The Scent of Fall, Music. a Comedy & More

It’s  true — fall is just around the corner, if not already here. If you take a drive up the Gunflint Trail, you’ll discover that the Moose maples are starting to turn crimson and the popples are changing from deep green to yellow — so the signs are here..

August has already been a full month, with lots of festivals and events. This week it is a bit quieter, although a  new play, “The Kitchen Witches” opens at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Thursday.

The play is a very funny , award-winning comedy starring Marcia Hyatt, Grace Bouchard, Kevin Kager and Michael Peterson.

The story centers on a TV show called “The Kitchen Witches” where the insults are flung harder than the food.

The play is a production of the Grand Marais Playhouse and performances are Thursday through Sunday  for two weeks, ending Sept. 2.

Shows are at 7 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are available at the door.

The Grand Marais Public Library is hosting “Sisters in Crime: Minnesota Mystery Writers” at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25.  The authors will discuss their writing process, how real life events can inspire fiction and other secrets of the trade. Join Dan Bernier, author and moderator; Christine Husom, “Murder in Winnebago County”; Jessie Chandler, “Bingo Barge Murder”;  Pam Leonard, “Death’s Imperfect Witness,”; Jenifer LeClair, Rigged for Murder”; Wendy Webb, “The Tale of Halcyon Crane”; and Mickie Turk, “The Delilah Case.” All invited. Free.

Also this week, author Jean Miriam Larson, author of “The Superior Life” will be the presenter for a Salon at Drury Lane Books at 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 25.

Classic car lovers can peruse to their heart’s content at the 2nd annual Car Show & 50s Dance at the Grand Portage Lodge Casino on Saturday. The show begins in the late morning and continues throughout the day, with an awards ceremony at 4 p.m. Dancing to the Sensational Hot Rods begins at 9 p.m. Tickets to the dance are $10.

There’s lots of great music this weekend, too. Of particular note: Cook County’s Most Wanted is playing on the deck at the Birch Terrace on Saturday starting around 3 p.m. and Earth, Wind & Todd are playing for Music by the Lake at the Devil Track Resort on Sunday. Cedar-planked salmon is on the menu starting at 5 p.m. Check out our music calendar for lots of other great live music opportunities this weekend.

Here’s something to look forward to: Minneapolis puppeteer Margo McCreary will present an adult puppet show at What’s Upstairs at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1. Entitled ”Hot Diggity Dog Days,” the puppet show is set to lively original songs and is appropriate for ages 13 and over. Here’s the link to Margo’s Web page, including an interview with her and a preview of the show.

She will hold a puppet workshop at 1 p.m.that Saturday afternoon at What’s Upstairs in the Old Playhouse buiding above Betsy Bowen’s Studio, 301 1st. Ave. West.

The next weekend is WTIP’s 5th Annual Radio Waves Music Festival at Sweetheart’s Bluff in the Rec Park. There’s a great line-up of bands this year for two days of music and dancing Sept. 8 & 9.

And then, of course, the premiere fall music event: Unplugged XI at North House Folk School featuring Mountain Stage, NPR’s live radio show, performing for two days (Sept. 13-14) and then the classic Unplugged Concert on Saturday, Sept.15. For more info on all the activities that weekend and tickets to the shows, click here.

Stay tuned for details in the next few weeks.

In other art news, Tom Mason and The Blue Buccaneers, who play “Songs inspired by the golden age of pirates” will be on WTIP’s The Roadhouse on Friday night before starting their two-day gig at the Gunflint Tavern. WTIP airs from 5-7 p.m. Here’s a taste of their music.

Michael Perry, author, humorist and singer/songwriter will also be on the Roadhouse on Friday night to talk about his new book, “Visiting Tom.” Perry is a pretty interesting guy. Check out his web page (www.sneezingcow.com) here.

Max Bichel will be playing with Joe Paulik & Friends at the Harbor Light at 7 p.m. Friday night.

Watercolorist Karen Knutsen has an exhibit at the Johnson Heritage Post through mid-September.

Ann Ward and Fritz Lehmberg have cups and tumblers at Java Moose. Ward makes her stoneware cups at the Grand Marais Art Colony. She also has work at Last Chance Gallery in Lutsen and the Cross River Heritage Center in Schroeder. Lehmberg’s stoneware tumblers are made in his studio just across the border near Thunder Bay. Lehmberg is one of the artists participating in the Cross Borders Studio Tour & Sale, which begins Sept. 28. Stay tuned.

Bryan Hansel is still taking registrations for his Fall Color Lake Superior Photography Workshop at Aspen Lodge in Grand Marais. The workshop is Sept. 26-30. For more info, click here.

New images by Miriam Lansky are expected to arrive at Sivertson Gallery soon. Meanwhile, check out newly-arrived copper work by Dan and Frances Hedblom. The artists create colorful scenes from the North Shore by manipulating the temperature of the torch to bring up different colors on the copper.

The Blue Moose has just received a new collection of wooden watches from an artist in Vancouver, B.C. Looking even furthur to the East, the shop also has a good selection of the pouplar metal cuff bracelets from India. Note: The gallery and nursery has a Facebook page, too.  Check it out here.

The Cook County Craft Market is open at the Senior Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. All welcome.

William Kent Krueger’s latest book, “Trickster’s Point,” was released yesterday. It should be available at your favorite bookseller or public library. Enjoy!

Here’s the music schedule for the next week:

Wednesday: Aug. 22

• Eric Frost, Caribou Highlands, 7 p.m.
• Brett Berka & Friends, Harbor Light Supper Club & Bar, 7 p.m.
• Bingham & Thorne, Bluefin Bay, Tofte, 9 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 24
• Joe Paulik Band, Harbor Light Supper Club & Bar, 7 p.m.
• Don Bauer, Devil Track Resort Lounge, 7 p.m.
• Bump & Barbara Jean, Bluefin Bay, Tofte, 9 p.m.
• Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers, Gunflint Tavern, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 25

• Cook County’s Most Wanted, Birch Terrace Lounge patio, 3 p.m.
• Don Bauer, Devil Track Resort, 7 p.m.
• Jon Seguin and Andy Hauswith, Harbor Light Supper Club, 7 p.m.
• Jim Miller, Cascade Lodge Pub, 7:30 p.m.
• Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers, Gunflint Tavern, 9 p.m.
• Timmy Haus, Papa Charlie’s, Lutsen Mountains, 9 p.m .
• Sensational Hot Rods, Grand Portage Lodge & Cainso, 9 .m.

Sunday, Aug. 26

• Eric Frost, Harbor Light Supper Club, 5 p.m.
• Earth, Wind & Todd, Devil Track Resort Lounge, 5 p.m.

Monday, Aug. 27

• Surf Monkeys, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Aug. 28

• Pete Kavanaugh, Gunflint Tavern, 7 p.m.

Here are some interesting photos that turned up this week:

We’ll start with Paul Sundberg’s photo of a beaver, one of a series of shots he took of the beaver family which has moved into the Grand Marais harbor. To see them all, click here.

Here’s another gorgeous and endearing shot. This time of a hummingbird. … we found it on Facebook. We don’t know who took it, but here it is … for beauty.

Here’s another beauty in our Northwoods.

People also are on the landscape here. Here’s a photo of their passing by.

And here are a few actual people enjoying a beautiful sunset.

And, at the end of the day, there’s the Blue Hour, as Bryan Hansel puts it, and documents so well.

Have a wonderful weekend!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kitchen Witches