A Very Lake Superior Celebration
There are so many wonderful Christmas celebrations to tout every year, but we always like to give a plug to the arrival of Santa on a Madeline Island Ferry because it's just so Lake Superior. Santa arrives at 11:50 a.m. by ferry and will hang out inside the Bayfield Pavilion until 1 p.m., taking down gift wishes and handing out a goodie bag to kids (courtesy of the the Bayfield Chamber and Visitor Bureau). Refreshments will be available.
A Frozen Rose by Any Other Name
As we navigate sub-zero temps this week on many of the Big Lake's shores, it reminded us that the National Weather Service gave new alert names in October to warn of cold weather without using the words "wind chill."
Wind Chill Watches are now Extreme Cold Watches (activated when wind chill or temperature of -30ºF is possible in the next 24 to 72 hours); Wind Chill Warnings are Extreme Cold Warnings (wind chill or temperature of -30ºF is imminent in the next 12 to 36 hours) and Wind Chill Advisories are Cold Weather Advisories (wind chill or temperature of -20ºF in the next 12 to 24 hours).
"Wind chill" will still be noted in forecasts, but it's important that people recognize the danger of cold temperatures – with or without a significant wind, according to the NWS. The new alert names accommodate that.
Meanwhile … the ice looks nice by the Minnesota shore, as Roxanne Distad shows us in the cool – cold? – photo.
Oh, and the Grand Marais/Cook County Airport record a -43°F wind chill on Thursday, WTIP's Kalli Hawkins quoted National Weather Service meteorologist Kevin Huyck. You can read and listen to Kalli's story here.
Santa's Helpers Extra Busy from Canadian Postal Strike
This holiday season, Ryden’s Border Store in Grand Portage has become more important with the Canadian postal strike extending into its fourth week. That’s particularly true given the U.S. Postal Service announcement that it will no longer accept mail to Canada until the strike is over.
Today the Canadian Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said he would be sending the dispute between Canada Post and the Canadian Union of Postal Workers to the Canada Industrial Relations Board, according to a story by Peter Zimonjic of CBC News. You can see that story here.
FedEx and United Parcel Service continue cross-border deliveries. Ryden’s, though, often receives packages from all of those services because it remains less expensive to send from a U.S. address to a U.S. address – cheaper even if Canadians drive from Thunder Bay to fetch them in Grand Portage. "“We’ve noticed a slight uptick,” Ryden’s co-owner Lori “Sam” Boomer said about their parcel service business last week for BusinessNorth. “Not a lot yet, but it was just Cyber Monday. We’ll see how it goes after that.” You can find that story here.
Bob Berg did a story for Lake Superior Magazine in 2017 for the store's 70th anniversary. Read "Wayside Stop at Ryden’s, A 70-year-old Pullover on Your Way to (& from) Canada" here.
What about those Geminids?
Not every event this season is organized by local residents. The annual Geminids Meteor Shower will peak tonight and tomorrow night, but should be visible through Christmas Eve (nice timing, that).
"The Geminids, which will peak on the night between Dec. 13-14 in 2024, is considered to be one of the best and most reliable annual meteor showers," according to NASA. It also posted a bit of history on its Geminids page: "The debris causing the Geminids originated from an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon. After astronomers discovered Phaethon in 1983, they realized the asteroid’s orbit matched that of the Geminid meteors. This pointed to Phaethon as the source of the annual meteor shower. Even though most meteor showers originate from comets, Phaethon was classified as a near Earth asteroid and not a comet." Read the full story here.
Space.com names late evening and early morning (think 2 a.m.) for best viewing. "Under optimal conditions, the Geminids can produce up to 120 meteors per hour, but this year's near full moon will likely wash out fainter meteors, reducing visibility. Still, if you have clear skies, it's worth braving the chill for a glimpse of this celestial treat." See the full story by Daisy Dobrijevic here.
The photo here was in December 2023 when photographer Michelle Lutke was looking up at the Upper Peninsula sky. "This one also has some of the milky way in it," Michelle says of this photo. "We saw about 10 meteors from the Geminid meteor shower shoot across the sky while we took pictures of the Northern Lights at Lake Superior. The best part...not a soul in sight. Just the three of us taking in this magical universe."
You may see other souls out there if you brave the chill tonight for a view – but they will no doubt be bundled to the max and hard to recognize.
A Display of Sisterly Connections
Duluth has two exhibits currently that celebrate artist Anne Labovitz, bringing her work back home. (And this is the perfect time of year to visit art indoors.)
The Holiday Center in downtown this summer opened Anne's "North Shore Blue" in the atrium. The photo, taken by Anne, shows "North Shore Blue – Horizons" transferred to vinyl while the other photo shows "North Shore Blue – Waves" on painted Tyvek. You can read descriptions of Anne's work here.
"Anne Labovitz has spent the last two years planning and creating this art installation that includes a suspended sculpture, and long, gracefully looping across and semi-transparent murals that will encompass the atrium's windows that face Superior Street," Ken Hayes wrote for B105 at the time of the Holiday Center opening. He quoted Anne, “In the past I’ve focused outward, capturing and expressing the voices and impressions of others. However, Duluth is where I grew up, where I still have close ties, and it evokes a myriad of emotions that I wanted to reflect on, celebrate and share with those that know it best.” You can find Ken's story and video interview here.
