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From North House Folk School - July 2, 2024

September 19-21, North House Folk School will be hosting a three-day celebration of the broad community that powers the work of the folk school! From the craftspeople, supporters, and students who bring the mission to life, to the local businesses that welcome visitors over the year, and the many Cook County contractors who have helped to build the new Welcome Center—it’s people who make North House possible.

“Whether you’ve been to North House a hundred times, or if you’ve never stepped foot on campus, I hope I’ll see you there!” said Greg Wright, Executive Director. “We are incredibly focused on making sure that all of our events are welcoming to our friends and neighbors, and it feels great to be able to say that we’ll be working with more than 20 community partners to host this celebration!”

All three nights of the event have something unique to offer. Thursday night will feature the Great Lake Swimmers and the Penny Peaches playing an all-acoustic set, with tickets starting at just $5 with a new pay-what-you-want format. Friday night will have the Great Lake Swimmers playing a different “plugged-in” set, and local favorites Dusty Heart will be kicking the evening off with backing from a full band.  

For both of the concert nights, everyone is invited to come down to campus (no ticket needed!) starting at 5 pm to 7 pm to explore the new Welcome Center and the Folk Artisan Marketplace, grab a bite to eat from the Crooked Spoon Food Truck, Tabla Bake Lab, or the Cook County Coop, or beverages from Voyageur Brewing, Fulton Beer, North Shore Winery, or the Lady Superior Bottle Shop, and enjoy free live music from local performers in the Red Building ahead of the concert.

 Roe Family Singers

The entirely free Saturday morning starts at 9 am with a special focus on families. There will be drop-in craft activities for all ages, as well as a clogging mini-class to get folks' dance moves warmed up ahead of the free concert with the Roe Family Singers. Ice cream from Superior Creamery also helps to make this a morning that everyone looks forward to!

 Birch Bark Bash

Saturday night’s Birch Bark Bash will feature a multi-course dinner with Chef Scott Graden of the New Scenic Café, and will crescendo with the dedication of the new Welcome Center and Fund-a-need Auction. 

“We’ve been so fortunate to have so many friends and neighbors working on the building, and I can’t wait for everyone to see the incredible work they’ve done,” added Wright. “At every stage, we’ve worked hard to spend our funds with local contractors who have really been partners in making this a project that highlights the best of our community.” From timbers cut by Hedstrom Lumber to the solid foundation poured by Rick Crawford, we’re proud of the craft our neighbors bring to their projects.

For tickets and full event details visit - https://northhouse.org/events/unplugged

North House also thanks Visit Cook County for their generous support of Unplugged and all North House events!