day Open Reading

As always, it’s free.

Events

Blowin’ in the Wind

VideosAerial Lift Bridge
Fond-du-Luth Casino: Tuesday
Barrel Room Smokehouse

Loup-Garou EP Release

EP Release Flier

Loup-Garou will release their debut EP this Saturday down at Beaner’s Central alongside The People Say Fox and Minneapolis’s Party House.

Show starts at 8pm, $5 cover, and open to all ages.

If you didn’t get a ticket to Atmosphere, this is the place to be.

Music

Sarah Heimer, When is Frozen Man?

Dude.

Random
Downtown Duluth: Movies in the Park

Duluth Deer Parts

Has anyone else noticed deer parts along Seven Bridges Road? You know where they close the road in the winter, and people walk and ski and snowmobile and run dogs? Near the barrier at the bottom, and in the woods next to Smiley’s, my dog is always coming up with a spine or a leg or a hunk of pelvis. What’s up with that? Do poachers dump the parts they don’t want there? Do old deer go there to die?

Outdoors