A Boatload of Cruises
It's promising to be a busy season on Lake Superior for cruise ships, with starts or stops to tours in our major western ports plus stops around the Lake, including Bayfield.
Seventeen visits are expected to Thunder Bay, reports Sandi Krasowski for TBNewswatch, and a dozen visits to Duluth, all from a variety of cruise lines. All, of course, come through the Soo Locks and frequently make stops at Sault Ste. Marie. Those visits include a new cruise line, Ponant, a French line coming to Lake Superior for the first time. The line's Le Champlain (seen in this photo) will stop in the Keweenaw Peninsula and at Bayfield.
The first expected to Duluth is the Viking Octantis, arriving June 6. You can see a full schedule of visits on the Visit Duluth website. Viking line is quite familiar with Lake Superior now, and it has expeditions from Toronto to Duluth (and the reverse) plus from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay (and the reverse). The cruise lines are required to start in Canada or the United States and end in the other country, a requirement of the U.S. Jones Act.
Seasonal Weather Forecasting
The National Weather Service in Duluth just posted this graphic today, noting: "The latest Climate Prediction Center outlooks for summer 2024 are out! For the Northland, the odds are slightly tilted towards above normal temperatures and equal chances for above, below, or around normal rainfall." Sounds like it might be a pretty normal summer, with our hopes for no drought with just the right amount of rain for the season. At least, that's what is the prediction for now. And if you're wondering if it's already summer ... the Minnesota northland at least just had a Frost Advisory on Tuesday. Don't put away the warm coat just yet.
Fires on the Distant Horizon
Wildfire season in western Canada has begun with blast of blazes and has already affected the air quality along the Lake Superior shores (as shown in this Sunday shot from the Minnesota Department of Transportation webcam in Cook). The smoke caused air quality alerts around all of Minnesota and into Wisconsin.
Western fires in Alberta and British Columbia forced thousands to be evacuated from their towns, reports By Ana Faguy & Nadine Yousif of the BBC. A fire near Cranberry Portage in Manitoba also triggered the evacuation of more than 550 people. "I've been working in wildfires for 40 years. I've never seen a fire move like this fire moved," Earl Simmons, Manitoba's wildfire director, told reporters on Monday, according to the BBC. Read the full story here.
CBC Edmonton has an original five-part "World on Fire" podcast "that takes us to the front lines of out of control wildfires in Canada, Australia and California." You can tap that podcast here.
A Week's Worth of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan turns 83 next week, and you can join a few dozen (or so) folks at the home where his family lived when he was born to sing "Happy Birthday" on Friday. The annual Duluth Dylan Fest, organized by the Bob Dylan Way Committee, celebrates the famed singer/songwriter from Minnesota all week, starting with an Acoustic Jam Session with Leslie Black at Carmody Irish Pub in Duluth. Wednesday there is an Basement Tapes Band Concert at Earthrider Festival Grounds in Superior, followed by a series of events each day up to the closing concert, a Farewell Brunch featuring Greg Tiburzi and friends at Wussow’s Concert Cafe in Duluth. (Willie Nelson & Family will perform in Bayfront Festival Park on Thursday. The Duluth concert is sold out, but starting in June, Bob Dylan will tour with Willie Nelson for the Outlaw Music Festival Tour through September.) In Duluth, the free Bob Dylan Front Porch Birthday Party with live music by Greg Tiburzi starts noon Friday at his childhood home at 519 N. 3rd Ave. E. See the full schedule on the Facebook page here.
While Dylan was born in Duluth and lived here his first 6 years, his family later moved to Hibbing, where he grew up and went to school.
Both towns claim him, of course. Hibbing has a webpage about the town's Bob Dylan Collection, including information on a walking tour. Hibbing Historical Society also has free activities Thursday and Friday next week to celebration the musician, and you can find details here.
Smithsonian Magazine has a nice story on Bob's journey from his home state to his musical destiny in New York City, with waypoints (starting in Duluth) for doing your own road trip. You can read "Follow Bob Dylan’s Footsteps Through Minnesota and New York" here.
