Arts and Entertainment

If the Library of Congress can have a Poet Laureate, why not the Northfield Public Library?

As the Library celebrates its renovation and new spaces, Teresa Jensen, Director of the Northfield Public Library, is looking ahead to using the occasion to inspire interest in reading and literary arts. One of the ways to focus attention on reading and language, she says, will be to appoint a Poet Laureate to serve as a spokesperson for reading and writing: “The Library is already the sponsor of a wide range of reading groups, celebrations, and author readings, including authors of books for children, teens and adults. We are looking forward to getting even more people involved in reading and literature.”

The Poet Laureate competition was announced at the Sidewalk Poetry event on April 28th, at which this year’s winning poets were honored.  Applications for selection as Northfield’s Poet Laureate must arrive via email (teresa.jensen@ci.northfield.mn.us) dated no later than midnight on Saturday, July 30th.

The name of Anna Dickie Olesen was once known coast to coast in political circles. She was praised nationwide by the press for her oratorical skills and was the first woman ever endorsed by a major party for the U.S. Senate. She gave fiery speeches throughout Minnesota on her goal of representing the common people, accompanied by renowned orator and three-times candidate for president Williams Jennings Bryan.

On Thursday, June 9, at 6 pm, local historian Susan Hvistendahl will speak at the Northfield Historical Society about Olesen's life as a politician before and during her time living in Northfield and about her strange second marriage to a Georgia man, Chester Burge, who was the subject of Richard Jay Hutto's book "A Peculiar Tribe of People: Murder and Madness in the Heart of Georgia." Burge's life and murder trial were featured in the recent Investigation Discovery "Crime to Remember" series.

Jump Start Your Wellness with 5 High Impact Nutrition Strategies

Learn how to put good nutrition to work for you!  This free workshop will provide you with simple, effective eating strategies you can use right now to achieve your wellness goals.  You’ll receive an overview of the key nutrition principles of Movement, Balance, Variety, Moderation and Enjoyment, and learn how they can guide your efforts to make effective behavior changes.  The session will also include a brief introduction about how Personal Nutrition Training with a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist works, and how it can help move you in the right direction.

This 45 minute workshop is free for Y Members and only $7 for Community Members; it will be offered twice at the Northfield Area Family YMCA: June 6th at 11:00 a.m. and June 7 at 3:15 p.m.

“How did we get here from there?” is a question frequently asked about the crisis that now engulfs Palestine/Israel. The 2016 NJP Palestine film series aims to explore that question, with movies that focus on developments over the last 100 years.

All shows begin at 7 p.m. on three consecutive Tuesdays beginning June 7, 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.

On Wednesday, June 8 at 7:00 p.m. in Carleton’s Weitz Cinema, there will be a showing of the film directed by Cecilia Cornejo Sotelo, a member of Carleton’s  Cinema & Media Studies program. Chronicling the years of efforts on the part of skateboarders to create a permanent skatepark in Northfield, the work is part of Cornejo’s series on the meaning of belonging, and our understanding of public space. This tale of youth fighting for the right to belong was shown in Austin, Texas in May at the Cine las Americas International Film Festival

The Northfield Handbell Ensemble will present a short program (45 minutes) of handbell music on Tuesday, May 31, at 7pm, in Skinner Memorial Chapel at Carleton College. The event is free and open to the public. The concert will include both classical music and arrangements of popular music for handbells, including arrangements of "Over the Rainbow" and "Eleanor Rigby." The Northfield Handbell Ensemble was founded in 2015, and plays bells belonging to the First United Church of Christ. Directed by Iris Jastram, the ensemble includes Mary Dunnewold, Mary Hakes, Clara Hardy, Rob Hardy, Anne Larson, Jeff Ondich, Janet Scannell, Cynthia Schearer, Kendra Strode, Kathy Szydlo, and Bill Upham. 

This week in the Northfield community, the newest sculpture in town will be unveiled. The event will take place near the Northfield Carnegie Library at 3rd and Division on Thursday, June 2nd at 6:00 PM and the public is invited to join in the celebration. The new sculpture - entitled “Rain on Mars” -  is made of powdered coated and corten steel and will be an exciting new addition to the Division Street landscape.

