Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Standing in strong solidarity on No Kings Day in Faribault March 28, 2026

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One of my favorite signs, expressing truth no matter your political affiliation. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

WE GATHERED, 175 STRONG, in Faribault on Saturday morning for the third nationwide No Kings Day protest. In a city which is decidedly red, this number impresses. This marked a record turn-out, far surpassing our top participation of eighty. I saw many new faces. And a few new dogs.

This shows only a small portion of the line of protesters, some of whom brought their dogs. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

From a preschooler, who plastered stickers onto a cardboard sign and held his mom’s hand, to a first-time protester in her eighties, and all ages in between, we came.

The Faribault protest site is along Minnesota State Highway 60 outside the Rice County government services building. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

We stood along Minnesota State Highway 60 in this city of 25,000 an hour south of the Twin Cities to raise our voices. We care about this country enough to step up and speak out. And not a single one of us was paid to protest, as some erroneously claim.

We came with hope and energy and enthusiasm.

Another favorite sign, for its message, creativity and humor. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

We came, too, with our signs. Grievances. Concerns. Demands. Strong statements in support of freedom, democracy, voting rights, immigrants… Strong statements against the leadership in this country, immigration enforcement, the war in Iran. Strong statements about the state of the nation, the economy, whatever worries us.

When I saw several protesters without signs, I offered extras I brought. Pulling the signs from the back of the van, I asked them to put the signs back before they left. They did.

My friend Ann, center, came in a flower power sweater she handcrafted. I absolutely love this vintage 70s look, which fits protesting. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

We came in our red Norwegian resistance hats and our handcrafted flower power sweaters and our Rebel Loon shirts.

A sign, with a humorous twist, that shows deep concern about Trump’s presidency. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

We came, too, with our music, a guitarist and a bagpipe player adding a celebratory tone to the event. This was, after all, also a rally for like-minded folks who care about each other, their neighbors, this community, this state and America.

The Rebel Loon, on the backs of these shirts, has become a symbol of resistance in Minnesota. The loon is our state bird. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

It felt good to stand in solidarity, to talk and smile and lift each other up. To not feel so alone in one’s beliefs in a mostly Republican town.

My husband, Randy, made and carried this humorous sign, which garnered lots of laughs. And compliments. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

It felt good also to laugh at humorous signs. To compliment those who made especially creative signs. To recognize that every person lining the sidewalk on both sides of the highway had a vested interest in publicly standing up for what is right and good and decent.

I walked the protest line, welcoming protesters, looking at their signs, thanking them for coming, encouraging them to return next Saturday from 11 a.m. to noon.

This is not done. This resistance.

As a Christian, this sign really resonates with me. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

We will continue to come with our signs. We will come with our peace and Minnesota state and American flags. We will come with our stories and our words and our voices.

We will come in the spirit of peaceful resistance. In the spirit of resilience and strength and compassion. We are, and remain, Minnesota Strong.

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THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the No Kings Day protests at 3,100 sites across this nation today. A special thanks to those who showed up in Faribault. To those I invited, those I met, those I knew from past protests, know how much I value you and your voice. To the estimated 100,000 who attended the flagship event at the Minnesota state capitol in St. Paul, thank you for showing the world the strength of Minnesotans. To protesters who gathered in other countries, this American is grateful for your support. Continue to stand strong in solidarity for freedom. We must. We will.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Thither will we go

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Sunrise on Horseshoe Lake in the central Minnesota lakes region. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I ATTENDED A CONCERT at my church, Trinity Lutheran, Friday evening. Students from Concordia Academy in Roseville kicked off their spring break “Walk in the Light Tour” to Nashville with their first stop here in Faribault.

What a talented group of high school musicians who sang with joy, energy and depth. From spirituals to traditional worship to blessing songs and more, they performed in the light of faith.

