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Events

Winterers' Gathering & Arctic Film Fest 2023

Thu, Nov 16, 2023 - Sun, Nov 19, 2023
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Overview

Winter is the longest and most defining season in the North. With snowy days and dark nights, this season is a time both for outdoor adventure and for gathering to share traditions, meals, and stories. 

The Winterers’ Gathering & Arctic Film Festival celebrates the crafts, customs, history, and stories that have been inspired by winter. Featuring winter-centric coursework, a winter tent camp, gear swap, film festival, speakers, and more, this is a classic event to welcome the start of the chilliest season.

This year’s Winterers’ Gathering will welcome instructors John Beltman, Ted Gephart, Scott Graden, Bryan Hansel, and Mary Sannerud to teach courses on campus during the event. Coursework is paired with evenings of inspiring films about northern life and community gatherings such as a contra dance, featured speaker event, and more. 

Registration for Winterers’ Gathering courses is now open!

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Featured Speaker
Saturday 7pm

Writer Tim Cahill delights in telling odd and offbeat stories. He joins North House for an evening lecture to recount tales from his career of adventuring.

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Arctic Film Festival
Friday – Sunday

This one of a kind festival features films from around the globe that visually tell the story of the North.

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The Great Gear & Ski Sale
Saturday 9am

Backcountry skis to winter canvas tents. Ice skates to kites. Winter boots to down jackets. Bring your outdoor equipment to sell or snag a great bargain.

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Friday Evening Welcome
Friday 5pm

Join other "Winterers" on the commons to roast dinner over the firepit, delight in a series of Arctic Short Films projected outdoors, and enjoy by a poetry slam and/or contra dance.

Event Details

Weekend Highlights

All Weekend

Presentations

Event Seminars are 45 minute presentations that cover a variety of winter-related topics: from camping tips to travelogues, cultural reflections to winter sport secrets, these inspiring talks offer something for everyone and take place throughout the weekend. Check this page later this fall for seminar details.

Skill Share Demonstrations

These short intensive sessions focus on particularly handy skills. Dress for a partially heated environment. Free to attend, materials fee occasionally applies, payable at door. Blacksmith Shop. Check this page later this fall for skill share details.

Arctic Film Festival

This one of a kind festival features films from around the globe that visually tell the story of the North. Documentaries, features and shorts showcase arctic landscapes, traditional cultures, northern adventures and changing climates. All film screenings are free and held in the Blue Building. Check this page later this fall for the film schedule.

Friday highlights

Friday, November 17

Open Fire Dinner on a Stick & Outdoor Shorts Film Festival

Gather around a bonfire and cook over an open fire as a community. Participants bring their own food; we’ll provide the fire and the pointy sticks. Sausages to steaks, pudgie pies to home fries, it’s all welcome. Beginning at 6:00pm, we’ll enjoy a selection of winter short films.

Snowshoe Shuffle Traditional Community Contra Dance

7pm family dance, 8pm community dance

Don your winter wardrobe and warm up at this friendly community contra dance. The dance takes place in the historic timbered woodshop.

Cold Snap Poetry Slam

Cold Snap Poetry Slam is a friendly celebration of the spoken word and the glories of the frozen North! Join in the fun by reading one of your own works or any selected seasonal poetry of your choosing. By sharing your favorite hibernal verse, presenters will receive wide recognition as cultural icons, as well as a free bottomless bag of popcorn for the weekend! Check back later this fall for information on registering.

Saturday highlights

Saturday, November 18

The Great Gear & Ski Sale

9am-11am

Bring your outdoor equipment to sell or get in on some great bargains & buy. Registration forms to sell your gear are ready. Backcountry skis to winter canvas tents. Ice skates to kites. Winter boots to down jackets. All are welcome.

The Deep Freeze Chili Feed

5pm-7pm

Bundle up and grab your bowl for this traditional winter favorite: chili & freshly baked cornbread. Hot chili (your choice: vegetarian or meat) is cooked up in the kettle and enjoyed in the company of other hearty winterers. Details coming later this fall!

50 Years of Adventure Travel, Tim Cahill
Saturday, 7pm

On the eve of his 80th birthday, outdoor writer Tim Cahill will chronicle his life as the least competent adventurer of his generation. “I've exhibited legendary incompetence,” he insists. From his seminal role in founding Outside Magazine to his recently reported “death” in the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River, Cahill delights in telling odd and offbeat stories. 

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Course Offerings

Snowshoe Construction: Build Your Own

Thu, Nov 16th, 2023  –  Mon, Nov 20th, 2023
Day 1: 4pm-7pm; Day 2/3/4: 9am-5pm
Instructor: John Beltman

Tim's Laid Back Non-Fiction Writers' Workshop

Thu, Nov 16th, 2023  –  Fri, Nov 17th, 2023
9am-Noon daily
Instructor: Tim Cahill

Felt Rugs

Fri, Nov 17th, 2023  –  Sun, Nov 19th, 2023
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Mary Sannerud

Hand-Sewing the Sailor's Ditty Bag

Fri, Nov 17th, 2023  –  Sat, Nov 18th, 2023
Day 1: 9am-5pm; Day 2: 9am-noon
Instructor: Ted Gephart

Smörgåsbord: One Ingredient At a Time

Sat, Nov 18th, 2023  –  Sun, Nov 19th, 2023
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Scott Graden

Fine Point Punch Needle Rug Hooking: Poinsettia, L-1 Online

Sat, Nov 18th, 2023  –  Sat, Dec 9th, 2023
2-4pm CT each day, November 18th and December 2nd, 9th, and 16th
Instructor: Laura Berlage