Coneflowers and other flowers are in full bloom in the on-site gardens. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I’m detail-oriented. So when I was at the fairgrounds with my camera several days in advance of the fair, I focused on signage and other evidence of fair prep and readiness.
The smallest of signs in the fairy garden. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
In the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens on the east side of the fairgrounds, among all the plants and flowers, I found the smallest of welcome signs. In the fairy garden. Usually tiny figurines occupy the space along with small-scale plants and stones. But, none were there yet during my Saturday evening walk.
The Pledge of Allegiance on a banner in the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Over in the sheep barn on the opposite end of the fairgrounds, patriotic and 4-H banners, yet to be hung, draped pens.
The grandstand ticket booth. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The ticket booth was locked tight outside the grandstand, awaiting paying customers.
A cartoonish pig fits The Pork Booth concession stand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Likewise concession stands were shuttered. I’m drawn to signage like that on The Pork Booth, which leaves no question about the food served there. The Rice County Pork Producers sell pork chops on-a-stick, pork burgers and pulled pork.
Barnyard signage honors a long-time fair board member. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
This fair is rooted in agriculture as noted by the line of barns stretching along the south side of the fairgrounds. A sign on the children’s barnyard honors Diane Hohrman. She started the barn for kids. The Northfield woman, who died in 2017, served on the fair board and was as an adult leader of the Big Giants 4-H Club for 33 years. I’d say Hohrman deserved this name-sake barnyard in her honor.
Bench signage. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Small Holstein Club signs label benches outside the barns, a nod to a breed of cattle. My dad raised Holsteins, which I helped care for while growing up. But I wasn’t in any clubs, including 4-H. No time for that, Dad said. He needed his kids on the farm, not going to meetings or working on projects. That may have been short-sighted on his part. But I wasn’t arguing when Dad needed me in the barn or field.
Beautiful potted flowers outside one of the barns. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The fair provides a good opportunity to learn about agriculture for kids and others not connected to rural life. That’s reality, vastly different from my youth when nearly all of my peers lived on small family farms.
A reminder from Rice County Public Health to wash your hands after going in the animal barns to prevent spread of disease. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copy
To celebrate agriculture up close with animals at the fair seems necessary in a time when many are a generation or more removed from the land. So the fair comes and goes each year, reminding us of our, or at least Rice County’s, agrarian roots.
TELL ME:What do you like best about a county fair?
A sign advertising the fair banners a fairgrounds building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
IN THE STILL of a Saturday summer evening, I wandered the Rice County Fairgrounds days before the fair opens for a five-day run July 22-26 in Faribault. I took in a scene which will appear and feel decidedly different once this annual “Where the City Meets the Farm” event begins.
Locally-based Schroder Concessions stands sit outside the grandstand. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
This vendor sells cheese curds, including in a bucket. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2026)
You can buy 64 ounces of lemonade from the same vendor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
On this evening, with the sky tinged a muted pink by the setting sun, the glowing lights of two mobile concession stands offered a peek at the festive atmosphere soon to come. I could almost see the line of fair-goers waiting for a bucket of cheese curds, a foot long hot dog or an icy cold old-fashioned lemonade.
The food stand run by Bethlehem Academy, home of the Cardinals. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Nearby, permanent structures house long-time food vendors—the Cardinal Cafe since the 1950s, The Pork Booth, the 4-H Food Stand and others.
An inoperable carnival ride made in Faribault splashes color outside a livestock barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Food, fun and friends theme the 2026 fair, according to the fair’s website. That seems fitting as I consider the people who will gather here, some coming primarily for the food; others for the carnival rides; many to see the exhibits; others to show off their animals, talents, creativity and much more; many for the entertainment; and, above all, to connect with family and friends for a whole lot of fun.
Picnic tables stacked and ready to put in place for the fair. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
A sign directs visitors to exhibits. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
An old stock watering tank repurposed as a flower planter sits outside the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
But on this pre-fair evening, all was quiet. I observed a state of readiness. Benches and picnic tables stacked. Trash bins in place. Signs posted. Flowers blooming in stock tanks and other containers. Ticket booths set up. American flags flying atop the grandstand.
The Beer Garden is now The Stockyard, a place of beer and bands. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
And near the grandstand, I noticed a new sign, a change at the Beer Garden, now renamed The Stockyard. I suppose that’s appropriate given the agricultural roots of the county fair. It’s a catchy and identifiable tag.
