Minneapolis, MN
5 ways to celebrate the cold at the 2024 Great Northern Festival
Building atop several landmark winter events in the Twin Cities, the Great Northern Festival is set to kick off this week.
The festival, which runs Jan. 25 to Feb. 4, aims to celebrate the cold weather and spark conversations about protecting the winter season from climate change. The festival’s dates also encompass the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the City of Lakes Loppet in Minneapolis and the U.S. Pond Hockey Championships.
The organization expanded its leadership structure last year: Kate Nordstrum transitioned from a role as director to one as chief programming officer, allowing her to focus more deeply on festival curation, and artist and nonprofit leader Jovan Speller Rebollar stepped in to run the festival’s administration. This change is a sign of the festival’s long-term strength, Speller Rebollar said earlier last year.
“I think it’s really cool to be able to take something that maybe people shy away from — the cold, being cold, being out in the cold — and finding community within that,” Speller Rebollar said when she started the job in May 2023. “Flipping that idea on its head, and making it something people can look forward to.”
The festival boasts a full schedule of music, art, food and climate conversations. The full calendar, including registration links, is at thegreatnorthern.swoogo.com/2024.
Here are five ideas of what to do at the Great Northern this year.
1. Attend the Climate Solutions Series
Conversations all day Jan. 27 and 28: Attend any or all the sessions at this two-day discussion series on various solutions to climate change.
Highlights include conversations about building a more climate-friendly fashion industry; spotlighting the role of artists, designers and architects; understanding the intersections of winter sports and climate; and thinking critically about food with former White House chef Sam Kass and TV host Andrew Zimmern.
American Swedish Institute: 2600 Park Ave, Minneapolis. Event is free, but you have to register online.
2. Drink at the 100-foot ice bar
Various hours throughout the festival: Ice company Minnesota Ice has created a massive ice bar that is set to stretch an entire block in downtown Minneapolis.
The bar will offer a standing menu created by Adam Witherspoon, who has run some of the top bars and beverage companies in the Twin Cities. Plus, every day, visiting bartenders will create special featured drinks; guests include folks from Earl Giles Distillery, Libation Project, Meteor Bar and more.
Downtown Minneapolis: exact location TBD. Drinks: $5 for kids bevs and beer; $10 for non-alcoholic cocktails; $15 for full-proof cocktails.
3. Learn from place through Dakota traditions
1 to 3 p.m., Jan. 28 or Feb. 4: This session invites you to experience land and water in the Twin Cities through the lens of Dakota stories and spirituality — and, hopefully, start to reconsider your own relationship to the world around you.
This participatory session, offered by the Minnesota Humanities Center, sold out quickly last year. This year, it’s being offered twice, but be sure to buy a ticket in advance online. If you go, meet at the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center at Fort Snelling State Park; the experience is outside, so dress appropriately. To park onsite, you’ll also need a one-day Minnesota State Parks vehicle permit ($7).
Fort Snelling State Park: 101 Snelling Lake Rd., St. Paul. Tickets are $30; purchase in advance.
4. Eat at the K’óoben pop-up
6 to 9 p.m., Jan. 30: This collaboration of high-powered Twin Cities chefs and cocktail mavens sold out super-quick last year, so snag a ticket for the 2024 edition if you can.
The K’óoben collective itself focuses on the roots of Mexican cuisine — the name is the Mayan word for kitchen or stove — and is composed of chefs Gustavo Romero, José Alarcón and Noe Lara. At the Great Northern this year, they’re focusing broadly on the Minnesotan immigrant experience by inviting Yia Vang (of Union Hmong Kitchen and the forthcoming Vinai), Peter Bian and Linda Cao (of Saturday Dumpling Co.), and Baaska Tegshbileg (of Cobble Social House). Mingle with the chefs, taste their small bites and listen to live music.
Glass House: 145 Holden St N, Minneapolis. Tickets are $100; purchase in advance.
5. Celebrate the ‘Midwinter Melt’
5 to 9 p.m., Feb. 2: Groundhog Day feels like the midpoint between winter and spring, organizers say, so this event offers plenty of ways to get outside and active on a frozen lake.
Enjoy kicksledding, light shows, walking trails, solar lamp-making and a “cosmic footgolf” course — think putt-putt meets kickball. Arrive at 5 p.m. for a soup dinner and DJ set courtesy of the group Melanin in Motion; the other events start at 6.
Silverwood Park: 2500 County Rd E, St Anthony, 55421. Event is free; no ticket required.
Minneapolis, MN
Marilyn Savage, St. Cloud State Educator And Media Pioneer, Remembered July 18 In Cokato
June 24, 1938 – June 19, 2026
Marilyn Ardis Savage, 87 died from Parkinson’s disease on June 19, 2026 at Ave Maria. She was born June 24, 1938 in Minneapolis, MN to Elmer S. and Mabel A. (Salmela) Sako.
