Minnesota Prairie Roots

Writing and photography by Audrey Kletscher Helbling

Churches connect community at summertime concerts June 5, 2026

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

SET AMONG THE FARM FIELDS of Rice County south of Dundas, Little Prairie United Methodist Church joins several area congregations hosting free family-oriented mid-week summertime concerts aimed at connecting community.

Gathering on the prairie for a 2025 summer concert at Little Prairie with music by The Old Country Boys. (Photo courtesy of Little Prairie UMC)

Little Prairie kicks off its second summer of “Music on the Prairie” concert series from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 10, with The Old Country Boys performing old country and rock songs. Subsequent concerts also happen on Wednesday evenings with the Over and Back Band on July 22. Minnesota Music Hall of Fame fiddler Dr. Mike Hildebrandt plays with the band, presenting a unique blend of funky rock n roll and gypsy bluegrass. At the season’s final concert on August 19, The Rockin’ Hep Cats will perform roots rock n roll.

The food service area at a 2025 “Music on the Prairie“ concert. Serving starts at 5:30 p.m. (Photo courtesy of Little Prairie UMC)

Besides listening to music, attendees can purchase affordable $5 meals prepared by Little Prairie church members. Up first on June 10 are grilled burgers crafted from locally-raised beef, Jim’s famous German beans (originally created for Oktoberfest in Dundas), chips, dessert and pop or water. July’s main menu item is locally-made hotdogs from Greg’s Meat Shop. And on August 19, Sloppy Joe’s will be served. Serving begins at 5:30 p.m.

Kids can play with bubbles at Little Prairie, just like they did in this photo from “Holy Smoke” at Christ Lutheran Church in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

“Music on the Prairie” also includes activities for kids featuring yard games, big bubbles and several small crafts.

Enjoying the music of The Old Country Boys at “Music on the Prairie” on a beautiful summer evening in 2025. (Photo courtesy of Little Prairie UMC)

While the concerts are free, free will donations are welcome to benefit Little Prairie’s ministries. This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with community and enjoy a variety of music, plus a meal, in a quiet countryside setting.

The “Holy Smoke” pizza baking crew at Christ Lutheran Church, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

The same can be said for the Wednesday evening summer concert series at Zwingli United Church of Christ in Berne, located in the country south of Wanamingo or a half hour northeast of Owatonna. This summer marks the 15th year Berne has served up music and its handcrafted wood-fired pizzas. The church grounds open at 5 p.m. every Wednesday, June-August, for the themed events benefiting Zwingli UCC, other churches and area non-profits.

It was Berne’s long-running, successful concert series which inspired the Rev. Penny Bonsell to try a summer mid-week music series at Little Prairie. After a pilot run in 2024, the event really took off in 2025, she said, with a goal of growing community.

Wood-fired brisket pizza crafted at Christ Lutheran’s “Holy Smoke.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Wood-fired pizza is also on the menu at Christ Lutheran Church, high atop a hill on Faribault’s east side. The second Wednesday of the month, June-August, “Holy Smoke” pizza and music event runs from 5:30-8 p.m. Proceeds benefit local nonprofits, this summer the Paradise Center for the Arts, Habitat for Humanity and St. Vincent de Paul.

Connecting over music and pizza at “Holy Smoke.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

I’ve only ever been to “Holy Smoke,” multiple times, but intend to check out the newest of these summer concert series at Little Prairie. Perhaps eventually I’ll make it to the more distant, larger and busier gathering at Berne.

If you opt to attend any of these, remember your lawn chair. Also bring your appetite, your appreciation of music and your enthusiasm for connecting with others. These three concert series build community with music and food, giving us just one more reason to get outside on a summer evening in southern Minnesota.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Living history along the Cannon River May 18, 2026

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Tents aplenty, including that of a hat maker, were set up by the Cannon River for the Riverside Rendezvous in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

ALONG THE BANKS of the Cannon River in Faribault’s North Alexander Park, they set up camp. The fur trappers, the blacksmith, the weaver, the spinner, the tinsmith, the shopkeeper, the hat maker…all of them in a community founded by a fur trader, Alexander Faribault.

In between stitching leather, this re-enactor weaves a cord. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

History came to life here, at the second annual Riverside Rendezvous and History Festival organized by the Rice County Historical Society. This event is like a step back in time to the 18th and 19th centuries with history enthusiasts in period costume demonstrating long ago hands-on work and talking up their passions.

One of the hands-on activities, making candles. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
The blacksmith pounds hot metal. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
Tinsmith Kitty from Lake Pepin demonstrates tinsmithing. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Here I watched candle-making, blacksmithing, rug weaving, spinning of wool into yarn, tinsmithing…

Attendees listened to this participant give a lesson in defense and weaponry. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

I learned about crests and weapons.

Listening to The Skally Line musicians. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

I listened to musicians on-stage, one group singing about Tator Tot Hotdish, not exactly period appropriate, but entertaining none-the-less.

Playing an historic saxhorn inside a dry goods tent. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
History-themed books filled a tent, these appropriate to the event. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
Lots of hats for sale. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Inside Stick and Stump Dry Goods, a musician blew into an 1873 saxhorn, drawing attendees into the tent to peruse the merchandise. A row of merchants vended goods from tents, selling period weapons, beads, books, belts, soap, hats, knives, clothing and a whole lot more.

Guided by the archer, Randy aims at the target. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

In a far corner of the park, rendezvous attendees stepped up and tried their skills at archery and tomahawk throwing. I passed given my lack of athleticism. I watched, though, while my husband, Randy, pulled the bowstring and, in one of three attempts, hit the target.

A photo opp after tomahawk throwing. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

I also observed a re-enactor taking a photo of two tomahawk throwers with their smartphone, another example of present day and yesteryear mingling in an almost (at least to me) comical moment. Those long ago dwellers of this land could never have imagined the technology of today.

There were many open campfires for cooking on the encampment grounds. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
Stripping the plant dogbane to make into a strong thread. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
A still life of simple foods and dinnerware. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Events like this not only preserve and celebrate history, but serve as visual reminders of how much has changed with the passage of time. Progress can often be measured by the past.

MN Jack Sparrow and his pirate “ship” were a draw, especially for the kids. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

I’m not a history buff. Yet history interests me enough to want to learn more, to attend events like the rendezvous. Before the encampment opened to the public over the weekend, local students came by the hundreds to North Alexander Park for a living history lesson. I would have enjoyed history a whole lot more as a child had I gone to something like this.

Period dress is an important part of the rendezvous. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
Humorous signs inside the Baby’s Indian Frybread tent. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)
Spinning and playing with a toy spinner. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

As I wandered around the grounds, photographed, listened, conversed, paused to eat first savory, then sweet, Baby’s Indian Frybread, I considered the time, effort and work involved in putting an event like this together. It’s a lot for the organizers, volunteers and participants.

The North West Company was a Canadian fur trading company important in early fur trade in this area. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

I’m grateful for this rendezvous which brings living history to Faribault, a place where the Wahpekute once fished and trapped and traded and dwelt. This place, too, where Alexander Faribault came to trade with the native Dakota, to settle, to establish the town named after him.

A vendor inside a tent with blankets, weapons and an assortment of goods for sale. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo May 2026)

Faribault is a town rich in history. Rice County is a county rich in history. Minnesota is a state rich in history. And, on Saturday, for a few hours, I glimpsed that history along the banks of the Cannon River, where the water flows into the nearby Straight River, stories carried on the current of the water from the past into the present.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

A flea market, riverside rendezvous & Syttende Mai celebration May 14, 2026

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A leather stitcher at the May 2025 Riverside Rendezvous & History Festival in Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2025)

WHETHER YOU’RE INTO HISTORY, flea markets, music or art, you’ll find a trio of events in the area this weekend covering those options.

Vendors set up shop outside the Rice County Historical Society. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo September 2025)

First up is the annual Rice County Historical Society Spring Flea Market from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, May 16, in Faribault. Vendors offer an array of goods from antiques and collectibles to crafts, art, oddities and assorted merchandise to endless to name. I’ve shopped here many times, enjoying the experience of not only poking around for something I may or may not need, but also socializing.

