Ely Folk School

10/19/2026

What do wood soda kilns, pierogies, hiking in the Boundary Waters, and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album all have in common?

Why, they’re all topics of folk school classes happening this weekend! We love it when there is a wide spread of topics on any given day (or weekend) and this one seemed like a particularly fun conglomeration to highlight!

As of the time of this post, there are still spots available in all four classes!

🧱Wood Soda Kiln Building (2 Session Class) with Travis Novak - Friday, October 23rd & Saturday, October 24th, 9am-5pm

🥟Fill, Fold, Feast: Pierogi Making from Scratch with Doris Kolodji - Saturday, October 24th, 10am-1pm

🥾Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: Hikes Into History with Martin Kubik and Tiffanie Ellis - Saturday, October 24th, 1-3pm

🤠October Intro to the Humanities: Book Club Dinner Party with Lacey Squier - Saturday, October 24th, 5-7:30pm (discussing Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter album)

10/18/2026

Another hint 👩‍🍳 Any guesses??

10/18/2026

We're cooking up something fun with Potluck Kitchenware today!

Something fun happening today 👀 stay tuned for more details!

10/18/2026

Are you feeling a bit more ready to use the oven for cooking now that the weather is cooling down?

The seasons are changing, and with that, a change in your cooking comes also.

A freshening up of your go-to recipes & cookbooks are a fantastic way to usher in the new season!

Join other area cooks in trading cookbooks, tried-and-true recipes, and idea generating at the Ely Folk School for a Fall Cookbook Swap on Tuesday, October 20th, at 5:30pm.

Plan on bringing no longer used cookbooks (in good condition) to swap with others!

10/17/2026

With the seasons changing, it's a good time to create a routine with your creative practice. Multi-session programs provide both the opportunity to dive a little deeper into both the subject matter and relationships with your fellow students and instructor(s).

Here’s a list of just our November & December multi-session classes, learn more on our website or give us a call if you have any questions!

🎨Watercolor as a Pathway Through Grief (3 session class) - Mondays, November 2nd, 9th & 16th, 5-7pm

🍃Sisters of the Earth Nature Writing for Women (Online, 3 Session Class)- Wednesdays, November 4th, 11th, & 18th, 5-7pm

🧶Introduction to Nalbinding: Start Your Own Wool Hat (2 Session Class) - Thursday and Friday, November 5th & 6th, 5-7pm

👝Sew a Sámi Style Leather Bag or Pouch (2 Session Class) - Saturday and Sunday, November 7th & 8th, 10am-4pm

✒️Mindful Writing: Journaling for Writers (2 Session Class) - Saturday November 7th, 1-3pm and Saturday, November 14th, 3-5pm

🪡Sashiko - Japanese Embroidery (3 Session Class) - Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, November 11th, 12th, 13th, 5-7pm

🖌Beginner Rosemaling Ornaments (2 Session Class) - Thursday & Friday, November 19th & 20th, 1-4pm

🌀Spirals of Memory: Writing Your Life Stories (2 Session Class) - Tuesdays, December 8th & 15th, 5-7pm

🛶Craft Your Own Wooden Canoe Paddle (3 Session Class) - Friday, December 11th, 6-8pm, Saturday, December 12th, 9am-1pm, & Sunday, December 13th, 9am-1pm

10/16/2026

Was anyone else curious about that big seed drill working near the Trezona Trailhead this last week?

The Northern St. Louis Soil and Water Conservation District received funding from the Conservation Partners Legacy grant program to take out the invasive tansy from about 2 acres of the Trezona Trail and replant the area with native pollinator plants.

This spring, work was done to remove the existing invasives. This week, it’s been planted with a pollinator mix!

The Ely Folk School will be coordinating volunteers to assist with the maintenance and care of the new plants next spring. We’re excited to take an active role in caring for our city’s common spaces and to demonstrate what’s possible when taking on invasives on your own land!

(Second photo is the before photo of all the invasive tansy that has been removed!)

10/15/2026

In today’s newsletter (and corresponding blog post), Rachael, our Communications & Hospitality Manager, reflects on finding a home in Ely through the people here:

“Now that I’m a few years into year-round living here, I’m continually learning that Ely is such an incredible place because of the people. It is my relationships that have drawn me to stay. There is a dynamic combination of resiliency through individual grit and tight-knit social networks. An awareness that both are needed to not only survive the tough seasons, such as the fires this summer, and thrive throughout, such as finding ways to embrace the long winters (whatever your relationship to that is).

When I became involved with the Ely Folk School, first as a student and now as a staff member, I always heard stories of how impactful EFS has been in helping connect people, whether they're new to town or simply looking to expand their circle. I’ve been reflecting on community care and support systems a lot in my personal life recently, and have been experiencing this same gratitude for being a part of the EFS community.”

Read more in your inbox or on our blog!

10/14/2026

🥄 Who Makes the Best Soup in Ely?

It’s time to find out! The Ely Community Center, in partnership with the Ely Folk School, is hosting our first-ever Golden Ladle Contest. Local restaurants will compete — and YOU get to taste, vote, and decide the winner!

🎟 Tickets: $10 Adults | $5 Kids (6–12) | Free under 5 | $20 max per family
A ticket includes soup samples from every restaurant, bread, dessert, drinks, and 1 vote token. Extra votes just $1 each.

✨ BONUS 1: Local potters will be selling handmade bowls in the lobby. Buy a bowl → your entry fee is waived!

✨ BONUS 2: Each ticket includes a coupon for $20 off one free hour of studio time at the Ely Folk School’s Ceramics Studio Open Evening on Tues, Oct 28 (6–8 PM).

📅 Thursday, Oct 23 | 5–7 PM
📍 Ely Community Center

Come hungry. Leave souper happy. 🥄

10/13/2026

This evening is the third class (of four) where students are learning how to lace their own snow shoes and getting ready for some winter adventures! This photo is from the first session last Saturday.

Taught by Peta Barrett, previously the owner of Women’s Wilderness Discovery, students are using an Ojibwe-style snowshoe kit. The kit provides Minnesota-made white ash frames, tubular nylon lacing, instruction booklet, and lamp wick bindings.

10/11/2026

It’s October again?!

This time last year we were working out of the Blue Classroom aka “Renovation Headquarters” as we updated our kitchen classroom! Nearly a year into the new kitchen's use, we've offered 85 Nourishment classes, 21 potlucks and community events, and 10 private Nourishment classes and events.

And now we just wrapped up another phase of improving the student and teacher experience through replacing our floor! We know that nostalgic checkerboard flooring held a lot of history over the 20-ish years of its life! We’re excited to see what these floors and our programming get up to for the next 20+ years.

Thank you Alley A Realty and Debeltz Flooring for making this possible.

We invite you to visit us soon for a class or community event and experience the upgrade for yourself!