Worthington Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival

WORTHINGTON Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival

Sunday

Schedule of Events

Friday, June 7

11 a.m.: Food vendors open

3 p.m.: Beer tent opens 6:30 p.m.: Opening Ceremony with National Anthem performed by Anna Meyer and Flag Raising

7 p.m.: Rhino

7 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Free rides from the beer garden (corner of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street) to a residence in Worthington. Call Palma’s at 507-370-3966.

9 p.m.: The Hype

Saturday, June 8

9 a.m.: Skipper’s meeting with racing to follow

9 a.m. to Noon: Bloody Mary and Screwdriver Bar, Beer Garden

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Children’s activities

11 a.m.: Food vendors open

2 p.m. to Midnight: Beer tent open

4 p.m.: High Octane

6 p.m.: Regatta chair auction, sponsored by The Globe

6:30 p.m.: Raffle drawing

7 p.m.: Frank Ray

7 p.m. to 1 a.m.: Free rides from the beer garden (corner of Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street) to a residence in Worthington. Call Palma’s at 507-370-3966.

9 p.m.: Matt Stell Sunday, June 9

9:30 a.m.: Skipper’s meeting with racing to follow

Tim Middagh / The Globe Kale Johnson sails a leg of the race course on Lake Okabena during the Worthington Windsurfing Regatta on

morning, June 11, 2023.

Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival

BY SAMUEL MARTIN The Globe

WORTHINGTON —

This year’s Worthington Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival will see five musicians play Friday and Saturday on the shores of Lake Okabena. Their music ranges from country and rock to modern pop.

Rhino Kicking off the festival is Twin Cities-based Rhino. The band plays a wide array of music genres, ranging from alternative and ‘80s rock to country and modern pop. Rhino will perform at 7 p.m. Friday.

The Hype Following Rhino, at 9 p.m. Friday, are The Hype. Having performed across the nation, The Hype’s repertoire consists of hair metal and rock covers by artists such as Mötley Crue, Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Poison and Aerosmith. The Hype are due to perform from 9 to 11 p.m.

High Octane

Kicking off Saturday’s musical performances are High Octane, “one of the hardest classic rock acts on the circuit.” Performing from 4 to 5:30 p.m., High Octane’s catalog includes covers of classic

rock staples and classics from the ‘80s and ‘90s.

Frank Ray

Taking the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday is country artist Frank Ray. Hailing from Deming, New Mexico, Frank Ray is a bilingual artist who has recorded original music

in both English and Spanish. He has supported such high-profile country artists as Hunter Hayes, Luke Combs, Kane Brown, Luke Bryan and Old Dominion and has been profiled in The Los Angeles Times and NBC’S Today. Within the seven years

of his musical career after previously working as a police officer, Ray has amassed two No. 1 singles and three Top 10 singles on Texas country radio in addition to being named an “Artist to Watch” by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Matt Stell Wrapping up the festival is multi-platinum country artist Matt Stell. An Arkansas native, Stell has performed alongside Luke Bryan and Eric Church and has performed at the Grand Ole Opry twice as well as making television performances on Good Morning America, The Kelly Clarkson Show and the Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

Bedford Zone is new addition to Regatta festival

BY JULIE BUNTJER

The Globe

WORTHINGTON — A newly added feature to the 2024 Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival is the Bedford Zone, set up on Sailboard Beach across from the beer tent.

Jay Schiedt, logistics manager for Bedford Industries and a member of the Regatta’s board of directors, encourages people to stop by and relax in one of the Bedford-made Adirondack chairs or try some Corn Hole with boards crafted from recycled plastic.

Hex tables will be on display and available to hold your favorite beverage, and a surfboard crafted of plastic lumber will provide the perfect setting for a Sailboard Beach selfie.

“We intend on lining the place with lights and providing a place where people can sit down and relax at the regatta,” Schiedt said.

Worthington-based Bedford Industries recently entered the market with manufactured plastic lumber furniture. The chairs, hex tables and corn hole game boards were all

manufactured in Worthington.

“We just want to provide an area that’s beneficial for the community and to enhance the

/

In addition to classic rock standards, High Octane will be performing classic ‘80s and ‘90s songs.

Stell’s 2018 single “Prayed for You” was certified two times platinum by the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) and named by Rolling Stone Magazine as one of the “10 Best

Country Songs to Hear Now.” Another of his songs, “Everywhere But On,” has also gone platinum. Just two days before his performance at the Worthington Regatta Festival, he will be performing at the 2024 CMA (Country Music Association) Fest.

experience,” said Schiedt. “We’re excited about it. I think it’s a pretty cool feature to add to the event.”

Contributed / Bedford Industries

These adirondack chairs made of plastic lumber by Bedford Industries in Worthington will be available for people to relax in the Bedford Zone at the 2024 Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival on Lake Okabena’s Sailboard Beach.

Contributed

Jessica Pass

Contributed / Matt Stell

Regatta chair auction to benefit Creative Healing Space

The Globe’s annual ‘chair’-ity auction starts at 6 p.m. Saturday

BY JULIE BUNTJER

The Globe

WORTHINGTON —

Local businesses and artists have once again teamed up to raise funds through a ‘chair’-ity auction of 10 Adirondackstyle folding chairs, with the auction to start at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Regatta stage.

This annual event hosted by The Globe promotes local artists and businesses, while also supporting a good cause.

The recipient of this year’s chair auction fundraiser is Creative Healing Space, founded by Worthington resident Suree Sompamitwong. A graduate of Worthington High School, she had the idea for a place to offer healing through art while attending Minnesota West Community & Technical College in 2018.

“I found myself going to the art room all the time to make art, even when I wasn’t doing assignments,” she shared.

“It became very healing for me.”

Sompamitwong, who has faced her own struggles with mental health, received an Initiator’s Fellowship from the Southwest Initiative Foundation and is

working toward establishing a location to provide art therapy to the community.

“I thought if art can be healing for me … I should offer that opportunity to my community,” she shared.

As a young college student without funds, Sompamitwong decided to offer a dozen pieces of her own artwork for sale to raise the money needed to cover building rent and start her nonprofit. Then, in late 2019, she secured a location for Creative Healing Space. She was starting to build up a following when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, ultimately forcing the site to close.

“We had that space for four months,” she said, adding that COVID didn’t stop her mission — she took it online.

I want to encourage anyone who believes in our mission to donate — every penny will count.

SUREE SOMPAMITWONG

“My goal is that whatever we receive from the chair auction will go toward the space,” Sompamitwong said. “Grants, a lot of them don’t support space rental, it’s more for programming. That’s why it’s crucial I get support from the community.

Sompamitwong hired an art therapist from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to lead online events, and it’s grown into a worldwide event.

“From the grants we received from Blandin, United Way and the Southwest Initiative Foundation, we were able to host

different pilot programming,” she shared, noting that those programs targeted at-risk youths, educator wellness and other topics. “We partnered with licensed social workers … and various artists and were tying it in with our healing journey.”

Last November, Sompamitwong and Creative Healing Space hosted its first fashion fundraiser to raise money for the nonprofit. With the Initiator’s Fellowship, Sompamitwong is aiming to have a physical Creative Healing Space location in downtown Worthington. Funds raised from the Regatta chair auction will help her to reach that goal.

“I want to encourage anyone who believes in our mission to donate — every penny will count,” she added. “We are trying to bridge a gap by offering group therapy sessions, community events and artist workshops. Every therapist I bring knows we value creativity — any form of art can be healing.

“Everyone can be creative — we just have to allow ourselves to become creative instead of having a lot of judgment or perfectionism,” she added.

Did you come hungry? Regatta food vendors offer a variety of eats

BY JULIE BUNTJER

The Globe

WORTHINGTON — Whether your tastebuds are craving deep-fried foods, grilled or smoked meats or the sweet taste of soft-serve ice cream, vendors at the 2024 Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival are likely to have what you want.