A line of barns that will house animals stretches along the south side of the fairgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I continued my loop around the fairgrounds, following the row of buildings that will soon house prized animals. Pigs, sheep, poultry, cows, cattle, rabbits and goats. Horses have their separate space across the grounds.
The back entry to the sheep barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Barn doors were locked. But near the end of the row, lights glared in the John Liebenstein Sheep Arena. I stepped inside the open air barn defined by rows of white wooden pens. I followed the clean-swept floor, passed by wheelbarrows. Already, families had claimed their spots with surnames marked on masking tape. Some were there Saturday evening preparing for the arrival of sheep.
Banners defining the purpose of 4-H and the 4-H pledge of head, heart, hands and health draped over a pen, awaiting display.
Brothers Keith, left, and Sam paint gates for the swine barn. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
And behind the swine building I found three young men—Keith, Sam and Charlie—rolling bright red paint onto metal gates to corral pigs. “Nothing like waiting until the last minute,” I teased, my comment not phasing them a bit.
Cotton candy will be available for purchase. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
In the final days before the fair, much will happen as the carnival sets up, vendors and kids arrive, and everything is put in place. I can only imagine the amount of planning and execution that go into creating an inviting and successful fair.
This shows a small portion of the garden, complete with benches, on the east side of the fairgrounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Over at the Rice County Master Gardeners Teaching Gardens on the east end of the fairgrounds, the pristine gardens are in full bloom, an oasis of natural beauty, a respite from the busyness of the fair. The next door conservation building has been reshingled and repainted.
The historic Pleasant Valley School and Holy Innocents Episcopal Church will be open during the fair. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
The Rice County Historical Society has been lining up volunteers to greet fair visitors inside the old schoolhouse and church. I got a call while on vacation, but couldn’t commit. Churches have been lining up volunteers, too, to staff booths. Likewise, businesses are set with promotional displays.
Looking up at the grandstand, which will feature races, an antique tractor pull, alligator wrestling and more. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
Days before the fair opened, I felt a sense of anticipation that comes with any big annual event. Memories will be made here, perhaps while watching juggling, a magic show or alligator wrestling; playing free mini golf, BINGO or Euchre; listening to La Raza de Mexico and other musicians; perusing exhibits of quilts, photos and more; checking out the animals; interacting with Jack Sparrow the Pirate; going on a scavenger hunt; and more, oh so much more.
One of the food vendors already in place when I toured the fairgrounds Saturday evening. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo July 2026)
I haven’t attended the Rice County Fair in years, having been “faired out” decades ago as a young newspaper reporter and photographer covering several county fairs. But my pre-fair tour of the fairgrounds proved motivating. This just may be the year I return to the fair and wait in line for my favorite fair food—mini donuts. Or perhaps I’ll try funnel cakes, order cheese curds, grab an old-fashioned lemonade…
One of many mini 250th birthday flags decorating the bandshell area at Faribault’s Central Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
IT WAS THE FOURTH of July and we still showed up, 25-30 strong.
Some of us wore patriotic-themed shirts. We carried our signs. Susan brought mini American flags to distribute. One guy arrived with a full-size US flag. Matt came with his aging dog, Honeybun, who lounged in her dog bed on the sidewalk.
The week prior, we’d briefly talked about whether to gather on the Fourth of July. But we quickly decided that, of all days, we should meet to protest on the 250th birthday of our country. Just like we have every Saturday since January along one of Faribault’s busiest roadways.
Our love for America, our concern for America under the present administration, our love of freedom and democracy draw us street-side to publicly protest. Love for our immigrant neighbors brings us, too. There are hundreds of reasons to stand up, to rise up, to resist.
I made this protest sign earlier this year and carried it during our July 4th protest in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2026)
NOTABLE QUOTES ON PATRIOTISM
I reference this quote from a recent reader comment: “A love of country can coexist with a fierce criticism of it, and peaceful protest is arguably the epitome of patriotism. It is the work of those who love a country strongly enough to insist on trying to close the gap between what it is and what it could be.” (Steven B. Smith, The Atlantic, July 2026). That quote from Smith summarizes peaceful protest in a way that really resonates with me.
Another reader shared an equally insightful comment from a speech by Mark Twain: “Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, but your government only when it deserves it.” Oh, how true I find that to be.
Hours after our protest ended in Faribault, Randy and I headed to a July Fourth celebration in North Morristown. I wore this to both events. On my flag shirt I wore a Rebel Loon button and campaign buttons for Jake Johnson, running on the DFL ticket for U.S. representative, and for Martha Brownalso on the DFL ticket for state representative in District 19A. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo by Randy Helbling)
PROTEST LINE OBSERVATIONS
Protesting in my community, which has voted Republican probably in forever (I’ve lived here 42 years), felt initially unnerving. It takes a bit of bravery to publicly stand along busy Minnesota State Highway 60 in this city of 25,000 and protest. You’re not anonymous like you would be among hundreds or thousands of protesters in a much larger city. But I got over that quickly as I found community among others, soon discovering that I am not alone in my viewpoints, my worries, my concerns.
In fact, during seven months of protesting, we’ve all noticed growing support from motorists passing the protest line. The verbal assaults, the rolling coal, the rage and other negativity directed toward us is declining just as support is increasing. The name-calling and bird flipping still happen, but not as frequently and with less intensity.
Now we have the numbers to back up those observations. My husband, Randy, closely watched passing motorists for the past two Saturdays, tallying results on the back of his protest sign. He noted reactions like horn honking, waving, thumbs up, middle fingers, yelling…in two overall categories of support and non-support.
The protest line in February, early on in our weekly 11 a.m.-noon Saturday protests outside the Rice County government services building along Minnesota State Highway 60 in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)
SUPPORT IS GROWING
On Saturday, June 27, support was at 75 percent. On the Fourth of July, that number rose to 82 percent.
Things are shifting. And that began around the time of the Iran War and rising gas prices.
People passing by our protest line represent a cross-section of Faribault, lending validity to the unscientific street-side poll results. I hold hope. And hope is a powerful thing to hold when you love your country enough to stand up in protest.
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ON ANOTHER NOTE:Sam Temple, candidate for Rice County commissioner in District 3, is holding a town hall from 5:30-7:30 p.m. today, July 6, in the Great Hall of Buckham Memorial Library in Faribault. He intends to focus on data centers. One is being proposed for Faribault. Come, get informed, ask questions, meet Sam and also meet candidates running for Faribault City Council. All have been invited to this town hall.This will be a good opportunity to learn about data centers and about candidates running for local offices.
Red, white and blue define this front yard along First Street Southwest in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
RED, WHITE AND BLUE banner everyday life annually around this time each year. I’m talking not only U.S. flags flying from poles, but much more. And this July 4, the 250th birthday of our nation, American pride seems especially abundant. Or maybe I’m simply noticing because of the milestone celebration.
Harvest Time Church in Faribault is celebrating the Fourth on July 5. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Whatever, I challenge you to see how your friends and neighbors, local businesses, churches and other organizations are celebrating and/or running with the July 4 theme.
A patriotic front window display at Keepers Antique Shop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Locally, I found plenty of examples in expected, and unexpected, places. At Keepers Antique Shop along Central Avenue in Faribault, I always expect proprietor Nona Boyes to create a window display appropriately themed to a particular event. She didn’t disappoint, staging two mannequins draped in red, white and blue holding an American flag between them. The patriotic theme carries to a corner curio and additional window space. Boyes’ art education and background show in every single window display she creates for her antique shop.
A July 4 tabletop display at Books on Central, owned by the Rice County Area United Way and run by volunteers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Across the street at Books on Central, I happened upon another July Fourth display, this one atop a table. Because this is a used bookshop, books center the space created by volunteer Jeanne Campbell with assistance from Mary Campbell.
“The Star Spangled Banner” was among patriotic songs performed at a recent concert by the Mankato Area Community Band in Faribault. Singer Barbara Dunker dressed in patriotic attire for the finale of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Books about the White House, “The Star Spangled Banner” and Alexander Hamilton are for sale along with other volumes artfully placed among mini American flags, a Betsy Ross statue and touches of red and white ribbon. “We the People—A Pictorial Celebration of America” and “1776” by Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough are also among the selections.
A holiday ribbon adds a festive touch to a straw hat worn by a woman attending a recent concert in Faribault’s Central Park. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
If you really want to get to the basics, you’ll find a pocket book of the U.S. Constitution propped in a front window display themed to celebrating the birth of this country.
A special holiday sale at Fashions on Central, selling used clothing for women with proceeds going to the local senior center, Buckham West. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
To the north on Central Avenue, Fashions on Central promoted a RED WHITE BLUE SALE on a sandwich chalkboard.
A State Bank of Faribault flower pot decorated with an American flag for the holiday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
At the State Bank of Faribault, an American flag graces a lush pot of flowers outside the bank’s front entry.