Come to the Northfield Public Library on Tuesday, June 7, at 7:00 pm and meet local author Lisa M. Bolt Simons.  She will discuss her book Faribault Woolen Mill: Loomed in the Land of Lakes.  Lisa received her MFA from Minnesota State University, Mankato.  During the day, she is an English as a Second Language teacher.  She has published numerous essays, reviews, and profiles, and has published twenty-one nonfiction books for children

Do you have Faribault Woolen Mill throws and blankets in your home?  Come and hear Lisa talk about the mill where you blanket was produced.  the Mill was established in 1865, survived five fires, changes in ownership, and is still producing their famous blankets today.  Lisa will talk about how she became interested in the Mill, and what she discovered while writing her book.  The event is free and open to the public.

Books & Stars is an evening summer series of music and entertianment for all ages at parks in Northfield!  Join us for fun, free, family friendly entertainment plus an opportunity to check out/return library materials at Booker, the Book Bus.  It's Wednesday evenings from June 15 to August 3 at parks throughout Northfield.  If it looks rainy we move to Oddfellow's Park Pavilion at Forest Ave & Madison St. -the SHOW always goes on!

Booker opens at 6:30, the show begins at 7 pm.

Award winning composer/lyricist Gary Rue is offering an intensive professional level songwriting class in Northfield, June 13 through August 8 at Hot Spot Music, 801 Division Street, Northfield. The class focuses on songwriting as a craft, employing the major elements of the American popular song:  lyric, melody and harmony, in a lecture/workshop environment. The course is recommended for artists who are currently writing and/or performing their own work and who want to broaden their work to film, music theater, jingles, composing for other artists, paid commissions, etc.

Teen H.E.A.T. (Healthy Eating Active Teens) Program
Ages 13-17

A different theme each week - aquatic, fitness, sport, or nutrition.  This program is aimed at keeping teens active and giving them some knowledge about healthy eating as well.  Come one, two, or the whole summer!  This program will help teens create a healthy lifestyle through eating healthy and physical activity.  Each week there will be something new to learn from nutrition to pool activities. Each week will be a different activity so it will always be something new to try.

The Y is hosting a sale site during the city-wide Goods for Good garage sale weekend.  Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Y Scholarship Fund.  Come shop the sale for good deals and a great cause. 

Donate your gently used household goods and furniture (no clothing please) to our sale:  Drop-off is on Friday, May 13th at the Y. 

YMCA Goods for Good Garage Sale Details: 

The Northfield Public Library will emerge from its construction cocoon this Saturday, May 7th at 10 am everyone is invited to the Grand Re-Opening ceremonies beginning at 10 am with a formal ribbon cutting.  In the meantime the library at City Hall and the 210 Washington site are closed as library & city staff move the remaining materials and shelves and to prepare the new space.  Neither bookdrop is available during this time, please keep your items until we open.

We will have new hours beginning May 9 with Sunday hours from 1 -5 pm running through June 5.  New weekly hours are Monday through Thursday 9 am to 8 pm, Friday 9 am to 6 pm, Saturday 9 am to 5 pm.  Our contact numbers and email remain the same.  For more information call 507-645-6606.

Vintage Band Festival will present its latest Enrichment Series installment twice on Monday, May 9, 2016. The program will be given first at the Northfield Retirement Community Chapel (900 Cannon Valley Drive West) beginning at 3:45pm. The Northfield Senior Center (1651 Jefferson Parkway) will host the second presentation at 7pm.

The featured guest will be Dr. Paul Niemisto speaking on the topic “Vintage Band Festival: Ten Years of Music and Memories.” Dr. Niemisto will address such questions as “What is a Vintage Band?” “How do we locate and select the vintage bands that play at the festival?” “What can listeners look forward to at the 2016 Vintage Band Festival?” Niemisto will also perform a demonstration on the helicon, a low brass instrument that is a precursor to the modern-day Sousaphone. He will have three helicons from his personal collection on display at the event.