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Learn traditional northern craft on the shore of Lake Superior

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New & Noteworthy

Sign up to volunteer at Family Weekend: help with drop-in family crafts or support the beloved Lantern Walk. Click here to view roles and sign up. 

Family Weekend is around the corner! Join us October 16-17 for free evening activities, kid-friendly courses, and fun during MEA weekend!

Join us October 6-13 for Basket Week! Through coursework, free evening gatherings, and Basket Gathering Day, we’ll explore and celebrate a variety of basketry techniques and forms.

We're excited to be part of the Art Along the Lake fall studio tour! Join us and other Cook County artists on this self-led tour, September 25-October 4. 

January-June 2027 courses are now open for registration! Find new craft courses in everything from blacksmithing to basketry to boatbuilding. View all courses here!

Looking for more? Read through more recent blog articles or subscribe to our weekly email newsletter.

Featured Events & Activities

Sail Lake Superior

Sail Lake Superior

The 2026 sailing season is underway, and booking is open through the close of the season on October 3! 

Our traditionally-rigged schooner Hjørdis offers daily, 2-hour sails from late May through late September. 

September sails will open at a later date. Subscribe to our email newsletter to hear when booking opens!

Basket Week

Basket Week

October 6-13

Join us for a gathering of basketmakers, both advanced and aspiring! 

During Basket Week we'll have coursework during the day and free programming in the evenings. 

Join us for Basket Gathering Day: a free conference day on Friday, October 9!

Family Weekend

Family Weekend

October 16-17, 2026

S’mores, a lantern walk, a contra dance…Family Weekend brings classic fall fun for all ages. 

We'll have courses during the day (some just for kids, some for kids and their adults) as well as free evening activities for all. 

Registration is open now—find all Family Weekend details here. 

January-June 2027 Courses

January-June 2027 Courses

230 New Courses are Open for Registration!

With 230 new traditional craft courses, it's time to start planning your next trip to the folk school! 

Winter/Spring 2027 courses are now open for registration.

Click the button below to view all courses, or check out the digital catalog here. 

School Store

Our School Store is here to support your craft journey! Find books to keep you inspired, craft kits to engage your hands and mind, handcrafts made by our talented artisan instructors, and much more. 

Our physical store is open daily from 9am-5pm, or you can shop online anytime. 

Request a Catalog

Enjoy the tactile sensation of browsing our newsprint catalog of courses? Request your free copy of the North House Catalog here! And browse the digital edition while you wait!

Resident Artisan Blog

Read what our resident artisans have been up to!

Beauty In the Tension – July 14

What's the point of making beautiful things when it feels like the world is unraveling? In this blog post, Lauren Newby reflects on beauty as a reason to care for one another and for the places that sustain us. 

Armchairs and Ultramarine Blue – April 23

Inspired by the electric blues of Sweden, Lauren Newby set out to mix the perfect ultramarine for her Windsor armchair, using a combination of milk paint and raw earth pigments.