Meander: Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl
Friday, Saturday & Sunday, Sep 30, Oct 1 & 2, 2022
Friday: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Fall colors and the crisp October air set the stage for a memorable weekend in the Upper Minnesota River Valley. Wander your way down the valley from Ortonville to Granite Falls while visiting 42 artists in their studios and other locations. Famous for the diversity of its artists, you are sure to find some treasures along the way as you immerse yourself in the area’s authentic culture, history, and, scenic vistas.
Conveniently located midway is the Milan Village Arts School. Our historic 106 year old rural schoolhouse will be open for registrations and will play host to 2 local artists:
- John George Larson: Wood-fired functional & sculptural ceramics made with southwest Minnesota clay
- Pamela Gubrud: Hand knitted accessories inspired from Scandinavian and Northern European Designs
Come visit MVAS. We will have Swedish coffee and other treats at the school!
Registrations for the 2023 classes start at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 30.
A Taste of Syttende Mai: Norwegian Constitution Day
Saturday, May 20, 2023, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m
Milan is very proud of its Norwegian pioneer heritage and celebrates all things Norwegian each year on the third Saturday in May. Once fondly referred to as Little Norway, Milan plays host to Norwegian music, dance, arts, crafts, and traditional foods including, lefse, flatbreads, krumkaaka, spritz, Norwegian meatballs, blod klub, Gjettost with cloudberry jam, and rommegrot.
The Kvitseid Church holds the very popular Kvitseid Smorgaas Tea from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. while vendors and entertainment can be found downtown.
Visit the Milan Village Arts School where you will have the opportunity to watch a silversmithing class in progress. At 2 p.m. it is time to catch the Uff-Da Parade on main street. Please go to the Milan website for full details: milanmn.com
The Spoon Gathering
June 1, 2 & 3, 2023
Sharing the knowledge of carving spoons and related handcrafts, while creating an inclusive gathering for all.
Tickets go on sale January 15, 2023.
Please contact the school or visit milanvillageartsschool.org to register.
Join us in Milan Minnesota for 3 enjoyable days of wood spoon carving, green woodworking, demonstrations, workshops, presentations, networking, and friendship.
What started as a small gathering of passionate wood spoon carvers in St. Paul, Minnesota has grown into a vibrant festival of spoon carving, green woodworking and the decorative arts. Attracting spoon carvers from across the United States and abroad, the Spoon Gathering today offers a family friendly event catering to both novice and experienced carvers.
Apart from ample carving time, expect to experience a variety of demonstrations, workshops and presentations from some of the best in their field, including bowl carving, kuksa carving, kolrosing, chip carving, incising, tool sharpening, and of course spoon carving.
Free camping facilities are available. The Spoon Gathering is a carving weekend, so bring your spoon blanks and carving tools or just come to watch and enjoy the weekend. Blanks are available on site.
The 2023 Information Package will be available in early 2023. Please contact the school or visit our website at milanvillageartsschool.org. You can also find up-to-date information on our Facebook page. Go to www.facebook.com and search “The Spoon Gathering”.
If you would like to be added to the email list for updates and notifications, please email the school at admin@milanvillageartsschool.org.
Questions? Please contact MVAS: 320-734-4807 or admin@milanvillageartsschool.org.