One song in particular, “Thither Will I Go” by composer Tom Trenney, resonated with me. It’s based on a poem, “Light Looked Down,” by Laurence Housman (1865-1959). Although this poem was written long ago, the words are timeless.

The short three-line poem centers on light and darkness, war and peace, and hatred and love.

As I sat listening to these young people, my mind wandered to the No Kings Day protests today. “Thither Will I Go” would be a great protest song. As protesters, we shine light, peace and love.

I’d like those who criticize us, who question our reasons for protesting, who claim we are paid (we are not), who shout profanities at us, call us stupid and more, to consider the words written long ago by Laurence Housman. As protesters, we choose light over darkness, peace over war, love over hatred.

Thither will we go.

Where there is darkness, let there be light. Where there is war, let there be peace. Where there is hatred, let there be love.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Fish, music, wrestling & drama March 26, 2026

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(Promo sourced from Little Prairie website)

FAITH COMMUNITIES are especially busy this time of year as they prepare for the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Mid-week Lenten services, Friday night fish fries, Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week all usher in Easter morning.

Locally, you’ll find not only the usual, but also a few unique happenings at several area churches. First up, Little Prairie United Methodist Church, rural Dundas, hosts its annual Fish Dinner from 3-8 p.m. Friday, March 27. The meal features fried or baked fish, baked potatoes, salad bar and pie. Tickets must be purchased in advance. Take-out is available. Click here for details.

Also on Friday evening, the Concordia Academy Choir, based at the Christian high school in Roseville, presents an hour-long concert of inspiring music for all ages beginning at 7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Faribault. A free will offering will be taken.

Saturday, March 28, brings more activity to Trinity with the Trinity Radio Rumble beginning at 2 p.m. in the Faribault Lutheran School gym, connected to the church. The event, a fundraiser for the congregation’s radio ministry, features family-friendly, live professional wrestling. Click here for more info and to purchase discounted tickets in advance.

St. John’s 50th presentation of The Last Supper Drama in the sanctuary. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

On Sunday, March 29, The Last Supper Drama comes to St. John’s United Church of Christ, Wheeling Township. The drama in the rural Faribault church has been a Palm Sunday tradition for more than 60 years. Performed in the darkness of the sanctuary by 12 actors role-playing the disciples, the drama begins at 8 p.m. Each disciple speaks individually, explaining his relationship to Christ. Refreshments follow the free performance, which will also be live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube.

So whether you like fish, music, wrestling and/or drama, you’ll find all four in faith communities in the Faribault area this coming weekend.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Protests planned along I-35 & across the country March 25, 2026

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A protest in downtown Minneapolis in January, at the height of Operation Metro Surge. (Photo credit: A cousin who lives in south Minneapolis.)

THIS MARKS A BIG WEEK for anyone concerned about the future of this country under the leadership of President Donald Trump and his administration. That includes me. This is a week of unified nationwide protests.

I’ve protested so many times already—in Faribault, Northfield and Owatonna—against what’s unfolding in America that I’ve lost count. And lest anyone thinks peaceful public protests don’t matter, they do. This is one way to raise our voices, to stand up for democracy, to protect our voting rights, to support our immigrant neighbors, to oppose that which is morally and ethically wrong. To resist and publicly stand for freedom, justice, peace, and much more.

This Thursday and then again on Saturday, concerned Americans will rise up, not in a violent insurrection, but in peaceful protest. Using our voices and our signs, we will make our statements. And, living in a primarily “red” community like I do, it’s especially important for me and others to take a visible public stand.

At a NO KINGS protest in Northfield in October, protesters stand along busy Minnesota State Highway 3. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo October 2025)

BRIDGE PROTEST ALONG I-35

The week’s protests begin on Thursday with a No Kings Democracy Bridge Protest along the Interstate 35 corridor from Minnesota to Texas. If Faribault had a bridge over the interstate, we’d be out there. We don’t. But only a short drive to the south in Owatonna and Medford, organized protests on bridges are planned from 4-5:50 p.m. on Thursday. Protesters gathering on 46 bridges over and along I-35 will hold letter signs (rather than individual signs), spelling out messages, making the words highly-visible to the millions traveling this corridor. Messages like: NO WAR NO KINGS and YES DEMOCRACY—NO KINGS 3/28!

This shows a portion of the people protesting in Faribault on a frigid February morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

NO KINGS DAY PROTEST

Thursday’s border-to-border bridge protests are a lead-up to the main event, the third nationwide NO KINGS protest on Saturday, March 28. Here in Faribault, we will gather outside the Rice County government services building along Minnesota State Highway 60 from 11 a.m.-noon as we have every Saturday for almost three months.

I’ve stood there in frigid cold, in a snowstorm, in near 80-degree temps. And I’ve met the most wonderful people. Individuals who care deeply about this country. People who value freedom, democracy, justice, peace, their neighbors… We bring our signs, sharing whatever concerns us, whatever we want the public to read. Some bring American, Minnesota state and peace flags. And this past Saturday, a man wore an inflatable frog costume. A passing motorist brought us doughnuts.

We stand united, overwhelmingly supported by those who drive by, waving, giving us the thumbs up, honking their horns. But, of course, we are also flipped off, have profanities shouted at us, and are threatened by drivers of over-sized pickup trucks who drive dangerously close and fast, rolling coal. They are attempting to intimidate us into silence.

I was holding this sign when a driver told me to “find Jesus.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo by Randy Helbling)

And then there was the driver who last week slowed and shouted, “You need to find Jesus!” I held a sign with a message to love each other. A young man next to me held a “peace, not war” sign. I believe Jesus would have approved of our signs.

My friend Larry, in his eighties, told me he hadn’t protested since the Vietnam War. But he’s joined us in Faribault for many of our Saturday morning protests. People of all ages partcipate. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo February 2026)

FLAGSHIP PROTEST IN THE TWIN CITIES

This Saturday we will hold our signs again in Faribault. To the north in the Twin Cities, protesters will gather at noon to march from three sites in St. Paul to the Minnesota State Capitol. The Twin Cities is the flagship location for the March 28 NO KINGS Day protest. At 2 p.m., an impressive line-up will lead a rally. Those include Senator Bernie Sanders, Jane Fonda, Joan Baez, Maggie Rogers, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and the boss himself, Bruce Springsteen. The musician will perform his anti-ICE song, “Streets of Minneapolis.”

In the words of Springsteen, “We will take our stand for this land.” We will raise our voices. From the small towns and cities of the Heartland, from rural and urban areas coast-to-coast, Americans will rise up and peacefully protest. Unified in purpose. Determined. Standing strong.

FYI: To learn more about the Thursday protests on I-35 bridges, click here. To find a NO KINGS Day protest location near you, click here.

ADDITIONALLY, the people of the Twin Cities have been awarded the 2026 John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award for their actions during the massive federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Click here to learn more about that award, which will be presented at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston on May 31. So proud of you, Twin Cities, and all other Minnesotans who stepped up, helped, protested, etc. during Operation Metro Surge. That includes right here in my community of Faribault.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

This week in Faribault: The incarceration of Japanese Americans, immigrant portraits & a historical novel March 16, 2026

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IF YOU WERE TO COLLECTIVELY consider two upcoming events this week and one current art exhibit in Faribault, you would find a common theme. That would be humanity and how we treat one another.

Let’s start with “Enmity and Empathy: Japanese Americans During World War II,” a talk by Dr. Ka Wong, set for 6 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the Rice County Historical Society in Faribault. Wong, a professor of Asian Studies at St. Olaf College in Northfield wrote a book by that name. I’m 25 pages into the book, which was published in May 2025 by the Minnesota Historical Society Press and is a finalist for the “Emilie Buchwald Award for Minnesota Nonfiction” Minnesota Book Award.

