Events

The One Acts Plays at the high school continue this weekend with performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm.

Also on Friday, the Cow is having a Winter Dance Party at 7pm, and Ben Aaron is playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm.

A Chess Tournament is taking place in the middle school media center on Saturday 9am-12pm. The Cow is hosting Jon Larson's Neil Diamond Tribute 8-11pm, and Lonesome Dan Kase is playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm.

Head to Froggy Bottoms on Sunday for special deals during Super Bowl Sunday at the Frog!

Marion, Susan and David Hvistendahl, three long-time supporters of Northfield Historical Society, will be the honorary chairs at the society’s annual meeting Saturday evening, March 17, at Carleton College’s Great Hall.

Marion retired to Northfield in 1990 with her husband, Jake, following rich and varied college teaching careers. She volunteered in the Museum Store and brought local historical figure Ann North to life as part of her Women in History presentations. Marion has also teamed with Brad Ness to present Ole and Lena Night, an NHS benefit.

Rice County Habitat for Humanity is holding a fundraising breakfast at the American Legion in Faribault (112 NE 5th Street) on Sunday, February 19 from 8:30 a.m – 12:30 p.m.  This is an omelet breakfast.  Tickets are $8/adults; $4/ages 3-10; free for ages 2 and under.  Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling 507-744-2933.  Brought to you by the Sons of the American Legion.  All proceeds go to Rice County Habitat for Humanity.

It truly was a grand event – celebrating 20 years of Northfield Citizens Online. The organization, run by a committed crew of volunteers (typical of our town), gathered on Jan. 20th for the shindig. The celebration was of “All Things Northfield” noting the efforts of many - most importantly the public - in building a successful online community in town covering events and a collection of unique stories throughout the years.

What sparked the interest of the crowd right away was tech guru Adam Gurno’s presentation of a “Flashback on Northfield’s Past 20 Years” which included video clips such as a high voltage electrical wire fire that apparently topped the charts in the number of online views, along with the flood, the hail storm, the stand up jet ski river jump … need we say more.

The intensity climbed as the trivia questions played out.

Civil War enthusiast and amateur historian Jim Stark will discuss the origins of the American Civil War in his presentation, “Why the Civil War was Fought: The Antebellum Period,”Thursday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m. at the newly renovated Northfield Historical Society. The event, sponsored by KYMN Radio and the Northfield News, is the first of a series of discussions about the Civil War during the war’s ongoing sesquicentennial.

Shelton Johnson, a ranger with the National Park Service for 25 years and author of the fictional memoir Gloryland (Sierra Club Books, 2009), will deliver Carleton College’s convocation address on Friday, February 3. Johnson’s presentation, entitled “Gloryland: Using History and Literature as Tools for Social Change,” will look at his book, a portrait of a fictional African-American “buffalo soldier” in the 19th-century U.S. cavalry. A booksigning will follow the presenation, with copies of Gloryland available for purchase at a 15% discount. Convocation is held from 10:50-11:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel, and is free and open to the public.

The high school's One Act Plays are finishing up this weekend, with performances on Friday and Saturday 7-10pm in the Northfield High School Auditorium.

Also on Friday, Kinda Kinky is playing the Contented Cow 8pm-12am while Mike Pattinson plays the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm and Whiskey Trick begins their set at Froggy Bottoms at 9:30pm.

The Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault is holding January Thaw on Saturday, an evening of music and dancing that begins at 7pm. The Cow's music includes The RCAs 8-11pm followed by Fristad Jazz Combo 11:30pm-1am, and Jeff Ray is playing the Tavern lounge 8-11:30pm.

Have you ever had a dream you wanted to chase but couldn't quite make it happen? Nichole Porath, Northfielder and marathoner, made it to the Olympic Trials and placed 69th, a dream come true that surprised even her. Hear about how she did it and how you can use her brand of positive thinking to achieve your dreams. Learn how even small changes can take you closer to your goal, and what to do when you really just want to sit home and eat Twinkies instead of having carrots and running another 15 miles.

Tuesday, January 31, 7-8 p.m. at Just Food Co-op.  Class is FREE, but registration is required.  Register online or stop by the store.

The Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board recently approved mini-grants to support five projects and activities designed to benefit Northfield youth.  Funded applicants included:

•The Northfield High School for the 10th Grade Career Fair.  The high school will host a career fair for all 10th grade students, giving them an opportunity to explore career interests and make connections with adult community members.  At the career fair, community members will speak to students about their careers and answer any questions that the students may have.  Juniors and seniors from the high school will be involved with the planning and implementation of the career fair.  The event follows a “Career Opportunities” lesson taught in all 10th grade classrooms.

