North Shore Hwy 61

Festivals, art shows, music and more are on the calendar for August and this year, so the heart of summer on the North Shore should be exciting.

First up is the 7th annual North Shore Dragon Boat Festival July 29-Aug. 1. Practice starts on Thursday and the beat of the drums will echo throughout town. On Friday night, the colorful and joyful Parade of Teams starts at 7 p.m. with the opening ceremony at Harbor Park. Then the Splinters play until 11:30 p.m. Saturday morning starts out with a Dragon Breakfast at the Crooked Spoon followed by dragon boat racing all day. Food vendors and artisans are downtown that day, too. This is truly a fun-filled weekend.

Five artists celebrate a woman’s creative spirit and the 40th anniversary of the Grand Marais Playhouse with a special art exhibit at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts during the two-week run of Cole Porter’s “You Never Know.” The exhibit opens Thursday, July 29 on the opening night of the musical. Artists include, from left, Emma Bradley, who created the poster, (seated) and painters Emily Ulhorn, Jan Attridge, Alice Powell and Carolyn Sevareid.

Also that weekend the Grand Marais Playhouse’s production of Cole Porter’s “You Never Know” opens at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts on Thursday night and runs through Aug. 8. Performances are at 7 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, 2 p.m. Sundays. At the same time, an exhibit featuring the paintings of Alice Powell, Jan Attridge, Carolyn Sevareid and Emily Ulhorn begins on opening night with a reception after the show in the lobby of the ACA. The exhibit continues for two weeks.

The next weekend is Fisherman’s Picnic, Aug. 6-9. As in past years, contests and activities have been organized for the entire weekend. Sponsored by the Lion’s Club, the family-friendly event features fishburgers, cute puppies and great loon callers, recognition of local leaders, a logging camp, eating contests, demonstrations and lots, lots more. And there’s plenty of live music all weekend on two separate stages. Ckastle Danger plays for the Harbor Park dance on Thursday night, Cook County’s Most Wanted (aka Rod N Real) play on Friday night and Bicycle Army plays on Saturday night.

Other events will be held that weekend as well, including a 4-day Farm & Craft Market in the Senior Center parking lots. The Grand Marais Art Colony will hold a Clothesline Art Sale Aug. 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., paint a truck and do some family art activities. There will be a silent auction in the Founder’s Hall, too.

The third big festival of the month is the Grand Portage Rendezvous Days and Celebration Pow-wow Aug. 13-15. Grand entries at the Pow-wow, which is held at the Pow-Wow grounds are at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The Hoolies with Arden Bruyere play at the Grand Portage Lodge & Casino Saturday night. Meanwhile, Rendezvous Days at the National Monument will be ongoing as well, with re-enactors, live music, craft demonstrations and more. It’s always a fun and exciting weekend.

Native American contemporary art will be featured in a new show at the Johnson Heritage Post that opens Aug. 13 featuring the art of Julie Buffalohead, Andrea Carlson, Jim Denomie and Star Wallowingbull. “Please Stand By” pencil collage by Wallowingbull.

In Grand Marais, the Johnson Heritage Post will open a new show that weekend, too. Entitled “Four Points: The Art of Julie Buffalohead, Andrea Carlson, Jim Denomie, and Star Wallowingbull,” the exhibit will feature contemporary Native American paintings, drawings and multimedia work. The opening reception is from 5-7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13.

Tom Christiansen’s latest lost-wax cardboard bench includes two people, one of the them holding a New York Times. This one was made for a couple in Michigan.

In Lutsen, Last Chance Gallery will hold “The Art of Living,” celebrating art that brings meaning into life and life’s transitions. Artists include Jack Becker (author and painter), Tom Christiansen (sculptor), Kristi Downing (raku potter), Korey Thompson (fiber), and Kim Vorel (jeweler). The event includes a reception from 5-7 Aug. 13 and demonstrations all day Saturday. The public is invited.

And there’s more!

Betsy Bowen's latest work: A logo for a T-shirt for Kuparisaar, the first every triathlon in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. A print edition of this delightful woodcut will be ready in a few weeks, Bowen said.

On Friday, Aug. 20, the KGB will be in concert on the What’s Upstairs stage above Betsy Bowen’s Studio at 7:30 p.m. The band includes John Koscielak, John Gruber and Don Bauer. They play Latin/jazz/blues. There’s room for dancing, too.

Singer/songwriter Jerry Vandiver will perform at the Grand Marais Art Colony on Aug. 21.

Then on Saturday night, Aug. 21, Nashville comes to Grand Marais with singer/songwriter Jerry Vandiver, who will perform at the Grand Marais Art Colony. Vandiver has placed over 16 million records, with two at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tenn. Some of the nationally known singers who have recorded his songs include Tim McGraw, Lee Greenwood and Barbara Mandrell. Tickets at the door.

The last weekend of the month is the piece de resistance for regional artists. The Art Colony’s “Plein Air Painting Competition & Exhibition” Aug. 27-Sept. 6 is a regional marker for excellence, and is beginning to get national attention. Stay tuned for details of all the events planned for the Plein Air week. The Art Colony has lots of new classes this summer too. Visit www.grandmaraisartcolony.org.

In other art news, Minneapolis fiber artist Laura Soetebier and Maureen O’Brien of Solway are new artists at Kah Nee Tah Gallery in Lutsen. O’Brien prints wildlife images on metal. Blue Moose Gallery has a new line of fused glass jewelry by Karen Ehart and metal sculpture by John Keyser.

Potter Ann Ward and painter Bruce Palmer will open an exhibit at the Cross River Heritage Center Aug. 1. New artists participating in the Summer Underground Art Show at Betsy Bowen’s Studio include sketch artist Budh Wudlich, potter Diana Meier, painter Josh Garcia, intaglio printmaker Jerry Riach and collage artist Joyce Yamamoto.

Sivertson Gallery has new etchings by Franklin Galambos as well as Troll Beads, a new make-your-own jewelry line of sterling silver, semi-precious stone beads.

The Lake Superior Trading Post has received Andie Peterson’s latest mystery, “Murder for Mayor.” The shop, as well as other local vendors, also has copies of Gene Glader’s “Downtown Grand Marais.”

Birchbark Books has just received copies of “Salt of the Earth: A History of Hovland and It’s People,” by David Holmes and “A Life in Two Worlds” by Betty Powell Skoog with Justine Kerfoot, which has just been republished.

And popular mystery writer William Kent Krueger will give a writing workshop “Unraveling the Mystery of Fiction” Aug. 16-20 at Drury Lane Books. For more info, call 387-3370.

There’s lots of live music in the county this month, too. Check the events calendar for all the action—and enjoy August!