The 14th Northfield community annual observance of the United Nations International Day of Peace on Tuesday September 20 will begin celebrations of the United Nations International Day of Peace, which is celebrated annually around the world on September 21st or in the week surrounding it.

Supporting this year's theme, "Sustainable Peace: Building Blocks for Peace," the program will introduce the 17 Building Blocks for Peace developed by 193 member countries of the UN in September 2015. These issues are challenges for the world to meet by the year 2030, continuing the Millennium Development Goals 2000-2015.

These goals aim to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. Ban Ki Moon, UN Secretary General, reminds us that development and peace are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. They are essential to achieving peace in our time at any time.

A Prevention Champion is someone who has helped provide support for a healthier life for young people in our community – someone who helps reduce risk factors for alcohol and drug abuse, someone who supports recovery, or someone who builds assets for our youth and other community members.

They can be our friends, our neighbors, our teachers, our mentors, our business partners, our police officers, our health professionals or community members. Please help us recognize and encourage these community leaders by nominating them for a Prevention Champion Award. They will receive the recognition and encouragement they deserve, and others will be inspired by their story.

Nominating a Prevention Champion is simple and takes just a few moments. 

The Northfield Humanist Roundtable is a monthly discussion group which addresses the history, philosophy, and practical application of secular humanism. The discussion format uses a brief introduction followed by questions which each participant may respond to in turn.

Jean-Paul Sartre, a professor of philosophy at La Havre and several other French lycées, was one of the most important figures in atheist existentialism. In his 1946 essay "Existentialism is a Humanism," Sartre defines atheist existentialism in an unusually clear and straightforward way, and explains how it is related to humanism. For our September meeting, we'll look at several passages from "Existentialism is a Humanism" and discuss to what extent we agree or disagree with Sartre.

Please come join us. There is no charge, and everyone sympathetic to humanist principles is welcome.

For more information, visit our website at www.northfieldhumanistroundtable.org.

The Northfield Arts Guild presents its Annual Members’ Exhibition September 1 - 24 in the Center for the Arts Main Gallery at 304 Division Street South, Northfield.   This show will contain a large cross section of media—from painting to ceramics to fiber art—with an Artist’s Reception and Season Kickoff Celebration from 7:00 to 9:00pm on Friday, September 23, immediately following the Annual Member Meeting.

The Main Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., and Saturday 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  Since many visitors make their way to Northfield during this time of year, the Northfield Arts Guild is thrilled to feature Members’ artwork in this exhibition!

The 2016-17 Gallery Season is sponsored by First National Bank.  The beverage sponsor is Firehouse Liquors.  By All Means Graphics/Entertainment Guide is sponsoring the Annual Members’ Exhibition.

Also during this year’s Defeat of Jesse James Days, local performers will take the stage in the semi-annual Vaudevesque variety show at the Northfield Arts Guild Theater.  

This year’s show features singing, dancing and comedy.  Local choreographers and dancers join together as “The Welcome Committee” led by Kate Southwick. Regulars, the Pogue-u-leles, Randy Ferguson, and The Blacklights will perform, as well as Peter Webb on piano, dancers from several schools, and Esme Etter, Louisa Lawler and Synneva Bratland with a special treat.  It'll be rip roarin' fun - a little bit naughty and a whole lot of nice! 

Vaudevesque performs at the Northfield Arts Guild Theater, 411 Third Street West, Northfield, on September 8, 9 and 10 at 7:00 pm.  All tickets for this fundraiser are $10.00 and are available at online at NorthfieldArtsGuild.org or by calling (507) 645-8877.   

From film maker, Paul Krause, comes this invitation:

"Hope you can make the world premiere of my new documentary. It will take place tomorrow (Thursday, Aug 25) at 7pm at the Northfield High School auditorium (just off Division street).

It features the creative energy of 13 high school art students as they work together to create the marvelous sculpture now exhibited in front of the Northfield Library on Division Street. 

