SUMMER FUN - OTHER

Brainerd family builds a place where nostalgia never grows old

Theresa Bourke — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:08:44 GMT

BRAINERD, Minn. — Siblings Al Rademacher and Lois Moon never planned on owning an amusement park.

But now it’s their full-time job.

When Rademacher heard Paul Bunyan Land was for sale in 2003, he spoke with then-owner Don McFarland about purchasing a train on the property and a building for his dad’s pioneer village.

What he came away with was an entire amusement park.

“When I walked out of there that day, it was like I pretty much bought the whole thing,” Rademacher said.

And then he roped his sister in with him.

“It happened so quick, honestly,” Moon said.

In what felt like the blink of an eye, the siblings were co-owners of Paul Bunyan Land, a well-known amusement park then located in Baxter, where Kohl’s department store now stands. They didn’t quite know what they were getting into, but they did it anyway.

“I always quote my dad saying we were never told that we can’t do something,” Moon said. “Our first question is always, ‘How are we going to do it?’”

When McFarland decided to sell Paul Bunyan Land, all the various pieces were set to go in different directions, including the iconic Paul Bunyan statue and his trusty blue ox, Babe.

“Part of it was saving it for the area,” Moon said. “Literally, Paul was going somewhere, Babe was going somewhere, the rides were getting split up. And that was very close to happening.”

The 26-foot-tall animatronic Paul Bunyan has welcomed generations to the Brainerd lakes area. It’s a summer tradition, watching those mouths fall open with shock and squeals of delight — or occasionally dismay — when the low voice of that giant lumberjack greets kids by name.

He said my name, and I was never scared. I was just stunned, how he knew it.

Instead of seeing Paul and his various amusement park amenities split up and shipped out all over the place, Rademacher and Moon moved everything to their family’s property east of Brainerd on County Road 18, merging it with This Old Farm. Thus began Chapter 2 in the park’s history. Paul and the amusement side of the business date back to 1950, but for the past 20 years, visitors have been able to glimpse items much, much older.

This Old Farm Pioneer Village

A separate venture started by their father, Dick Rademacher, This Old Farm is an assortment of old buildings, combined with Dick’s penchant for collecting. Today, it’s known as the Pioneer Village at Paul Bunyan Land and boasts 40 old-fashioned buildings housing Dick’s vast amount of collectibles. Locales include a post office, school house, newspaper office, saloon, sawmill and a church where family weddings have taken place. Paul’s Petting Barn attracts the animal-lovers, with goats, ducks, chickens and other animals to feed and pet.

There’s even a few standout buildings, including the depot from 1994 Disney movie “Iron Will,” along with the oldest homestead in Brainerd, that used to stand where the Brainerd Family YMCA now sits.

The original barn and farmhouse sit on the property, too, and future plans include revamping the barn into a space to host dances or other events.

More buildings are added to the Pioneer Village every year to accommodate the growing collection of items.

A walk through the village will transport visitors through time and space, as they see what it might have been like to sit in a doctor’s office, drink at the saloon, deposit their money or attend class in a one-room schoolhouse as their ancestors did centuries ago.

Rad’s Groceries — Lunches — Confectionary still stands in the original building and with the original sign as when Ralph and Minnie Rademacher ran it as a business in the 1930s near where The Harbor on Crescent Bay sits today off South Long Lake. After learning the building was going to be torn down, Rademacher and Moon arranged for it to be moved to their Pioneer Village, not wanting to part with a precious piece of their grandparents. The building doubled as the family house for a long time, and they recall stories of their dad as a young entrepreneur, biking around the nearby lake to collect and swell worms.

“It would have meant nothing to anybody else,” Moon said of the building. “But to us it meant a lot.”

Old-fashioned porcelain dolls, train sets, ships, buggies and so many, many more antique collectibles draw the eye in the various buildings. Historic Brainerd artifacts line the shelves, too, including paraphernalia from the old Paramount Theatre.

“Sometimes it’s not the age of something, but it’s the uniqueness,” Moon said.

A shed stands full of classic cars, including the Model A bought decades ago by Dick Rademacher and his father, Ralph. There’s a golf cart that belonged to Muriel Humphrey, wife of Minnesota Sen. and former Vice President Hubert Humphrey. And in the same automotive vein, old gas pumps line one of the buildings, advertising gas prices at mere pennies per gallon.