Award nominee or not, this book is assuredly a winner for the depth and volume of information Wong shares about imprisoned Japanese Americans, something unknown to many Americans. My knowledge is limited, so I’m looking forward to this presentation.

In promoting Wong’s talk this Thursday evening, the county historical society shared this in a media release:

Drawing on personal interviews, archival sources, and historical literature, Professor Ka Wong explores the courageous struggles of trailblazers who left the incarceration camps and rebuilt their lives in the North Star State. He will share stories of college students pursuing higher education, including the two colleges in Rice County, young men and women training at the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Camp Savage and then Fort Snelling, the US Cadet Nurse Corps serving in Rochester hospitals, and entrepreneurial families and individuals in the Twin Cities and beyond.

All of this, of course, makes me think of the recent massive federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota. In that operation, many were illegally detained by federal agents, flown out of the state and held without due process in detention camps, where they remain. Others were released, some deported. I expect Wong may address this during his presentation. He can definitely provide historic perspective.

NOTE: Reserve a spot at this talk by calling (507) 332-2121. Space is limited. Admittance is free for RCHS members and $5 for non-members.

Immigrant portraits line the hall connecting the library, left, to the community center. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

ART EXHIBIT FEATURES IMMIGRANT PORTRAITS

Immigrants are the focus of an exhibit currently showing in the hallway between the Faribault Community Center and Buckham Memorial Library. Faribault artist Kate Langlais shows 13 of her portraits from her “I Am Minnesota” project. These are first and second-generation immigrants.

Four months ago, Langlais’ immigrant portraits filled a spacious gallery at the Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault. These are selected drawings from that show. She’s also previously shown her artwork in the same space where the 13 portraits now hang.

In my opinion, these portraits should be shared as often as possible in Faribault, which has not always been particularly welcoming to immigrants. I’m certainly not talking everyone, but too many people would rather our newest neighbors from Somalia, Mexico and other countries leave our city. I’ve heard that shouted while protesting ICE operations.

(Promo from the Books on Central Facebook page)

AN AUTHOR TALKS ABOUT THE GOSPEL OF SALOME

Finally, St. Olaf College professor and author Kaethe Schwehn will talk about her newest book, The Gospel of Salome, at 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, at Books on Central in Faribault. The historical novel set in Biblical times follows a mother who is navigating a complex world of gender and power imbalances during the First Century. Schwehn will read from her book and talk about some of its themes, examining ideology, motherhood and a poignant argument for love and equality in today’s world, according to pre-event information.

I expect good discussion will follow, as it always does at these free literary events at Books on Central.

There’s a lot to be learned in Faribault this week. I hope locals and others will embrace these three opportunities to grow their knowledge and broaden their perspectives.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Musings during a multi-day southern Minnesota blizzard March 15, 2026

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My husband, Randy, blows snow from our driveway Sunday morning. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

WHILE I SAT IN THE RECLINER hand-stitching loosened seams in a cuff of Randy’s flannel shirt and listening to “Face the Nation,” my husband was outdoors firing up the snowblower.

We are in the middle of a major winter storm in much of Minnesota. Snow began falling here Saturday evening and continues with some nine-plus inches of accumulation thus far in Faribault. Winds are whipping the new-fallen snow into a blizzard with no travel advised, roads closed, and more cancellations than I could possibly list. That includes cancellation of church services.

Little Prairie United Methodist Church, rural Dundas. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Across town, while I was stitching, then dicing celery and onions for the Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish I’ll make for supper, my friend Marian was tucked inside her home watching Little Prairie United Methodist Church services online. Broadcast not from the rural Dundas church, but from Pastor Penny Bonsell’s living room in nearby Northfield.

“She (the pastor) was in her slippers with a cup of coffee and her puppy needing to be removed from front and center!” Marian shared with me. “A close neighbor trudged through the snow to play the piano and she and her husband have beautiful voices. The puppy didn’t sing!”

Marian invited me to watch the service. I did. After I finished the breakfast dishes, ate the brunch Randy made, washed dishes again, and video chatted with my second daughter and one-year-old grandson four hours away in southeastern Wisconsin. Only light snow is falling in Madison.

Randy had just finished clearing the driveway and sidewalk when the snowplow came by, filling in the ends of the drive and walk with a deep ridge of snow. Back to blowing. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

Snow is still piling up here, falling thick and heavy. But the Rev. Bonsell gave thanks for the new white snow, which “reminds us to be clean and make a new start in life.” I appreciated her positive perspective, which can be difficult to consider when you’re out shoveling and blowing away snow in fierce winds as Randy did for 1½ hours this morning.

But as I watched the Little Prairie UMC Church service, I felt such peace. Pastor Bonsell has a calming voice, graceful and poetic. As she led the service from her cozy living room, fire blazing in the fireplace, slippers on her feet, sipping coffee, rocking in a rocking chair, I felt the comfort of words offered in song, prayer and in her message, “Restores My Soul” (based on Psalm 23). Said the pastor, “You are never, ever alone.” She also talked about light and darkness, referencing Ephesians 5:8-14 and choosing to live in the light, to choose good.

I took this photo early Sunday morning as the wind-driven snow began to pile up against the garage door. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

I didn’t intend to watch a church service when I was shaping the idea of this blog post around our winter storm. I attended worship at my church last evening given this morning’s service was canceled. But then my friend Marian’s words about the puppy and the pastor in slippers drew me to the Little Prairie UMC YouTube video.

Once online, I immediately felt at home in the pastor’s living room. I noticed a pillow with the directive to “Be Kind” positioned on a child-sized rocking chair. The fire blazed. The puppy roamed. Pianist Peter Webb sat poised at the piano.

Just like the Rev. Bonsell, I advised Randy to be careful while clearing the heavy snow. Here he blows open the sidewalk with dried hydrangea in the foreground. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo March 2026)

And the Rev. Bonsell, in her welcome on this “snowstormy day” (her words), advised everyone to be careful when shoveling the heavy snow. Then, before beginning the worship service, she asked for more people to make pies and salads for a March 27 Fish Dinner. She announced the Holy Week schedule and a 90th birthday party open house for twins Doris and Doug, showed a video of a youth group bowling outing, and more.

And during a sharing of the peace, typically hand-shaking, the pastor and her husband, Tom, kissed. That sealed it. The snow may be falling at a rapid rate as I write. The wind may be creating chaos in the world outside. But in a small southern Minnesota living room, a pastor brought peace and love in the middle of a blizzard that won’t end until 7 a.m. Monday.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Your lucky day with music o’plenty in Faribault on Friday, March 13 March 10, 2026

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WHETHER YOU LIKE country or Celtic, you’ll find music o’plenty in Faribault on the evening of Friday, March 13.

Just days before St. Patrick’s Day, metro-based Bonnie Drunken Lad takes the stage at the Paradise Center for the Arts for a performance beginning at 7:30 pm. The five-person Irish folk band will play traditional and modern Celtic, sea shanties and pub songs. Their music is sure to get you in a dancing-with-leprechauns, Irish frame of mind.

If you can’t catch the band in Faribault, you can also hear them at Charlie’s Restaurant and Irish Pub/Water Street Inn Ballroom in Stillwater from 11 am-2 pm Saturday, March 14. They’re among a line-up of musical groups playing at a St. Practice Day event. On March 17, Bonnie Drunken Lad will be back at the Stillwater location from 2-5 pm for a music-filled St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

Another option to hear these Irish musicians is from 4-6 pm Saturday, March 14, at Kip’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in St. Louis Park.

For tickets to the Faribault performance Friday evening, March 13, click here.

BLOCKS AWAY from Bonnie Drunken Lad’s show at the Paradise, a local four-piece country band will perform a free concert at the historic Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour from 7-9 pm Friday, March 13.

The Old Country Boys sing with an authentic twang about daily life, love and hardship. Expect to hear songs by the likes of Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, George Jones, Hank Williams Sr. and Jr., Charlie Daniels, and Alabama, among others.

Although the concert is free, donations are accepted for Cathedral preservation. This event is part of the Faribault Cathedral Concert Series.

Interestingly enough, last March Bonnie Drunken Lad played at the Cathedral as part of the concert series. Now that I think about it, I’m pretty certain I attended that concert.

I’ve heard the Old Country Boys/Brothers, purveyors of old (not new) country music, play many times in Faribault, at Christ Lutheran Church’s weekly summer wood-fired pizza-concert night, Holy Smoke!

Now, on a Friday evening in mid-March, both groups will be back in Faribault performing country and Celtic music o’plenty at pre-St. Patrick’s Day concerts.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Council chat focuses on housing in Faribault March 9, 2026

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Straight River Apartments under construction in 2022. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo March 2022)

IN RECENT YEARS, Faribault has experienced a boon in apartment building construction, especially in the downtown area. Hillside Apartments, Straight River Apartments and Riverchase Apartments have all opened with Riverchase II coming soon.

Additionally space in downtown historic buildings has been, or will be, rehabbed into more apartments.

At the former Farmer Seed & Nursery site along Minnesota State Highway 60, Midwest Flats Apartments are under construction.

And on the south end of town are the new Elmview Apartments.

That’s a whole lot of apartments added to already long-standing apartment complexes and other rental units in the city. But apparently the need and demand are there based on discussions among local government officials.

Housing will focus a monthly City Council Chat slated for 5 pm Wednesday, March 11, at Viaduct Park. Specifically, Maxfield Research will present results of a housing needs analysis done for the Faribault Housing and Redevelopment Authority. That will include demographic trends, market demand, affordability challenges and projected housing needs over the coming years, according to the city of Faribault.

I’m curious about the results of that study. As an aging Baby Boomer, I hold a different outlook on local housing needs than a young person or young family just settling into the community or looking to buy a home.

What I appreciate about the monthly Council Chats are the focused topics, the informality of the gatherings, and opportunities for the public to ask questions, comment and mingle with city employees and elected officials. This is about as grassroots as it gets in local government. Listen. Learn. Discuss. Make informed decisions.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

And the winners of the Name a Snowplow contest in Faribault are… March 6, 2026

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These two new Faribault city snowplow trucks now bear names following a Name a Snowplow contest. (Photo credit: City of Faribault)

WHEN IT COMES to plowing snow, getting the white stuff off city streets as quickly as possible is likely top of mind for most property owners. We’re thankful when the plow clears our street, but even more thankful if that’s done before we’ve opened our driveways. There’s nothing quite as maddening as the snowplow plugging up the end of your driveway with a ridge of snow right after you’ve put away the shovel or snowblower. Timing is everything.

A tech inspired name for the snowplow also references the salt used on snowy and icy city streets. (Photo credit: City of Faribault)

But now the City of Faribault has put a little fun into snow removal by sponsoring a Name a Snowplow contest, much like the one held annually by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. The winners of Faribault’s inaugural contest to name two new snowplows are…drum roll, please: Ctrl Salt Delete with 84 votes (28 percent) and Darth Blader with 67 votes (22 percent). Both names were past winners in MnDOT contests.

Coming in third was Alexander Fariblow with 48 votes out of the 300-plus cast. Even though only two names were supposed to win, city officials discussed and decided to go with a third winner for a large front-end blower used to clear the downtown area. Good call, I say, as the name honors town founder Alexander Faribault whose 1853 wood-frame house stands downtown.

So how did the city get from contest idea to tagging two plows and a blower with names? First they asked for suggestions from the community with around 50 ideas submitted. Those were narrowed to six. The other three were Frost Responder, Farisnow and The Big Snowplowski. Then voting opened online.

But the city offered one more ballot option which I really like because it got kids involved. At a Halloween event at a local car dealership, the city placed decals of the top six names on the front of a snowplow. Kids and/or parents could then vote by putting their initials by their preferred name. About 60 votes were cast in that unique poll.

All in all, I’d say this first Name a Snowplow contest in Faribault was a success if you’re measuring community engagement and novel winter fun.

Second top vote-getter, Darth Blader. (Photo credit: City of Faribault)

Additionally, maybe seeing Ctrl Salt Delete or Darth Blader roaring down a snowy street will help us to be a bit more understanding if our driveway is plowed shut just after we’ve opened it. Maybe. I mean, raging at Darth Blader seems risky.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Lumberjack games, hotdish & much more at March 7 Faribault Flannel Formal February 27, 2026

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Attendees at a past Faribault Flannel Formal cozy inside a non-working amusement ride inside Corks & Pints. (Photo credit: Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)

IT’S NO FANCY formal. But that likely suits most Minnesotans. From 5-10 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, my community celebrates the tenth annual Faribault Flannel Formal at the Craft Beverage Curve (10,000 Drops Craft Distillers and Corks & Pints) in the heart of our historic downtown.

Voted as the Best Dressed Lumber Jack in 2025. (Photo credit: Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)

The dress code calls not for formal wear, but rather for flannel, preferably buffalo plaid red and black. That’s my kind of winter attire. Attendees can even participate in Lumber Jack and Jane costume contests, which call for creativity in flannel wear. Beards will also be judged to find “the best,” whatever fits that definition.

Chicken Wild Rice Hotdish, an example of the hotdish you may find at the Faribault Flannel Formal. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

This promises to be a Minnesotan event through and through with activities like a Hotdish Showdown. Note, I wrote hotdish, which is the Minnesota word for casserole. Locals will cook up their favorite hotdishes to be judged and sampled.

The influence of legendary lumberjack Paul Bunyan—who may or may not have eaten hotdish, but who certainly wore buffalo plaid flannel—will be noticeable. There will be axe throwing in a special trailer, a Beaver Toss (that would be stuffed beavers), bag toss and hammerschlagen (driving nails into a stump). Fun stuff to show off precision skills and perhaps a bit of brawn.

Inside the lower level of Corks & Pints, which connects to the distillery. (Photo credit: Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)

No event is complete without music. Minneapolis rock cover band Robos headlines the stage. Those who purchase $75 VIP experience tickets for early admittance at 3 p.m. can also exclusively enjoy the music of Wayne & the Boys, a one-man band performing the music of Wayne Wagner, inducted into the Legends of South Dakota Country Music Hall of Fame. VIP perks also include a swag bag, two complimentary drink tickets, voting power and access to exclusive hideouts.

Flannel attendees gather on the patio between the distillery and Corks & Pints. (Photo credit: Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism)

Whether you go VIP or opt for a $25 general admission experience, the Faribault Flannel Formal is sure to be a true Minnesotan experience, especially with all that plaid flannel. You can even experience Minnesota winter by stepping outside to order a drink at the Sleigh Bar (new this year) and then warm up in a heated tent, followed perhaps by a conversation about the weather. We like to talk weather here in Minnesota.

You may even overhear phrases like “You betcha.” Or “That’s different.” Or “It could be worse.”

But mostly, I expect you will hear friendly conversations, lots of laughter, maybe an ice fishing tale or three, and praise for Minnesota, this place we love. Even in the deep of winter. (Mostly.)

FYI: Tickets are available for purchase online (click here on flannelformal.org), at the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism office, and at 10,000 Drops Craft Distillers. The first 500 ticket holders get a complimentary collectible glass and a complimentary beverage.

The Faribault Flannel Formal is a fundraiser for the local Chamber and tourism office with monies targeted for projects in the downtown district.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling