What We’re Loving right now

A LITTLE LIST OF WHAT WE THINK IS AWESOME IN THE DRIFTLESS REGION THIS SUMMER...

(Cont. from previous page) This year’s festival also features a very special unveiling of a project in cooperation Elkader’s Abdelkader Education Project and IAmYourProtector.org.

“Every year there is something new to get excited about at Art in the Park,” says Festival Cco-director Jillian Herrmann. “This year, we’re thrilled to showcase an interactive sculpture project during the festival that explores the intersection of storytelling, art, and activism. The life-size statue of Abdelkader, Elkader’s namesake, was created by Joe Reginella, dubbed the ‘Banksy of Monuments’ and just arrived in Elkader from New York.”

Plan ahead to take advantage of all the festival offerings by booking a local camping or lodging opportunity – make a weekend of it in beautiful Clayton County.

Find all the details at artintheparkelkader.com

PULPIT 2 PULPIT JULY 4TH 5K!

Start your Independence Day off right with the Pulpit to Pulpit 5K and 1-Mile fun run in Decorah. While the route won’t take you all the way to Preikestolen in Norway, the run starts near Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. on College Drive and will take you by Will Baker Park and Decorah’s Pulpit Rock, then back to Pulpit Rock Brewing.

Pulpit to Pulpit is both family and dog friendly. The 5K is a timed event while the 1-mile is untimed. Since its inception, the event has raised thousands of dollars for local organizations and nonprofits. The 2023 Pulpit to Pulpit will support two fantastic local organizations: Decorah Community Free Clinic and Friends of Decorah Public Library.

Advance registration includes a t-shirt, with packet pickup at Pulpit Rock Brewing Co. Monday July 3 from 5-8 pm, or the morning of the race, beginning at 7 am. The race starts at 8 am. More details and registration: runsignup.com/Race/IA/Decorah/PulpitToPulpit

GRANNY BALLERS NATIONAL TOURNAMENT!

The 2023 National Granny Basketball Tournament will take place July 14-16 at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. And before you say, “What?” – you’d better get out of the way of these amazing teams of ballers from across the Midwest, ‘cause these women are rad. The 2023 event is co-hosted by the LC Decorah Troll

Trotters team, with a total of 20 teams participating: 10 in the Championship division and 10 in the new “Off Our Rockers” division.

The first National Granny Basketball Tournament was held June 21, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Participating teams were the Golden Oldies, Abe’s Babes, NY Knickers, and Wanamingo Bulldogs. The teams played preliminary rounds at a local church, then the two highest-scoring teams earned the coveted spots in the championship game, which was played at the Target Center, right before a Minnesota Lynx women’s professional basketball game. The NY Knickers defeated Abe’s Babes 39-32 to become the very first national Granny Basketball championship team.

Since 2008, the organization has continued to grow, hosting an annual tournament and raising funds for local and regional charities. The selected charity for the Decorah tournament is the Raptor Resource Project. This nonprofit works to ensure the health and vitality of bird of prey populations, including the preservation of falcons, eagles, ospreys, hawks, and owls. For more details about the tournament, viewing, and registration visit: www.grannybasketball. com/national-tournament

Sognefjordlag Stemne

Many folks living in the Driftless have ancestors who came from several valleys along the Sognefjord in Norway. There are groups that study these ancestors, and get together to share their heritage and research. “‘Lag’ groups study genealogy and customs from the various valleys of Norway,” says Lucy Ghastin, president of the Norwegian Bygdelag –Sognefjordlag. “Every year our group has an annual meeting; we go to various Midwest locations.”

This year, August 17-19, 2023, the Annual Meeting of the Sognefjordlag Stemne will be held in Spring Grove, Minnesota, at the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center (507-498-5070). All are welcome to attend events.

Some activities include:

Thursday, August 17: Socialize and register in the morning (or explore Spring Grove shops). Official programming begins at 1 pm.

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