Ear to the Ground

Be sure to let us know what you have going on to add it to our "Ear to the Ground" section! We’d love to add it to our list. Members can simply post an event to the online calendar through the member portal or email [email protected].

Lanesboro Arts is celebrating 30 years this week!

Join them at one of many awesome events and gatherings they are hosting!

Lanesboro Arts Canvas Clash is the Lanesboro equivalent to the Final Four, or perhaps the ThunderDome? Six painters enter, one painter leaves…with bragging rights! As part of its continuing celebration of Lanesboro Arts’ 30th Anniversary, the arts center is taking over Sylvan Brewing TONIGHT - Thursday, July 13. Tournament-style, 20-minute rounds will be held, with attendees voting on the winner of each round. $20 gets you a ticket to the event and a drink ticket to this rowdy art throw-down where you decide who made the best 20 minute art work between Steve DeLaitsch, Joan Finnegan, Jamie Harper, Stena Lieb, Hannah Tolgren, and Alan Wiltgen! Get tickets by Clicking Here.

“Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” is the 30th Anniversary juried group show of some of the hundreds of the region's most talented creators who have shown their work at the galleries at Lanesboro Arts (and Cornucopia Gallery before that). The show runs through August 13 with a special anniversary reception on the evening of Saturday, July 15. This special gallery anniversary reception will include storytelling from artists, staff and community members who have been a part of the gallery’s rich history; a special poetry reading from Whalan poet and artist Diane Knight; and live music as well.

Lanesboro Arts is proud to present the 30th Anniversary Gallery After Hours Celebration, happening on Saturday, July 15,  from 7 to 9 p.m. at the High Court Pub back patio. This event directly follows the anniversary reception and invites guests to keep the celebration going with more live music from Nathan’s Jazzers, featuring Mariah Ciangiola, and socializing on the back patio of neighboring High Court Pub!

Surprise Sculpture is back! Since 2013, Surprise Sculpture has provided free arts education opportunities for local students. For six weeks each summer, Lanesboro Arts staff and volunteers lead participants in constructing large-scale, site-specific sculptures for public spaces using a mixture of upcycled, recycled and fine art materials. Surprise Sculpture is held every other Tuesday from 1 to 3 p.m. in the second floor studio space at the St. Mane Theatre. This year, help celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Lanesboro Arts Gallery by completing a series of 30th Anniversary themed art projects!

Open Studio for ages 12-17! Attendees are welcome to use its space and materials (or bring your own). With the help and supervision of Lanesboro Arts staff, young artists can follow their creative curiosity wherever it may lead. This is a free open studio for artists and friends to create whatever and however they want! Open Studio is held every other Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m., right after Surprise Sculpture! No registration or participation fee is required for either Surprise Sculpture or Open Studio. (Tuesday, July 25)

The fun continues into the weeks that follow as well with awesome classes for young and young at heart - The Art of Chance: Young Artists Abstract Art Class, on July 18 from 1-3 p.m. – the class is free, but it’s helpful to register beforehand, and Bluff Country Views: Introduction to Plein Air Painting for ages 18+ and taking place during golden hour, learn tricks and techniques for landscape painting and apply them!  Tickets $15 at registration.

With the arrival of the new artist-in-residence, Sophia Munic, on Tuesday, July 18, (Join a community potluck from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Sons of Norway Lodge) will come multiple opportunities to work with them on some improvisational quilting! Events are held Saturdays, July 22 and July 29, with a Capstone Event on Friday, July 28, at Sylvan Brewing, from 5 to 6 p.m.  These are free events, but registration is required.

More coming up

“Women in Jeopardy” by Wendy MacLeod is now showing at the Commonweal Theatre. Don’t forget “Pay What You Can” night is TONIGHT, July 13. This show is a hoot! It’s Murder She Wrote meets Sex and the City. Best friends Mary, Jo and Liz are single, divorced and loving it. But danger looms when Liz starts dating an unhinged dentist, Nancy Drew inspired mysteries and bawdy hilarity ensues. "Deathtrap"  will resume in rep starting Friday, July 14. Desperate for a hit, a washed-up playwright will do anything to resuscitate his dying career. This devilishly clever thriller will have you on the edge of your till the final bow.  Monday performances begin on July 17!

Eagle Bluff Summer High Ropes Challenge opportunities take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 22. Buy tickets in advance by Clicking Here. Maneuver 30 feet in the air through a series of towers connected by various cables, ropes and log events! Do this all while enjoying the best view of southeastern Minnesota! 

The Farmers Market is open every Saturday morning, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., in Sylvan Park, from now through October. Find produce, baked goods, plants, canned goods and so much more!

Summer Sundays are back at Sylvan Brewing! Every Sunday will include delicious farm-to-table food from the Driftless Trading Post. Live music will be featured all summer long as well. River Crossing will play their unique, catchy tunes of blues, neo-soul, deep roots and classic R&B on July 23. Don Harvey will bring his award-winning original songs and covers of some of your favorite artists on July 30.  On these hot summer days, grab a nice refreshing Lanesbrew, and a sandwich from the Driftless Trading Post and enjoy the tunes!  Jokes on Tap returns Friday, July 28! Join us in the taproom with comics Ryan Stock and Andy Holt hosting Open Mic Night on the last Friday of each month! Ryan and Andy bring in comics from the region to showcase their talents and try out new material.

Library Fun: The summer reading program at the Lanesboro Public Library features family activities on Tuesday mornings at 10 a.m. and storytime on Fridays at 9:30 a.m. Paint your pet!  Pet portrait painting is a free workshop on Tuesday, July 18, at 5:30 p.m.  Ages 10+ are welcome and it is free, but registration is required. The class is limited to 12 participants so sign up today! Make sure to catch the National Eagle Center visit on July 25. 

The Lanesboro Barn Dance returns to town at the Sons of Norway Hall on Saturday, July 22! It will be a raucous square dance that’s still fun for the whole family. Live music and live calling make for a fun, interactive night of dance and fun from 7:30 to 10 p.m. Admission is $8. Caller is Pop Wagner/Shawn Glidden with music by Pop, Shawn and Bob Bovee.

It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights! The Lanesboro Community Theater is about to raise the curtain on their upcoming production of “The Sound of Music” on July 21, 22 at 7 p.m. and July 23 at 2 p.m., as well as the following weekend, July 28, 29 at 7 p.m. and July 30 at 2 p.m. Come enjoy laughter, sadness, drama and the wonderful sounds of the classic musical. Do - a deer - indeed. Tickets are available by at the Parkway Market and Coffeehouse. 

Relay for Life of Fillmore County is Friday, July 28, from 3 to 11 p.m. Support the American Cancer Society at this important fundraiser. Located at the Fountain Community Center and Fountain Main Street.

The Fillmore County Fair is coming up next week! The fairgrounds will be in full swing from Monday, July 17, through Sunday, July 23. Events and activities will be taking place all across the grounds in Preston. Be sure to join us at the Chamber - and some of our members and the Chill-Inn group - for the Showcase Your City Day on Friday, July 21, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You'll find us at the west end of the main commercial building.

Audacious Raw Theatre has been bringing original work to Lanesboro for the last seven years. They gather artists from all walks of life, and teach devised theatre making. This year they are partnering with Lanesboro Arts and Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center to bring folks together to a common ground. The first theme is "Surf and Turf - Stories of Water and the Earth," focusing on stories of land and water stewardship. Friday, July 14, from 7 p.m. to sunset. An encore performance is set for Sunday, July 16, from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Live July is trucking along at the High Court Pub with lots of opportunities to see live music. Tonight, at 7 p.m., is Laura Lamb - a Minnesota native and Nashville resident, you have to see this singer-songwriter! Ryan Howe is going to put on a show like you have not seen before at the High Court on Friday, July 14. Finally, enjoy a double header on Saturday, July 15, with Charlie Warner from 3 to 6 p.m. and a special post Lanesboro Arts celebration…more celebration with Nathans Jazzers featuring Mariah Ciangila from 7 to 9 p.m.  Following this weekend, Lou Shields will be on the 1’s and 2’s on Saturday, July 22. 

For Tuesday Trivia at the High Court Pub, July 18’s topic is Summer-Time-Blues, so brush up on your Summer Glau, (excellent) time based Tunage and everyone’s favorite blue cartoon mystery solving doggo. Finally, on July 25, (the day before Wyatt’s birthday) the topic is “Go-Shorty-It’s-My-Birthday,” and be ready for at least one question about the work of Curtis James Jackson III (50 Cent). Those are, again, just guesses. There are lots of prizes to be had (including $25 dollars in drink tokens to the winning team, but also lots of other stuff for runners ups and a trophy every week)! 

 Sinkhole Saturday is grooving along at Karst Brewing in Fountain. Just around the corner is Nathan’s Jazzers on July 22. Also, Los Arcos Mexican Food Truck will be at Karst from 3 to 9 p.m. on July 15 and don’t sleep on Twisted Barrel Wood Fire Pizza being served on Friday, July 28. Bingo every first and third Thursday of the month and Trivia the second and fourth. Bingo is July 20, and Trivia is tonight Thursday, July 13, and again on July 27.  Round 1: Music by the numbers and general Trivia, Round 2: Fictional (Helllooooo) Nurses and then more general trivia.  

Karaoke Wednesdays:

Second Wednesday at the American Legion from 6 to 9 p.m. 

Fourth Wednesday at the High Court Pub, starting at 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Granny’s Free Sampling

Swing by Granny’s every Saturday from 12-3 p.m. for a free sampling!

Looking ahead

"Strikepoint" will perform on Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m., at Bethlehem Lutheran Church. There is no admission charge, but a donation of $18 per person is suggested.  Refreshments will be served following the concert. Strikepoint is a church-based community/professional handbell ensemble from Duluth. They have performed throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as in England, Scotland, Wales, Sweden, Japan, and Hong Kong. They perform at a consistently high level and are often invited to be the featured performers at handbell festivals. Strikepoint has been at the forefront of handbell technique innovation. Noted for capturing the enthusiasm of audiences with a dynamic style and accessible music, Strikepoint’s concert selections can range from Bach to Lady Gaga. They are self-sustaining, raising money primarily through concert donations and recordings sales. They dream big, always looking for ways to push the handbell envelope.

Buffalo Bill Days is right around the corner! Be sure to get into town early as this weekend is Lanesboro’s biggest party! Check out all the planned events Clicking Here.  We’ll see you at the Beer and Brat tent.