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Join us April 27th and 28th, 2019 for the second annual Arts of the Earth Festival held at Bemidji State University's Hobson Memorial Union

The Arts of the Earth Festival is a fun, family-friendly event to celebrate art, honor Mother Earth, and inspire community. Colorful art displays, workshops, live music, dancing, and vendors will all be a part of this two-day event running from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm both days. The weekend will help celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Sustainability Office, the 50-year anniversary of the Hobson Memorial Union, and the 100-year anniversary of Bemidji State University!

Be one of the first 25 in the door either day and receive a free large canvas tote bag, made of recycled cotton. The tote bags are decorated by local children.

Watch local artist, Al Belleveau, create a sculpture from junk metal in the front of the Hobson Union, or try out your dancing skills in the Wii Dance Competition. You could win a hammock or a solar phone charger!

There will be over forty vendors and booths, including E Jourdain Junior, Wendy Roy, Estella Yeung, The Hebal Cache, Micheal Miller (caricatures), SS Baits, Ray Hawk, Juanita Blackhawk, Kim Bollig, Brian K. Dow, Andreas Nordrum, Miskwadesi, Dana Trickey, Rachel Schoelkoph, earl Chico, Zara Maree and Honey B. Watah.

This year there will be several workshops, including a session on Zero Waste Living by sisters Paige & Maren Carter and another on Planning and Packing for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness by father and son duo, Bruce and Matt Johnson. Northern Phenology expert, John Latimer, will be sharing his knowledge, and you can try your hand at needle felting with Sharon Nordrum. Nate Johnson will be spending all of Saturday teaching us how to make nettle string and wooden spoons. Barry Babcock will talk about wolves and Sugar Bush. You can find the complete list of presenters and workshops here.

A full swath of local poets and writers will share their work at 2pm both days. Cate Belleveau will start the Saturday session off with an essay about the first Earth Day by Sue Bruns, then hear from Carol Ann Russell, Marsh Muirhead, Lou Ann Shepard Muhm, Michael Meuers, Erin Marsh, Marlys Guimaraes, and Terry Anderson.

There will be several documentaries shown both days. Small kids and big kids will love watching The Lorax, and Daughters of the Forest proves to be especially inspiring! DAUGHTERS of the FOREST tells the powerful, uplifting story of a small group of girls in one of the most remote forests left on earth who attend a radical high school where they learn to protect the threatened forest and forge a better future for themselves. You can find the complete schedule of documentaries here.

Kids will have fun with the Headwaters Science Center on Saturday and other activities throughout the event.

The Bemidji Natural Choice Farmer's Market will be present on Saturday and maybe Sunday with their fresh, local goods such as honey.

Acoustic musicians will showcase their talents both days next to EcoGrounds coffee shop. Enjoy the atmosphere as you find a comfy chair and listen to Curtis Takkunen, Del Lyren and Dan Nelson, Caige Jambor, or Kylie DeGrote. Head outside (weather permitting) and listen to The Occasionals on Saturday from 11am to 1pm and Corey Medina & Brothers on Sunday from 11am to 1pm.

On the dance floor in Beaux Arts, you will find many fun activities to try. Join in the contra dancing with live music on Saturday from 1 to 3pm and stay for the African drumming session to follow. On Sunday, there will be dance lessons from Suzy and Hondo and delightful shows from Just for Kix groups and the First City Dance Studio.

Enjoy walking around the Hobson Memorial Union and taking in all the art displays that are part of the event. Fawn Photography will be a featured artist, as well as Sarah Peterson and students from local schools.

Follow the event on Facebook at "Arts of the Earth 2019".

We hope you can join us!

 

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