The 13th annual Wooden Boat Show at North House Folk School in Grand Marais brought out large crowds Friday – Sunday, June 18 – 20. There were many families enjoying the masterfully crafted wooden boats on display.
It’s hard to count the number of visitors to the North House Folk School campus during the Wooden Boat Show and Summer Solstice Pageant because people come and go—they come to look at the beautiful wooden boats on display. They come to visit with crafters displaying their wares or to take part in a workshop. They come to sail on the Folk School’s Schooner Hjordis. They come to enjoy a harborside barbecue and games. They come to compete with friends and neighbors in the live and silent auctions. Theycome to enjoy chowder and to dance and so much more!
North House Program Director Scott Pollock said he didn’t want to try to provide an attendance estimate, but he said the crowds were larger at every event this year.
In the Lake Superior Chowder Experience, an estimated 250 bowls of chowder were served, thanks to local restaurants. The chowders ranged from a hearty traditional clam chowder to an ever-so-interesting corn chowder with crispy pig ears. Pollock expressed appreciation to all the restaurants that took part. 9762. W
Proceeds from the event allow North House to offer tuition discounts on a regular basis (such as the Cook County local discount, financial needs scholarships, and the Earn & Learn Program).
Above: Beautifully crafted boats of all colors and sizes were on display throughout the weekend.
And attendance was up despite the persistent rain, which thankfully, Pollock said did not keep people away. There were plenty of umbrellas up throughout the weekend. “The sun seemed to break through just when we really needed it,” he said.
The Friday night barbecue, hosted by the Grand Marais Lions Club, with proceeds benefiting the Cook County Historical Society was a great success, with everyone enjoying having WTIP Radio on hand.
There was also excellent attendance at the various workshops and presentations, with standing room only for keynote speaker Bob O’Hara, who shared canoeing tips that he learned in his 52 years of paddling.
Left: Heidi Doo-Kirk and Tyler Howell were the rainsoaked auctioneers. They got some great prices on some items, but these handcrafted brick ovens did not have any takers. Perhaps the fact that they weigh two tons may have had something to do with it?
Another very popular part of the Wooden Boat Show weekend was the one-hour sails aboard the Hjordis.
Pollock said a lot of families took the chance to sail on the dark-sailed vessel. “It was more affordable and less of a commitment for folks with children,” said Pollock.
The weather put a bit of a damper on the live Boats-to- Tools auction on Saturday, said Pollock, but the silent auction was a terrific Folk School fundraiser. Two very large items did not sell—wood-fired bread ovens crafted by Folk School students. Anyone interested in purchasing a brick oven is encouraged to contact Pollock at the Folk School at (218) 387-
Far left: Former North House Folk School intern Mike Ulen returned for this year’s event and enjoyed a bowl of chowder at the Lake Superior Chowder Experience.
Left: Wood carver Tom Dengler quietly practiced his craft during the weekend, creating tiny vessels, utensils, book ends, vases and even a wooden replica of a Coca- Cola bottle. Dengler said he loves to carve “stuff.”
The rain abated on Saturday, June 19, to allow the Good Harbor Hill Players to present the traditional Summer Solstice Pageant at the North House Folk School Wooden Boat Show in Grand Marais. The theme this year was the U.S. Census with everything Northland being counted! It seems as though the dreaded ticks have been increasing—is that so? The Solstice Pagent census taker wanted to know, although counting ticks (even cute ones like these) is a hard job.
Above left: Artists painting on The Point are prolific as well so they had to be counted too. After being counted, the Solstice Pageant artists showed off their masterpieces. Above right: Uncle Sam, a boating, brief-case carrying census taker, worked to get an accurate count of Northland people and critters.
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