For over 25 years, North House Folk School has kicked off the summer months with a celebration beside the Grand Marais harbor. This year’s Summer Solstice and Wooden Boat Festival, taking place June 21-22, continues favorite traditions while bringing a greater focus on hands-on craft opportunities for all. 

This year’s festival kicks off on Friday, June 21 at 2pm with family-focused activities and a speaker series on campus. Erik Redix, Grand Portage Ojibwe Language Coordinator, will present Rivers of Lake Superior’s North Shore: An Ojibwe Perspective at 2pm, followed by a presentation by North House instructor Michael Karns on restoring a historic wooden boat.

At 5pm on Friday, everyone is invited to campus for a kickoff picnic and contra dance. The Grand Marais Lions Club will host a BBQ fundraiser, with classic picnic fare available for purchase. Superior Creamery will also be on campus with freshly made ice cream for sale before an evening poetry slam and contra dance with local band Over the Waterfall and caller Lisa Leedham.

“Welcoming the local community to campus is one of the highlights of the festival,” Executive Director Greg Wright said. “Whether it’s paddling on Lake Superior, enjoying a poem or a dance, or simply reveling in the long days, we can’t wait to celebrate the start of summer together.”

On Saturday, campus will transform into a carnival-like atmosphere with family-friendly activities, pop-up craft market, and the Make More Meaning Auction featuring craft tools, supplies, and outdoor gear. Visitors can also get up close to a visiting tall ship, take a stroll through a wooden boat display through the Rec Park, or book a sail on North House’s schooner Hjørdis.  

Thanks to support from the Cook County Community Fund, this year’s event offers the chance for community members to try traditional craft. Several of North House’s artisan instructors will be on campus hosting Traditional Craft Try-Its, where everyone is invited to participate in activities like felting, making shavings with a draw knife, and more. 

“There’s a lot of curiosity about the crafts we teach at the folk school,” Program Director Jessa Frost said. “This year’s event brings the chance to try your hand at traditional crafts including woodcarving, baking, fiber arts, and blacksmithing, all for free on the commons.” 

Saturday afternoon will bring one of the major highlights of the weekend: The Lake Superior Chowder Experience. This fundraiser for Empty Bowls features a variety of favorite soups from local restaurants. Last year’s event raised almost $4000 for Empty Bowls, fighting hunger in the community. The Lake Superior Chowder Experience starts at noon on June 22, with tickets available at North House the day of the event. 

The festive weekend will culminate Saturday evening with the beloved Summer Solstice Pageant by the Good Harbor Hill Players. Featuring handmade, larger-than-life puppets and live music, this classic community event will once again take place on the North House commons at 8pm on June 22. Puppet-making workshops with the Good Harbor Hill Players are happening at the Cook County Community Center—anyone who is interested in being part of this year’s production can find more details on the Good Harbor Hill Players’ Facebook page. 

Community members can find a full schedule of festival details at northhouse.org. 

This event is funded in part by the Cook County Community Fund of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation.