Happenings in Bluff Country

By Charlene Corson Selbee

No need to rush to Rushford, Minn., for Rushford Days, happening July 16-20, there’s plenty for all ages to do and enjoy.

“Mark your calendars and join us in celebrating Rushford Days 2025. We look forward to seeing you there and sharing these unforgettable experiences together!” exclaimed organizer Jennifer Feine.

Collectible pinback buttons can be purchased in advance for $10 at Rushford Foods or Pam’s Corner, or for $15 at the fest tent during the festival. This year’s button was designed by fifth grader Kate Jewison, daughter of Ellen and Dave Jewison.

The unofficial start of the festivities is Tuesday evening, July 15, with a teen swim at the town’s aquatic center. On Thursday night, there will be a teen dance.

A glance at the event poster makes it clear – competition is alive and well at Rushford Days! Attendees are encouraged to take part in the Shoebox 5K and 1-mile Fun Run, trap shoot competition, the Bluff Land Trojan Kids Challenge course, bean bag or baseball tournament, or the Thunder Valley 3v3 basketball tournament.

Show off your photography skills by entering the Rushford Days Digital Photo Contest. Amateur only entries are due by Sunday, July 13. The only category is by age. Online voting will take place from Monday, July 14 through Saturday, July 19. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd placed winners.

The popular car cruise is set for Wednesday, July 16 at 6 p.m., and the car show will be held at the fest grounds on Saturday.

In addition to food truck, the Masonic Lodge will serve a pancake breakfast Saturday morning, featuring plain or blueberry pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, and beverages. Also on Saturday, the Rushford Lions will serve a pork chop dinner, and St. Joseph’s Church will host the ever-popular Pie & Ice Cream Social. On Sunday July 20, enjoy a fly-in breakfast and plane rides at the Rushford Municipal Airport.

Live entertainment on Friday and Saturday night will feature The TraveAce Trio and Red Dirt Road band; both are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

Like every great Midwest community celebration, there will be a grand parade and Rushford Days is no exception. Don’t miss it on Saturday, July 19 at 7 p.m., followed by a spectacular fireworks display.

Wondering what to do with your little ones? Rushford goes all out with kids activities, so your children won’t be disappointed. In fact, they’ll want to return to Rushford Days every year!

Upcoming events in

Bluff Country

• July 8 – Music in the Park, Caledonia, Minn.

• July 8-12 – Winneshiek County Fair, Decorah, Iowa

• July 10 – Rhythm by the River, Preston, Minn.

• July 13 – Music in the Bandstand, Peterson, Minn.

• July 16-20 – Rushford Days, Rushford, Minn.

• July 18-20 – Root River Antique Engine & Tractor Show, Rural Spring Valley/Racine, Minn.

• July 20 – Music in the Bandstand, Peterson, Minn.

• July 21-26 – Fillmore County Fair, Preston, Minn.

• July 22 – Music in the Park, Caledonia, Minn.

• July 31-August 3 – Buffalo Bill Days, Lanesboro, Minn.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

By Charlene Corson Selbee

You’re invited to spend Independence Day in Harmony, Minn., where the town’s annual Fourth of July celebration promises four days of family fun, cherished traditions, and exciting new activities. From July 3 through July 6, Harmony will be alive with community spirit and patriotic celebration.

Harmony Chamber of Commerce President Erica Thilges shares, “We’re excited for another jam-packed Fourth of July weekend in Harmony! We’ll have a variety of live music, kids’ activities like bouncy houses, pony rides, face painting, balloon animals, mini golf, Next Gen Gamerz gaming truck, and the Kids’ Pedal Pull. Of course, we’ll also have traditional favorites like the Harmony Conservation Club Pancake Breakfast, Toad Races, the Grand Parade, and fireworks. We also have some new additions like the Harmony Hustler’s 5k and the Harmony Area Historical Society’s ‘Let’s Have Harmony’ play!”

The celebration kicks off with the highly anticipated Medallion Scavenger Hunt. Starting June 30, daily clues will be posted at 8 a.m. on the Harmony Chamber website. Follow the clues and you could win a cash prize worth $200 in Harmony Dollars. “If you believe you’ve found it, bring it to First SouthEast Bank in Harmony to verify and claim your prize,” explained Thilges.