Lin Bruce has been a Northfield resident for over 40 years.  In those years, she has led her own version of an ordinary life; raising four children, creating a business as a massage therapist, accompanying her globe-trotting librarian husband on various adventures.
 
Lin has ridden her bicycle across the United States three times in the last twelve years.  She will share how this came to be, and some of the nitty-gritty she deals with, as well as conquering her fear that she's made a big mistake each time she is about to begin.
 
Come hear a bit about Lin's experiences; and how she makes each journey one  pedal stroke at a time.
Thursday, January 26th at 7 pm. Northfield Public library’s meeting room.  No charge.

Veteran public servant and human rights expert Eric Schwartz will deliver Carleton College’s weekly convocation address on Friday, Jan. 27 at 10:50 a.m. in the Skinner Memorial Chapel. Entitled “Governance is the Solution: 21st Century Challenges and the Public Service Mission,” Schwartz’s presentationis free and open to the public.

Schwartz believes that while Americans may legitimately differ on the best role for government, effective public institutions will none-the-less be critical for social and economic advancement in the years and decades to come.

Just Food Co-op is hosting a free class on women's health. Look at women’s health from the perspective of Chinese Medicine and focus on menstrual and menopausal issues. Learn about self-care you can do at home including foods that help nourish and balance during these different natural times in a woman’s life, acupressure for relieving common complaints, and lifestyle choices. Jenny Gamer L. Ac. and Mika Turner. L. Ac., will present on these issues and answer questions from participants. Both are licensed in Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine and work at Pivotal Point Oriental Medicine.

Thursday, January 26, 7-8:30 p.m.
Registration is required. Go online to www.justfood.coop and choose Events, or come into the store and register in person.

Class held in the Community Room at Just Food Co-op 516 Water St S.

The United Nations (UN) has declared 2012 the "International Year of Cooperatives,"and Just Food Co-op is joining other cooperatives locally, nationwide and across the globe in marking the occasion. Titled "Cooperatives in Social Development," UN's resolution recognizes the diversity of the cooperative movement around the world, and the economic and social contributions cooperatives make. This includes the many co-ops in the Northfield area.

Just Food Co-op is kicking off the year of celebration with a starring role in the premiere of “Lights, Cameras, Co-ops.” Kevin Gillespie, celebrity chef from the Woodfire Grill in Atlanta and sixth season Top Chef finalist, has been traveling around the country with a film crew, exploring farm fields and co-op grocery aisles as part of this year’s celebration of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives. On Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 7 p.m., grab your favorite movie snacks and visit www.strongertogether.coop/premiere to take part in an online streaming "premiere party" featuring the first three videos in the thirteen-episode series featuring co-ops from Vermont to California.

Head to Artech on Friday at 7pm for Arts for Martin: Gathering Community, Creating Art, Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. The Northfield Arts Guild is having an opening reception for the exhibits Surfacing and One Stroke at a Time 7-9pm. Live music at the Contented Cow includes Occasional Jazz 5-7pm, and The Beguine Brothers 8-11pm, and Matthew Griswold is playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm. The Rueb 'n' Stein is hosting The 8th St. Band at 9pm and Mark Mraz is playing Froggy Bottoms at 9:30pm.

The second annual Winter Scream is happening on Bridge Square 12-2pm on Saturday. The Cow is hosting New Moon Trio 5-8pm followed by Spruce Top Review 8-11pm and Dirty Petrov and the Gentilionaires 11pm-1am. Relativity is playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm, and Froggy Bottoms is hosting Whiskey Trick at 9:30pm.

For those of you who may not have heard, Special Olympics Gymnastics will be starting at the Northfield Gymnastics Club in ONE WEEK.  This is NOT a new sport to Special Olympics, BUT it is definitely new to Area 10.  Practices will begin at 5:30 PM on Sunday, January 15, 2012 at the Northfield Gymnastics Club.   

Special O Gymnastics is an excellent opportunity for you to “benefit physically, mentally and socially”.  Competitions are offered for men/boys in the artistic events and women/girls in artistic and rhythmic events.  This is open to ANY person; male and female, and any skill level.   If you have any further questions contact Kathy Lean, Head Coach Area 10 at 507.645.4817 or Melissa Bernhard, Program Coordinator, Northfield Gymnastics Club at 507.663.7773.  Please plan on accompanying your child or client throughout the duration of the practice.