A lot has changed since the times that are preserved in the Pioneer Village, and so much about Paul Bunyan Land itself is different, too.

But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed. The park’s namesake remains the focal point.

The man, the myth, the legend

After serving as the main attraction at the Chicago Railroad Fair in 1948 and 1949, the giant Paul Bunyan was purchased by two Brainerd businessmen and moved to the original location of Paul Bunyan Land — at the intersection of highways 371 and 210 in Baxter. He began attracting visitors to the amusement park in 1950 and still takes that job seriously today, nearly 75 years later.

With a voice as big as Paul’s comes equally big responsibility.

No one knows that better than Hans and Virgil, the current voices of Paul.

“Voicing a character such as Paul and being able to entertain the public is quite the honor,” Virgil said during a phone interview.

Opting only to be referred to by their first names, the duo trade off giving the giant lumberjack that iconic booming voice. Those who listen closely will hear a slight Canadian accent, eh? That’s done on purpose to pay homage to Paul’s Franco-American ancestry.

“Paul Bunyan was an amalgamism of two Canadian lumberjacks,” Hans explained. “And I believe that tales of Paul Bunyan started in the French-Canadian logging camps.”

Today the legend has grown to one of giant proportions — pun intended — making Paul Bunyan the Mickey Mouse of the North, a summertime Santa, watching closely to see if kids are naughty or nice. It’s another big job that comes with the voice.

“I love entertaining the public and being a teacher to children, reminding them that obedient children are rewarded,” Hans said. “And that’s why Santa Claus rewards nice children with Christmas presents, or Babe the Blue Ox gets a sugar lump when he’s nice.” Perhaps most importantly, Hans likes to remind kids that “mother knows best.”

“All mothers like that one,” he said.

When Paul isn’t welcoming kids to the park or reminding them to be on their best behavior, he’s likely doing one of his all-time favorite things — singing.

“Paul is not only the world’s largest talking animated man, he loves to sing as well,” Hans said. “I have sung many children’s songs, including his favorite, ‘Pop Goes the Weasel.’”

And if a child ever calls Paul “creepy,” which happens from time to time, he’ll have a little fun by singing the theme song from “The Addams Family.”

Hans began talking and singing as Paul nine years ago and boasts over 4,000 hours of experience.

He recalls running into Paul himself as a youngster, after his family moved up to the lakes area from the Twin Cities in 1981.

“He said my name, and I was never scared. I was just stunned, how he knew it,” Hans said.

He went back to visit Paul on several occasions and was even present in Baxter on closing day in 2003, standing next to Don McFarland when the first chapter of Paul Bunyan Land closed.

Then in 2015, Hans traipsed over to Paul Bunyan Land with his dad, hoping to find work mowing the grass at the amusement park.

But in a twist of fate, there was only one job open — the voice of Paul.

“I rubbed my chin and said, ‘Hmm, maybe I could do that,’” Hans said. “And Lois looked at me, and her jaw dropped. She pointed and said, ‘Perfect.’”

It wasn’t planned, but it was clearly meant to be, with Hans now serving as the longest voice of Paul at the current amusement park location.

Virgil vaguely remembers Paul at the first amusement park location, being about 3 or 4 years old when everything was in Baxter.

“I was just a little shy, but I remember I pretty much warmed up to him pretty quickly and everything,” Virgil said. “... It was one of the things that helped me get acquainted with Paul Bunyan as a whole.”

He started working at Paul Bunyan Land as a ride operator in 2016. When he showed an interest in voicing Paul, he learned the job was already covered.

It just wasn’t meant to be — yet.

Partway through the 2018 season, though, a second voice for Paul was wanted.

“And the first guy that came to my mind was my buddy Virgil,” Hans said.

Hans trained Virgil in the art of voicing Paul. And it helped that the two already had similar-sounding voices.

Moon said she even struggles to tell the difference sometimes when listening to Paul.

Virgil officially started in 2019, taking the morning shift for Paul, while Hans fills in the afternoon.

Now, the two voices are best friends, able to bounce ideas off one another when needed.

And they never forget the other friend who made all of it possible.

Dick Rademacher died in April 2024, but his legacy lives on in the 160 acres of farmland he gave for Paul Bunyan Land and This Old Farm Pioneer Village.

