North House Folk School

It’s summertime in Grand Marais and the North House campus has much to offer! Whether you're looking to sail Lake Superior, try a wood-fired baking course, or see live craft in action, we have activities for folks of all ages. 

Spring is an explosion of life in the North! Discovering the birds, wildflowers, insects and more of this dynamic and rich northern landscape. We turn our attention this year to the aquatic landscapes of the north, with evening presentations on beavers and their impacts on the boreal forest and the Lake Superior fishery. We are pleased to welcome many returning instructors and favorite offerings, and happy to introduce new instructor Dr. Cynthia Lane, offering a multi-day course in basic botany.

Wooden Boat Show features craft demonstrations, community food events, speakers, kids activities and of course, wooden boats as we celebrate the summer solstice. In 2023, the event includes an extra special birthday celebration with our friends from Sätergläntan Institute for Slöjd and Handcraft Community as they celebrate 100 years of handcraft education. A delegation of Swedish craft teachers from the school will join us for coursework, demonstrations and naturally, cake!

Hjørdis sails now open for registration! The flagship of the Grand Marais Harbor, Hjørdis shares the name of the mythical Norse goddess of war. Take a trip on this 50’ traditionally-rigged steel schooner and gain access to both the largest lake in the world and experience Grand Marais as it was approached in the centuries before Highway 61 — from the water.

North House is pleased to have been featured in an episode of the award-winning PBS series Craft in America.

The episode titled HOME features North House Folk School’s timber framing programs, as well as instructor Biskakone Greg Johnson’s connection with traditional Ojibwe crafts from his home in Lac Du Flambeau. The episode also features other artists whose work explores what HOME can mean.