Stop by and check out the food booths:

Asian Hut: Serving chicken teriyaki with Jasmine rice, fried rice, egg rolls, spring rolls, crab rangoon, bao bun and boba smoothies.

Best Way: Serving gyros, chicken, pop and water.

The Cheese Carriage: Serving cheese curds, corn dogs, hot dogs, pop and water.

Diventuri Concessions: Serving fried food, fresh cut French fries, corn dogs, funnel cakes, cheese curds, chicken strips and bubble tea.

Tacos Coahuila: Serving tacos, burritos, gringas, tortas, birria tacos, quesadillas, nachos, loaded fries, fresh water, Jarritos drinks, desserts and flautas.

Jon-E-1 BBQ: Serving an assortment of barbecued meats, corn mac and cheese, beans.

Z&Z BBQ: Serving ribs, chicken, pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad, turkey legs, pecan bars and seafood gumbo.

TnT Indian Style Tacos: Serving fry bread tacos (beef, bean, combo), taco salad, nacho supreme, nachos (chips and cheese), elephant ear (with or without ice cream), pop and water.

Lingen Dairy: Serving soft-serve ice cream treats (bowls, cones and shakes).

Big Dave’s Mini Donuts: Serving mini donuts, soda and water.

JBS: Serving grilled pork chop on a stick, pork riblets.

Midwest Concessions: Serving fried food.

Tim Middagh / The Globe

Shown here are eight of the 10 Adirondack-style folding chairs that will be auctioned off at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Regatta stage at Sailboard Beach in Worthington. The funds raised from this year’s chair auction will benefit Creative Healing Space.

Contributed / Creative Healing Space

The Creative Healing Space board of directors includes Marlen Balster (front, from left), Suree Sompamitwong, Lakeyta Swinea, Lindsey Roemeling and back, from left: Sue Johnson, Cristina Adame, Leah Gossom and Maggie Stienkamp.

Tim Middagh/The Globe

Food vendors feed the noon crowd during the opening day of the Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival on Friday, June 9, 2023, at Sailboard Beach.

ArtMobile, CCSI offer children's activities at Sailboard Beach on Saturday

BY HOPE MOURAL

The Globe

WORTHINGTON —

Creativity and crafting will abound on Saturday as the ArtMobile enters its sixth year participating in the annual Worthington Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival.

Lead artist and founder of the ArtMobile, Gail Holinka, said she really leans into the “music” and “wind” themes of the weekend event and likes to plan her activities around them.

For instance, this year, kids of all ages will be able to paint maracas and draw with markers on little windmills on Saturday morning while the ArtMobile is on site from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“We’re entering our sixth year of this and we like to keep it fresh,” Holinka said. For older, middle school aged kids, the

tradition of painting a giant surfboard will continue, and they will be able to decorate and add their own touch to the years-long project.

Younger children will also be able to make tissue flowers and Holinka will supply small inspirational quote tags to attach to the flowers (or other crafts) with the aim of cheering up someone they know.

“I think kids are intuitive and can see when someone’s lonely or sad,” said Holinka. “Hopefully they can spread love — a little bit of cheer.”

Holinka said to really make this time special for kids, she is in need of volunteers to help supervise and facilitate the crafts, so that as many activities can be going all at the same time. To volunteer, call Holinka at (507) 360-4619 or message the ArtMobile’s Facebook page at facebook. com/

WorthingtonArtMobile.

CCSI offers face painting, carnival games

Staff members and clients of CCSI will again lead carnival games and face painting from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Windsurfing Regatta and Music Festival on Sailboard Beach.

Children are invited to stop by and participate in games and get a painting on their face. The event is free and all are welcome.

Tim Middagh / The Globe

Megan Wass helps her daughter Abigail paint a pet rock as Chloe Smith works on her stone at the Art Mobile during the 23rd annual Worthington Windsurfing Regatta & Music Festival.