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Today-Friday, May 16-17: First Lady Jill Biden and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff are in the Upper Peninsula and stopped in Marquette today and Friday will join a community listening session about healthcare with members of the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians at noon. Later, at 1 p.m., the two will tour the Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
Friday-Sunday +, May 17-19: There are some fun fishing tournaments this weekend in the Upper Peninsula. The Lake Gogebic Walleye Tournament, sponsored by the Lake Gogebic Area Chamber Of Commerce, runs Friday-Saturday. The Ontonagon Lake Trout Classic Tournament, presented by Greig’s Taxidermy, starts Friday and continues through Sunday.
Saturday, May 18: Big Bay Relay covers a course from Marquette to Big Bay. It's the 46th annual team race and starts 8 a.m. at the Kaufman Sports Complex and ends at Draver Park.
Minnesota
Friday, May 17: Get free coffee, pastries and bike check at several locations around Duluth, 6:30 a.m., for the National Bike to Work Day. Find all the commuter stations and times online. You can join a group ride starting 9 a.m. at the Essentia Second Street Entrance.
Saturday, May 18: Essentia Health hosts a Strides for Stroke walk at the Miller Hill Mall, starting at 10 a.m. Attendees can hear directly from stroke survivors about the signs and symptoms they experienced, as well as their recovery process and medical experts will be on hand to answer questions.
Saturday, May 18: Enjoy the Saturday Gravel - Ramblin' with Spokengear in Two Harbors. This ride is for everyone, whether training for the Heck of the North or just wanting a taste of a gravel ride. Be at the shop at 9 a.m. for the pre-ride meet-up.
Satuday, May 18: The Depot STEAM Festival at the Depot in Duluth features a day of day of science, technology, engineering, art, math and music. Bring the kids for the fun from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Saturday, May 18: The AAD Shrine Event Center in Hermantown hosts Bingo, Bags & Beats, that starts with breakfast, features a cornhole tournament and on-site lunch and end with a concert by Indecent Proposal.
Saturday, May 18: Duluth author/poet Linda LeGarde Grover joins Minnesota Poet Laureate Gwen Westerman for an afternoon of reading and book signing at the Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center in Duluth. Event starts at 2 p.m. and is part of the Indigenous Writer Series.
Tuesday, May 21: Enjoy a reading by poet Emily August from her newest collection The Punishments Must Be a School, 6:30 p.m. at Wussow's Concert Cafe in Duluth and hosted by Emilee Howland of the Lake Superior Writers board. The event is funded by a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.
Thursday, May 23: Split Rock Lighthouse hosts a fun evening. The annual North Shore Community Night invites everyone in for free to listen to live music, purchase food provided by Rustic Inn, and watch the beacon be lit at 9 p.m. to kickoff the 2024 season. Free, but please register in advance. Starts at 6 p.m. At 6:30 p.m., author Travis Zimmerman and illustrator Sam Zimmerman / Zhaawanoogiizhik present their book How the Birds Got Their Songs. The pair will also be at Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21.
Wisconsin
Saturday, May 18: The first 50 kids arriving at the Sherman & Ruth Weiss Community Library in Hayward at 10:30 a.m. get a free white ball cap to decorate as they will for the DIY Baseball Hats event. Paint, sequins, iron-on patches and more will be on hand.
Saturday, Monday, Wednesday-Thursday, May 18, 20, 22-23: Northern Crafters Meet Up will be at the Washburn Cultural Center, starting at noon. Also at the center this week will be the Monday Night Life Drawing Group, 6:30-9 p.m., with nude figure study poses and a Watercolor Workshop with Wei Lan Lorber on Wednesday and Thursday covering portraits and figures in action.
Ontario
Today-May 26: The carnival by Campbell Amusements has arrived at the Soo PeeWee Arena in Sault Ste. Marie. Check out all the traditional fun and ride action.
Today-Sunday, May 16-19: The Great Benjamins Circus lands in Thunder Bay through Sunday with performances under the Big Top at Canadian Lakehead Exhibition.
Friday, May 17: Thunder Bay Community Auditorium stage will be taken over at 6:30 p.m. by Dinosaur World Live featuring a cast of amazing prehistoric friends.
Saturday, May 18: Enjoy free entry to the Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site in Sault Ste. Marie as part of International Museum Day, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Ponant; National Weather Service; National Weather Service; Dylan Fest; Hibbing Dylan Collection; ; Spotlight, from left, Ontonagon Lake Trout Classic Tournament/Gravel - Ramblin'/DIY Baseball Hats/Soo Pee Wee Carnival