’50s Dance Party…in Downtown Northfield

February 2nd, 2012 by Ross Currier

Winter may be on its way out…but we’ve still got a number of weeks of days with late sunrises and early sunsets.  Shake off the gloom…and shake your tailfeathers…to the music of such American greats as Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “the Big Bopper” Richardson, provided by local greats Terry Van DeWalker, Scott Skaja, Allison Rae, Jacob Hendrickson, C. J. Alt, Ross Willits, and Ray Barnard…Friday night at the Cow.

Friday, February 3rd: New Moon Trio, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; One Act Plays, 7:00 to 10:00 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium; Winter (’50s) Dance Party, 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Ben Aaron, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and Karaoke, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein. Read the rest of this entry »

Public Input Gathering Session on Gateway Corridor Areas Enhancement Project

January 26th, 2012 by Ross Currier

The City of Northfield and Streetscape Task Force will host a Public Open House and Input Gathering Session on Monday, January 30th, 5 to 7 p.m., in the Riverview Conference Room of the Archer House, 212 Division Street.

This is the second in a series of three open house events for the public. The first session focused on the seven Gateway Corridor Areas identified for study. These Areas were the western portion of Highway 19, the eastern portion of Highway 19, the southern portion of Highway 3, the northern portion of Highway 3, Highway 246 at the south of town, Highway 23 at the northwest of town, and County Road 78 at the west of town. Initial concept drawings can be viewed and downloaded from the City’s website:

At this session, the project’s design team will present some of their initial ideas. These ideas include landscape plantings, streetscape treatments, pedestrian walkways, trail links, and bike routes and lanes throughout the project areas as well as at major intersections along the corridors. Read the rest of this entry »

Kinda Kinky…this Weekend in Downtown Northfield

January 25th, 2012 by Ross Currier

Given my interest in Country Rock, Outlaw Country, and Alt-Country Music, I was thinking this might be a ’70s Kinky Friedman and the Texas Jewboys tribute band.  But no, think ’60s British Invasion, The Tornadoes, The Beatles, The Troggs…and The Kinks, tribute band.  They’re “flying in” from the Twin Cities to play at the Contented Cow on Friday night.

Thursday, January 26th: Midnight Collision, 8:00 to 11:00, Contented Cow; Lyric Theater: Transformations, 8:00 p.m., Urness Recital Hall on the St. Olaf College campus; Marv Gohman, 8:30 to 11:00 p.m., Tavern Lounge; and Prom Queef, 11:59 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow. Read the rest of this entry »

Dirty Petrov and the Gentillionaires (and/or Ice Cream in the Snow) this weekend in Downtown Northfield

January 13th, 2012 by Ross Currier

Dirty Petrov and the Gentillionaires, Northfield’s premier Gypsy Rock band, will be making music for premium dance this weekend in Downtown Northfield.  It’s downtown Saturday night at the Cow.  Not into Gypsy Rock?  Then Eat Ice Cream in the Snow, Saturday afternoon in Bridge Square.

Friday, January 13th: Occasional Jazz, 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Contented Cow; Arts for Martin, 7:00 p.m., ARTech; Exhibit Opening Reception: Surfacing and One Stroke at a Time, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Northfield Arts Guild; The Melvilles, 7:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; The Beguine Brothers, 8:00 to 11:00, Contented Cow; Matthew Griswold, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; The 8th Street Band, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein; and Mark Mraz, 9:00 p.m., Froggy Bottoms.

Saturday, January 14th: Winter Scream, 12:00 to 2:00 p.m., Bridge Square; New Moon Trio, 5:00 to 7:30 p.m., Contented Cow; Harlow’s Edge, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., Hogan Brothers; Relativity, 8:00 to 11:30 p.m., Tavern Lounge; Spruce Top Review, 8:00 to 10:30 p.m., Contented Cow; D J Music, 9:00 p.m., Rueb’N'Stein, Whiskey Trick, 9:30 p.m., Froggy Bottoms; and Dirty Petrov and the Gentillionaires, 11:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m., Contented Cow.

Sunday, January 15th: Politics and a Pint, 6:00 p.m., Northern Roots Session, 7:00 p.m., and Quiz Night, 8:00 p.m., all at the Contented Cow.

Colleges-Community Kick Off River Modeling Projects

January 10th, 2012 by Ross Currier

Carleton College, St. Olaf College, and the Northfield Downtown Development Corporation (NDDC) met down by the river.  The purpose of the event was to kick off a multi-year, interdisciplinary series of college-community collaboration projects.  One of the first scopes of work is computer modeling the Cannon River, so it made sense to meet down in the valley between the two hills.

The Cannon River Modeling and subsequent projects are the result of work by the NDDC’s College-Community Collaboration Committee.  Formed in 2010 in response to comments made by St. Olaf President David Anderson and Carleton President Steven Poskanzer, the committee initially focused on mutual-marketing leverage and cross-promotional efforts.  In 2011, it added alumni recruitment as another strategy.  One of the key tactics in this work will be to engage undergraduates in meaningful community projects. Read the rest of this entry »