A floral scene created by Faribault homeowner Kay in celebration of America’s 250th birthday. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
But it was red flowers planted in galvanized tubs and backdropping white hydrangea that drew my admiration for July Fourth floral plantings. I was en route to a garage sale in a south-side Faribault neighborhood when I spotted the work of gardener Kay, who planted red, white and blue flowers throughout her yard. She wasn’t home when I stopped. But her husband, Paul, promised to pass along my praise.
Gerda Dolman pieced together Lady Liberty. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
When I stopped at an estate sale, I purchased an unusual piece of art perfect for the Fourth of July. For $3, I snagged a puzzle of the Statue of Liberty pieced together by Gerda Dolman of Madison, Minnesota, when she was 100 years old. She lived to nearly 102, dying in 2021. Her son mounted the puzzle on wood. Gerda’s Lady Liberty now hangs on my dining room wall, a visual reminder of freedom, liberty and hope for all who came, and continue to come, to America. Like Gerda’s Norwegian ancestors.
I photographed this boy dressed in patriotic clothing and clinging to his mom’s leg at a recent car show in Dundas. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, I focus on those foundational words of liberty and freedom. I hope others do, too, as they don patriotic attire, enjoy parades and BBQs, watch fireworks, and consider all this nation has endured from the Revolutionary War to present.
For sale in the Rice County Historical Society gift shop, 250th anniversary caps. The RCHS is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo 2026)
This message lifted from the tabletop display at Books on Central says it all: “For 250 years, we have maintained and loved this country that was created as the great American experiment, an exercise in self-governance and respect and freedom. Long may this great experiment reign, cherished and supported by those it protects and honors. Happy birthday to the United States of America!”
A crowd gathers in Faribault’s Central Park for a concert by the Mankato Area Community Band. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I EXPECTED AN EVENING of patriotic music performed by the Mankato Area Community Band, the group’s usual playlist during their annual summer show in Faribault. Instead, the band surprised the audience gathered June 25 in Central Park with a mix of patriotic, comedic and even feline-centric songs. Plus more.
The Mankato Area Community Band performs in the Central Park Bandshell. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I’m a fan of this band, which opened their free 7 p.m. Concerts in the Park performance with the “Star Spangled Banner,” followed by a song celebrating our nation’s 250th birthday. They ended the hour-long show with a rousing version of “The Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Stephanie Thorpe, in furry cat ears, meows. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
In between, though, they played a variety of music. Singers Stephanie Thorpe and Barbara Dunker meowed their way through “A Comic Duet for Two Cats,” complete in cat ears. They hammed it up, obviously having fun with the piece.
TheLime Jell-O Marshmallow Cottage Cheese SurpriseSalad revealed to the audience during the concert. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
But it was was their role as church ladies singing composer William Bolcom’s “Lime Jell-O Marshmallow Cottage Cheese Surprise” that got the audience laughing, especially when the foil-covered salad was unveiled on the bandshell stage. That elevation of the salad reminds me of shows by the Looney Lutherans and the Church Basement Ladies, popular theatrical groups in Minnesota. It also reminds me of Jell-O salads my mom (and other women of her era) made for holiday meals or potlucks. I never cared for mayonnaise, carrots, celery, nuts or such in gelatin. Bananas in red Jell-O, yes.
The “church ladies,” Stephanie Thorpe, left, and Barbara Dunker, right, pose with their salad prop. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I caught the Mankato church ladies just after they exited the stage, grabbing a portrait of them with their infamous salad before they ducked into an equipment trailer/makeshift dressing room and changed into costumes for their next song. They were on the move in this high-energy show.
Mom and daughter relax on an inflatable lounger while listening to the music. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
This dog’s owners got him in the spirit with a patriotic scarf. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
A family looks at a How to Draw Farm Animals book while at the concert. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I continued to roam the park with my camera—people-watching, dog-watching, watching for anything that might tell a story about these weekly summer concerts that have become a community staple.
Central Park in Faribault, a beautiful natural setting for sommer concerts. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
For decades I’ve enjoyed many a beautiful Thursday summer evening of music and conversation at this concert series. All ages come here, settle into lawn chairs, park on benches, lounge on blankets laid upon the grass under a canopy of trees.
Band members play. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Singer Barbara Dunker performs with the Mankato Area Community Band. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
The band photographed from a bandshell side door. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
As the sun lowers, shadows across Central Park, the music plays on. Kids play. Adults listen. Some read. Dogs nestle on laps or in the grass. It’s an almost Normal Rockwell-like scene. Americana.
American flags and patriotic decor decorated the bandshell area. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
“Amazing Grace” quiets the spirit. A song about lime Jell-O brings laughter. And patriotic songs spark a sense of gratitude for America, on the cusp of celebrating its 250th birthday in this, “the land of the free and home of the brave.”
