Events

Lila Abu Lughod, a member of the Carleton Class of 1974 and an anthropologist well known for her work on gender and postcolonial theory, will present  “Authorizing Moral Crusades to Save Muslim Women: Literary Trafficking and Rights-Talk in the Public Sphere” at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2 in the Severance Great Hall on the Carleton campus. This event is free and open to the public.

Abu Lughod is known for challenging simplistic and universalistic readings of culture, arguing forcefully for the importance of diversity and complexity within cultures. Her work has largely focused on women in the postcolonial context, especially in the Arab world. Her ethnographic work on sentiment and cultural expression among Egyptian Bedouins resulted in her first book, Veiled Sentiments (University of California Press, 1986), which earned honorable mention from the Chicago Folklore Prize. Additionally, she has worked on a wide range of subjects, including nationalism, feminism, global media, and historical memory.

Have you ever thought about raising chickens in your backyard? The Northfield Public Library will host Mike Donnelly, Extension Educator (Ag Production Systems) with Rice and Steele Counties, to speak on this topic on Thursday May 10 at 7 PM. Mr. Donnelly will cover subjects such as breeds, diet, housing, daily care, egg production and local ordinances. The program will be in the library meeting room. For more information or to make disability arrangements please call the library at 507-645-6606.

ARTech Charter School students are hosting a Pancake Breakfast at the VFW, 516 Division St., on Sunday, April 29th from 9 to Noon.  All you can eat for $7, kids under 12 pay only $4. Students are raising money to fund a Writers' Workshop trip to the Black Hills in May. They are serving pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, roast potatoes, sausage links, biscuits and gravy, and fresh fruit. Come enjoy a great meal for a great cause.

Carleton College will host its first-ever Reproductive Justice Conference on Saturday, April 28, in the Weitz Center for Creativity. Entitled "Sex, Lies and Things Our Mothers Never Told Us: How Reproductive Justice Fits into Every Aspect of Our Society,” the all-day conference is designed for students, activists, and youth – everyone is welcome.

The event will feature 13 workshops and presentations by reproductive justice activists from around the United States. Topics will include “Decolonizing Sexuality,” “Religion and Reproductive Justice,” “Minnesota Abortion Access,” and much more. A keynote address will be presented by Loretta Ross, National Coordinator for the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, at 10:15 a.m. in the Weitz Center Larson Meeting Room 236.  For more information on Loretta Ross and SisterSong, visit www.sistersong.net

The conference culminates with a dynamic performance by the Brown Girls Burlesque at 10 p.m. in the Carleton College Skinner Memorial Chapel.  To learn more, visit www.browngirlsburlesque.com.

Everyone is invited to participate in a live bird banding demonstration on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. in the Carleton College Cowling Arboretum. Part of “Taking Count: Minnesota’s Great Bird Count,” the event offers the chance to join in the live banding of birds and learn how to participate in taking count of Minnesota’s birds through the citizen science project, the Minnesota Breeding Bird Atlas (BBA) with Bonnie Sample, Minnesota Audubon BBA Coordinator. Everyone is invited to participate: those with a new interest in birds are welcome, as well as experienced birders, who will be teamed with those new to birding for the breeding bird count.  This is a great family activity and a way to gain new friends while exploring Northfield’s natural areas!

Note: Earth Day is Saturday, April 21, but Northfield's celebration will be held the following Saturday, April 28.

Earth Day will once again be celebrated in Nortfhfield, on Saturday, April 28, outside the UCC church on Union Street, between 3rd and 4th. New this year are several hands-on workshops open to the public. FREE workshop topics include Building a Compost Bin, Building a Raised Garden Bed, Improving Your Home's Energy Performance, and Bread Baking. There will also be an opportunity to learn about and assemble a rain barrel for only $40. Detailed descriptions and registration information can be found at www.transitionnorthfield.org. 

The family-friendly Earth Day Celebration will also feature earth-friendly activities such as making May Day baskets, creating books out of recycled paper, and participating in the Earth Day Promenade with homemade newspaper hats. Other attractions include local music, exhibitors, chalk art, and food.

Carleton College will join hundreds of people in 5,000 cities and towns across the nation -- from Key West, Florida to Kodiak, Alaska -- to distribute free books to those in need as part of World Book Night on April 23. The Carleton College Bookstore will serve as the Northfield distribution center -- and three members of the Carleton community will participate as book donors: the Bookstore’s trade book manager Tripp Ryder along with students Elena Levi ’12 (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Nicole Rhodes ‘14 (Vancouver, Wash.).

World Book Night is a nationwide effort to encourage reading by giving away half a million free books to those with limited access to books. Donors will have the opportunity to choose from among 40 specially-printed titles, ranging from literary works like Nicole Krauss’ The History of Love and Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible to young adult classics like Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game and popular recent young adult books such as Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games. In all cases, donors are encouraged to select titles which have personally touched them, and which will help to foster a love of reading in those who receive the books.

