Embrace your inner Minnesotan and invigorate your mind and body during the Great Northern festival. Kicking off January 25, this year’s lineup promises 10 days of diverse programming that celebrates our signature season. During a time of rapidly changing climate, the festival aims to build community and inspire action by sharing the resilient spirit of the North with the world. Get in on the winter fun with these 5 can’t-miss experiences across the Twin Cities.
Climate Solutions Series: How the Fashion Act Could Change the Fashion Industry
January 27
Do you have a passion for sustainable fashion? Join Artful Living Editor-in-Chief Kate Nelson and fashion, law and policy expert Betina Baumgarten for a deep-dive exploration into how The Fashion Act can serve as a framework for driving systemic change in the apparel industry. The conversation will highlight the ways the groundbreaking bill aims to hold brands responsible for their social and environmental impacts instead of relying on the choices of individual shoppers. Sustainability is always in style.
Sam Kass: The Last Supper
January 28
Explore the intersection of food, place, agriculture and climate with former White House chef Sam Kass as he crafts a last-in-a-lifetime culinary experience at the Hewing Hotel in collaboration with local luminary chefs Andrew Zimmern and Marque Collins. Kass will lead guests through a menu of regionally inspired fare made from ingredients that experts believe to be near extinction. The evening aims to spark an emotional connection to the climate challenges we face in the Midwest while showcasing emerging food-industry solutions that offer hope for impactful change.
Made a Universe Screening
January 28
For a respite from chilly temperatures, head over to St. Paul’s North Garden Theater for a screening of multidisciplinary artist Tunde Olaniran’s debut film, Made a Universe. The experimental short combines science fiction and social realism with horror movie tropes to comment on serious issues like environmental injustice and the carceral state. In 30 minutes, viewers are taken on a journey through Olaniran’s creative universe and explore what it means to unlock your power in the face of fear and repression.
Broken Ice: Indigenous Sonic Salve from the North
February 1
Immerse yourself in the powerful sounds and perspectives of Northern Indigenous artists during Broken Ice, a musical evening at First Avenue hosted by Artful Living Editor-in-Chief Kate Nelson (Tlingit). The impressive lineup features audio stylings from multidisciplinary performer AKU-MATU (Iñupiaq); Dylan Bizhikiins Jennings (Bad River Ojibwe), Joe Rainey (Red Lake Ojibwe) and S. Carey’s contemporary group Bizhiki; and Nicholas Galanin’s (Tlingit/Unangax̂) psych-pop band Ya Tseen. The music will be accompanied by dazzling visuals from artists Jaida Grey Eagle (Oglala Lakota) and Finn Ryan.
Midwinter Melt
February 2
Break out of your winter routine and head to Silverwood Park for an evening of mesmerizing lights and outdoor fun on Silver Lake to celebrate the halfway point between winter and spring. Melanin in Motion will kick off the evening with a fireside gathering on Silverwood’s outdoor patio accompanied by energetic tunes from DJ Q Bear of KMOJ. From there, visitors are welcome to explore the wonders that await throughout the park. Don’t miss the chance to snowshoe luminary trails, try out the frozen footgolf course or create your own solar lamp.
