Events

The annual Washburn Zombie Days in Wisconsin will take place Oct. 26-31 and this year’s theme is The Twilight Zone Edition. Activities include a pumpkin

carving contest, drive-in movies, a scavenger hunt, and more. | SUBMITTED

CARING NEIGHBOR AWARD

This fall, Care Partners is celebrating those who help Cook County elders stay safe and connected. There are so many caring neighbors and friends who show up to help our older residents. They shovel walks, pick up groceries, give a ride, help with garbage, sort through the mail, change a light bulb or just check in to see if they are okay. Even the little things can make a huge difference in helping our elders stay in their homes and part of our community. Do you know someone who provides important help to a local elder (you or someone you know)? Nominate them for Care Partners’ Caring Neighbor Award. Fill in the form online or call 387-3788 and let Caring Partners know how they helped out. The winner, selected at random from the nominees, will receive a gift certificate. To nominate someone or learn more, visit: carepartnersofcookcounty.org.

ART ALONG THE LAKE: FALL STUDIO TOUR

Sept. 25-Oct. 4 Fall in Cook County is a time of tumultuous beauty, so take some time to explore the colors and meet artists during the Fall Studio Tour. Stops include home studios, as well as galleries with guest artists. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, an online component has also been added, with some galleries and locations participating virtually only. All locations that are open to the public will be open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Masks are required and some studios may limit occupancy. This year includes over 20 locations participating, such as JNS Gallery, North House Folk School, Betsy Bowen Studio, Yellow Bird Fine Art, Tall Tale Shop, Art of the Elements Gallery, Grand Marais Art Colony and Sivertson Gallery. For a full list of participants and locations, got to: visitcookcounty.com/fallstudiotour.

RUN THE NORTH

Sept. 26-Oct. 4 United Way of Thunder Bay, Indigenous Youth Achievement and Recognition Awards (IYARA) and Wasaya Airways will host the first ever Run the North event, created in lieu of the annual Wasaya United Way Plane Pull which was cancelled due to Covid-19. Individuals from all across Northwestern Ontario are invited to this virtual non-competitive 1k or 5k race. Participants can run, bike or walk and the whole family can participate—use the treadmill or get outside to complete your race between the event dates. All participants will receive a race kit including a medal and race bib, with a safe pickup location in Thunder Bay the week of the event (items will be shipped to participants in northern communities). There will also be prizes. Cost to participate is $25 per person; register online. uwaytbay.ca

PUMPKINFEST

Sept. 26-Oct. 25 Enjoy over 20 attractions at the annual Pumpkinfest at Gammondale Farm, held from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Located in the Slate River Valley (near Thunder Bay), Pumpkinfest will feature a pumpkin train, a pumpkin catapult, duck races, a barnyard maze, farm animals, a corn cannon, tons of pumpkin and squash displays, a straw mountain, a pumpkin slingshot, a food truck, and more. Due to Covid-19, all tickets must be purchased online to limit the number of visitors. The tickets indicate your time of arrival. You can stay as long as your want, but you must arrive within your time slot. Time slots are every hour and there are no admissions after 4:30 p.m. Mask must also be worn. For more info, visit: gammondalefarm.com.

Artwork by Anna Hess will be featured at the North Shore Winery

on Oct. 3. | SUBMITTED

PLEIN AIR ART DEMOS AT THE WINERY

Oct. 3 and Oct. 10, Saturdays Head to the North Shore Winery in Lutsen to see how artists create their art and give you a socially distanced opportunity to view them in action. Held from 3-6 p.m., they will also have artwork for sale. Lutsen artist Anna Hess will be featured on Oct. 3 and Grand Marais artist Emily Wick will be featured on Oct. 10. Reservations required to attend. The Winery will also feature Date Night with live music on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. Musicians include Gordon Thorne and Friends, and Eric Frost. To learn more, visit: northshorewinery.us.

FREE CLASSES AT CCHE

Throughout Oct. Cook County Higher Education in Grand Marais is offering free classes (registration required) throughout October, starting with the webinar “Restore Lake Superior’s Coastal Forest,” on Oct. 8 from 5-7 p.m. The North Shore Forest Collaborative will share how private North Shore landowners can help restore Lake Superior’s coastal forest. This includes providing information about how land owners can prepare their private land forests for winter, tree planting/ protection, prepping for the 2021 spring tree planting season, and more. Then, on Oct. 21, take part in “We Are All Treaty People: The History of Treaties in (Northern) Minnesota” presented via Zoom from 7-8:30 p.m. This webinar will provide an overview of the histories and legacies of treaty-making in Minnesota. There will be a discussion of the 16 treaties that specifically ceded land in Minnesota to the U.S. between 1837-1861. Lastly, join presenters Carol Mork and Hillary Freeman on Oct. 27 for “Whose Land is This,” held from 6:30-7 p.m. Mork and Freeman attended a class called North Shore Lost Forest 2020. One of the assignments of the class was to do a history of their 5-acre land in Cook County. Learn what they discovered about the land, it’s connection to the 1854 treaty, and about Grace A. Schaefer who bought the land in 1912. To register or learn more, visit: mycche.org.