“We must always remember that, thanks to Dick giving his family some land for Paul Bunyan Land to be built on, Paul and Babe could stay in the Brainerd area, where they remain to this day,” Hans said, reiterating the speech he gave at Dick’s funeral.

“Without Dick, there wouldn’t be a Paul Bunyan Land,” he added. “And we wouldn’t have a job voicing Paul.”

And so many people wouldn’t have the memories they do.

A family affair

It’s not only the visitors who come back to the park year after year with their families, though. It’s the employees, too.

Jackie Larson has done just about every job available at Paul Bunyan Land over the past nine years, from retail to rides to cook to park manager. Now she works on the marketing side of the business in the summer while she’s not teaching. Her dad brought her to the park as a kid after he, himself, had worked there in his teenage years. She eventually found the same enjoyment in that kind of employment.

“I love working for the Rademacher family,” Larson said. “They really do make this a full family operation with their employees and with their guests. … I just like getting to help make those memories, seeing the smiles on those kids’ faces.”

And perhaps Larson’s own daughter will follow in her mom and grandpa’s footsteps, finding a job at Paul Bunyan Land when she’s old enough.

Park Manager Wendy Kasper doesn’t have to wait to share the experience with the younger generations in her family. She and her two granddaughters came to the park together looking for work, and all three of them love it.

Kasper recalls working for the old park back when it was in Baxter, too, and now continues her family’s tradition at the Brainerd location.

“It’s amazing that it’s still up and running,” she said.

And that’s thanks to Rademacher and Moon and all the work they’ve put into the business over the past 21 years.

Paul Bunyan Land reopened in Brainerd Memorial Day weekend in 2004, not missing a single season when changing ownership. At that time, Moon and Rademacher both already had full-time jobs. Moon was a teacher’s aide, and Rademacher worked at Shannon’s Auto Body. Up until about six years ago, Rademacher still worked elsewhere in the winter, but now it’s hard to even do that with their commitment to Paul Bunyan Land. There are rides to rebuild and maintenance projects to keep up with.

“We are not the owners that spend six months down south,” Moon said. “... That’s when we do our maintenance. We are over here painting a building or building this or making that. We do it ourselves.”

It’s something they have to live and breathe in order to keep succeeding.

“It has to be your passion,” Moon said. “We just never stopped.”

And they don’t have plans to do so anytime soon.

They’ve updated the concessions area, added a 32-site campground in 2019, and, of course, there are the fall festivities. While the Paul Bunyan Land amusement park and Pioneer Village are open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day another big event takes place in October. Things turn dark the last three Fridays and Saturdays of the month, and Hidden Hollows emerges.

A haunted house and corn maze emerge on the property, scaring all the daring visitors since 1998. Planning for the holiday is a year-round task, as they look to up their game every year with new scary attractions.

“People come, and they have high expectations for us,” Moon said.

But those expectations don’t stop in the summer either. While it might be a different crowd looking for some good, family fun instead of a spine-chilling scare, the expectations are still there for a top-notch experience that keeps them coming back year after year.

“It’s the memories that they create that day,” Moon said. “If grandma and grandpa, mom and dad are with them, it’s a memory day.”

For Rademacher, it’s the place’s already well-known and long-established history that keeps it going today.

“Generations of people knowing what’s here, generations of people talking to Paul,” he said.

And generations of Paul talking back.

As Hans puts it: “With a big voice, comes big responsibility.”

For more photos, click on the gallery below.

Paul Bunyan Land

Paul Bunyan Land Co-owner Al Rademacher shows a golf cart that once belonged to Muriel Humphrey, wife of former Sen. and Vice President Hubert Humphrey, on Monday, July 8, 2024.

Al Rademacher, co-owner of Paul Bunyan Land, talks about his family's history with the business on Monday, July 8, 2024.

A family takes a break from the attractions at Paul Bunyan Land to pose for a photo on Monday, July 8, 2024.

A spooky figure walks along a path through “the swamp” Saturday, a section of Hidden Hollows at Paul Bunyan Land that leads to the haunted corn maze.

Paul Bunyan's footprints are still visible Wednesday, July 31, 2024, at the Kohl's parking lot in Baxter.

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at theresa.bourke@brainerddispatch.com or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.

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Bagley Public Library to host Headwaters Science Center

Pioneer Staff Report — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 16:00:00 GMT

BAGLEY — The Bagley Public Library is teaming up with the Headwaters Science Center to present "Animal Menagerie" from 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, July 9, at 79 Spencer Ave. SW.

