Mad for Plaid
Friday (that's tomorrow) is Plaidurday – the day when Up North folks become fashionable – as we always were. It's a day when everyone is encouraged to wear plaid – no not those fancy tartans that Scottish people claim (though if you're Scottish, go ahead). We're talking northern plaid, the everyday except when it's 80° F clothing that we often favor. Find local events searching "Plaidurday" in your region. It's even noted on a "Days of the Year" website, which notes, "Timeless fashion and even more timeless warmth, break out your plaid on Plaidurday for a fashionable, cozy day in one of the world’s most popular patterns."
Marquette has particularly embraced the day. Link here for a video about the city's annual gathering of plaid-sporting residents who pose for a community group shot. This year gather by 5:30 p.m. at South Beach for the photo.
Says the U.P. Supply Co. in Marquette, credited with creation of the special day 11 years ago, "Plaidurday, the worldwide celebration of plaid was created by our own Bugsy Sailor as a way to pay homage to one of the Upper Peninsula’s most iconic color schemes. Since 2011 he has coordinated an effort across the country, and now globally, to encourage as many people in the world to wear plaid on the first Friday of October. We’ve been here to spread the plaid from the beginning. Thanks for joining us."
In downtown Ironwood, where Stormy Kromer, makers of that classy plaid headwear is "head"quartered (couldn't resist the pun), there's also a group photo planned "in front of the bright lights of Ironwood's iconic 'Marquee' at 5:15 p.m. for the U.P.'s best group photo of everyone wearing plaid." There are also fun events and vendors all day, and you can find the schedule here.
The Keweenaw Peninsula celebrates Plaidurday at the Houghton High School starting at 12:30 p.m. Check out the fun and food here.
Fire Permits On Hold in Western U.P.
Due to elevated fire risks, Michigan DNR issued an announcement this week that it will not be issuing burning permits in western Upper Peninisula.
“The western portion of the Upper Peninsula is starting to see drought conditions, and fires that have occurred are taking a significant amount of time to extinguish,” said Paul Rogers, fire prevention specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Permits will not be issued until significant rainfall has occurred. Fire danger also is elevated in the eastern U.P. and parts of the northern Lower Peninsula, so check the burn permit website to see whether burning is allowed before you start a fire.
National Weather Service Marquette posted that "Upper Michigan saw some record warmth and not much precipitation this September. This pattern is favored to continue through at least mid October. Normal October highs are in the low 50s with normal lows in the mid-30s." It also posted this graphic showing the higher than usual temps around our region.
As of today, much of the Big Lake region in Minnesota is under burning restrictions, and fire danger is listed as high along the Wisconsin shore. The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources interactive fire map shows high or extreme risk on several portions of that Lake shore.
Union Work Stoppage Sets Eyes on Lake Superior Port
As more than 45,000 dockworkers on the East and Gulf coasts have gone on strike, the port of Duluth-Superior stands open for shipping business, port officials this week said in a story by Lee Bloomquist for BusinessNorth.
Even though some of the dock workers in the Twin Ports are members of the striking union, the International Longshoremen's Association, they work in a different contract region and are not affected by the work stoppages elsewhere, Lee reports.
“As a result of the ILA strike, we have already received some inquiries from people looking to potentially divert containers direct to Duluth from Europe or the Mediterranean on Handysize or Seawaymax vessels, and we can definitely help with that,” said Jayson Hron, Duluth Seaway Port Authority director of Communication and Marketing. “The Port of Duluth Superior is open for business and equipped to handle anything sent our way.
"Duluth has the cargo-moving equipment, the port infrastructure, on-site customs and border protection support, uncongested highways, on-dock access to four Class I railroads and an award-winning cargo logistics team.”
The photo seen here by David Schauer shows the tug Missouri pressing the ocean-going Juno against the dock while lines are secured at the CHS grain elevator in Superior this morning.