BOO AT THE ZOO

Oct. 10-25 The Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth will hold their annual Boo at the Zoo event, with health and safety measures in place. This family-friendly event for all ages includes trick-or-treating stations, a mini pumpkin hunt, an I-spy scavenger hunt, music, a magic show, a pumpkin patch and a chalk walk. There will also be food vendors available. Tickets can be purchased online only and will be assigned to two-hour time slots, held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will take place on Satur

days and Sundays: Oct. 10-11, 17-18, and 24-25. For more information, visit: lszooduluth.org.

TERROR IN THE BAY FILM FESTIVAL

Oct. 15-18 Northwestern Ontario’s top horror-themed film festival is back for a fourth year in Thunder Bay, held from 7-10 p.m. nightly at Maple Tops Paramount Theatre. They will be screening independent horror features and short films from around the world. There will also be a full concession, cash bar, red carpet photo shoot, door prizes and more. To purchase tickets or learn more, visit: bit.ly/terrorinthebay.

FAMILY WEEKEND

Oct. 15-19 Bring the family to the North House Folk School in Grand Marais and celebrate the joy of learning together. This year there will be a number of short dropby activities on campus: outdoors and/or windows open, with masks on. Drop by and observe craftspeople demonstrating or try your hand at a small family project (first-come, first-served). Activities include wet felting butterflies, bats or flowers with Elise Kyllo between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and woodworking projects with Paul Linden starting on the hour between 10 a.m.-3 p.m. (no noon session) on Friday and Saturday. You can also take part in the Moose Madness Family Instagram Challenge. Kids alone or together as a family must craft a moose: it could be a drawing, painting, paper sculpture, photography—use your imagination. Take a photo of your creation and post the photo

Enjoy family-friendly activities Oct. 15-19 at the North House Folk School in

Grand Marais. | SUBMITTED

on Instagram with the hashtag #moosecraftchallenge2020 (you can also email it if you don’t use Instagram). All submissions will be entered into a random drawing to win a $50 gift certificate towards an online class at the North House. Post or email submissions by Monday, Oct. 19 to be entered. To learn more, visit: northhouse.org.

NORTH END NIGHTMARE 2-MILER AND SPIDER DASH RACE

Oct. 24, Saturday Grandma’s Marathon will host the 2nd Annual North End Nightmare 2-Miler and Spider Dash races. Grab your friends and family and dress up for this spooky 2-mile race, held in Superior during the annual Superior Spooktacular. Participants can choose in-person or virtual race options. North End Nightmare in-person waves are limited to 50 people and start every 10 minutes, beginning at 5 p.m., and is open to ages 6 and up. Kids ages 14 and under can also signup for the free Spider Dash trick-or-treat walk. All North End Nightmare participants receive a full zip jacket and Spider Dash participants will receive a commemorative tote bag, perfect for trick-or-treating. To register, visit: grandmasmarathon.com.

WASHBURN ZOMBIE DAYS: THE TWILIGHT ZONE EDITION

Oct. 26-Oct. 31 The annual Washburn Zombie Days in Wisconsin will take place Oct. 26-31 and this year’s theme is The Twilight Zone Edition. This family-friendly event will feature a pumpkin carving contest, zombies competing in the Undead Tread Scavenger Hunt, a fall and Halloween bake-off, a costume contest, and more. New this year is the addition of a drive-in movie night on Friday the 30th at Mt. Ashwabay Ski and Recreation Area. There will be two showings, one for the kids/families (movie to be determined) and the other will be the classic zombie movie “Night of the Living Dead.” Shows will be limited to 50 cars. To see the full schedule, visit: facebook.com/washburnzombiedays.

SOLAR HOMES TOUR

Oct. 26-Oct. 31 Cook County Local Energy’s annual Solar Homes Tour in Grand Marais will be online this year. Video tours will be posted on the CCLE Facebook page and CCLE website during the final week of October. Those interested in having their house filmed for the tour can contact Jessy at: localenergy@boreal.org. To learn more, visit: cookcountylocalenergy.org.