At the event, youth will learn all about animal habitats, adaptations, defenses and interesting facts, a release said.

This educational program is part of several free events for youth offered as part of Lake Agassiz Regional Library's jungle-themed Summer Reading Program.

Information about the program and summer events is available at larl.org/explore.

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Bagley Farmers Market season kicks off July 11

Pioneer Staff Report — Mon, 30 Jun 2025 16:23:45 GMT

BAGLEY — The Bagley Area Farmers Market will start up for the season on Friday, July 11, in the grassy lot next to Gali Furniture, one block south of the stoplights.

The market is open from 3 to 6 p.m. and will continue each Friday through Sept. 26, as weather permits.

Customers can find a wide variety of fresh produce, homemade canned and baked goods, maple syrup, honey, craft items and much more.

Credit, debit and EBT cards are accepted at the yellow info booth at the market. Customers can also receive $10 in Market Bucks and an additional $10 in Produce Bucks to use at the market each time they spend at least $10 on their EBT card.

There are also several vendors who accept Farmers Market Nutrition Program vouchers as part of the WIC program, which can be used on fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

The market is always looking for more vendors, anyone interested in selling at the market can contact Annie Braught at (218) 358-1990 or visit the Bagley Farmers Market Facebook page at facebook.com/bagleyfarmersmarket.

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Clearwater County History Center announces Independence Day closures

Pioneer Staff Report — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

SHEVLIN — The Clearwater County History Center will be closed on Friday, July 4 and Saturday, July 5 due to the Independence Day holiday.

The History Center's museum will resume its summer hours on Tuesday, July 8. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

After-hours group tours are available by appointment.

Admission to the history center is free with donations accepted. For more information, contact the History Center at (218) 785-2000.

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Bemidji Corvettes Show & Shine set for July 19

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 19:00:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Bemidji Corvettes is set to host its annual Show & Shine event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 19, at Dondelinger Chevrolet.

Trophies will be awarded for People's Choice and Owners' Choice cars. This year, the event is set to celebrate the C-8 Generation of Corvettes manufactured from 2020-2025.

"These are the most technologically advanced corvettes ever created with amazing power, mid-engines, and many engineering advances over previous years," a release noted.

Corvettes of every generation, 1-8, and nearly every color will be found at the event. The show is free for spectators and participants.

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Looking for something to see or do? Here are 7 'hidden gems' around Minnesota lakes country

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 10:03:00 GMT

These stories are part of "Lakes Country Treasures", a series which takes readers down the back roads of Minnesota and to some of the unique must-see gems of lakes country.

To find the story, click on the gems inside the map.

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National yo-yo master Dave Schulte to visit area libraries

Pioneer Staff Report — Tue, 24 Jun 2025 14:00:00 GMT

MCINTOSH — Lake Agassiz Regional Library will host national yo-yo master Dave Schulte at local libraries and LINK sites this summer, including locations in McIntosh, Fosston, Bagley and Gonvick.

"Dazzling" Dave Schulte is a professional yo-yo performer from Minnesota.

"He has circled the globe since 1998, storming audiences everywhere with his tornado of whirling tricks and tips, designed to entertain, educate, and illuminate the beauty of the growing sport of professional yo-yo," a release said.

The McIntosh Public Library will host Schulte at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1, at the library, 115 NW. Broadway.

The Bagley Public Library will host the program at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 2, at the library, 79 Spencer Ave. SW.

Schulte will perform at The Fosston Public Library at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, at the library, 403 N. Foss Ave.

The yo-yo tour will wrap up at the Gonvick Library LINK site at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 2, at 170 Main St.

Admission is free thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Legacy Fund, the release said.

More information and a full list of libraries Schulte will visit is available at larl.org. A full list of Lake Agassiz Regional Library summer programs can be found at larl.org/explore.

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Front Row Seat: 10 things you didn't know about North Shore landmarks

Jay Gabler — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 10:28:00 GMT

DULUTH — While Desert Southwest tourists get their kicks on Route 66, Northland travelers have been taking it down Minnesota Highway 61 for nearly a century. Before that, the North Shore route had names including Minnesota Highway 1 and the Lake Superior International Highway.

