Annual festivals offer ‘Art at Every Bend in the River’

Thank you for your support of local artists over the past several years through Take Me to the River. Below you will find the schedule of this year’s events.

Due to Covid-19 precautions and the safety of artists and patrons, our partner event organizers independently made decisions about holding events in 2020. Please check below to see if your favorite event is taking place in person or online. Please note several organizers made the tough decision to postpone their events until 2021.

September 11-13

Art on the Kinni is Going Virtual
Support local artists virtually during a 3-day online art sale featuring regional artists normally found along the banks of the scenic Kinnickinnic in River Falls, WI.

September 12

Marine Artists Pop-up Sale
Art festivals and gallery exhibitions may have been cancelled this spring and summer due to the pandemic, but many artists are still producing excellent work. This informal, in-person pop-up sale will feature artists and crafts people from around Marine on St. Croix.

September 18-20

4 Artists at Terra Incognita
Joseph Samuelson will host fellow artists Kristen Kaas, Nick Gorski and Paul Randall at Terra Incognita, his studio on Stillwater’s North Hill. The outdoor, in-person event will feature pottery, paintings, photography and textiles.

River Valley Potters: September 25-27

Peter Jadoonath Backyard Pottery Sale
Peter will be hosting his annual pottery sale both in-person and online as part of the River Valley Potters. Find pottery by Peter and his close friends – Sarah Dudgeon, Joe Singewald, Ani Kasten, Mike Helke, Amanda Dobbratz and Ross Nordquist – in his backyard surrounded by fields, flowers and chickens.

Guillermo Cuellar and Friends Fall Pottery Sale
Guillermo and fellow artists – Alana Cuellar, Jim Lorio, Dick Cooter, Debbie Cooter and Peter Paul – will be selling their work online as part of the River Valley Potters Online Sale. Be sure to login to purchase beautiful, handmade work by these talented artists.

Nick Earl’s Fall Pottery Sale
Nick Earl’s Fall Pottery Sale will take place entirely online this year as part of the River Valley Potters Online Pottery Sale. Nick and guest potters Autumn Higgins, Ernest Miller and David Swenson will have a wide selection of new work for sale online.

September 26

Art & Artists Celebration and the Grand Opening of Franconia Commons will take place outdoors at the expansive Franconia Sculpture Park. This year’s event will feature musical performances, food trucks, artmaking demos and tours of sculptures created in 2020 and the new Franconia Commons building. Advance registration is requested. Parking is $5/car.

Postponed or Cancelled in 2020

Some organizers made the tough decision to cancel their event or postpone it until 2021. These events include Marine Art Fair, Afton Art in the Park, Spirit of the St. Croix Art Festival and Art at the Acreage.

Support Individual Artists – Buy Local Art

With many of the in-person art festivals and open studio tours cancelled in 2020, more artists are moving to connect to their supporters and art buyers in other ways. Some are moving to online sales like the River Valley Potters while others, like Mary Jo Van Dell, are opening their studios to visitors by appointment only.

ArtReach St. Croix is a nonprofit regional arts organization committed to the mission of connecting communities to the arts throughout the St. Croix Valley. ArtReach supports the work of artists and arts organization through events, marketing initiatives and education opportunities that foster and celebrate the visual, literary and performing arts in the St. Croix Valley. The work of ArtReach St. Croix is made possible through generous donations from individuals and grants from foundations. Visit artreachstcroix.org to learn more.