Around the Circle This Week: June 8, 2023

May 11, 2023

Elevated Again: The Duluth Seaway Port Authority reports that one of Duluth's iconic grain elevators - Elevator A - is back in active service after its purchase by Nebraska-based Hansen-Mueller Co. last year, and this week the elevator welcomed its first ship since Dec. 11, 2013, when a Wagenborg ship, Elbeborg, docked there. On Monday, another Royal Wagenborg vessel Maxima arrived to load approximately 12,300 short tons of beet pulp pellets. In this photo by David Schauer, it is assisted by the tug Kentucky. Elevator A, on the northern end of Rice's Point in Duluth, stands 185 feet above the harbor, with a 3.5 million-bushel storage capacity. Consolidated Elevator Company built the structure with ceramic tile, brick and concrete in 1908, replacing the original wooden elevator constructed on the site in 1894. General Mills purchased the elevator from Consolidated in 1943, modernizing it in the 1970s and operating it until 2015. The site includes a 1,900-foot dock, with a slip depth of 28 feet, and on-dock rail service from BNSF Railway.

History Comes Alive: The living history summer programming at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park near Copper Harbor will start on Monday (June 12) and will continue through Aug. 18. All ages of visitors can engage in active learning experiences as the program transforms the historic site into what one visitor once called "a meaningful interaction with the past." Fort Wilkins began its living history or role-playing program in 1976. Every word spoken by the actors, including the least bit of gossip, is based on historical research. Interpreters continue the research each day, reviewing historically accurate data. "We view role playing at Fort Wilkins as a chance for visitors to experience for themselves aspects of 19th century garrison life while learning more about the daily activities, attitudes and opinions of men and women who were present there during the summer of 1870," says Barry James, Fort Wilkins site historian. "Role playing is a good way to bring the museum experience to life and reach out to the visitor both intellectually, and emotionally." The interpreters are college students working in their field of study and gaining professional field experience working for DNR, Michigan History Center Museums and Historic Sites.

Gone Fishin': "Pretty much everything in daily life living around Lake Superior revolves around the Lake. It's got an energy level unlike anything else I've ever experienced. It's one of the places you can go to and you feel really small when you're there." So says Luke Kavajecz at the start of a 7-minute video done by Mike Thienes for Rubinski Visual titled "Great Sea." Luke, born and raised by the Big Lake, helped to created the video for a film festival done by The Flyfish Journal. You'll see fly fishing on the Wisconsin shore and surfing on Minnesota's North Shore along with Luke's observations about the Lake that influenced his life. The Journal features several Lake Superior-connected videos on its website.

Vintage Travel: Starting today, you'll be seeing a lot of sporty old cars around Ashland, Wis. Today through Saturday (June 8-10), the town welcomes vintage cars from Manitoba, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Minnesota and beyond for the Vintage Sports Cars Rendezvous, this year hosted by the Minnesota Triumphs Sports Car Club. Thunder Bay Vintage Sports Car Club, one of the attendees, sent along some information (and this photo) about the gathering and their club itinerary. "Each year a club, from one of these areas, hosts the event on a rotating basis. Usually a 3-day event with skilled driving events, driving tours of the area, a rallye, technical seminar relating to our cars and a wind-up banquet with trophy presentations and a guest speaker. In 2001 The Thunder Bay Vintage Sports Car Club organized a tour around Lake Superior. Although this 2001 tour was not related to a Rendezvous, the idea for a pre- or post-Rendezvous Tour caught on and has become a frequent part of the event. For those participating, it extends the complete experience to one week. We have driven around Lake

Superior three times to date with some variations in the route. This year, we will first be driving to Ashland (416 kilometres from Thunder Bay). for the Rendezvous. Starting June 11, we will take the long way home. From Ashland to Three Lakes for a visit to 7Fifteen Motorworks, then an overnight stop in Escanaba, Mich. The next day is an overnight stop in Mackinaw City, visiting Mackinac Island. The third day we will continue through Sault Ste. Marie to another overnight stop in Wawa then on to Thunder Bay. A total of approximately 1900 kilometres. One car will be returning home to Manitoba for an additional 700 kilometres. The Thunder Bay cars participating will be a 1974 Jensen Interceptor, 1973 Lotus, 1962 MGA, 1971 MGB, 1972 Karmann Ghia, 1974 Super Beetle Cabriolet, and the long haul 1980 Triumph Spitfire from Manitoba." Other clubs will be taking a different long-route home, doing a four-day circle of Lake Superior. See the full schedule of events for this weekend online.

Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:

Today, June 8: Things are hopping today at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette. From 4:30-5:30 p.m., Superiorland Pets offers kids a chance to read to one of its friendly, reading-therapy trained dogs. (Guaranteed to be lovable and non-judgmental listeners while kids practice their reading.) Then from 6-8 p.m., there will be three artist receptions: "We Make Our City, Our City Makes Us" Art Week Installation by Amber Dohrenwend in the MACC Deo Gallery; "Pandemic Hobby Gone Wild" by Jody Trost with fiber crafts in the PWPL Huron Mountain Club Gallery; and "POP!" comics exhibit by Joel Siegel in the PWPL Lower Level Reception Gallery. Also at 6-8 p.m. is the Marquette Poets Circle: Workshop & Open Mic in the Shiras Room.