Arnold R. Alanen is the author of a new history of the North Shore, from Duluth to Grand Portage — and everything along the way. "The Scenic Route: Building Minnesota's North Shore" is available now from the University of Minnesota Press, and Alanen is making three Northland appearances to present the book.

From his home in Madison, Wisconsin, Alanen spoke with me about some of the revelations that may surprise even North Shore know-it-alls.

Chester Congdon did much more for North Shore than build Glensheen

Duluth's historic mansion is a highlight of the city's lake shore, but Chester Congdon, who built Glensheen for his family, thought even bigger. "He was one of the original sponsors," said Alanen, "of the so-called Lake Superior International Highway."

A 1910 diagram appearing in the book depicts architects' plan for a landscaped boulevard providing separate lanes for cars, carriages, horseback riders and pedestrians. Congdon favored that plan and donated much of the land that became today's Congdon Boulevard — which is attractive, if not quite as elaborately landscaped as once imagined.

New Scenic Cafe used to have 'American Graffiti' vibe

If you were a teenager in 1950s Duluth and you wanted to take advantage of your night out with the family car, where would you go? You might well cruise up the shore to Johnson's Drive-In, which offered the classic complement of mid-century hot-rod attractions: burgers, carhops, jukebox. "It was a famous and most favored teenage hangout," said Alanen.

A succession of ownership changes starting in 1972 saw the business move away from a teenage clientele in favor of North Shore tourists. The biggest changes, though, have come in the 21st century as chef/owner Scott Graden has turned the restaurant now known as the New Scenic Cafe into one of the region's top foodie destinations.

Tom's Logging Camp remnant of roadside America

While the former Johnson's Drive-In has been dramatically transformed, Tom's Logging Camp remains an example of the kind of splashy tourist attraction that used to be more common along Highway 61. Owners Lauren and Steve Weckman don't just teach visitors about the region's logging heyday, but aim to maintain the retro feel the attraction has had for decades.

Some of the changes elsewhere along the North Shore are due to developments in technology. Gone are the days of coin-operated telescope viewers. Other changes are due to bygone practices that few, least of all the local fauna, would want to revive.

"The North Shore had at least two places where they would have bears chained to a post," noted Alanen, "and daring but, maybe, foolhardy tourists would then buy some marshmallows and bring them along and feed the bruins."

Russ Kendall's used to do a lot more than sell fish

Russ Kendall's Smoke House dates back over a century, and is still famed for tasty fish. Back in its early decades, though, the business offered a range of boat charters as well as boasting a tavern and dance hall. In the 1950s, you could even go to Kendall's to watch live "grapplers," competitors akin to pro wrestlers.

The grapplers would go at it in a tiny bar. "It must have really been tight and hot, even for the North Shore, to have those sweaty guys fighting in there," mused Alanen.

Pierre the Voyageur spoke

Pierre the Voyageur is the 20-foot stalwart who stands alongside Highway 61 in Two Harbors. Also known as "Pierre the Pantsless Voyageur" due to having a much heavier clothing layer up top than down below, the statue was built in 1960 to promote the Voyageur Motel and was moved to its current home in 2011.

The voyageur is now immobile, but that wasn't always the case. Originally, Pierre's head moved — and he even spoke. "The big man talked via speaker and a worker hidden in a booth," the Lake County News-Chronicle reported in 2010. Pierre's gaze became fixed in about 1980, when the motor that rotated his head wore out.

Like Elton John, though, the voyageur is still standing. "When (a) storm of March 2017 came in and blew off its paddle and one arm, they made repairs," said Alanen. "Pierre is there still to greet motorists when they travel along the expressway."

Two Harbors Lighthouse oldest still functioning in Minnesota

Having never been to the Two Harbors shoreline at night, I didn't even realize the Lighthouse Bed & Breakfast remains a working light station. "They don't need a lightkeeper anymore because everything is so automated," explained Alanen.

The light station has been active since 1892 — almost two decades before Split Rock Lighthouse became operational. It was electrified in 1921 and automated in 1981. Since 2001, the Lake County Historical Society has operated the light as a "private aid to navigation," according to the society's website.

Silver Creek cliff used to be deadman's curve

The Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel was completed in 1994 to promise safe passage along what was once a seriously sketchy stretch of highway.

In the 1920s, some 60,000 tons of rock were dynamited to create a cliffside stretch of Minnesota Highway 1, which sported on its Lake Superior side a 125-foot drop that was so sheer, it was said you could toss a cigarette butt right into the water from your passing car.

