For 11 years now, Nashville songwriter Jon Vezner has been spearheading a phenomenal weekend of music at the North House Folk School campus in Grand Marais. What started as a simple thank you gesture from Vezner for the wonderful North Shore welcome he received just when he needed it most has grown to a tradition for hundreds of people—from the North Shore and far beyond. This year’s event is September 13 – 16. Music of the Northern Harvest
Unplugged: The Northern Harvest has grown to three nights of music, still offering Unplugged on Saturday with Vezner and friends inviting the audience to a Nashville style musicians showcase. For the second year, the event includes two nights of music with NPR’s Mountain Stage with Larry Groce.
The Thursday night Mountain Stage show, featuring Trampled by Turtles, LOW, Rhett Miller, Barbara Jean, and Minnesota feat Peter Himmelman, sold out as soon as the lineup was announced.
Fortunately, there are tickets available for the Friday, September 14 Mountain Stage 7 p.m. performance which features Chris Hillman, Herb Pedersen, Jonathan Edwards, Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, Gretchen Peters and Chip Taylor.
The Saturday, September 15 show at 7:30 p.m. is the Unplugged Songwriter’s Performance with Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore, Jonathan Edwards and of course, Jon Vezner and special guests.
Get your tickets for either the Friday night Mountain Stage or the Saturday night Unplugged performance by visiting the waterfront North House campus or by visiting the website www.northhouse.org and click on “UP XI Tix on Sale Now.” Open campus tradition continues
Northern Harvest includes the usual courses at North House Folk School as well as several Unplugged mini courses and many craft demonstrations open to the public. For 2012, the Unplugged guest instructor is Norman Kennedy. North House describes Kennedy as “a Scottish-born singer, master storyteller, weaver and spinner extraordinaire.”
Kennedy is a National Heritage Fellow and a “keeper of the old ways” who will demonstrate the ancient process of waulking with a group of local fiber artists. Waulking is the practice of a beating a newly woven piece of cloth rhythmically against a hard surface in order to “pre-shrink” the tweed. Traditionally, simple beatdriven songs accompany the work, beginning slowly and increasing in tempo as the cloth becomes softer. Once a common practice in Scotland and across the world, the waulking songs are now known only by a few. This session is free and open to the public. Northern Harvest organizers encourage everyone to come hear the stories and songs and share in a community craft on Saturday, September 15. A new twist
Since the first Unplugged event, there have been amazing opportunities to bid on silent auction items donated by generous community members. The only problem was guests had to be in attendance at Unplugged: Northern Harvest. A decidedly different twist this year is the opportunity to bid on amazing auction items—online!
Visit www.biddingforgood.com/northhouse and enjoy a panoramic virtual tour of Cook County and all its shopping, dining, entertainment opportunities. It’s easy and it’s fun. Check out before the bidding ends at 10 p.m. on Sunday, September 16!
It’s all for a good cause. The proceeds of the Unplugged concert and the online and on-campus auctions go toward North House Folk School’s endowment fund and to fund campus improvements.
More information ont the weekend’s events can be found at www northhouse.org.
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