Saturday February 1st at 7 pm
Lanterns, light, and 11 short films from the Rural Route Film Festival
We’ll be reaching the halfway mark between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox at the beginning of February and we think it is time to celebrate the return of the light on Saturday, February 1st. February 1st is St. Brigit’s Day, the turning point of the year in the Celtic calendar. The following day is Candlemas in the Christian calendar, and of course it is also ground hog’s day. All of these days celebrate the return of the light, and everyone is invited to join the celebration at the Cultural Center on February 1st.
The Cultural Center in New York Mills in collaboration with St. Peter’s Lutheran Church is sponsoring a “Winter Light” festival on Saturday, February 1st beginning at 7pm. There will be hand-made lanterns, ice luminarias, music, food, and a collection of award –winning short films from the Rural Route Film Festival. The collection of short films includes a wonderful 3-minute homage to the reindeer in Lapland, and another movie includes some of the most amazing footage of the Northern Lights ever captured on film
There will be free lantern-making workshops Wednesday-Saturday preceding the Winter Light Festval for families and individuals. Puppet Pageant artists Anne Sawyer-Aitch and Lisa Winter will lead the workshops. The idea is to create a celebratory, stimulating and joyful event to kindle the fire within, during the dark of winter.
Workshop dates at the Cultural Center:
Wed, Jan 29 from 7-9 pm at the Center
Thurs Jan 30 from 3:30-5:30 pm at the Center
Friday Jan. 31st from 3:30-5:30 pm at the Center
Saturday, Feb. 1st from 10 am to noon at St. Peter’s church
Festival on Saturday, Feb. 1st at 7pm at the Center
You don’t need to participate in the workshops to enjoy the festival, but we hope as many as possible will take part.
“If Candlemas Day be fair and bright
Winter will have another fight.
If Candlemas Day brings cloud and rain,
Winter won’t come again.”
St. Peter’s Church will have its traditional celebration of Candlemas day as part of its Sunday morning service on Sunday, February 2nd.
This Winter Light Festival is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Lake Region Arts Council, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