Support the Harmony Chamber of Commerce by purchasing a collectible souvenir button for just $5, available at local businesses. This year’s vibrant, 1960s-inspired design featuring peace signs and flowers was created by 8-year-old Clarice Mathison, who also designed the 2024 button. Button winners will be announced at the Selvig Park Gazebo at 5:30 p.m., Friday, July 4.

The colorful design creates a sense of peace and friendship, which aligns with this year’s theme, “Let’s have harmony.”

This year’s lineup includes a variety of live music and performances to entertain all ages. Kids will love the wide range of games and family-friendly activities, with something new to discover around every corner.

Food vendors will be available on Friday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., include Harmony Lions Club, American Dairy Association, Espadin Food Truck, Sunshine Concessions, Sips n’ Sugar coffee truck, Sweet Treats on the GOOO!, and JEM Theatre. Don’t forget to check out the local restaurants for a wide selection of delicious foods found only in Harmony.

Don’t just come for the festival, stay and explore! Harmony offers unique shopping, local dining, and attractions like Niagara Cave, the Root River Trail system, golfing, a movie theatre, and two vintage and antique malls, whether you prefer a cozy B&B, a rustic cabin, or a scenic campsite, lodging options are available for every style.

Upcoming events in Bluff Country

•July 1 – Music in the Park, Caledonia, Minn.

•July 2-5 – Riverfest, La Crosse, Wis.

•July 8 – Music in the Park, Caledonia, Minn.

•July 8-12 – Winneshiek County Fair, Decorah, Iowa

•July 10 – Rhythm by the River, Preston, Minn.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region. 

For information on upcoming town festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

(Lanesboro, Minn.) The Commonweal Theatre Company announces its 37^th season with a set of five marvelous plays: Lauren Gunderson’s ode to friendship The Half-Life of Marie Curie; Paul Slade Smith’s screwball comedy The Angel Next Door; Josh Tobiessen’s small-town comedy Lone Star Spirits; William Shakespeare’s legendary classic King Lear; and Mark Shanahan’s merry and mysterious mash-up A Sherlock Carol.

Season passes and single tickets are on sale at www.CommonwealTheatre.org or by calling the box office (800) 657-7025. All performances are at the Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave N., in downtown Lanesboro, MN.

The first play of the season is Lauren Gunderson’s captivating The Half-Life of Marie Curie. Chemist and physicist Marie Curie is about to accept a second Nobel prize for her pioneering work in radioactivity when a public scandal forces her to seek refuge. She retreats to the seaside home of engineer and suffragist Hertha Ayrton. There, the two friends explore what it means to be mothers, wives, scientists, and thought leaders in a changing world on the verge of war. With her sharp wit, crackling dialogue, and deep empathy, playwright Lauren Gunderson (Silent Sky and Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley) illuminates the indomitable power of friendship between two extraordinary women. Jaclyn June Johnson will direct fellow company members Laurie Roberts (Marie Curie) and Stela Burdt (Hertha Ayrton). This ode to friendship will run from April 5 through July 5.

Next up is the glamorous and goofy comedy The Angel Next Door by Paul Slade Smith (who wrote last season’s smash-hit political comedy The Outsider). Audiences will be transported to an opulent Newport mansion in 1948, where playwrights, actors, and a star-struck novelist gather to work on their next Broadway hit. (Never mind the housekeeper who wants them gone.) “The Angel Next Door is a glittering, effervescent hit romantic comedy. It’s an elegant, sweet-dry glass of champagne, bubbling over with non-stop laughs, merriment, glamor, and high-spirited hijinks. It’s hard to think of more fun you could have at the theatre right now, or really, more fun anywhere” (BroadwayWorld). Charlie Oates (professor Emeritus University of California, San Diego) will direct Commonweal company members Hal Cropp, Tim Sailer, and Adrienne Sweeney, along with some beloved guest artists from the region. The fizzy screwball comedy runs from May 17 through September 6.

The third offering of the 2025 season is Josh Tobiessen’s small-town comedy Lone Star Spirits. A trip home gets wildly out of hand when Marley introduces her fiancé to her estranged father. Hoping for a quick visit, she ends up stranded in a liquor store with her football-hero ex, a single mom desperate for a girls’ night out, and the ghost of a bear-wrestling pioneer who founded their tiny Texas town. This fast-paced comedy with hairpin turns takes a sympathetic look at those who stay and those who leave their hometowns—and the ghosts that haunt folks either way. “A very fine coming-home story, reconciliation story and small-town-hero story—another spunky, funny work by Josh Tobiessen” (The New York Times). Adrienne Sweeney will direct fellow company members Lizzy Andretta, Cody Beyer, Alex Schlesinger, and Jeremy van Meter. The spirited fun runs from July 12 through October 25.

Next, the Commonweal will embark on a legendary classic by William Shakespeare: King Lear. As age overtakes Lear, he divides his kingdom amongst his daughters. Misjudging their loyalty, he finds himself stripped of all that defined him. Now this once-revered king is trapped in an emotional hurricane ravaging his head, home, and heart. Amanda Rafuse has adapted the script and returns to direct (recent Commonweal credits include Ugly Lies the Bone and Bernhardt/Hamlet). Producing Artistic Director Hal Cropp will play Lear, founding company member Eric Bunge will play Gloucester, and a host of company members will join them. The epic drama plays from September 13 through November 2.

Finally, the holiday offering to round out the 2025 season will be Mark Shanahan’s delightful caper: A Sherlock Carol. The worlds of Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collide in the ultimate Christmas crossover. When a fully grown and not-so-Tiny Tim asks Sherlock Holmes to investigate the peculiar death of Ebenezer Scrooge, the Great Detective must use his tools of deduction to crack the case. But it’s a dark and gloomy Christmas Eve, and the holiday is haunted by the spirits of the past, present, and future. Michael Bigelow Dixon (Alice in Winter Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure, and On the Verge) returns to direct, with Jeremy van Meter playing the Scrooge-like Sherlock. The merry and mysterious mash-up runs from November 8 through December 21.

COUNTY FREE NIGHTS
THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE – Thursday, April 10
THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR – Thursday, May 22
LONE STAR SPIRITS – Thursday, July 17
KING LEAR – Thursday, September 18
A SHERLOCK CAROL – Thursday, November 13

All County Free Night performances begin at 7:30 pm. While admission is free of charge to residents and employees of Fillmore and Houston Counties, seating is limited and reservations are strongly recommended to be made at least two weeks in advance. There is a limit of four tickets per household. To claim tickets, call the box office: (800) 657-7025.

County Free Nights at the Commonweal Theatre are made possible with support from Houston Dental Clinic, POET, Merchants Bank Lanesboro, and Nethercut Schieber PLLP

“PAY WHAT YOU CAN” PERFORMANCES

Additionally, the Commonweal offers “Pay What You Can” performances on the following dates: 

THE HALF-LIFE OF MARIE CURIE – Friday, April 18
THE ANGEL NEXT DOOR – Thursday, May 29
LONE STAR SPIRITS – Thursday, July 24
KING LEAR – Thursday, September 25
A SHERLOCK CAROL – Thursday, November 20

For these performances, anyone may choose to pay any amount for their tickets. There are no county restrictions. Single adult tickets are normally $38. The “Pay What You Can” program has been supported by the Mayo Clinic Community Foundation.

For more information about the 2025 season, visit www.CommonwealTheatre.org. To check availability and to reserve tickets, contact the box office at (800) 657-7025.

ABOUT THE COMMONWEAL THEATRE COMPANY

Since 1989, the professional artists of the Commonweal have brought to life soulful stories told with honesty and creativity. Located in the heart of southeast Minnesota’s bluff country, Lanesboro (pop. 720) is home to the company’s theatre in its historic downtown. Under the leadership of producing artistic director Hal Cropp, the company boasts a distinctive organizational model with resident ensemble members (who have come from all over the country to make their home in the area) fulfilling the day-to-day artistic and operational needs of the company as artist/administrators.

For more information, visit www.commonwealtheatre.org.

DECORAH, Iowa — The schedule of classes through September 2025 at Vesterheim at Folk Art School has been released and registration is open at vesterheim.org/folk-art-school! Each year, Vesterheim Folk Art School offers a wide variety of classes and programs for all ages, both in person and online, including forging, Norwegian language, family and afterschool programs, fiber arts, rosemaling, jewelry making, woodworking, knifemaking, cooking, and much more!

A highlight this summer will be classes taught by Norwegian weaving instructor Marta Kløve Juuhl from Indre Arna, a village near Bergen. She will teach “Åkle Weaving on a Warp-Weighted Loom” from July 19-23. This technique creates beautiful textiles with banded designs, traditional to western Norway. Then from July 28-August 1, she will teach “Varafell Weaving on a Warp-Weighted Loom,” a traditional Viking-age technique.

Juuhl has 27 years of experience teaching weaving and art, and she was a textile curator at Osterøy Museum for 10 years. She has maintained her own weaving studio since 1989 with notable commissions throughout Norway. She has written two textile books and her articles have been featured in several publications.

With the completion of the new Vesterheim Folk Art School forging studio at 418 W. Water St., the year 2025 begins an exciting new chapter in metalworking and forging education in Decorah. More information will be shared soon about a dedication event, but class registration is open now. Classes include “Forging Fundamentals,” “Forged Tool Making,” “Laminated Knife Blades,” “Viking-Style Padlock,” and more! There will even be an afterschool Forging Klubb for youth ages 15-18.

Andrew Ellingsen, Director of Folk Art Education at Vesterheim, said, “We are excited to see the traditional Scandinavian handcrafts of metalworking and forging move into their new home – their own safe studio! We can’t wait to welcome beginner and experienced metalworkers and share these historic handcrafts.”

Another 2025 highlight for Vesterheim Folk Art School is the launch of a new model for folk art instruction – on-demand classes, which include a kit of materials in the mail and online access to a set of video tutorials taught by one of Vesterheim’s master instructors.

Ellingsen said, “Designed to be classes to take anywhere at any time, we hope that the addition of on-demand classes can make Vesterheim’s programming available to folks who have had schedule conflicts in the past.” The first two on-demand classes are “Norwegian Language for Travelers” with Dr. Maren Anderson Johnson, and “First Cuts: Scandinavian Flat-Plane Figure Carving” with Vesterheim Gold Medalist Charles Banks.

“We have already filmed additional courses and are excited about the possibilities this new model offers!” Ellingsen added. On-demand classes at Vesterheim are supported in part by the Harlan and Connie Sanderson Endowment.

Vesterheim Folk Art School offers several ways to provide financial access for all. Vesterheim offers a 60% discount for in-person class tuition on a space-available standby basis to any legal year-round resident living within 50 miles of Vesterheim. There are also need-based scholarships supported by gifts to Vesterheim’s annual fund. Find information at vesterheim.org/folk-art-school.

Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to engage in the conversation of the American immigrant journey through the lens of the Norwegian-American experience, and to participate in the continual evolution of traditional folk art as it meets new influences. Vesterheim offers innovative and interactive exhibits, classes, and programs, both at the dynamic campus and park in scenic Decorah, Iowa, and online at vesterheim.org and Vesterheim social media. For more information on exhibits, classes, programs, tours, membership opportunities, and ways to donate and volunteer, connect at vesterheim.org, (563) 382-9681, and Vesterheim, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.

The Nordic Fest Board of Directors is excited to announce the 2025 Nordic Fest theme — Commemorating Crossings 1825-2025.

With this year’s theme, Nordic Fest joins international, national, and local organizations, including Vesterheim – the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, in commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Norwegian Emigration in 2025.

On July 4, 1825, a group of 52 Norwegians set sail from Stavanger, Norway on the sloop ship Restauration to make the first organized migration from Norway to North America. Since the Restauration was a type of vessel called a sloop, the immigrants onboard became known as “Sloopers.” More than 800,000 Norwegians have followed since then, in search of new opportunities. In North America today, nearly five million people claim Norwegian ancestry. The Nordic Fest Board looks forward to commemorating the 200th anniversary and celebrating the strong ties that continue between Norway and North America.

Nordic Fest Board President Cole Steffen shares, “Norwegian heritage is strong in the Decorah community and we are excited to be able to commemorate the 200th anniversary of that first crossing, and the crossings that followed, at this year’s Nordic Fest. We look forward to seeing local businesses, organizations, and groups incorporate this special theme into Nordic Fest offerings and beyond.”

Businesses, organizations, and groups are encouraged to incorporate the 2025 theme into food specials, window displays, activity offerings, and parade float entries at this year’s festival in July.

Nordic Fest is an annual three-day summer festival held in Decorah, Iowa that celebrates community and the area’s Scandinavian heritage. The 58th annual Nordic Fest will take place July 24-26, 2025. Organized by a board of volunteers, Nordic Fest offers food, activities and entertainment for the whole family. Learn more and get involved at nordicfest.com.

Lanesboro, Minn. – Lanesboro Arts proudly presents Mediterranean music group, Other Country Ensemble (OCE), at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro on Saturday, March 29th at 7:00 p.m. OCE will take listeners on a sonic journey, traveling from old Spain though France, Italy, Albania, Greece, and landing in Turkey. Tickets are available for purchase now through the Lanesboro Arts website for $25 for General Admission; $22 for Lanesboro Arts Members.

ABOUT OTHER COUNTRY ENSEMBLE:
Other Country Ensemble is a Twin Cities-based group that performs original compositions and traditional music from the northern Mediterranean region. These veteran musicians will tell many historical tales of the music and the wide swath of instruments they perform including oud, bouzouki, mandocello, alto and concert flute, soprano sax, bass and alto clarinet, flamenco guitar and vocals, and various percussion including doumbek and frame drums. Their latest disc Convivencia relishes the medieval era when Muslims, Jews and Christians co-existed in relative peace – highlighting music is the common thread that brings people together.

Steve Clarke is a founding member of OCE and performs on soprano saxophone, flute, alto and bass flute, and bass clarinet.  He is a winner of eleven Minnesota Music Awards with three Grammy Nominations including one for work on a Ringo Star recording.  He teaches at Groth Music in Bloomington and also is the band leader for the jazz swing band ‘Steve Clarke and the Working Stiffs’.  He first started working with Scott in the medieval rock band ‘Felonious Bosch’.

Laurie Knutson performs alto and bass clarinet for OCE.  She is a degreed Music Therapist (MT-BC) and recently retired from the Veteran’s Hospital providing music therapy services.  She also teaches clarinet and saxophone at Groth Music in Bloomington and is the singer in the ‘Working Stiffs’.  She is a member of the ‘One Hit Wonders’ cover band performing on baritone saxophone.

Scott Nieman is a founding member and the band leader of OCE, performing on various ‘things with strings’, primarily Greek bouzouki, Turkish oud and baglama saz, and Italian mandocello.  Scott has been researching Sephardic Jewish music for over 25 years and its linkages throughout the Mediterranean and Balkan regions.  Scott also owns a sizable but private recording studio, which is where he composes his music.  Originally from rural WI, he has performed world music in the Twin Cities metro for over 40 years including ‘Felonious Bosch’, ‘seven thieves’ (early music ensemble), ‘The County Popes’ (Celtic), and also currently performs with ‘Makam Baklava’ (Turkish/ Bulgarian Balkan band).

Michael Zieghan has been with OCE for roughly six years and is a long standing name in Flamenco music in the Twin Cities.  He teaches guitar and continues to perform with various flamenco dance troupes on-stage and in the classroom.  He is a former president of the MN Guitar Society and one of the earliest MN Renaissance Festival performers.

Mark Black has been with OCE for just over ten years performing on frame drums, dhol, doumbek, and various other hand percussion.  Like Michael, Mark was one of the earliest medieval/ early music performers of the MN Renaissance Festival.  Mark is also a co-founder of the legendary odd-metered industrial band ‘Savage Aural Hotbed’, which features handmade drums made of found objects ranging from oil barrels to Skil saws!   He lives only one block from Scott’s studio which makes for great fun.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.