The Northfield Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is currently collecting travel packages & promotions starting with the months of May and June.

Accommodations, restaurants, area attractions & retail shops are encouraged to collectively, or independently, develop their own enticing travel packages and/or share deals for spring and early summer promotion. 

General theme suggestions for the upcoming tourism season are around music, recreation, history and the arts tied with lodging, dining and shopping. See a list of upcoming events here. Please send submissions to info@northfieldchamber.com by Friday, April 20th.

This listing will be promoted through the Northfield CVB’s website at no cost to participants.

This faithful adaptation of Charles Dickens' second novel is an exciting, fast-moving melodrama about the adventures of an orphan redeemed from a life of cruel poverty and crime by an act of unselfish courage. Not the musical version of the novel, this is a dark tale filled with strong characters and a very physical staging, not appropriate for young audiences. Directed by Bob Gregory-Bjorklund.

At ARTech Charter School, 1719 Cannon Road.

Fridays and Saturdays, April 27, 28, May 4, 5 at 7:30.

Admission: $6 adults, $4 students.

In theater this weekend, the Paradise Center for the Arts has performances of The Last 5 Years and the Northfield Arts Guild Theater is hosting Paper Daddy. Performances are Friday and Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm.

Also on Friday is a full lineup of great music. The Cannon River Winery is hosting Michael Loonan 5-8pm. Ellen Fullman is concluding her feature at the Flaten Art Museum with a performance at 7pm. Bonnie and the Clydes are playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm and the Rueb is hosting a special Twin Cities Showcase featuring Brianna Lane, Martin Devaney, and The Mad Ripple. Alluvion is playing the Cow 11pm-1am.

Saturday's monthly AAUW program at 11:30am features Dr. Jane Nofer Poskanzer and is at the Northfield Golf Club. Cannon River Winery is hosting David Severson 1-4pm and later a relaxing (and sold out) Wine and Yoga event 6-8pm. The Healthfinders Collaborative 10th Anniversary Gala is happening at 6pm at the Vintage Ballroom in Faribault. Ole and Lena Joke Night is happening at the Grand this year 7-10pm. There will be a talk titled "Nightmarish Havoc - Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" at 7pm in Tomson 280 at St. Olaf. Midnight Collision is playing the Tavern Lounge 8-11:30pm, and the Cow is hosting Brothers Burn Mountain 9-11pm.

Thanks to a Minnesota Legacy Grant via the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council and with the support of the Friends & Foundation of the Library our 2012 performers will be especially varied and enjoyable.  Books & Stars is free, family friendly outdoor summer performances featuring music and comedy for all ages.  Booker, the Book Bus will be on hand again for you to check out and return Northfield Public Library materials. 

See the attached poster for information.  There is a new Books & Stars information blog with links to the performers websites and more information.  http://booksandstars2012.blogspot.com/

On Thursday, April 12th Dr. Edward Ehlinger, Commissioner of Health for Minnesota, will describe what the Affordable Care Act means for Minnesotans at a Health Care Forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Northfield - Cannon Falls.  The public is invited to hear his talk, “Health Care Reform in Minnesota: The Realities and the Promise,” and join the discussion at 7 p.m. on April 12th, at St. John’s Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Northfield.

For more information on the event, Dr. Ehlinger, and the Affordable Care Act, visit the League of Women Voters Northfield - Cannon Falls site.

Amid falling bombs, electricity blackouts and medical personnel stretched to the breaking point, Dr. Mads Gilbert was one of only  two Westerners to witness the 2008-09 Israeli bombing of Gaza. Dr. Gilbert will talk about those harrowing days 16 days and the countless people who touched at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 14, 2012, at Tomson Hall 280, St Olaf College, Northfield. The event is free and open to the public. Gilbert will answer questions and sign books after his talk. Refreshments will be served.

Gilbert and Dr. Erik Fosse are co-authors of “Eyes in Gaza,” their day-by-day account of their experiences during “Operation Cast lead,” the Israeli military’s devastating attack on Gaza from Dec. 27, 2008, to Jan. 18, 2009. They worked around the clock with Palestinian doctors to provide medical attention to the wounded and the dying during the bombardment. They also contributed to some of the rare news reports that came out of Gaza during the assault.

Though we had hoped to get outside to kick off Spring, Laura Baker Services Association's spring-themed respite event last Saturday was still full of fun and one of the most successful yet!

Nine kids showed up to participate with what seemed like a record number of volunteers, making it a particularly high energy occasion—an afternoon full of laughs and shouts. We even celebrated a birthday.

Exciting group and team games included the giant parachute used to launch balls; a large scale game of rock-paper-scissors; and a volleyball-like game with the goal of getting all the balls on the other team’s side before time runs out. Crafts went over well too, and many kids went home with lovely handmade crowns, butterfly mobiles, and flower wheels.