While the Faribault Parks and Recreation concerts are free, donation boxes are sometimes set out to support performers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
FYI: Faribault Concerts in the Park run through August. Next up is the Ya Ya Boys playing a mix of blues, old time rock n roll, outlaw country and Americana on July 2. Little Chicago, a cover band for hits of the 60s and 70s, performs on July 9.
I crafted this sign in February to carry during protests in Faribault. My message remains relevant today in my community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)
THIS MORNING, outside a Faribault grocery store, I observed a White man overtly express his disgust for three Somalis. “Jesus Christ!” he exclaimed, looking directly at them.
I knew exactly what he meant. And it made me sick to hear the Lord’s name taken in vain by this man who clearly held nothing but disdain for Somalis. His tone of voice, his word choice, the way he looked at the trio told me precisely how he felt. And it was not loving, accepting or kind.
Here’s the situation leading to the man’s outburst: A Somali man, returning his cart to the grocery store cart corral, offered his cart to a Somali mom and her son heading into the grocery store. The cart rolled a short ways across the pavement. Not toward anyone. Not toward any vehicle. But it was enough to prompt the White guy to emphatically state, “Jesus Christ!”
I was so taken aback by his two words that I turned around and looked at him. He didn’t see me. He was walking away toward his parked vehicle. But I hope he felt the heat of the fire flaming from my eyes. Such intolerance does not sit well with me.
Onward I went with my grocery shopping, crossing paths occasionally with the Somali mom and her son, about 13. I waited in the check out line behind them, observed the son unloading groceries and then packing them to wheel out in his cart.
As I walked toward my vehicle, I saw the boy wheeling his cart back toward the grocery store. I stopped him. “I’m so proud of you for helping your mom,” I said after confirming the woman was his mother. His face lit up into a broad smile. “Thank you,” he said.
Two words. Beautiful. Appreciative. And nothing at all like the words spoken by the man who failed to see what I saw—a mom and her son heading into the grocery store on a Saturday morning. Just like me.
Photographed in Kenyon. Two guys and a tractor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
EVERYDAY LIFE presents snapshots of ordinary moments worthy of documentation. So, when I’m out and about in public places, I look for those unique storytelling moments. To capture them with my camera gives me a sense of satisfaction. To share those images is to share a slice of life.
Defined, this is candid street photography. People just going about their daily lives when I take a photo unnoticed. I’m always respectful in my photography, often opting for side or back images. Occasionally I ask for a posed portrait. But my preference is always natural, unscripted.
Our destination, All Seasons Thrift Store in Kenyon. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2024)
Recently, upon a return road trip from Rochester, Randy and I stopped in small town Kenyon to shop at a downtown thrift store. But before we could even exit the van, I noticed two guys across the street standing by a mid-1950s International Harvester Farmall tractor chained onto a trailer.
I can only guess at their conversation. Perhaps they were bartering over a price, talking repairs or reminiscing. But the scene was so typical rural Minnesota. Guys dressed in their work-worn jeans (one with suspenders), sturdy work boots and everyday shirts engaged deep in conversation. Only their seed corn caps were missing.
A scene along Central Avenue during the June 19 Car Cruise Night shows a Mexican restaurant in the background (right), one of several in downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
The scene was decidedly different in Faribault the next evening. While attending Car Cruise Night, two Somali women crossed my path on Central Avenue. I smiled and greeted them as they continued down the sidewalk. They carried textiles similar to those I’ve seen in storefront windows of some local Somali-owned businesses.
Downtown Faribault is home to numerous Somali-owned businesses. Many Somalis also live in the downtown area. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I appreciated the moment because the women reflect the cultural diversity of my community. The demographics of Faribault, of Minnesota, have changed a lot in recent years and I’m happy to showcase that in my work.
A street scene in downtown Willmar. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Some 135 miles to the northwest in Willmar, I once again saw the cultural diversity of a city which is home to many Latinos and those with East African roots, especially Somalis. A short walk and drive about the downtown confirmed that.
This young man invited me to take his portrait in downtown Willmar. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
While photographing an artsy street bench, I encountered a young man sitting on a large planter box. I noticed his patriotic-themed shirt featuring a liberty bell against a backdrop American flag and the message, Let Freedom Ring. “I like your shirt,” I said, as he pulled out his ear buds and then invited me to take his photo. I jumped at the chance to photograph him, creating a memorable portrait. He reflects the diversity of his community. And his t-shirt made a strong statement about liberty during this, the 250th birthday year of a nation built by immigrants.