Last month, a four-day strike of grain terminal workers on Canada's West Coast ended with a tentative agreement on Sept. 27. In a Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal story by Sandi Krasowski posted by the Fort Frances Times, Chris Heikkinen, chief executive officer of the Port of Thunder Bay, said at the time that the strike was unlikely to impact operations in Thunder Bay's operations.
“The majority of the grain moving off the west coast is destined for Asia, which is their main market. To move that through Thunder Bay is quite a significant variation in the routing, and it’s not very economical to move stuff through Thunder Bay and then all the way around to Asia,” Chris told Sandi.
Stories Glories
The North Star Story Summit is on in Duluth with a quadfectra of events – the Duluth Superior Film Festival, Catalyst Story Institute, MN WEBFEST and EDU Film Festival. Find the full schedule of all events, today-Sunday, here.
The Duluth Superior Film Fest runs through Sunday and features a wide range of cinematic offerings, including "Cash for Gold" at 7 p.m. tonight (the deer-antler photo is from the film, which was shot in Chisholm, Minn.). The filmmakers will be on hand for discussion. On Saturday at 7 p.m., "A Good Wolf," filmed in Denali National Park will be shown and the filmmakers again will be in attendance. Find the full schedule of films, shorts to full-length features, plus ticket sales and gatherings info here.
Catalyst Story Institute's events also run through Sunday. The institute now hosts festivals in Duluth, Lake Placid, N.Y., and Nashville. The festival with an international following is geared to help those interested in creating episodic programming and features a host of panels, table reads of scripts, industry speakers and showings at venues around downtown. Find details here.
MN WEBFEST, also on through Sunday, focuses on podcasts and dramatic web series. There are more than 110 offerings. The festival is also, naturally, online. Find details here.
Finally, the annual EDU Film Festival showcases young creators with a platform for youths to express their stories and experiences. This year there are 36 special selections, including documentaries, teen zombies, stories of loss, a young detective in Kyiv, Ukraine, music videos and great film projects directed by emerging artists. All screenings are Saturday at Zinema. See the full roster here.
Save THESE Dates, Not Those Other Ones: We had a few unfortunate – and embrassing – errors in the current issue of Lake Superior Magazine. A big one for us are the dates of the Gales of November program in Duluth. The Gales, put on by the Lake Superior Marine Museum Association, will be Nov. 8-9 … just like it says in the ad in the issue, but not the dates in the story about the Gales. So save those dates and register for a great event here. Also, it was gently but accurately pointed out that the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum is in Michigan and that Bond Falls is near Paulding. (I'll leave it to you to find the errors as I wipe the egg from my editing face.) Thanks for your patience and support, as always – Kon
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Starts Friday, Oct. 4-13: Michigan Technological University's Mont Ripley Ski Area starts its fall color tours that take you on a chairlift ride overlooking the Michigan Tech campus in Houghton. Meet special guest Blizzard T. Husky on this Sunday or Oct. 13, 3-5 p.m. Tickets are valid for one round-trip ride on Mont Ripley's Copper Hoist Chairlift. Proceeds from color tours benefit Mont Ripley chair lift improvement projects, Mont Ripley's Volunteer Ski Patrol, and the new Copper Country Snowsports Club.
Saturday, Oct. 5: Fall Phantasm, "Journey through the Underworld," comes to Lakenenland Sculpture Park near Marquette. It's a performing arts and creative festival. Attendees can expect to see live music, theater and dance, can immerse themselves in interactive experiences and activities, and can visit a themed market as they journey through the realms of the underworld. Runs 3-11 p.m. and there are musical performances throughout the evening.
Saturday, Oct. 5: For one day only, join The Nature Conservancy and Eagle Harbor Township at the top of Brockway Mountain to view the beautiful fall colors of the Keweenaw Heartlands. Registration is required. Event is 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Minnesota
Friday, Oct. 4: Come on out and meet artist Katherine Boyce starting at 7 p.m. for the opening reception of her monthlong exhibit at Tettegouche State Park's Visitor Center.