More recently, Duluth Sister Cities and the DECC put up the Brooks Anderson Peace Walk exhibit and the artwork from Anne's "122 Conversations, Person to Person, Art Beyond Borders" connected to the Sister Cities program. "The exhibit is part of the DECC’s initiative to create spaces that invite locals and visitors to learn about Duluth’s impact and culture. The partnership with Duluth Sister Cities is the first project of its kind," the DECC said in announcing the exhibit, which will continue through next year. The exhibit features a wall map of points along the "Peace Walk" in Duluth. The Labovitz portion of the exhibit "was organized by the Tweed Museum of Art and in collaboration with Duluth Sister Cities, International and University of Minnesota Duluth, School of Fine Arts. According to the artist's site, "the project celebrates the combined 122 years of relationship with Duluth’s five sister Cities: Rania, Iraqi Kurdistan, Växjö, Sweden, Petrozavodsk, Russia, Thunder Bay, Canada and Ohara Isumi-City, Japan. The project is a catalyst for positive social change, one individual at a time."
Make Plans: Here are a few events coming up soon to put on a fun-do list:
Michigan
Saturday, Dec. 14: Negaunee transforms into Tinseltown for a day, with hayrides, a Christmas Craft Show, wine tasting, a tunnel of lights, s'mores, mini horse rides, a Gingerbread Village and parade and tree lighting to boot. Find all the activities online.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 14-15: Enjoy an evening performance at 7 p.m. Saturday or a matinee at 2 p.m. Sunday with the Marquette Symphony Orchestra in the Kaufman Auditorium for its Sounds of the Holidays concert.
Saturday, Dec. 14: Copper Country Community Arts Center hosts its 48th annual Poor Artists Sale at the CLK Gym in Calumet, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Come out and support local art!
Saturday, Dec. 14: Enjoy the Winter Wonderfest & Park Lighting at Mariner Resort in Copper Harbor, noon-5:30 p.m. Features a Holiday Marketplace, ornament making for kids and ending with a tree lighting at 6 p.m. in Town Park followed by fireworks.
Sunday, Dec. 15: Join the Moonlit Snowshoe Hike at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge in Copper Harbor starting at 7 p.m. The interpretive snowshoe hike around the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge property is offered by the Outdoor Activities Center staff – and you might see some of those Geminid meteors shooting by.
Minnesota
Saturday, Dec. 14: Wear off some of that holiday stress at the Bad Fashion Ski Party on Spirit Mountain in Duluth. "This event is open to anyone that loves old gear, bad fashion and live music. There will be demos from Continental Ski and bike," say organizers. Parking lot meet-up at 8 a.m.; music starts at 4 p.m.
Thru Saturday, Dec. 14: The Dark Sky Festival continues in Cook County with events, author talks and night hikes. Catch that Geminid action in the sky.
Saturday, Dec. 14: Hang out with the big guy for Christmas Brunch with Santa at The Tipsy Mosquito in Two Harbors, 9 a.m.-noon, with Santa, eggs and music.
Wisconsin
Tonight-Sunday, Dec. 13-15: Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua's Blue Canvas Orchestra "raises the joy meter to 11 with the annual holiday show featuring Ed Willett, Molly Otis, Tom Mitchell, Billy Knoblauch, Danielle Diamond and Nate Bean. Tap the holiday cheer at The Backstage in Bayfield.
Tonight-Saturday, Dec. 13-14: Wild Rice Retreat in Bayfield offers an Enchanted Village and Artist Market tonight until 7 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 14-15: Cornucopia's Christmas Market opens 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday with a host of vendors with local gifts. The market is hosted at Lost Creek Adventures, which has its own specials for those days.
Wednesday, Dec. 18: Wrap up your final Christmas shopping in Washburn at the annual Shop Local Shop Late night until 8 p.m.. "As if having the awesome businesses in Washburn open late wasn’t enough, this year we will be bringing back the Shop Local Shop Late Holiday Market," organizers note. There is a downloadable gift guide online plus you can use your Washburn Chamber Bay Bucks.
Ontario
Saturday, Dec. 14: It's like a Christmas wish fulfilled early in Thunder Bay! Have Breakfast with Santa and dine on the Hoito Restaurant's Finnish pancakes. Bring your own camera to take selfies with Santa. It all takes place at the Thunder Bay Country Market, 8-10 a.m.
Saturday, Dec. 14: Aboriginal Artworks Group Of Northern Ontario hosts the province's "Largest Indigenous Christmas Market" in the CLE Colosseum Building, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., in Thunder Bay.
Tonight thru Dec. 21: Two productions in Thunder Bay celebrate the holidays starting this weekend. Magnus Theatre offers "Elf – The Musical" with performances through Dec. 21. The Community Auditorium tonight and Saturday hosts "Thunder Bay's Community Nutcracker," marking "the first fully local presentation of the Tchaikovsky ballet in nearly 30 years."
Sunday, Dec. 15: Spend "Christmas with NAA" (the Northern Arts Academy) at Central United Church in Sault Ste. Marie for a lovely afternoon of music making, starting at 2 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 15: This year's Sounds of the Seasons by the Sault Symphony Orchestra features Tchaikovsky’s first symphony, called Winter Daydreams. The concert begins 2 p.m. at The Machine Shop in Sault Ste. Marie.
Notable Date: On Monday (Dec. 16), the MacArthur Lock will close for the season, leaving only the Poe Lock to continue until the usual Jan.15 legislated end of the Soo Lock season. "“The 800-foot-long MacArthur Lock, built in 1943, is now 81 years old; this maintenance period is critical to keeping the lock in operation during the shipping season,” Maintenance Branch Chief Nicholas Pettit says in a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers release. See the full news release here.
Photo & graphic credits in order of appearance: Bayfield Chamber & Visitor Bureau; National Weather Service; Roxanne Distad; Ryden's Border Store; Michelle Lutke; Anne Labovitz; DECC; Spotlight, from left, City of Negaunee/Spirit Mountain /Lost Creek Adventures/Thunder Bay Country Market