Sweets Ice Cream in Kerkhoven in far western Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Up the road some 20 miles northwest of Willmar, I took a street portrait, literally in the street, outside the Kerkhoven Civic Center. The building houses city hall, the library, a heritage room and a community gathering space. It’s just down the street from an ice cream shop along busy U.S. Highway 12.
Leaving a potluck on a Saturday afternoon in Kerkhoven. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
After enjoying bowls heaping with scoops of key lime pie ice cream and maple nut ice cream from Sweets Ice Cream, Randy and I headed for the van. That’s when I saw a guy leaving the civic center with a crockpot in hands. I stood in the middle of the street—you can do that in Kerkhoven, population around 800—and took his photograph.
If anything says “Minnesota,” it’s a potluck. I didn’t track the guy down to ask if he had any leftovers. I wasn’t hungry after eating all that ice cream. But I was delighted to photograph him in this signature Minnesota moment.
Candid street photography tells a story within a moment of time. History. A record of everyday life. And when I can snapshot that, I feel a sense of accomplishment because I’ve documented a moment worth honoring, worth sharing, worth much more than a thousand words.
An old International made rat rod. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
ARTSY FLAMES BLAZED across the hood and doors of the 1940 International Harvester pick-up truck, grabbing my attention as I walked among the vehicles parked along several blocks of historic Central Avenue during the June 19 Faribault Car Cruise Night.
Historic buildings lining Central Avenue make a fitting yesteryear backdrop for the car show. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
The creative rat rod, with its handcrafted claw hands grasping the side mirrors, its interior plastered with stickers, brown paper bag “air bag,” back end wrenches, rat sculptures and more proved a draw and a conversation starter.
People stop to chat between looking at vehicles while a driver heads for a parking spot. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
And, for me, that’s part of the point of these summer cruises—bringing community together in conversation with each other. Owners of rat rods, collector, antique and other vehicles are always open to chatting it up. And so are those who come here. Friends. Family. Neighbors. And strangers become acquaintances via introductions.
Rockin’ it with Triple Stitch, the featured band. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
While I like to talk, I also like to unobtrusively observe. And listen. On this evening, the music of Lonsdale-based Triple Stitch blasted, a guitarist rocking it to “Summer of 69” on the portable stage set up in the street.
One of several food trucks parked downtown during the car cruise. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Across the way, an employee at the Twisted Chicken food truck grilled. Other food trucks and local restaurants also offered food. Several shops opened their doors for special Friday evening hours during the cruise.
When I arrived at 6 p.m., people were just beginning to show up. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
The downtown filled with more and more people as the evening progressed. It was good to see a crowd along Central enjoying themselves on a comfortable summer evening that later cooled to jacket weather.
Fashion meets vintage at the car show. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I saw babies in arms and strollers. A little girl cradling her baby doll. Couples walking hand-in-hand. A young man dressed in a fashionable suit leaning against the side of the Black Sheep Auto Sales vintage pick-up truck.
Dogs, people and automobiles. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Teens on scooters. Dogs on leashes and one running loose, the owner seemingly not caring about her dog roaming among the throngs of people. I kept my distance.
This racer tried blowing on his race car to move it down the track. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
A race track outside the toy store drew kids to race mini-cars down a swooping race track. It was sheer joy to watch their excitement, to see their smiles.
These mini models proved popular with the kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Across the street, kids clamored into small-scale vehicles meant just for them.
Craig, proud owner of a vintage ambulance. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I caught up briefly with Craig, who owns an old ambulance, which he sold then somehow managed to buy back after realizing he’d made a mistake by selling the emergency vehicle.
This shiny vintage Plymouth drew lots of admirers. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
A show volunteer advised me to check out his rusty truck parked on the south end of Central. He showed me a photo on his phone so I could be sure to find it. I later found the pick-up near a shiny black Plymouth on a trailer, just as he said I would.
Even something as simple as a beautifully written name appeals to me artistically. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Faribault has its own car club, the Drag-On’s. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Sticker love. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Occasionally I asked my automotive machinist husband questions. Randy is incredibly knowledgeable about anything vehicle-related. He views this show from a mechanical perspective unlike my artistic viewpoint. I’m drawn to shiny chrome reflecting buildings, hood ornaments, car emblems, the fancy floral patterned upholstery in a vintage Cadillac, the curve of a fender…
A special red, white and blue car became a canvas for car show attendees to sign their names after donating $1 to do so. Proceeds will support veterans and suicide prevention through the organization Operation 23-0. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Interests in car shows can be as diverse as the people who attend, including those who signed a patriotic car promoting an upcoming car show. The BlackTop Cruisers Midwest “Fall of Summer Car Show” is set for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. on Saturday, October 3, at South Alexander Park in Faribault.
Checking out a car on the south end of Central Avenue during Faribault Car Cruise Night. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I love seeing the mix of people crossing paths, mingling, mixing and coming together at car shows. While cars, trucks and motorcycles draw people to downtown Faribault on a Friday evening, the summer car cruises are, at their core, about community.
Photos of Beatles John Lennon and George Harrison were featured in this display photographed in a southern Minnesota antique shop many years ago. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2015)
FROM CLASSIC BEATLES to songs by legends like Johnny Cash and Tom Petty to originals, you can hear plenty of music in Faribault this evening.
A scene from a past Car Cruise Night in downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)
Triple Stitch, a punk/rock ‘n roll band from Lonsdale, plays on an outdoor stage in the heart of downtown during the 6-9 p.m. monthly Car Cruise Night along Central Avenue. This event brings out the crowds to view vintage and collector vehicles against a backdrop of historic buildings.
While I often find the music too loud, others may not. I just move onto the next block. Triple Stitch performs some originals and then songs by legendary musicians.
(Promo credit: The Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault)
Both concerts are free, although donations are accepted at the Cathedral concert. Acoustics inside the massive church make listening to music there particularly enjoyable.
Hopefully the weather clears and opens to a rain-free Friday evening for the car show and outdoor concert. But, “if the rain comes” or not, GIRL will still sing Beatles songs inside the Cathedral.
Shoppers look through art in a gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts during a Recycled Art Sale. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I EXPECTED TO POP in and out in perhaps a half hour. But instead, I spent a good hour-plus filing through art at the Paradise Center for the Arts’ comeback Recycled Art Sale.
The Paradise Center for the Arts is located at 321 Central Avenue North in the heart of downtown Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Nearly 10 years have passed since the Faribault arts center last solicited donations to sell to the art-loving public at discount prices as low as $1. As a thrifty art lover, I appreciate the opportunity to buy unique, affordable art while simultaneously supporting the Paradise.
A promotional poster lists sale hours. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
On Wednesday afternoon, opening day of the four-day sale which ends with Saturday, June 20, hours of 10 a.m.-2 p.m., the place buzzed with people looking for art to take home.
A certified piece of art titled “Freddie the Freeloader by Red Skelton.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Hundreds and hundreds of pieces filled the three main gallery spaces and the smaller student gallery and hallway, plus the gathering space outside the galleries. So much art. Plus frames and art books and mirrors. At times I felt overwhelmed. But not enough that I stopped looking.
An overview of the main gallery filled with original art by Faribault area artists. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
The main gallery features the original art of Faribault area artists, all of the artwork hung on walls or displayed on pedestals. This art is priced a bit higher, but still affordable for an original.
Rhody Yule painted the floral in the foreground and the paintings to the right of the still life. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I saw several pieces by my friend Rhody Yule, a Faribault sign painter who also painted portraits, landscapes and the occasional still life. I helped coordinate his one and only art show at the Paradise in January 2011. Six months later, he died at age 92.
More local original art for sale in the main gallery. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Memories of my friendship with Rhody and his creativity made me smile as I viewed his over-sized landscapes, his floral and several other paintings. Maybelle Stark’s pheasant art reminded me that I have her 1959 painting of the H.H. King Mill in my art stash at home.
Known-to-me artist Maybelle Stark painted the pheasant and Dana Hanson the portraits shown here. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
And in one corner I noticed portraits created by former Faribault resident Dana Hanson. I watched her paint portraits of musicians during Thursday evening concerts in Faribault’s Central Park. Missing from the gallery display was her portrait of Bob Dylan, once filling the blank space next to Judy Garland and below Elvis. Her portrait of “Faribault’s Founding Fathers”—Alexander Faribault, Taopi and Bishop Henry Whipple—hangs in Buckham Memorial Library.
More local art, including boxes filled with unframed floral paintings by Geri Nelson. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I bet many of the shoppers at the recycled art sale could share stories of other local artists. Some were artists themselves, shopping for artwork and for frames for their own art.
The art for sale is more than just prints and paintings. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
Others, like me, were simply searching for art to bring into our homes. From prints to originals, it was all there along with pottery, ceramics and more. Framed art on the floor leaning into each other. Art in boxes. Art on tables. Art on walls. Art on shelves. So much art.