It is one hour in length and is free and open to all."

Fall is often the time of year people begin to think about making healthy lifestyle changes.  At the Y, we're just everyday people, your neighbors, people that shop at the same stores you do.  Come take a tour and consider the Y to be one of your healthy resources. 

Deb Olien, the Y's Member Coordinator is providing personalized tours to give you a chance to check-out the Y and see what we have to offer.  Maybe we fit what you are looking for. 

Stop in for a tour anytime - OR - stop in for a tour during one of the times below with Deb: 

Weeks of Aug 22nd and Aug 29th: 

Mondays at 1:00 pm 

Tuesdays at 10:30 am or 6:00 pm 

Thursdays at noon or 6:00 pm

The Bridge Chamber Music Festival, now in its 18th season, will present a vast repertoire of classical and jazz music by accomplished students and professional musicians in Northfield, MN August 21-27.

The first concert is the Young Artist Recital that features talented youth from southern Minnesota. Violist Cate Carson expressed her excitement to take part in the BCMF. “It gives me the chance to meet and hear other young local musicians,” said Carson who will be performing the Concerto in G Minor, by Max Bruch. Carson said it is a piece she’s wanted to play for a long time, and that’s she happy to now be performing it. “It is a piece with many different moods and lots of musical drama – it’s very virtuosic but has beautiful melodies in it as well,” Carson said.

Enso String Quartet www.ensoquartet.com out of New York is marked for the second day of the Festival. The Grammy-nominated quartet, founded at Yale University, has built their acclaim by achieving high awards at the Concert Artists Guild and Banff International Spring Quartet Competitions. 

The Northfield Public Library and the Arts and Culture Commission (ACC) are pleased to announce the appointment of local poet Rob Hardy to a three-year term as Northfield’s first Poet Laureate.  In establishing the program, the Library and ACC envision the Poet Laureate as a coordinator and creative leader for poetic and literary arts in the community.   The Laureate will be part of an overall effort to advance the visibility, quality, and appreciation of poetic arts in schools, among practicing poets, and for public audiences. The project will build on current efforts to cultivate a poetry-rich community in Northfield.

The nation's 2,700 YMCAs serve 22 million people in 10,000 communities and are spread across 50 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.   We work hard to serve our communities and the new Fall Brochure is now available.  Take a moment to view programs and services for people of all ages.  The Y is committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.  We believe strong communities are possible only when we invest in our kids, our health and our neighbors. 

Join the Y - as a member or community participant - we have an abundance of things to do. 

The City of Northfield's Arts and Culture Commission and the Bridge Chamber Music Festival are pleased to announce an evening of poetry and music on Tuesday, August 23rd, at 7:30 pm at The Grand Event Center.  Please join us as the 2016 Sidewalk Poets share their winning entries, with musical performances by the Artaria String Quartet (performing works by Gershwin and Villa-Lobos), vocalist/cellist Parker Ousley (performing jazz standards), and the Glider Trio with Dave Hagedorn (performing Brazilian jazz). Admission is free - free will donations accepted.

Five stunning women – created by acclaimed “Flower Bomber” artist David W. Cook and based on the characters of the Twin Cities hit musical “Lemonade for the Lawnboy”—have arrived in Northfield to celebrate the grand opening of ArtMakers,  a new arts group that develops, supports and features artists with disabilities.

ArtMakers debuts “Read Me a Story,” its first show in its new studio, on Saturday, August 13 at 10:30 am at the Hotspot, 801 Division Street. The one-hour performance combines stories, songs and puppets for a fun, interactive show for the kid in all of us.

Did you know that a Supreme Court seat is the only statewide race on this year’s primary ballot? This rarely happens—and it could deter many from going to the polls on primary day, August 9. The Minnesota Bar Association is providing information about the candidates here:  http://www.mnbar.org/public/judicial-candidate-information#.V5QAgdArIkj. In addition, there are 2 seats on the 3rd District Court.