Marilyn graduated from North High class of 1956. She went on to get a Bachelor’s of Science at the U of M. In 1960 she started teaching at John Hay Elementary. In 1975 she married Carl Savage and they went on a leadership conference for media specialists for their honeymoon. In 1982 Marilyn completed her Masters of Science in Information Media at SCSU. Marilyn and Carl were active in the MN Educational Media Organization and published the Minnesota Media magazine. They worked in a group to create Information Media guidelines for the state of MN and Marilyn spoke at events and invited other teachers to observe the curriculum in her media center.
Marilyn touched a lot of lives as a teacher. She was well liked and respected by her students. She commented that it was important to have good relationships with students because you never know when one is going to become your anesthesiologist!
Marilyn and Carl loved to travel and spent many summers in TN visiting his family and in FL where they bought property where they planned on retiring. Their trips were full of adventures like when they unknowingly traveled with a couple of identity thieves.
Marilyn became a widow in 1991 and retired from Zachary Lane Elementary in 1997. Retirement gave her the opportunity to pursue her love of travel. She and her best friend, Jan Sorell, traveled to China and Hawaii together as well as many other smaller trips. Marilyn also visited her nephew in Alaska and even volunteered at a summer camp in Finland. She remained active in her community, helping plan YMCA fundraising events. One of her greatest joys was spending time with her close friends in the “Lunch Bunch,” who gathered each week at their favorite restaurant.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Carl, sister Evon and fur babies Sase, Sadie and Chloe.
She is survived by nieces Lauren Sako (Scott Krein) Jamestown, ND; Elaine (Keith) Pyle Crystal Lake, IL; stepson Clay (Anita) Savage Hernando, MS; nephew Dave (Lisa) Hendrick Anchorage, AK; niece Theresa Brown Counce, TN; grandnephew Benjamin Salomonsen Hubert, NC; grandniece Natalie (Nik) Eccless Duelm, MN; two great grandnieces and many cousins.
A celebration of life will be held at Benson Funeral Home on July 18th. Visitation at 10am and service at 11am. Lunch after the service. Following the luncheon, Marilyn will be laid to rest at the Cokato Finnish Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Carl & Marilyn Savage Scholarship in Information Media at St. Cloud State University. https://scsu.mn/give
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis chief communications officer Adam Fetcher out amid possible criminal charges
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – Minneapolis’ chief communications officer, Adam Fetcher, is out of his job and now faces possible legal trouble.
Adam Fetcher’s departure from city hall
What we know:
City officials say Adam Fetcher’s last day as chief communications officer was Monday, July 1.
Fetcher, who previously worked in the Obama administration, started his role with the City of Minneapolis last year. The city has not shared any further details about the circumstances surrounding Fetcher’s departure.
Legal questions for the former official
What they’re saying:
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office says it has received a case involving Fetcher and added that charges are possible. Fetcher’s attorney had no comment.
The nature of the case has not been made clear by officials.
What we don’t know:
It is not clear what the case involving Fetcher is about or what specific charges, if any, might be filed.
The Source: Information from the City of Minneapolis and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.
Minneapolis, MN
Minneapolis, Hamel women accused of stealing millions in federal funds due in court Thursday
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS continues to track the latest fraud developments.
Two of the 15 defendants accused of stealing federal program money back in May are due in court on Thursday morning, and a deal with prosecutors could be taking shape.
Fahima Egeh Mahamud, 50, of Minneapolis, and Jillaine Mertens, 42, of Hamel have plea agreement hearings at the Minneapolis federal courthouse.
Prosecutors say Mertens collected more than $400,000 in fraudulent claims across three childcare centers in Ramsey, Rochester and Kasson.
Mahumud is accused of taking $5.5 million in taxpayer money through her daycare, Future Leaders.
Both cases are set for plea agreement hearings Thursday morning in federal court.
Top federal officials came to Minnesota in May to announce the charges against the 15 defendants.
PREVIOUS: DOJ charges 15 defendants accused of collectively defrauding $90 million
They are alleging that fraudsters exploited programs meant to help vulnerable populations — including the now-defunct Housing Stabilization Services program, which was designed to connect homeless Minnesotans with housing, and the Early Intensive Behavioral Development Intervention (EIDBI) program for children with autism.
This is a developing story. Download the KSTP app below to get the latest updates.
-
Politics5 minutes agoWATCH: Trump’s Energy chief reveals what escalating Iran tensions could mean for gas prices
-
Health12 minutes agoCoffee may have powerful effect on liver health, major study suggests
-
Sports15 minutes agoOba Femi vs Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam is a ‘generational matchup,’ WWE legend JBL says
-
Business27 minutes agoBillionaire exodus? California drew 10 times more venture capital than any other state this year
-
Entertainment30 minutes agoDisney Channel maximalism to pop-star glam: What fans wore to Hilary Duff’s L.A. show
-
Lifestyle35 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: It’s hot when a man drives to me. But would this new guy make the trek from the Valley?
-
Politics42 minutes ago
Black mold and $1 wages: Settlement forces immigrant detention centers to protect workers
-
Science45 minutes agoTrump administration seeks to limit federal funding that doesn’t ‘advance’ presidential policies