One of the art pieces I purchased. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I found five pieces for $10, all but one custom-framed. Three are portraits of African women, two with children. Another features an abstract depiction of “Indian Market,” colorful poster art from Santa Fe. I can’t pinpoint a particular reason why I chose this art. Perhaps it’s because I’m currently drawn to diversity and pops of color. These pieces differ from most of the art I own, art which I regularly rotate.
A trio of original art by a local artist with the last name of Underwood signed on his/her work. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
I also purchased a woodcut print (#25 of 50), “Navigating the Attachment Journey,” by northern Minnesota artist and children’s book illustrator Betsy Bowen. I’ve always appreciated her nature-themed art crafted today in her studio inside a former historic Lutheran church in Grand Marais.
Offerings included this historic photo of Leary’s Livery in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo June 2026)
On this day, the historic Paradise theater held a whole lot of art from a whole lot of artists. Among the hundreds of pieces, I found new-to-me art to which I felt connected. The walls of my home may not be gallery walls. But they are walls where I showcase art that speaks to me, moves me, brings me joy. And that, to me, should define our personal art choices.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Honoring America locally in red, white & blue July 1, 2026
Tags: 250th birthday of America, America, birthday of America, book display, books, Books on Central, commentary, Dundas, Faribault, flowers, Fourth of July, holiday, July 4, July Fourth, Keepers Antique Shop, Minnesota, patriotic clothing, patriotism, red white and blue, Statue of Liberty puzzle, window display
RED, WHITE AND BLUE banner everyday life annually around this time each year. I’m talking not only U.S. flags flying from poles, but much more. And this July 4, the 250th birthday of our nation, American pride seems especially abundant. Or maybe I’m simply noticing because of the milestone celebration.
Whatever, I challenge you to see how your friends and neighbors, local businesses, churches and other organizations are celebrating and/or running with the July 4 theme.
Locally, I found plenty of examples in expected, and unexpected, places. At Keepers Antique Shop along Central Avenue in Faribault, I always expect proprietor Nona Boyes to create a window display appropriately themed to a particular event. She didn’t disappoint, staging two mannequins draped in red, white and blue holding an American flag between them. The patriotic theme carries to a corner curio and additional window space. Boyes’ art education and background show in every single window display she creates for her antique shop.
Across the street at Books on Central, I happened upon another July Fourth display, this one atop a table. Because this is a used bookshop, books center the space created by volunteer Jeanne Campbell with assistance from Mary Campbell.
Books about the White House, “The Star Spangled Banner” and Alexander Hamilton are for sale along with other volumes artfully placed among mini American flags, a Betsy Ross statue and touches of red and white ribbon. “We the People—A Pictorial Celebration of America” and “1776” by Pulitzer Prize winning author David McCullough are also among the selections.
If you really want to get to the basics, you’ll find a pocket book of the U.S. Constitution propped in a front window display themed to celebrating the birth of this country.
To the north on Central Avenue, Fashions on Central promoted a RED WHITE BLUE SALE on a sandwich chalkboard.
At the State Bank of Faribault, an American flag graces a lush pot of flowers outside the bank’s front entry.
But it was red flowers planted in galvanized tubs and backdropping white hydrangea that drew my admiration for July Fourth floral plantings. I was en route to a garage sale in a south-side Faribault neighborhood when I spotted the work of gardener Kay, who planted red, white and blue flowers throughout her yard. She wasn’t home when I stopped. But her husband, Paul, promised to pass along my praise.
When I stopped at an estate sale, I purchased an unusual piece of art perfect for the Fourth of July. For $3, I snagged a puzzle of the Statue of Liberty pieced together by Gerda Dolman of Madison, Minnesota, when she was 100 years old. She lived to nearly 102, dying in 2021. Her son mounted the puzzle on wood. Gerda’s Lady Liberty now hangs on my dining room wall, a visual reminder of freedom, liberty and hope for all who came, and continue to come, to America. Like Gerda’s Norwegian ancestors.
As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, I focus on those foundational words of liberty and freedom. I hope others do, too, as they don patriotic attire, enjoy parades and BBQs, watch fireworks, and consider all this nation has endured from the Revolutionary War to present.
This message lifted from the tabletop display at Books on Central says it all: “For 250 years, we have maintained and loved this country that was created as the great American experiment, an exercise in self-governance and respect and freedom. Long may this great experiment reign, cherished and supported by those it protects and honors. Happy birthday to the United States of America!”
© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling