River Arts Alliance

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead Dance)
2024-11-02 19:00 - 22:30 (America/Chicago) | Winona Athletic Club, 773 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Athletic Club | 773 E 5th St.
rivercitydancers.org
Get ready to don your most colorful costumes, adorned with sugar skulls, marigolds, and traditional Día de los Muertos face paint, for a night of elegance and fun on the ballroom floor! Whether you’re an experienced dancer or a beginner, everyone is welcome! Enjoy a lively mix of ballroom dances with a spirited Day of the Dead twist. There will be a costume contest during the night! The Cha-Cha & Rumba dance lesson will be taught by Stan & Molly Breitlow from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. The ballroom dance starts at 8:00 and goes until 10:30 pm. The cost of admission (general adults: $15; students: $10) includes the optional dance lesson. Learn more.

Heukeshoven Composer Residency at WSU
2024-11-02 17:00 | WSU DuFresne Performing Arts Center, 450 Johnson St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
WSU DuFresne Performing Arts Center | 450 Johnson St.
sites.google.com/view/re-synth/
A. Eric Heukeshoven will serve as composer-in-residence for the 47th Annual High School Honor Band Festival on Saturday, November 2 at Winona State University. A 5:00 pm concert will feature the premiere of “re-synth” for concert band and music technology. Heukeshoven describes the new work as a modern take on the classical “Concerto Grosso,” where the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (concertino) and full ensemble (ripieno). On Sunday, November 3 at 2:00 pm, Heukeshoven’s “re-synth” and “My Music Reaches to the Sky” will be given a second performance by the WSU Wind Ensemble directed by Dr. Janet Heukeshoven, Interim Director of Bands. The concerts are free and all are welcome to attend. Learn more.

Opening Reception - “Petals and Patterns: A Visual Symphony” Exhibit by Richard Copeland
2024-11-02 13:00 - 16:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center is excited to host the opening of Richard Copeland’s exhibit entitled “Petals and Patterns: A Visual Symphony.” The opening will be held on Saturday, November 2 from 1:00-4:00. The art work will be on display through 11/23/24 with gallery hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-4:00. Everyone is welcome; come out to meet the artist and enjoy some refreshments while admiring his work. Richard Copeland is a member of River Arts Alliance. The exhibit contains original photography and recent dotted acrylic paintings. Learn more.

Sgraffito Colorful Clay Fish Art Class
2024-11-02 10:00 - 14:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center is excited to host Richard Spiller’s Sgraffito Colorful Clay Fish art class on Saturday, November 2 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. We will create clay fish using the ceramic technique of Sgraffito. Once the color has been applied to the fish, the clay will be fired at Spiller’s studio and returned to the Winona Arts Center for pick up. All ages are welcome. Cost for the class with all materials included is $30 for WAC members and $35 for non members. Learn more.

Opening Reception - River Windows by Jack Honeywell at the Blue Heron
2024-11-01 17:00 - 19:00 | Blue Heron Coffeehouse, 162 W 2nd St, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Blue Heron Coffeehouse | 162 W 2nd St.
blueheroncoffeehouse.com
Stained glass artist and River Arts Alliance member Jack Honeywell is again showing new work from his River Window Series at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse in Winona. The show will run through December. There will be a reception on Friday, November 1st from 5 to 7 pm.

Artist Application Deadline for Winona Art Walk & Tour
2024-11-01 17:00 | MN
Call for Artists: Winona Art Walk & Tour, November 22-23
The 2024 Winona Art Walk & Tour will take place on Friday and Saturday, November 22 and 23, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm each day. Artists may participate at their home or studio, or at a group site located at the Winona Arts Center. Galleries or businesses that feature the work of multiple local artists may also participate. Subject to approval, emerging artists may participate for a reduced fee. The artist application and full details are available on RAA’s website at this link. The deadline to apply is Friday, November 1, at 5:00 pm.
Opportunity for Authors
This year at the Winona Arts Center group site, we will also have a shared table for local authors to sell their books. Learn more about this opportunity at the link above, and contact RAA Board Chair Terri Karsten at wagonbridgepub@gmail.com if you are interested.

Theatre du Mississippi Murder Mystery at the Polish Museum
2024-10-27 18:00 | Polish Cultural Institute & Museum, 102 Liberty St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Polish Museum | 102 Liberty St.
theatredumiss.org
Theatre du Mississippi presents a Murder Mystery Night fundraiser at the Polish Museum on Sunday, October 27. Get ready for an unforgettable night of intrigue as you become part of a thrilling Murder Mystery inspired by ancient Polish folklore. Hidden within the museum’s walls are secrets, legends, and a deadly crime waiting to be solved! Can you uncover the truth behind the mystery?
Will you be able to distinguish between fact and fiction? Who can be trusted? And what mythological forces might be at play in this dark and mysterious whodunit? Learn more.

WSO Presents Fall Concert “Autumnal Reverie”
2024-10-26 19:30 - 21:00 | Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 W Broadway St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Wesley United Methodist Church | 114 W Broadway St.
winonasymphony.org
As the weather turns colder and the leaves collect beneath our feet, there is little doubt that autumn is finally upon us. Have no fear, for the changing of the seasons also heralds the upcoming Winona Symphony Orchestra Fall concert. WSO presents “Autumnal Reverie” on Saturday, October 26th at 7:30 pm with a pre-concert talk by conductor Erik Rohde at 7 pm at Wesley United Methodist Church. Learn more.

Mississippi Hot Club Concert at WAC
2024-10-26 19:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
Back by popular demand, the Mississippi Hot Club from Minneapolis will perform at the Winona Arts Center on Saturday, October 26. The coffeehouse and gallery open at 6:00 and the concert begins at 7:00. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door and are available at Music Mart in Winona or on Eventbrite. Mississippi Hot Club is inspiring a new generation of young swingers in Minnesota. With reverence and chops, Mississippi Hot Club’s new album, Swing Cities, shines light on the bold music of Django Reinhardt from a fresh pop-oriented perspective. Learn more.

Opening Reception - Embodied Multiplicity Group Exhibition in Lanesboro
2024-10-26 18:00 - 20:00 | Lanesboro Arts, 103 Parkway Ave. N, Lanesboro, MN, 55949
October 26 – December 21, 2024
Opening Reception | Saturday | October 26 | 6-8 pm
Lanesboro Arts Gallery | 103 Parkway Ave. N | Lanesboro, MN
lanesboroarts.org
River Arts Alliance member Sharon Mansur is one of the artists featured in Embodied Multiplicity, a group exhibition at the Lanesboro Arts gallery in Lanesboro, MN. Embodied Multiplicity celebrates the diversity of mediums and creativity of the artists who participated in the first two rounds of the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, Persons of Color) Artist Residency at Lanesboro Arts. The work in this show ranges from abstract painted textiles, collage exploring systemic racism, a series of paintings exploring dead and new media, interdisciplinary dance film, photography weaving tales of migration and displacement, reflective mixed media portraiture, and multidisciplinary performance art. Learn more.

Family Drawing & Painting Art Class at WAC
2024-10-26 10:00 - 14:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center is excited to host a Family Drawing & Painting Tropical Fish Art Class with Richard Spiller on Saturday, October 26 from 10:00 am-2:00 pm. Join us in drawing and painting Tropical Fish using 2 different size formats: 18” x 24” or 12” x 18”. You pick the shapes and colors. Class Fee: $30 for WAC members and $35 for non-members. All materials are included. All ages welcome! Reserve your spot and register today! Learn more.

WAC Film Chess Story
2024-10-25 19:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center is hosting a screening of the film Chess Story on Friday, October 25th at 7:00 pm. The gallery opens at 6:00. Cost is $5.
The film takes place in Vienna, Austria in 1938 when it is occupied by the Nazis. Dr. Josef Bartok is preparing to flee to America when he is arrested by the Gestapo. As a former notary to the deposed Austrian aristocracy, he is instructed to hand over access to their private bank accounts. Refusing to cooperate, he is locked in solitary confinement and as his mind begins to crack, he disappears into the world of chess, maintaining his sanity only by memorizing every move. Learn more.

Unwind with H3O Jazz Trio October 25
2024-10-25 18:00 - 20:00 | Peter’s Biergarten, 54 E 3rd St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Peter’s Biergarten | 54 E 3rd St.
H3OJazz.com
Take a break from raking leaves at Peter’s Biergarten for H3O Jazz Trio’s next Unwind Friday – October 25 from 6 to 8 pm. Unwind Friday offers mellow jazz to end the week, gather with friends, and enjoy a relaxing evening under the stars. Delicious food and desserts are available from Blooming Grounds and the biergarten has a wide variety of beers … all with no cover charge! If the weather doesn’t cooperate the music will move inside Blooming Grounds. Learn more.

RAA Art Schmooze October 25 at the Black Horse
2024-10-25 17:00 - 19:00 | Black Horse Bar & Grill, 34648 Old Homer Rd., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Black Horse Bar & Grill | 34648 Old Homer Rd. | Winona
You’re invited to a River Arts Alliance (RAA) Art Schmooze on Friday evening, October 25, from 5 to 7 pm at the Black Horse Bar & Grill. Held periodically throughout the year, our Schmoozes are casual gatherings for artists of all disciplines and arts supporters, open to current RAA members and non-members alike. Join us for a fun opportunity to meet and socialize with others in our area’s arts community and to learn more about what RAA does and how you can be involved. A brief program beginning at 6 pm will include announcements from RAA leaders and an opportunity for attendees to introduce themselves. Learn more.
At the Schmooze, and on RAA’s website here, participants can nominate individuals in the community to be recognized as Champions of the Arts.

McKnight Fellowships Info Session October 25 in Lanesboro
2024-10-25 12:00 - 13:30 | Cottage House Inn, 209 Parkway Ave. N, Lanesboro, MN, 55949
The McKnight Artist & Culture Bearer Fellowship Program will hold an information session for all interested Minnesota-based applicants on Friday, October 25 in Lanesboro, MN. The session will take place at the Cottage House Inn, 209 Parkway Ave. N, from 12-1:30 pm. This session, led by Program Leaders Tracy Krumm (Fiber Artists) and Marion Gómez (Writers) will speak to the full Artist & Culture Bearers Fellowship program, which supports 15 artistic disciplines, and more specifically to Fiber Artist and Writers Fellowships. See a flyer with more information here. RSVP to tkrumm@textilecentermn.org if you would like to attend.

October Jazz Jam Welcomes Sandbar Storytelling Festival
2024-10-20 14:30 - 17:30 | Two Fathoms Brewing, 65 E Front St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Two Fathoms Brewing | 65 E Front St.
H3OJazz.com
On Sunday, October 20, H3O Jazz Trio and Two Fathoms Brewing Company will dedicate their monthly Jazz Jam fundraiser to the 2024 Sandbar Storytelling Festival. Jazz Jams take place outside on Two Fathoms’ spacious patio or in the taproom if weather is bad.
The mission of the Sandbar Storytelling Festival is to present storytelling performances which celebrate and preserve the power and pleasure of our varied cultural traditions and human experiences and to promote the art of storytelling for all ages. The three-day storytelling event, which took place earlier in October, provides exciting performances and compelling chronicles amidst the breathtaking beauty of Winona. H3O Jazz Trio and Two Fathoms Brewing (formerly Island City) have helped support local nonprofits with over $52,000 in total donations thanks to the generosity of Jazz Jam patrons! Learn more.

LOSST Presents: Long Tones on Latsch Island
2024-10-19 17:00 - 21:00 | MN
Latsch Island Beach | Winona
los.st/longtones/
LOSST (Letters On Sounds, Signals, Time) presents a listening event featuring music from Moon in a Field of Clover (Wisconsin / guitar spectralism), Woolen Lover (Winona / songs on the beach), Benjamin J Mansavage Klein (Minneapolis / solo tuba), The Driftless Area Long Tone Society (Winona / long tones on the beach) and tiny paintings by Paul Karner. This is a free all-ages event! Learn more.

Ukrainian Egg Decorating Class at WAC
2024-10-19 10:00 - 14:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center will host a Ukrainian Egg Decorating Class by Jane Bangsberg on Saturday, October 19 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. We will create beautiful heirloom eggs using a wax resist method very similar to batik. Each participant will leave the class with finished eggs and all of the supplies needed to decorate eggs at home. Class fee is $55 for WAC members and $60 for non-members. Reserve your spot and register today! Contact Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com. Learn more.

Hendrickson Organ Recital October 16 at Central Lutheran
2024-10-16 12:00 - 13:00 | Central Lutheran Church, 259 W Wabasha St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Central Lutheran Church | 259 W Wabasha St.
sites.google.com/centrallutheranchurch.org/hendrickson-30th
Central Lutheran’s year-long celebration of their magnificent Hendrickson Pipe Organ continues Wednesday, October 16 from noon to 1 pm with a performance by organist John Stender – Organist and Music Director at First Presbyterian Church in Rochester, MN. Featured composers include Paul Manz, Max Reger, Jehan Alain, Libby Larsen, J.S. Bach and others. The recital is free and open to all. Donations collected from a freewill offering will support the instrument’s upcoming renovation. Learn more.

Gate City Dixieland Band at the Black Horse
2024-10-06 17:00 - 19:00 | Black Horse Bar & Grill, 34648 Old Homer Rd., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Black Horse Bar & Grill | 34648 Old Homer Rd. | Winona
Sunday, October 6, the Gate City Dixieland Band will again play at the Black Horse on Highway 61 South from 5-7 pm for your listening and toe tapping pleasure. Come enjoy some happy music and delectable dishes. There is only one more appearance of the band there this year, the first weekend of November. Think about coming now while the weather and driving are pleasant. We’ll enjoy seeing you and playing for you.

Sweet Sounds with H3O Jazz Trio
2024-10-06 14:00 - 16:00 | Faith Lutheran Church, 1717 W Service Dr., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Faith Lutheran Church | 1717 W Service Dr.
H3OJazz.com
Calling all lovers of homemade treats and jazz! On Sunday, October 6, H3O Jazz Trio will present the fourth annual “Sweet Sounds” – a concert benefitting the Lutheran Campus Center in Winona. The event runs from 2 to 4 pm and will feature the jazz trio along with some special guests and a delicious variety of homemade treats! The concert will be held outside, weather permitting, at Faith Lutheran Church, 1717 W. Service Dr., Winona, and move inside if the weather is unfavorable. There is no fee to enjoy this fun afternoon and the event is open to all with donations gratefully accepted. Learn more.

Nikkolas Smith Artist Talk & Book Signing at MMAM
2024-10-05 13:00 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Dr., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Minnesota Marine Art Museum | 800 Riverview Dr.
mmam.org
On October 5, artist Nikkolas Smith will be giving an artist talk and signing books at 1:00 pm at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum. Smith is the illustrator of the book The 1619 Project: Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renée Watson (Penguin Random House, 2021), one of two books that is featured in the current MMAM exhibition, Across a Wide Ocean: Remarkable Stories about the Origins of Identity. The artist talk is titled, “Artivism: The Power of Art to Change the World,” and will take place in the Across a Wide Ocean gallery in front of Smith’s artwork. Through his powerful Artivism and his experiences as a Black Artist, Nikkolas Smith will take the audience into a visual journey to talk about how art can spark important conversations around our society’s greatest broken bones and inspire us to make positive changes. Tickets are available for the event at MMAM.org. Learn more.

Acrylic Painting Class with Barb Halvorson at WAC
2024-10-05 10:00 - 14:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center is offering an Acrylic Painting class by Barb Halvorson on Saturday, October 5 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. She will teach a unique project where we will paint on an actual leaf using acrylics. Class fee is $40 for WAC members and $45 for non-members. Beginners to adults are welcome – no experience necessary. Email Jen to register for the class at jsbenson50@gmail.com. Learn more.

WAC Film Elling
2024-10-04 19:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
The Winona Arts Center will host the screening of Elling on October 4th at 7:00 pm. Cost is $5. The gallery opens at 6:00 for viewing of our current artist exhibit of the Winona Arts Center Figure Drawing Group. Based on the best-selling Norwegian novel by Ingvar Ambjørnsen, Elling is a slyly funny odd couple comedy about two misfits trying to find their place in the world. Learn more.

Opening Reception - Jean Lukens Art Show at the Blue Heron
2024-10-04 17:00 - 19:00 | Blue Heron Coffeehouse, 162 W 2nd St, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Blue Heron Coffeehouse | 162 W 2nd St.
blueheroncoffeehouse.com
The next art show at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse will feature paintings by Wisconsin artist Jean Lukens. An opening reception will be held on Friday, October 4, from 6-8 pm, with light refreshments provided. Jean says, “I am a contemporary watercolor artist. I have a passion for creating a non-traditional type of watercolor painting. I merge the organic medium of watercolor with the linear ink line. Harmony and balance of color and line inspire my work. Enjoying the thought process of creating an image and actually putting brush to paper keeps me inspired.”

Opening Reception - Feathered Friends and More: Original Oil Paintings by Colleen Shore
2024-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | The Nature Place, 789 Myrick Park Dr., La Crosse, WI, 54601
The Nature Place | 789 Myrick Park Dr. | La Crosse, WI
cshoreartwork.blogspot.com
Feathered Friends and More, an exhibition of original oil paintings by River Arts Alliance member Colleen Shore, will be on display from October 2, 2024 until January 2025 at The Nature Place in Myrick Park, La Crosse, WI. From messages birds might want to give us, to celebrating the seasonal migration of warblers, birders and bird fans will enjoy the variety of ways birds are portrayed and their impact on our lives. An opening reception will be held Wednesday, October 2 from 6-8 pm. Learn more.

Poet and Naturalist Dan Butterfass to Read at Blue Heron
2024-10-01 18:30 | Blue Heron Coffeehouse, 162 W 2nd St, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Blue Heron Coffeehouse | 162 W 2nd St.
Dan Butterfass, of Rochester, will be the featured writer for the Laureates Writers Series on October 1 at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse at 7 pm. He will read from his debut book Aerie, recently published by Shipwreckt Books of Winona. Butterfass holds an MFA in poetry from the Vermont College of Fine Arts, and has made his living as a college English instructor, freelance outdoors writer, bookstore owner, and entrepreneur in the field of tourism. Aerie spans a quarter century of his writing life. Because of the Vice-Presidential Debate, there will not be an open mic after Dan’s presentation. Kristin Young (banjo) and Donna Buckbee (nyckelharpa) will get us going by playing some old-time fiddle tunes and songs, from 6:30-7:00. Learn more.

Patina at Elmaro Vineyard
2024-09-29 13:00 - 16:00 | Elmaro Vineyard, N14756 Delaney Rd., Trempealeau, WI, 54661, United States
Elmaro Vineyard | N14756 Delaney Rd. | Trempealeau, WI
patinatheband.com
Come out to Elmaro Vineyard on Sunday, September 29th at 1:00 pm to hear the band Patina. We play a mix of traditional and contemporary Celtic, folk, and original instrumentals and vocals. Patina is a three-member Celtic band. Learn more.

Autumn Unwind with H3O Jazz Trio
2024-09-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Peter’s Biergarten, 54 E 3rd St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Peter’s Biergarten | 54 E 3rd St.
H3OJazz.com
As the leaves begin to turn, enjoy an early autumn evening with H3O Jazz Trio for their next Unwind Friday – September 27 from 7 to 9 pm in Peter’s Biergarten. Unwind Friday offers mellow jazz to end the week, meet with friends, and enjoy a relaxing evening under the stars. Delicious food and desserts are available from Blooming Grounds and the biergarten has a wide variety of beers … all with no cover charge! In case of rain, the music will move inside Blooming Grounds. Unwind Friday with H3O is scheduled on the last Friday of the month throughout the year. Learn more.

Tibetan Singing Bowls Meditation at WAC
2024-09-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th St.
winonaarts.org
Tibetan singing bowls produce sounds that invite deep states of relaxation, enhancing the ability to meditate and enter expanded states of consciousness. The sounds and vibrations can create a sense of grounding, facilitating a connection to the deepest parts of our being, and opening the door to powerful healing. This is an opportunity for exploration and renewal in the presence of ageless bell sounds. Joan Filla is a local physician who was introduced to Tibetan singing bowls while recovering from long standing trauma. Singing bowls and meditation became an integral part of her journey and she hopes to share these powerful tools with others. The event is limited to 40 attendees. Pre-registration is required. Learn more.
