Join Carleton's resident astronomers to view the moon, stars, planets, and nebulas Friday July 7 from 10 PM to midnight.  The event will be cancelled  if cloudy.    If it is cloudy or partly cloudy, a final decision regarding the open house will be posted at that website by one hour before the start time.

Open houses are open to the community and held the first Friday of each month. Times vary.  A schedule is on the web at http://go.carleton.edu/observatory

The Northfield Arts Guild presents “eXperiential”: an exhibition of work by artists Roxanne Richards and Joy Davis Ripley in The Guild’s Main Gallery through July 15, 2017.  Terra LaChance will exhibit her exploration of tintype photography “Tintypes and Authenticity” in The Guild’s Up Gallery during this same period.  The Main Gallery is located in The Guild’s Center for the Arts, 304 Division Street South, Northfield. 

Richards says, “As a colorist, I find dry pastel the perfect medium to explore the depths of color since dry pastels are almost pure pigment. Isopropyl alcohol mixed with dry pastels allows me to both draw and paint with the pastels. This handling of the medium produces a very atmospheric and layered effect, which conveys the ambiguity of my new normal.” 

Northfield Arts Guild Theater presents The Pirates of Penzance, a comic operetta by Gilbert and Sullivan, the weekends of July 21 through August 6, 2017. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm. The show plays at Arcadia Charter School’s theater, located at 1719 Cannon Road, Northfield.

On Saturday, July 1, come meet your neighbors at Share Your Colors, a free community event hosted by the Northfield Arts Guild. Two Northfield neighborhoods will transform into hubs of connection and creative expression -- exploring what it means to be “home.” There will be art projects, sidewalk chalk, engaging conversations, dance performances, treats and more! Everyone in Northfield is invited to create and to join the conversation!

This lively event takes place in several different spaces throughout the day. In Downtown Northfield, community members are invited to color the sidewalks with chalk near Bridge Square from 8:45 – 9:30 am.

“Is that a chimney going up on the depot?” is a frequent question to Save the Northfield Depot (STND) board members.  They enthusiastically confirm that, indeed, it is.

When faced with the need to identify the exterior location of the white vent pipe for the bathroom, the idea of reconstructing the chimney to hide the pipe was quickly adopted.

The 1888 depot blue prints show a stove in the center of the depot.  It served the two waiting rooms (one for the women and one for the men) separated by a wall down the middle of the depot.  The two flues account for the width of the chimney.

“We are fortunate to have the original 1888 drawings that Alex Rappe of Rappe Custom Creations can use for the reconstruction”, noted Alice Thomas, STND Board Member.  The unique pattern of bricks that form ridges can be seen in the original 1888 plans (see image) and is evident in archival photos.

Summer is here and the kids might already be looking for something fun to do.  Direct some of that energy into running, swimming and biking at the Y’s Kids Tri on Saturday, June 24th at the Old Memorial Pool.  

The 8th Annual Y Kids Tri is a fun, non-competitive triathlon that’s all about getting kids excited to get fit! Kids ages 6-14 will experience a morning of encouragement, cheers and satisfaction of completing this swim, bike and run event. There’s nothing like the excitement of crossing a finish line! No experience is necessary! Kids are encouraged to train during the summer, so it’s a great way for family to get fit together.

William Shakespeare’s The Tempest is the enchanting story of how love and forgiveness can conquer fear and power.  Filled with humor, the supernatural, and intrigue, this Northfield Arts Guild Theater production plays in Central Park, 421 Fourth Street East, Northfield.   The Tempest runs Friday through Sunday, June 9 – 11 and Thursday through Saturday, June 15 – 17, 2017 with all performances beginning at 7:30 pm.  In the case of rain, the show will move to the Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West, Northfield. 

“The Tempest explores the relationship between the natural and supernatural, so we’re particularly excited to present this story outdoors,” said Director Deon Haider. “Our stage will incorporate both natural and man-made elements to create a unique island setting in Central Park.”

On Thursday evening, 7 p.m., the Northfield Community Band plays the first of four Thursday evening concerts in June on Bridge Square.  Bring the family and enjoy a summer evening downtown, listening to your neighbors play familiar and new tunes while enjoying the picturesque setting.

The musicians range from high school and college students, professional musicians, and non-professionals – all people who play just for the joy of being part of a musical organization. Newcomers are welcome - the group rehearses on Wednesday evenings 7 p.m. in the high school band room, May 31, 7, 14, 21 and 28. For more information, contact Mary Williams, MWilliams@northfieldschools.org.

Not all battles involve bombs. In the battle for justice for Palestine, opponents deploy persuasion and influence to mobilize supporters as foot soldiers of their respective messages. For its ninth annual film festival, Northfielders for Justice in Palestine/Israel will present three films exploring occupation and nonviolent resistance to it.

All shows begin at 7 p.m. on three consecutive Tuesdays beginning June 6, at Bethel Lutheran Church, 1321 North Ave., Northfield, and are free and open to the public. Each evening will end with discussion and a brief question-and-answer period.

Join This Is Medicaid for a public conversation about the benefits Medicaid offers to Minnesotans in Northfield, what coverage will look like if the AHCA passes the Senate in its current form, and what you can do to advocate for protecting Medicaid. The event will be held on Wednesday, May 31, from 6  to 7:30 p.m., at St. John's Lutheran Church (500 3rd Street West, Northfield). More information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/this-is-medicaid-northfield-townhall-tickets-34470793070.

     Are you a Jane Austen fan?  Have you ever read Northanger Abbey?  Join a three week book group this July, facilitated by St. Olaf students and faculty.  The group will meet                            

Mondays, July 10, 17, and 24, 7:00 to 8:00 pm in the Bunday meeting room in the Northfield Public Library.  Members will receive a free copy of Northanger Abbey and discuss the book

with the students.  Group size will be limited, so if you are interested, please sign up at the Reference Desk, call 645-1802, or email Joan Ennis at joan.ennis@ci.northfield.mn.us

Community Services will be kicking off the summer recreation season on Monday, June 12th. Register NOW for your favorite programs! With competitive staff to participant ratios, creative programming and highly trained staff, you can't go wrong with a Community Services class! Check out some of the fresh new ideas incorporated into the SUPER Kids and little league programs, sign up for a skateboarding or mountain bike class or register for the enhanced track and field program! Adults may enjoy learning to sail, taking a mountain biking course or can give pickleball a try at Riverside Lions Park! There is something for everyone. Start planning! Register: CLICK HERE  

Phone Number: 507.664.3649

Website: www.northfieldschools.org (follow the Community Services link)

A playful, meaningful connection with the world outdoors needs to be a fundamental ingredient of every childhood. An integral part of the Montessori philosophy is the belief that children learn through personal experience. The summer at Montessori Children’s House focuses on increasing the child’s awareness, particularly in the area of life sciences. The summer is an ideal time for exploration of our natural areas, bird life and other animal life surrounding our school. Many practical life activities like washing, scrubbing and polishing are moved outdoors. The program is designed to involve children in environmental education through interactive stories, songs and games.  They create arts and crafts projects and conduct experiments and scientific studies.  Regular cooking classes take place in our summer kitchen and feature healthy products picked on site.

Follow the link http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=598 to watch Mayor Rhonda Pownell deliver the 2017 State of the City Address.

Northfield’s annual celebration of National Poetry Month culminates on Thursday, April 27 with two special events: Poem in Your Pocket Day and Writers Night.

This marks the fifth year of Northfield’s participation in the national Poem in Your Pocket Day. In twelve locations, Northfielders will have the opportunity to select poems to take with them for sharing with others—friends, family, co-workers and even strangers.  The boxes include winning Northfield Sidewalk Poems, as well as favorite poems in the public domain. This year, poems in Spanish have been added to the boxes.  

Red boxes of poetry will be placed in Northfield businesses from Thursday, April 27th through Sunday, April 30th.   The Arts and Culture Commission encourages citizens to select poems and enthusiastically share them with others, perhaps even taking time to read them aloud.