Northfield Downtown Development Corporation

Long-time and much-beloved professor Mary Easter is retiring from Carleton College. As you might imagine, given Mary’s prominence locally and nationally, there’s a big to-do about it on Saturday, with a performance, celebration, and reception. However, it’s hard, at least for me, not to consider the biggest cultural event of the weekend to be Carleton vs. Saint John’s for the MIAC Football Championship. But let’s get to the details.


Friday, November 14th, it all starts out with Northfield Reads, Faith Sullivan, Sheila O’Connor, Heid Erdrich, Wang Ping, and Shannon Olson will read from and discuss “Riding Shotgun: Women Write About Their Mothers”, as part of the Northfield Reads! community-wide book club, 7:00 p.m., Great Hall on the Carleton College campus. Also “Spring Awakening” by Frank Wedekind, 7:30 p.m., Kelsey Theater, on the St. Olaf College campus, “Our Town” by Thorton Wilder, 7:30 p.m., in the Northfield High School Auditorium, Collegium Musicum/Early Music Singers Concert, 7:30 p.m., Boe Chapel on the St. Olaf College campus, an Orchestra Concert featuring Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 and Sibelius’ Symphony No. 5 conducted by Hector Valdivia, 8-9:30 p.m., in the Concert Hall on the Carleton College Campus, Karaoke, 9 p.m., at the Rueb-N-Stein, Norwegian Cowboy at the Tavern Lounge, and one of my personal favorites, Meredith Fierke at the Contented Cow.

Saturday, November 15th, the Carleton Knights take on the Saint John Johnnies for the MIAC Championship, 1 p.m., Carleton College Stadium, “Our Town” is performed at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium, the Special Performance “Dances for Mary”, 2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Arena Theater on the Carleton College campus, Kids Night Out at the YMCA, 6 – 9:00 p.m. in the Northfield Armory, Tuition Daddies, 6:30 – 9 p.m., Hogan Brothers, Sweet Jazz, 7 to 10:00 p.m., The HideAway, “Spring Awakening”, 7:30 p.m., Kelsey Theater, St. Olaf College campus, Poetry Reading, featuring Minnesota Poets, Marjorie Beuttner and Graham George, 7:30 p.m. Monkey See, Monkey Read, D J Music, 9 p.m., The Rueb-N-Stein, Marty Anderson and the Goods, The Contented Cow, and Lonesome Dan Kase, Tavern Lounge.

Sunday, November 16th, it’s Twenty Views of Dundas, 3 – 7:00 p.m., ArtOrg, Politics and a Pint, 6 p.m., Quiz Night, 8 p.m., and the Northern Roots Session, 7:30 p.m., all at the Contented Cow.

Monkey See, Monkey Read is hosting Poetry Readings this Saturday night. That’s November 15tt at 7:30 p.m.

Monky Read, as it’s affectionately known locally, is an independent bookstore, featuring both used and new books, at 425 Divsion Street. The poets are Jane Graham George and Marjorie Buettner. They’ll be reading from their latest publications; Jane is the author of Library Land and Marjorie is the author of Seeing it Now.

Both authors are Minnesota poets. Jane is from St. Paul and Marjorie is from Chisago City. Their poems have been published in a number of anthologies.

It could be a literary sort of date night. Start with a cocktail at 5 p.m., then a bit of dinner, the poetry reading at 7:30 p.m., finally a little window shopping in preparation for the real thing on Saturday.

So come on down(town) and check out the poets at Monkey Read.

If you’re suffering from Post Election Stress Syndrome, there’s no better way to lift your spirits than the arts. Fortunately, there’s all kinds of art going on in our town this weekend.

Friday, November 7th, there is an Exhibition Opening Reception for “The Power of 2 : Drawing and Dialogue – Joe Byrne and John Willis, 5 to 7 p.m., in the Dittman Center on the St. Olaf College campus, “Our Town“, 7:30 p.m., Northfield High School Auditorium, American Brass Quintet Recital, 8 p.m., Boe Chapel, on the St. Olaf College campus, Karaoke, 9 p.m., at the Rueb-N-Stein, 503 Division Street, Draper Daniels, at the Contented Cow, 302B Division Street, and Joe Meyer at the Tavern Lounge, riverside of the Archer House, 212 Division Street.

Saturday, November 8th, there is Dance : Fresh Space, 2 p.m., Dittman Center, Studio One, on the St. Olaf College campus, St. Olaf Festival of Bands Concert, 4 p.m., Skoglund Center, on the St. Olaf College campus, the Northfield Historical Society’s Annual Auction/Masquerade, 6:30 p.m., at the Northfield Golf Club, “Our Town“, 7:30 p.m. Northfield High School Auditorium, a Choir Concert, 8 to 9:30 p.m., in the Concert Hall on the Carleton College campus, DJ Music at the Rueb-N-Stein, Dan Andreasen and Ray Coudret at the Contented Cow, and John Manners, local guitar player and luthier (his latest guitar is pictured here) at the Tavern Lounge, riverside of the Archer House.

And don’t forget, the Gift Hunting Season Opener, Saturday and Sunday. The downtown retailers and restaurants are offering In-Store Specials to kick off the holiday shopping season. Shopping can be an art form too, especially if it involves bargain hunting.

The Gift Hunting Season Opener is the yin of the deer hunting season opener’s yang. While the gentlemen (or deer hunters) are in the woods, the ladies (or non-deer hunters) are out setting their sights on great gifts for the holidays.

Northfield retailers have gotten together for a special kick-off for the holiday shopping season. Starting this weekend, Nov. 8^th & 9^th, the shops and restaurants downtown have in-store specials.

What better time to start the holiday shopping season than this weekend. With our shops at full capacity and all our hot products in stock, we are ready to serve you. With the wide variety of offerings in Northfield, we have something for everyone on your list.

And when you’re ready to take a break from shopping, try one of our many dining establishments to grab a bite to eat or a refreshing beverage to enjoy. It’s a great way to spend a few hours, a nice day or whole weekend exploring downtown Northfield.

At today’s NDDC Downtown Forum, South Central College professors Scott Taylor and Chad Oudekerk talked about selling your product on the internet. In their context, the product could be anything from custom glass beads to a community’s business environment.

They noted that the potential sales source of feet on the street has been declining in recent years due to the number of competitive sales outlets. Their research indicates that the typical retailer now generates 20% of his or her sales from customers who are 100 miles away.

Websites, they suggest, are part of the solution to this situation. A good website can inform, build community, conduct market research, provide customer service and support, improve efficiencies in processes, and/or generate e-commerce.

They advised us to think of our websites as a new store location. The storefront must be interesting, the front door must be welcoming, and it must be easy for the customer to find his or her way around the sales area.

Scott and Chad are quite familiar with Northfield and our small businesses. Glass Garden Beads is a long-time client and Oolala is a more recent client.

Due to their collaboration with the State of Minnesota, working with these small business consultants is very affordable and can be scheduled to meet your needs. Contact them at 800-422-0391 or 507-332-5838.