Friday-Sunday, June 9-11: Jon C. Stott, award-winning writer of beer travel books, will visit local brewpubs and craft breweries this weekend to celebrate publication of his new book, Yooper Ale Trails. On Friday, 5:30-8 p.m., he'll be at East Channel Brewing Co. in Munising. On Saturday, 3-5:30 p.m., he'll be at Barrel + Beam Brewery in Marquette. On Sunday, he returns to Munising from 1-3:30 p.m. at ByGeorge Brewing Co. Jon's full U.P. schedule for the month, along with a story about him, is on the Upper Peninsula Publishers & Authors Association website.

Saturday, June 10: Pride Fest celebrates from 1-10:30 p.m. in Marquette's Mattson Lower Harbor Park with food, merchandise, activities, resources, drag shows, and more activities. Find details online.

Friday-Saturday, June 9-10: The International Brick Collectors Association's "Great Northern Get Together" Summer Swap at the Grand Marais RV Park & Campground gives the chance for brick lovers to talk to collectors about brick history and about collecting. You can bring your bricks with your questions. There is brick selling on Friday at the open house, but no selling on Saturday (only trading and gifting).

Friday-Saturday, June 9-10: The Nordic Center presents the first Duluth-stämman: Folk Music & Dance Festival in Peace Church. Building off the success of Nisswa-stämman's 20 years of celebrating Nordic music and dance in the Brainerd area, the center is bringing this festival to the Twin Ports. This year's festival will offer dances, workshops, jam circles, performances and a unique experience inclusive to people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. Musical performances will feature more than 90 musicians from Scandinavia and around the Midwest.

Friday & Sunday, June 9 & 11: Lyric Opera of the North returns to Marshall Performing Arts Center with Cavalleria Rusticana. Enduringly popular, sumptuously beautiful, this one-act opera features Lust, Jealousy and Betrayal in starring roles. These characters get a lot of screen time nowadays, but you’ve never heard them sound like they do in Cavalleria Rusticana. Friday performance at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.

Saturday, June 10: The Cook County Pride Committee's annual Pride Celebration takes place in downtown Grand Marais. It will include arts and crafts vendors, a drag queen story hour, yoga, dinner at Harbor Park and more activities. See the full schedule online.

Wednesday, June 14: Artist and Grand Marais Art Colony instructor David Feinberg gives an artist talk "Presence in Visual Art" at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Learn more about David's career as an artist and his reflections on the concept of "presence" as an important ingredient in a piece of artwork. The free event runs 12:14-1:15 p.m.

Friday, June 9: The Hayward Library Foundation hosts a fundraising cookout, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., at Lynn's Custom Meats & Catering in Hayward. The foundation also is hosting another special fundraising Author's Night, Tuesday (June 20) at 6 p.m. in the Flat Creek Lodge Ballroom. Guest speaker will be local author Jeff Nania with his newest book, Musky Run, A Northern Lakes Mystery.

Saturday, June 10: Bayfield in Bloom continues with self-guided Garden Tours, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday, June 10: Sawyer County Fair hosts a family-fun Barn Dance at 6 p.m. as a fundraiser for the fair. Rex Cactus & the Radio Rangers, plus there will be 50/50 raffles, live and silent auctions, Meadow Muffin Bingo, games, food, drinks … all for a free-will entry donation.

Saturday, June 10: The city of Ashland and the Peter Vaughn Public Library team up for an all-ages Bike Rodeo and Summer Reading Kickoff, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. outside of the library. There will be games, a helmet raffle, a bike auction, and an awesome safety skills course, plus the library's start of its summer reading program with a carnival, face painting, root beer floats and a bounce house.

Saturday, June 10: The Smokin' Loons are back on the Red Schoolhouse Wines patio, 6-9 p.m., in Stone Lake to play classic and acoustic rock and country, featuring hot pickin' guitars and masterful three-part harmonies.

Friday, June 9: Friday is the last day to get a reduced-price registration for the June 25 Hayward Musky Fest Walk/Run.

Tuesday, June 20: Bayfield's Concerts by the Lake launch next week, 7-9 p.m., at Memorial Park with Sean & Ian Okamoto, the father/son duo known for their vocal harmonies and skills on guitar and piano. The concerts continue every Tuesday and Thursday through summer.

Thursday, June 22: Last day to register (by noon) for the Superior Vistas Bike Tour presented by Washburn Area Chamber of Commerce & North Coast Cycling Association. This is a ride, not a race.

Today-Saturday, June 8-10: The Lilac & Lavender Festival brings delicious treats, entertainment and good company at the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site in Sault Ste. Marie, today through Saturday. Also featured are a series of Victorian High Teas that include fancy sandwiches, tea and dessert. The site features several Heritage High Teas.

Friday, June 9: The Glitter Ball hosted by the Rainbow Collective of Thunder Bay and Thunder Pride features a three-course dinner by from The Chanterelle & Tomlin restaurant with an evening show headlined by Canada's Drag Race Superstar, Rita Baga, along with local queens and kings.

Saturday, June 10: Habitat for Humanity Sault Ste. Marie & Area hosts its Touch-a-Truck fundraiser, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Ronald A. Irwin Civic Centre's North Parking Lot. (There will be special sensory-friendly hours 10 a.m.-noon.) Touch-a-Truck lets children of all ages get up close and personal with vehicles of all shapes and sizes such as firetrucks, police cars, construction equipment, and more!

Fridays, June 9-July 7: Enjoy live local music every Friday from 6:30-9:00 p.m. on the Sleeping Giant Brewing Co. patio in Thunder Bay. This week the Rock Logger Concert Series features Just Me. See the full schedule online.

Photo & graphic credits: David Schauer; Fort Wilkins Historic State Park; Rubinski Visual; Thunder Bay Vintage Sports Car Club; Pride Fest Marquette/Nordic Center/Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau/Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site