Friday, Oct. 4: View the work of participants in "Take Me Where There Is Life," a series of painting classes was designed specifically for individuals with memory loss, including Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as their care partners. The exhibit is showing 5:30-8 p.m. Friday at the Duluth Art Institute's Lincoln Park Building.
Saturday, Oct. 5: Duhb Linn Pub in Duluth starts its fall comedy schedule with new earlier showtimes. Starting this Saturday, the Pro Comedy Tour will have a 6 p.m. and an 8:30 p.m. show, featuring the top 200 touring comedians in the United States. The talent is world class, and the comedians regularly perform on and write for Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, America’s Got Talent, HBO, Saturday Night Live, Last Comic Standing and more. Find out more here.
Saturday, Oct. 5: The Harvest Booya Festival runs 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Clair Nelson Center in Finland. Enjoy live music, local craft vendors, fun activities plus lefse, sourdough bread and, of course, booya – fish stew.
Saturday, Oct. 5: AICHO hosts its final exhibit for 2024, opening with a 5:30 p.m. reception for Ezhi-Dibaajimomagakin Gide’inaanin: The Way Our Heart Tells Stories, featuring Indigenous artists, Chimakwa Nibawii Stone and Katie Lou Muzquiz. The event takes place at American Indian Housing Organization's Dr. Robert Powless Cultural Center in Duluth.
Saturday, Oct. 5: A special showing of "Letter's From Home" begins 7 p.m. at Ely’s Historic State Theater and featuring "an incredible evening of music, stories, and honoring our heroes!" No admission fee for veterans; hosted by Northern Lakes Arts Association.
Saturday, Oct. 5: Arrowhead Center for the Arts in Grand Marais hosts "Storytelling from the back roads of Cook County" with presentations by three different speakers. Runs 2-4 p.m.
Next Saturday, Oct. 12: "Everyone Can Bird: Fall Migration" runs 9:45-11:45 a.m. at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth. October is when the largest of the raptors – like bald and golden eagles, red-tailed hawks and American goshawks – migrate through Hawk Ridge. Come join others on fall World Migratory Bird Day to celebrate this movement. Free bus transportation is provided at 9:10 a.m. from the Superior Public Library and at 9:35 a.m. from Lakeview Covenant Church in Duluth. The event is free and registration is not required, but you can register here.
Wisconsin
Friday-Sunday, Oct. 4-6: In case you forgot … and we don't know how you could … it is the weekend of the 62nd annual Bayfield Apple Festival. Come for the fun and the food, stay for the closing parade on Sunday.
Saturday, Oct. 5: Head to The Park Center in Hayward from 7-9 p.m. for the Manhattan Short Film Festival. You get to be the judge!
Tuesday, Oct. 8: The University of Wisconsin-Superior Yellowjacket Union hosts Mónica Guzmán, a bridge builder, journalist, and entrepreneur who "lives for great conversations sparked by curious questions." She's the author of I Never Thought of it That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times; founder and CEO of Reclaim Curiosity; Senior Fellow for Public Practice at Braver Angels; and host of A Braver Way podcast. The book signing and reception starts at 5 p.m. with a fireside chat later. The event is free, but registration is required.
Ontario
Friday, Oct. 4: Soo Blaster at Sault Ste. Marie presents Among Legends, with special guest The Bag, starting at 8 p.m. The Ontario pop punk band starts its western Canada tour from there.
Saturday, Oct. 5: The Loft at Sault Ste. Marie hosts the ONTARIANS for their "More How It Is" album release show, with opening act Zachary Lucky. Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Now-Wednesday, thru Oct. 9: Haunted Harbour in Thunder Bay added a Wednesday night for ghostly doings aboard the Alexander Henry for ages 14 and older.
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Marquette Plaidurday; Plaidurday; National Weather Service Marquette; David Schauer; Duluth Superior Film Festival; Catalyst Story Institute; MN WEBFEST; EDU Film Festival; Spotlight, from left, Michigan Tech/Friends of the Lake Superior Reserve/UW-Superior/Soo Blaser, Among Legends