Making ropes at the 2025 Riverside Rendezvous. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo May 2025)

Just down the road from the RCHS grounds, the historical society is hosting its second annual Riverside Rendezvous and History Festival in North Alexander Park from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 16, and again from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Sunday.

I attended last year and immersed myself in the living history with added music, food (try the frybread) and interaction with re-enactors and others rounding out the festival. The event features the trades, tradition and history of the 18th and 19th centuries via demonstrations of blacksmithing, leatherworking, fur trapping, candlemaking and more plus an appearance by MN Jack Sparrow.

Listen to the music of Curtis & Loretta, The Leather Souls, Bonnie Drunken Lad, the Roe Family Singers and The Skally Line. Try your skills in competitive Voyageur games, tomahawk throwing and archery. Buy goods from vendors, cash only. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids, a bargain considering all the rendezvous offers.

Musicians will perform inside the Valley Grove wooden church. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

Sunday brings more entertainment, this time at the historic Norwegian Valley Grove churches, rural Nerstrand. From 1-3 p.m. May 17, the Valley Grove Preservation Society celebrates Syttende Mai, Norway’s Constitution Day.

Inside the old wooden church, St. Olaf College students will play Norwegian hardanger fiddle music from 1-1:30 p.m. After that, until 3 p.m., the duet Over Yonder, with Martha Larson on cello and Brian Johnson on guitar, will play original compositions from their recent album “Valley Grove.” That includes the title track, “(The Big Oak at) Valley Grove.”

Crosses crafted from Valley Grove burr oaks. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

In honor of the big burr oak that once anchored a corner of the Valley Grove Cemetery until a 2018 storm blew the tree down, a pop-up art exhibit will be featured inside the old stone church. Attendees are invited to share their paintings, drawings, photos and wooden items (made from the 250-year-old burr oak) at the exhibit.

This trio of area happenings gets my recommendations. I can’t make all three. But if you can, go. Every single event promises to be worth your while whether you love history, flea markets, music, art or all four. This is a jam-packed weekend of educational, entertaining and enjoyable events right here in your own backyard.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Remembering Minnesota’s Prince 10 years after his death April 20, 2026

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This bronze statue of Prince, photographed in a Prince Memorial Garden in Henderson, is now in a music-themed New Ulm museum. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2020)

MY CLOSEST CONNECTION to Prince, Minnesota singer, songwriter and performer, came in 1983. I was working as a reporter for the Owatonna People’s Press when a co-worker’s girlfriend joined the set of Purple Rain as a movie crowd extra. Had I been thinking, I would have interviewed Kim about her small part in the 1984 film. But, for whatever reason, I didn’t. It was a missed opportunity to take a broader, state-wide story and localize it.

This shows a close-up of a Prince portrait done in oil by Dana Hanson, former Faribault resident, in 2016. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2016)

Flash forward to now and the 10th anniversary of Prince’s death on April 21. I’m not a Prince fan, but I appreciate that many are worldwide. He rates as one of Minnesota’s best-known, most-beloved musicians. As such, it’s fitting to write about him a decade after his untimely passing.

I could write about Paisley Park, Prince’s Chanhassen home and recording studio now turned museum and music venue. Thousands pay homage to the Purple One each year by visiting the site. But 75 miles to the southwest in New Ulm, the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame also honors Prince, among its 229 inductees. Prince was inducted in 2007, joining the likes of Minnesotans Bob Dylan, John Denver, Marilyn Sellars and even the St. Olaf College Choir.

The Prince guitar sculpture outside the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame. (Photo courtesy of the MMHF)

I have yet to visit the MMHF, although I’ve passed by many times en route to my native southwestern Minnesota hometown. Located along a main route, U.S. Highway 14/Broadway Street, the museum is land-marked by a 16-foot tall sculpture of Prince’s purple guitar outside the front entrance. Iowa artist Jefferson Davis created the upcycled metal artwork, showcased first in a sculpture walk in neighboring Mankato before finding a permanent home in New Ulm.

Up close with Prince, in bronze, photographed in Henderson in 2020. The sculpture is now in New Ulm. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2020)

Step inside and volunteer “host to the visitors” John Kass says you’ll find the museum’s largest exhibit to be the one on Prince. It draws people from all over the world, including those who’ve first toured Paisley Park before venturing into rural Minnesota and the New Ulm museum. Many come on the anniversary of Prince’s death and on Prince Roger Nelson’s June 7 birth, Kass notes.

Highlights of the Prince exhibit, according to Kass, include a motorcycle from the movie Purple Rain; a script from Prince’s third movie, Graffiti Bridge; clothing from his wardrobe; memorabilia; and even the valances that went around the curtains in the living room of Prince’s house. I must admit that I inwardly chuckled when Kass mentioned the valances. But I suppose to avid Prince fans, those offer a glimpse inside the musician’s home.

An overview of the Prince Park in downtown Henderson before it was removed. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2020)

Additionally, the exhibit includes a granite memorial bench and also a brass sculpture of Prince crafted by Brodin Studios of Kimball. Both once stood at a memorial garden in downtown Henderson as part of the Prince Legacy Henderson Project. I visited that Minnesota River town’s Prince shrine in 2020 before items were donated to the New Ulm museum.

The Prince mural in downtown Henderson. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2020)

Henderson remains a draw for Prince fans where a scene from the movie Purple Rain was filmed along the river. A mural of Prince with his signature purple guitar and little red Corvette is all that’s left of the Henderson tribute site. The artwork graces the side of the Healing Hub along state highway 19 in the heart of downtown.

Prince portrait by Jada Fairbanks displayed at a 2018 student art show at the Paradise Center for the Arts, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo 2018)

Tuesday, April 21, marks a big day for Prince fans as they remember the music icon. In Red Wing, the Sheldon Theatre is hosting a 7 p.m. concert, “Celebrating the Legend of Prince—10 Years Later,” by Chase and Ovation. The Minneapolis-based band exclusively performs the music of Prince.

I expect Twin Cities media will note the day of Prince’s death, too, with tenth anniversary stories. And in the community of New Ulm, the Minnesota Music Hall of Fame, 27 N. Broadway Street, will likely await a surge of visitors later in the week. The MMHF is only open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday from April-October. Admission is $7, a small price to pay, says volunteer Kass, for a museum that showcases the best of Minnesota’s musicians. And that includes the Purple One, Prince Roger Nelson.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling

 

Thither will we go March 28, 2026

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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

 

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

 

Mutual aid marathon in Northfield aims to support those impacted by ICE March 4, 2026

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(Promo sourced from The Grand Event Center Facebook page)

THE GOOD FOLKS of Northfield, Minnesota, are organizing again to help their neighbors. This time it’s via a 12-hour Mutual Aid Marathon from 10 am-10 pm Saturday, March 7, at The Grand Event Center in this college town south of the Twin Cities.

Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to organizations—such as Sharing Our Roots and Northfield Community Action Center—providing mutual aid to those in the community impacted by federal immigration enforcement.

Doors open at 10 am at the event center, 316 Washington Street, just a block off Division Street in the heart of this historic downtown. Suggested donation at the door is $10.

From 10 until noon, attendees can enjoy a breakfast with 30 percent of entree sales going to organizations doing vital work in the community. Likewise, profits from a “pay what you can” appetizer buffet, which starts at 4 pm, will also be donated.

Event planners promise a full day and evening of live music, performances, poetry, political education, and powerful speakers. See the event poster promo above for a complete schedule.

Organizers are calling upon the public to: Bring friends. Bring family. Bring your appetite and your solidarity. Come for a while or stay for the entire marathon.

As I see it, the Mutual Aid Marathon is all about neighbors helping neighbors, which is the very definition of a loving and caring community.

FYI: You can also donate online (click here) through a GoFundMe launched by Raices in Action Mutual Aid.

© 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

 

Coming together in prayer, reflection & unity at Bishop Whipple’s church in Faribault February 5, 2026

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The service program cover featured an historic photo of Native Americans incarcerated at Ft. Snelling following the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 prior to their deportation from Minnesota. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

WE GATHERED. On a day when I learned that a friend, an American citizen, was recently racially-profiled and stopped by ICE. On a day when I learned that ICE vehicles have been parked in my neighborhood. On a day when several Minnesota children were released from federal detainment in Texas. On a day when the border czar announced the draw-down of 700 federal agents (out of 3,000) in Minnesota. On this early February day, 75 of us gathered for an “Evening Prayer Service for Our Nation” at the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour in Faribault, Bishop Henry Whipple’s church.

The prayer service was open to anyone who wanted to attend in a church I’ve always considered especially welcoming and focused on serving community. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

I needed this service of prayer, scripture, Psalms, reflection and hymns to quiet my troubled spirit. But I needed, too, to hold space, to sit and stand and sing and pray in community, in support of anyone—especially our immigrant and refugee neighbors—illegally stopped, taken and/or detained by ICE.

A couple leans on one another during the service. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

This was not a protest service. Rather, this was a reflective, prayerful, unifying, worshipful coming together of people in my community who care deeply about their neighbors and about this nation.

People arrive for the 7 pm service inside the Cathedral of Our Merciful Saviour, Faribault. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

The Rev. James Zotalis welcomed attendees to the event held inside the massive Episcopal cathedral completed in 1869 under the leadership of Bishop Whipple. “Welcome to the Whipple building,” Zotalis said in opening his short homily. “This is the real Whipple building.”

Gathered inside the cathedral for the prayer service. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

He contrasted the beautiful church to the stark seven-story Whipple Federal Building 50 miles to the north that bears the good bishop’s name and which is now a temporary detention center for those detained by ICE in Minnesota. Conditions inside have been described as “inhumane” by officials who have visited the facility.

A portrait of Bishop Henry Whipple hanging inside the cathedral. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

The cathedral, Zotalis said, is a place of love and peace, its ministry modeled after that of Bishop Whipple and his first wife, Cornelia. Arriving here from Chicago in 1859, the couple had already served in dangerous areas of that city, connecting with people in tangible, helpful ways, much like we see Minnesotans stepping up and helping others today.

The Rev. Henry Doyle, left, a church member, and the Rev. James Zotalis, right, start the service with a processional. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

With a repeated directive to “always say no to evil,” Zotalis said Minnesotans have done just that since the invasion of our state by masked federal agents two months ago. He listed specifics: bringing food to people afraid to leave their homes, providing rides, offering free legal aid and peacefully protesting.

Among the many hymns we sang was #482, “Lord of all hopefulness.” (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

“Love your neighbor as yourself” was emphasized often in love-themed Scripture readings (Luke 10:27, I Corinthians 13:13, I John 4:11) during the Wednesday evening service. Like the good people of Minnesota today, Bishop Whipple showed that love long ago in his ministry to the Dakota people locally, across the state and during their imprisonment after the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862 at Fort Snelling, where the Whipple Federal Building is located. Whipple faced death threats for those who opposed his compassionate work with Native Americans.

Death. In a time of remembrance during Wednesday’s service, attendees could speak the names of “deceased and alive during this time of tragedy and strife.” I spoke first: “Renee Good.” Then another voice: “Alex Pretti.” And then an attendee read the names of 32 individuals who died in ICE detention in 2025. Thirty-two.

A woman holds a prayer book used often during the service. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted photo February 2026)

Many times my emotions verged on tears. As we asked, “Lord, keep this nation under your care.” As we sang “America the Beautiful.” As we prayed a Collect for Peace. As I thought of Jesus, who also lived in troubled times and who served with love and compassion.

Theme words of love, compassion, mercy and neighbor threaded throughout the service led by the reverends Zotalis and Henry Doyle. I could feel those words. And I could feel, too, the collective sense that we all needed this evening of prayer, scripture, Psalms, reflection and hymns to quiet our troubled spirits.

FYI: To watch a video of the service online, click here.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling