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Events

Winterers' Gathering & Arctic Film Festival

Fri, Nov 22, 2024 - Sun, Nov 24, 2024

Overview

Winter is the longest and most defining season in the North. With snowy days and dark nights, this season is a time both for outdoor adventure and for gathering to share traditions, meals, and stories. 

The Winterers’ Gathering & Arctic Film Festival celebrates the crafts, customs, history, and stories that have been inspired by winter. Featuring winter-centric coursework, a winter tent camp, gear sale, film festival, speakers, and more, this is a classic event to welcome the start of the chilliest season.

The 2024 Winterers’ Gathering will welcome special guest instructor Niilá Omma to teach a knifemaking course. Niilá is duojár, a traditional Sámi craftsman, from Skelefteå, Sweden. He uses mainly reindeer antler and birch to make knives, cups, boxes, jewelry and other traditional items, and sells his work in Sweden and internationally. This is his first visit to North House Folk School.  

Event Details

See a selection of program highlights below and check back here for updates this fall.

All Weekend

Presentations

Event Seminars are 45 minute presentations that cover a variety of winter-related topics: from camping tips to travelogues, cultural reflections to winter sport secrets, these inspiring talks offer something for everyone and take place throughout the weekend. Check this page later this fall for seminar details.

Skill Share Demonstrations

These short intensive sessions focus on particularly handy skills. Dress for a partially heated environment. Free to attend, materials fee occasionally applies, payable at door. Blacksmith Shop. Check this page later this fall for skill share details.

Arctic Film Festival

This one-of-a-kind festival features films from around the globe that visually tell the story of the North. Documentaries, features and shorts showcase arctic landscapes, traditional cultures, northern adventures and changing climates. All film screenings are free and held in the Blue Building. Check this page later this fall for the film schedule.

Friday Highlights

Friday, November 22

Open Fire Dinner on a Stick & Outdoor Shorts Film Festival

Gather around a bonfire and cook over an open fire as a community. Participants bring their own food; we’ll provide the fire and the pointy sticks. Sausages to steaks, pudgie pies to home fries, it’s all welcome. Beginning at 6:00pm, we’ll enjoy a selection of winter-themed short films.

Snowshoe Shuffle Traditional Community Contra Dance

6:30pm family dance, 7:30pm community dance

Don your winter wardrobe and warm up at this friendly community contra dance. The dance takes place in the historic timbered woodshop.

Cold Snap Poetry Slam

Cold Snap Poetry Slam is a friendly celebration of the spoken word and the glories of the frozen North! Join in the fun by reading one of your own works or any selected seasonal poetry of your choosing. By sharing your favorite hibernal verse, presenters will receive wide recognition as cultural icons, as well as a free bottomless bag of popcorn for the weekend! Check back later this fall for information on registering.

Saturday Highlights

Saturday, November 23

The Great Gear & Ski Sale

Bring your outdoor equipment to sell or get in on some great bargains & buy. Registration forms will be available that morning, and an online form will be available soon. Backcountry skis to winter canvas tents. Ice skates to kites. Winter boots to down jackets. All are welcome.

The Deep Freeze Chili Feed

Bundle up and grab your bowl for this traditional winter favorite: chili & freshly baked cornbread. Hot chili (your choice: vegetarian or meat) is cooked up in the kettle and enjoyed in the company of other hearty winterers. Details coming later this fall!

Latest Update: View recent changes →

Course Offerings

Carve a Jointed Figure

Tue, Nov 19th, 2024  –  Thu, Nov 21st, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Cecilia Schiller

Knife Making in Traditional Nordic Styles

Wed, Nov 20th, 2024  –  Fri, Nov 22nd, 2024
Days 1,2: 9am-5pm, Day 3: 9am-3pm
Instructor: Niilá Omma

Build Your Own Shave Horse

Thu, Nov 21st, 2024  –  Sun, Nov 24th, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructors: Paul Linden, John Fleck

Winter Moccasins, Anishinaabe-Style

Fri, Nov 22nd, 2024  –  Sun, Nov 24th, 2024
9am-5pm each day

Felt Your Feet: Slippers or Boot Liners

Sat, Nov 23rd, 2024  –  Sun, Nov 24th, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Elise Kyllo

Tofu, Tempeh, Seitan: Traditional Plant Proteins from Scratch

Sat, Nov 23rd, 2024  –  Sun, Nov 24th, 2024
9am-5pm each day
Instructor: Ian Carr