Arts and Entertainment

Carleton College is pleased to present multiple Grammy and Hoku Award-winning Hawaiian slack key guitarist George Kahumoku Jr. in concert on Friday, October 5 at 8 p.m. in the Concert Hall. Labeled “Hawaii’s Renaissance Man” by Maui Time Weekly, Kahumoku is a songwriter, world-traveling performer, director of the Institute of Hawaiian Music, artist and sculptor, storyteller and writer, farmer and entrepreneur. In concert, he presents his traditional style of Hawaiian Slack Key guitar with vocals and stories of life and culture in Hawaii. This event is free and open to the public.

The Encore Players will present their third fall melodrama, Oct 6 at 7pm and Oct 7 at 2pm, Miss Twiddle and the Devil.   This is an unusual (and clever) melodrama, with many interesting characters, three “Villains” and no true Heroine or Hero.   In this comedy Satan sojourns to earth and attempts to lead the inhabitants of a New York boarding house astray, but he had not counted on cantankerous Miss Twiddle.   The three villains are played by Charlie Black (The Devil), Chris Ellison (Miss Twiddle, “a real horror”) and Bob Bruce (Harry, the devil’s assistant).   Other members of the cast are Marie Gery, Elizabeth Olson, Lynne Pederson, Orrin DeLong, Jerry Gengenbach, and Sharon Stoeck.  Piano accompaniment is provided by Theo Wee.

A month of Saturdays remain at Riverwalk Market Fair along the Cannon River and Bridge Square in historic downtown Northfield. Fair-goers will want to catch every last weekend to stock up on locally grown produce including carrots, cucumbers, herbs, eggplants, onions, pumpkins, squashes and turnips. They can also visit their favorite artists and food artisans while strolling amidst the brilliant fall colors before the Fair moves indoors through December.

Featured Artist: Kathy Miller
This Saturday’s featured artist, Kathy Miller (www.kmillerwatercolors.com), has displayed her watercolor paintings at Riverwalk Market Fair since it opened three years ago.  At home in her Northfield studio, she paints the natural beauty of what she sees. Having painted since 2006, her skill and passion have jumpstarted a second career. Miller’s first career was teaching school. Although she has retired, she is now teaching watercolor classes to budding artists of any age.

On Sunday, Oct. 28th TAB, the library's Teen Advisory Board, will create a "Harvest Festival" complete with horse drawn hayrides, apple games, face painting, treats, library laser tag, a hay bale maze, contests and live music inside and outside the library! Guitarist Randy Ferguson and musician Seth Hanson will be entertaining us from the south portico of the library!
The fun starts at 1 pm and goes until 3.

Many thanks to everyone who voted in the 2nd annual Northfield Youth Video PSA Contest.  Nearly 500 people (a record number!) cast votes to determine this year’s winner.  The top vote getter was “Wave,” produced by Chen Ye and Seth Hanson.  Chen and Seth will receive a cash prize for their win.   Click HERE to view this year’s winner.

The theme for this year’s PSA contest was “Youth Under Pressure,” with entries focusing on stress faced by youth and ways that adults can help reduce this stress.  This year’s three finalist videos can be found HERE.

“We were very excited about the quality of submissions for this year’s PSA contest,” said Zach Pruitt, Northfield Healthy Community Initiative director.  “They speak to the truly amazing talents of Northfield youth.”

The video PSA contest is sponsored by the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use.

The 2013 video contest theme will be announced in the late spring, with entries likely due in early September 2013.

In preparation of the release of her highly anticipated debut CD release, titled “Before I Forget,” British singer/songwriter Katy Vernon returns to Northfield Saturday, Oct. 6 at the Upstairs Rueb. This not-to-be-missed visit features Katy with her band, along with opening acts Clay Williams and Simon Husbands, and The Blue Mollies. The music begins at 9 p.m. and there’s no cover charge.

A Minnesota Music Award nominee, Vernon is a familiar and popular face in town, having previously performed to packed houses at The Content Cow, The Tavern Lounge, and The Upstairs Rueb. But this time around, she celebrates the release of her own CD, and also performs with her own band. A fixture in the Twin Cities music scene, “Before I Forget” will be officially released at the end of October, but Katy is pleased to present a “pre-release” Saturday in Northfield.

The Tavern Lounge is pleased to present Eric Christopher & Anthony Ihrig on Friday, Oct. 5 from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Considered to be two of the nation's best string players, Christopher and Ihrig are acclaimed for their solo work as well as with bands like The High 48s, Free Range Pickin’ and The Minor Planets. Christopher (fiddle, vocals) and Ihrig (banjo, dobrow, guitar, percussion, vocals) are both award-winning composers and musicians in their own right -- joining forces they bring their bluegrass chops to the world of modern folk and Americana music, combining smart and thoughtful lyrics with tight vocal harmonies and expert picking.

This summer 2012 the Bridge Square Band started up to offer musical entertainment at downtown Northfield events. BSB is a rough and tumble outfit that can appear on any street corner in the middle of any Northfield summer event and charm you with Dixieland, Polka, Old Time, Ragtime, Marches, etc.  Bridge Square Band plans its next appearance at Winter Walk in December unless it is so cold the valves freeze. More information to follow on this site:

http://cvrorchestra.org/home/bridge-square-band/

Marc Reigel, leader of Carleton’s popular Night Crawlers band of the ‘60s, will lead an oldies sing-along at the Northfield Arts Guild Theater on Friday, September 28, at 7:30 p.m. Proceeds from the $10 admission fee will help support the Northfield Arts Guild. Favorite songs of the ‘50s and ‘60s, will be sung with help from the audience, the Night Crawlers’ lead singer Barry Gillespie, Rob Lampe on guitar and Rae Rusnak on harmonica, with Reigel on keyboard.

At their September 2012 board meeting, the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative (HCI) Board approved grants to support five projects and activities designed to benefit Northfield youth.  The projects are funded through HCI’s Investing in Youth grant program. 

Funded projects included:

Acclaimed singer/songwriter Chastity Brown and her band will appear live, in-studio on KYMN Radio's popular drive-time program, "All-Wheel Drive," this Friday, Sept. 28. Ms. Brown and her band are performing in Northfield this weekend for two private performances before taking off on their first European tour. A regular fixture on the Twin Cities music scene and on frequent rotation on Minnesota Public Radio's 89.3 "The Current," this is her first appearance in Northfield. Listeners can tune in at 1080 AM or listen online at www.kymnradio.net.

The Northfield Historical Society has received a $79,000 grant to fund improvements to the society’s archive and collection facilities. Awarded by the Minnesota Historical and Cultural Grant program, grants are made possible by the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Fund, raised through a portion of the state sales tax. The grants are awarded for projects of enduring value for the cause of history and historic preservation across the state. The NHS grant will fund movable shelving, which will better preserve the more than 15,000 artifacts in the society’s collection.

Don’t forget to VOTE and help pick this year’s winner of the youth video PSA contest, sponsored by the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative and the Northfield Mayor’s  Task Force on Youth Alcohol & Drug Use.  Voting ends this Sunday (September 30, 2012).

The theme of this year’s contest is "Youth Under Pressure," with videos focusing on stress and young people.  The three finalists were selected from entries from across the community.

Check out the three finalists HERE and vote for your favorite!  The top vote getter will receive a $200 cash prize!

Fall harvest is in full swing at Riverwalk Market Fair and Fair-goers can now shop for fresh, locally grown pumpkins, squashes, root vegetables, apples, kale and other produce. In addition, visitors can nosh on Mexican foods, take in luscious landscape photography, sing along to live music and listen to a 12-piece band.  Visitors to the Fair will also have the opportunity to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and get better acquainted with local community organizations.



Featured Food Artisan: Maria Estrada
Maria’s Taco Hut is featured this week at Riverwalk Market Fair. Run by local chef Maria Estrada, Maria’s Taco Hut serves freshly prepared Mexican specialties from the family’s red food truck. Since 2005, the red truck has served food at events throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. Estrada’s husband, Rafael and daughter, Gabi, 13, help with the family business. Every Saturday at Riverwalk Market Fair visitors can enjoy foods made-to-order including breakfast burritos and quesadillas made filled with locally grown foods as well delicious soups.  Estrada also caters corporate and college events along with special occasions including weddings.

The Arts and Culture Commission of the City of Northfield seeks nominees for the third annual Northfield Living Treasures Award. Sponsored by the Northfield News, the Northfield's Living Treasures Award honors individuals who over a period of time have made significant contributions to Northfield in, through, or on behalf of arts and culture.  The work of the recipients enhances the reputation of the city and the quality of life of its citizens. The award is one of recognition and has no financial value. The recipient’s photo and biographical information along with their name engraved on a permanent plaque will be displayed prominently at City Hall.  

Previous recipients were sculptor and visual artist Ray Jacobson, and theatre director, performer and arts-community leader Myrna Johnson.  Cora Schultz, who founded and led the Northfield Youth Choirs, was the 2012 recipient.