Happenings in Bluff Country

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.

By Karla Bloem

People often ask how an event in Houston, Minnesota – with a population just shy of 1,000 – could be international. The answer is: owls!

The International Festival of Owls traces its roots back to 2003 as a hatch-day party for Alice the Great Horned Owl, an educational ambassador at the Houston Nature Center. The event has grown over the years to include World Owl Hall of Fame awards, international speakers, and a highly competitive international children’s owl art contest.

This year’s World Owl Hall of Fame Award winners, selected by a panel of five owl experts from four continents, are Scott Rashid from Colorado and Rudolf Schaaf from Germany.

Scott Rashid is the founder and director of the Colorado Avian Research and Rehabilitation Institute (CARRI). He has spent 27 years working with owls, banding more than 1,400 owls of 10 species, delivering hundreds of educational programs, and live streaming owl nests to the world. He has put up more than 150 owl nest boxes, has published many popular and scientific articles, and rehabilitates wild owls in need of help. To top it off, he has written several books about owls, generously illustrated with his own artwork and photographs. He will be the keynote speaker at this year’s International Festival of Owls on Saturday, March 8.

Rudolf Schaaf from Germany is being honored with a Special Achievement Award for his more than 30 years of dedication to the publication of international owl research, conservation and cultural aspects in KAUZBRIEF, a publication of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Eulenschutz im Landkreis Ludwigsburg (owl protection and research group). One thousand copies of each issue are disseminated to members of owl groups and universities conducting owl research. Schaaf is unable to attend in person but has created a 30-minute presentation that will also be shown on March 8.

Former World Owl Hall of Fame Award winner Raju Acharya from Nepal will also attend this year’s festival and will give a presentation on Sunday, March 9. Acharya has created a sister festival that takes place in early February: the Nepal Owl Festival.

In an unexpected twist, what started as a local coloring contest at the first festival has morphed into a highly competitive international art competition, with 2,000 – 4,000 entries from 30-50 countries each year. This year nearly 3,000 entries from 32 countries were submitted, with judging slated to take place on February 22. Winners and about one hundred staff favorites will be displayed at the International Owl Center until next year’s Festival of Owls, and hundreds more will be displayed at Houston High School and in storefronts around Houston during this year’s festival, March 7-9.

The International Festival of Owls also includes just about everything you can think of related to owls: ambassador owls from the International Owl Center and visiting owls from the Illinois Raptor Center (including a Snowy Owl), owl prowls to call in wild owls, owl nest box building, owl pellet dissection, owl crafts, owl face painting, a kids’ owl calling contest, vendors of all manner of owl products, owl-themed food, and more.

One special part of this year’s festival will be two readings of the new book “Owl Music” by author Kat Beaulieu. Although written as a children’s book about a boy, an owl and a feather, it contains a powerful soul-touching message about our connection to nature for people of all ages.

Alice the Great Horned Owl has been retired for several years and now has arthritis, cataracts and atherosclerosis. She will be turning 28 this year and although she will not be present, there will still be a hatch-day cake for her on Sunday. This year will also mark the International Owl Center’s 10^th year in operation.

For more information about the festival and to register for special events, visit www.FestivalOfOwls.com.

George Thompson will be our special guest on Tuesday, February 25, for our Lunch & Learn series.

George grew up in St. Louis and moved to Rochester in 1968, during tumultuous years of the Civil Rights Movement, to work at IBM. At the time, George was one of very few Black men in the region. Over 55 years later, George has many stories from decades of his life and leadership in southeastern Minnesota, where he has always sought to serve and to create community.

George believes that when we understand each other and our differences, we have the best foundation for a strong community. His presentation, “An Hour in My Shoes,” will explore his experiences as a Black husband, father, friend, business man, and leader in southeastern Minnesota. He will offer stories and perspectives as a truly remarkable family man, neighbor, and leader.

Doors open at 11. Separate goodwill offerings will be collected upon entry for lunch and for our speaker. For more information and to register, visit www.goodearthvillage.org/lunchandlearn

Tuesday, February 25, 2025
25303 Old Town Drive, Spring Valley, Minnesota
Log Lodge
Doors open at 11:00 am

Vesterheim, the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, welcomes preschoolers and their caregivers to the museum for Barnetimen Children’s Hour, on Tuesday, February 18, at 10 a.m. Meet in the lobby of the Museum Building to explore objects and stories in the collection and make fun art.

Meet in the lobby of the Museum Building to explore the textures and patterns on objects that feature hearts, then create heart-inspired art before enjoying a snack.

Barnetimen programs are free and geared toward 3- to 5-year-olds, but all ages are welcome. New programs are offered in person at the museum the third Tuesday of the month from 10-11 a.m., September through April.

No reservations are needed, but larger groups of 10 or more are asked to contact the museum the day before the program to help with planning. For more information, please contact Jennifer Kovarik, Vesterheim Collection Manager, 563-382-9681 or jkovarik@vesterheim.org.

This program is supported by generous gifts to the Vesterheim Annual Fund from David and Brenda Carlson and Norwegian Mutual Insurance Association.

Full Details Here

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. 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, 520 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.