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Events

Unplugged

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Overview

Celebrate the mission - Sustain the dream!

Unplugged is the biggest party of the year on campus and will be Thursday-Saturday, Sept 19-21 - just as the fall colors start to reach their peak along the North Shore.

With two incredible nights of music featuring the Great Lake Swimmers along with long time friends Dusty Heart on  Friday, a family concert with the Roe Family Singers, a kids clogging workshop & early morning ice cream from Superior Creamery, and an unforgettable evening celebrating the community of North House hosted by Chef Scott Graden of the New Scenic Cafe. 

This year will be extra festive with new opportunities and added fun as we dedicate the new Welcome Center and celebrate the impact of our Framing the Future Campaign! 

Live music under the big top tent, celebrating exceptional craft, and gathering a joyous & generous community - we hope to see you there! 

Full Event Guide

Weekend at a glance:
THURSDAY, SEPT. 19:
5pm: Community Open House
7pm: Pay-What-You-Want Acoustic Concert*

FRIDAY, SEPT. 20:
5pm: Fall Harborside Festival
7pm: Featured Performance*

SATURDAY, SEPT. 21:
9am: Family Crafts & Clogging Workshop
10am: Free Family Concert
10am-4pm: Folk Artisan Marketplace
Noon & 2pm: Craft Presentations
5pm: Birch Bark Bash*
*Ticketed event

If you're planning on attending more than one night, make sure to check out the ticket packages that offer great savings.

Questions? Need Help? Contact Tom Morse - tmorse@northhouse.org


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Featured Concerts

Join the Great Lake Swimmers and local favorites for two great nights of music!

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Family Concert & Kids Craft!

A free concert with the Roe Family Singers along with hands-on opportunities for all ages and a clogging mini-class!

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Birch Bark Bash

Celebrate the dedication of the new Welcome Center along with incredible food and beverages from some of our favorite partners!

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Points North Auction

Unique North Shore experiences, handcrafted goods from North House Instructors, 2 whole timberframes(!), and much much more! Auction Preview

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Celebrate the opening of the new Welcome Center

With the help of thousands of supporters like yourself, we'll be cheering on the completion of the Framing the Future capital campaign

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Folk Artisan Marketplace

Meet the artisans that are the heart of the folk school and purchase one-of-a-kind handmade goods.

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Guest Instructor - Barn the Spoon

Take a class or meet with one of the world's foremost advocates for the simple joys of woodenware

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Guest Instructor - Shuji Nakagawa

His first time teaching the Japanese art of Kioke (wooden vessels), learn more about this incredible craft in a class or at the Folk Artisan Marketplace

Event Details

Under the Big Top Tent

While all of campus will be packed with goodness over the three full days, the big top tent features several can’t miss opportunities!

Featured Concerts - Thursday & Friday - 5pm Doors, 7pm Concert

Thursday Night - Great Lake Swimmers (Acoustic) & The Penny Peaches
Friday Night - Great Lake Swimmers & Dusty Heart

Purchase Tickets

Come down to campus at 5pm and purchase a bite to eat from our favorite local food trucks and beverages from our amazing neighbors and friends. The Red Building will be transformed into our banquet hall where you can enjoy great food with neighbors and tunes from talented local favorites. 

You’ll also have a chance to engage with North House instructors in the Folk Artisan Marketplace - hosted in the new Welcome Center - and make sure to check out the new school store while we get ready for the concert under the big top tent!

Each night of music will have a different flavor - Thursday night will feature an accoustic set with the Great Lake Swimmers and the up and coming Penny Peaches! Friday night will feature the plugged-in Great Lake Swimmers, along with our long time friends Dusty Heart (with a full backing band!).

Tickets start at just $5 dollars Thursday night with new this year pay-what-you-can tickets. We want to make sure EVERYONE can be part of the celebration.

Family Concert - 9am Craft Opportunities & Clogging Mini-Class, 10am Concert with the Roe Family Singers

Holy moly are we excited to be continuing the incredibly fun Saturday morning family concert with the Roe Family Singers (Free!). Come down early to explore craft opportunities led by our interns and Susan, our Youth and Family Programs Coordinator followed by a free community concert! There will also be a clogging mini-class ahead of the concert to make sure you are limbered up and ready to cut loose when the tunes start!

We are also excited to once again host Superior Creamery, because there’s nothing better than an excuse for ice cream before noon!

Birch Bark Bash - Doors Open at 5pm

Purchase Tickets

The weekend culminates with the dedication of the new Welcome Center and the biggest bash on the North Shore. Hosted by Chef Scott Graden of the celebrated New Scenic Café,  with beverages from Poplar Haus, Fika Coffee, Fulton Beer, North Shore Winery, and Voyageur Brewing, this is a night to indulge in the flavors of the North!

We are also thrilled to welcome back our favorite Auctioneer, Christian Kolberg, who will guide our live auction and Fund-a-need efforts that help to power the future of North House.

Celebrating Craft

Featured Instructors

Shuji Nakagawa - is a traditional craftsman of Japanese woodwork and a contemporary artist. In Shiga, on the shores of Lake Biwa. As much a woodworker as an artist, Shuji’s works appear in permanent museum collections across the world. His studio represents the tradition of Kyoto woodcrafting where time honored skills are passed from Father to Son. The company prides itself on its wooden buckets (kioke), which are handcrafted using a technique developed 700 years ago. Shuji is the third generation of woodwork in his family and studied under his father.

Barnaby Carder - Affectionately known as Barn the Spoon, is the original spoon fanatic and green wood evangelist from the United Kingdom. His spoon ideologies have mellowed in middle age, but he still passionately believes in the power craft has to transform lives and connect us through materials to the natural environment.

Folk Artisan Marketplace

The Folk Artisan Marketplace features a sampling of the artisan instructors of North House and the chance to meet the hands-at-work behind your favorite beautiful and useful items. Baskets, fiber goods, wooden wares, jewelry, leather goods, and more!

Points North Auction

From unique North Shore experiences to one-of-a-kind instructor craft, place your bids and support North House’s mission! Bid early and bid often! Points North features hundreds of Auction Items from North House instructors, supporters and favorite partner businesses. 

Online bidding is open for 10 days. All proceeds support North House's Programs, Youth Initiatives, Events, Instructors and Scholarships. The Points North Online Auction brings the story of the North to life, celebrating the Northern Neighborhood we are honored to call home. Get your bids in before the auction closes on September 21st at 10pm Central Time. Auction Preview

Framing the Future

Over Unplugged we'll be welcoming friends and neighbors into the new classroom spaces and celebrating the success of the Framing the Future capital campaign. Last year we kicked off construction of the new Welcome Center with the cutting of the first timber during the Birch Bark Bash, and then over the following weeks more than 60 volunteers helped with the project! Learn more about how you can get invovled now to help us cross the finish line ahead of the big event!

Gathering Community

Unplugged isn’t just a celebration of North House - it’s a celebration of the entire North Shore community that makes the folk school possible! That includes 20+ friends and neighbors that run great local businesses and helped to build our new Welcome Center. We are proud to host them on campus as part of this magical weekend.

Latest Update: View recent changes →

Course Offerings

Bundle Dyeing with Garden-Grown Pigments & More

Thu, Sep 19th, 2024
9am-3pm
Instructor: Liz O'Brien

Japanese Woodworking Introduction

Fri, Sep 20th, 2024
9am-5pm
Instructor: Shuji Nakagawa

Spoon Carving Crash Course

Fri, Sep 20th, 2024
9am-5pm
Instructor: Barnaby Carder

Spoon Carving Crash Course

Sun, Sep 22nd, 2024
9am-5pm
Instructor: Barnaby Carder

Lost Wax Casting: Sterling Silver Rings

Mon, Sep 23rd, 2024  –  Wed, Sep 25th, 2024
Day 1: 4-7pm; Day 2: 9am-5pm; Day 3: 9am-3pm
Instructor: Todd Hawkinson

The Authority of Stamping: Printmaking Workshop

Mon, Sep 23rd, 2024  –  Wed, Sep 25th, 2024
9am-5pm
Instructor: Nick Wroblewski

Spoon Carving with Barn the Spoon

Tue, Sep 24th, 2024  –  Thu, Sep 26th, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Barnaby Carder

The Modern Autumn Pantry

Tue, Sep 24th, 2024  –  Wed, Sep 25th, 2024
Day 1: 9am-5pm; Day 2: 9am-1pm
Instructor: Lisa Golden Schroeder

Grand Marais & Beyond: Autumn Nature Photography Workshop

Wed, Sep 25th, 2024  –  Sun, Sep 29th, 2024
Day 1: 6-9pm; Day 2-4: 6am-5pm; Day 5: 6-11am
Instructor: Layne Kennedy

Kioke: Japanese Coopered Vessels with Shuji Nakagawa

Fri, Sep 13th, 2024  –  Wed, Sep 18th, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Shuji Nakagawa

Sponsors