"Now," said Alanen, "people go by and they don't even realize what a challenge it used to be to drive there, especially on snowy nights or when it was very dark and foggy." Incidents on the road included a fatal crash in 1957, when a car broke through the guardrail and landed in the lake.

Now, the Gitchi-Gami State Trail allows hikers to follow the former highway right of way — at a much slower speed.

Silver Bay has taconite baptismal font

There is no more hardcore way for a Northland Catholic baby to enter the community of believers than to be baptized at a font made of taconite. At St. Mary's Catholic Church in Silver Bay, 5 tons of Babbitt ore were turned into a church altar and baptismal font in 1958. "That is really quite a fascinating feature," said Alanen.

Space-age Tofte roof approved by undergrad

Maureen Olson was a University of Minnesota Duluth math major in the early 1960s when her dad and uncle decided to build a motel office in the Googie style that was then trendy. Contractors Kenneth (Maureen's father) and Dale Olson had previously built the hyperbolic paraboloid roof for Zoar Lutheran Church, and decided to put their skills to the test by building another parabolic roof.

"They certainly had to work with the architect on the church, but built this one very much on their own," explained Alanen. Asked to review and approve the design, Maureen signed off — and obviously knew her stuff. The Tofte building is still standing to this day, home to Superior Massage Therapists.

"It's a tribute to her, too," said Alanen.

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50th annual Hangfires' Blackpowder Rendezvous set for June 13-15 in Bemidji

Pioneer Staff Report — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 14:36:39 GMT

BEMIDJI — Opportunities to time travel don’t come along every day, but the Hangfires' Blackpowder Club of Bemidji has been taking people back to the 1700s and early 1800s each summer for 50 years.

The weekend of June 13-15, the club is hosting their 50th Annual Rendezvous just south of Bemidji.

"Modern rendezvous were started decades ago by gun clubs holding black powder events," Frank Bera, president of the local club, said in a release.

Activities and competitions at the rendezvous are authentic to the pre-1840s time period.

At the weekend-long event, participants live on the site in self-constructed rudimentary shelters — A-frames, pole tents, wall tents with canvas tarps — and sleep on the ground or on a cot.

They prepare food in cooking pits or braziers with coals, dress in period clothing and participate in events and demonstrations.

Competitions are authentic to the time period: shooting contests, hawk knife, flu fl, primitive archery, kids’ games and women’s contests.

Craftspersons, artisans and traders set up marquees or lay down blankets and sell their wares. Three water spigots and ten pit toilets on the property provide "modern" conveniences.

Registration starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, June 13, and continues from 8 to 10 a.m. on Saturday.

The Rendezvous participation fee is $25. Registration is by campsite, rather than by individuals. Each campsite might have one or two people or an entire family.

Participants must be registered to compete and camp onsite, but day visitors are welcome to observe at no charge.

The rendezvous site is on Keith Johnson’s property south of Bemidji. Attendees should head toward 9179 Beltrami Line Road and then watch for signs, the release said.

For more information and to view the event brochure, visit the Hangfires Blackpowder Club Facebook page.

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Watermark Art Center presents 'Into the Woods' StorySLAM

Pioneer Staff Report — Sat, 07 Jun 2025 20:10:00 GMT

BEMIDJI — Watermark Art Center's Spoken Word Series presents "Into the Woods" as the theme for the June 14 StorySLAM to be held at Lake Bemidji State Park, 3401 State Park Road NE.

Music by Antonio Arce starts at 6 p.m. with story performances beginning at 7 p.m.

Watermark StorySLAM events feature true personal stories, shared live from memory, in a friendly competition where anyone with a tale to tell is invited to take the stage, a release said. Performers are encouraged to consider the theme of each event when crafting their story.

Performers should keep story content and language appropriate for all audience members, explained the release.

All ages are welcome to attend or perform at this event, but it is best enjoyed by ages 12 and older. The StorySLAM will take place in the amphitheater between the Visitor Center and the lake.

StorySLAM events are free to attend and perform at, and cash prizes will be awarded to the top three performers. Storytellers are strongly encouraged to pre-register by calling Watermark at (218) 444-7570. Limited same-day sign-ups may be available starting at 6:30 p.m. but are not guaranteed.

For SLAM rules and class information, visit watermarkartcenter.org.

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