River Arts Alliance

Commonweal Theatre Presents A Sherlock Carol
2025-12-14 13:30 - 16:00, 2025-12-18 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-12-19 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-12-20 13:30 - 16:00, 2025-12-20 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-12-21 13:30 - 16:00 (America/Chicago) | Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N, Lanesboro, MN, United States
Preview Dates
Saturday, Nov 8 | 7:30-10:00 pm
Sunday, Nov 9 | 1:30-4:00 pm
Thurs-Fri, Nov 13-14| 7:30-10:00 pm
Full Run Dates Listed on RAA Event Page
Commonweal Theatre Company
208 Parkway Ave N, Lanesboro, MN
commonwealtheatre.org

Join the Commonweal Theatre Company for Mark Shanahan’s merry and mysterious mashup, A Sherlock Carol. The worlds of Charles Dickens and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle collide in the ultimate Christmas crossover! Learn more.

Christmas Radio Show: Sam Shovel, Private Eye Twelve Days of Chaos!
2025-12-14 14:00 - 16:00 | 251 Main Street Winona, MN 55987 The Historic Masonic Temple, 251 Main Street, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Thursday, December 11 | 7pm
Friday, December 12 | 7pm
Saturday, December 13 | 7pm
Sunday, December 14 | 2pm
The ARC – Home of the Historic Masonic Theatre
255 Main Street Winona MN

Theatre du Mississippi Presents: Sam Shovel, Twelve Days of Chaos. Theatre du Mississippi is bringing back our beloved annual Christmas radio show, and this year, the holiday spirit comes with a mystery twist! Join hard-boiled detective Sam Shovel as he unwraps a case filled with festive foul play, suspicious Santas, and more holiday hijinks than you can shake a candy cane at.
Sam Shovel: Twelve Days of Chaos is an original script written by Jim and Jane Jeffries and directed by Michael Opiola. Tune in (or come see it live!) for witty wordplay, nostalgic radio flair, and plenty of Christmas cheer… with just a hint of noir.
Celebrate the season with laughter, intrigue, and a touch of “chaos” only Theatre du Mississippi can deliver!
Pre-Sale Tickets Online: Sliding scale $7-$28
$25 at the Door
Get Tickets Here
Theatre du Mississippi is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Retro Reels: Christmas Celebration with Frozen River Film Festival
2025-12-18 18:30 - 22:30 | The ARC, 255 Main St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Join us for a festive evening as we screen a trio of holiday classics: Christmas Comes But Once a Year (1936), Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1948), and the 1955 TV adaptation of Miracle on 34th Street.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 18, at The ARC — Home of the Historic Masonic Theater, 255 Main Street, Winona. Tickets are sliding scale: $5 and up!
Enjoy complimentary Christmas cookies and stick around after the films for holiday trivia and a Best Holiday Attire contest! Winners receive fun prizes!
Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase.
Come for the films, stay for the festive cheer!

Community Christmas Carol Sing
2025-12-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
The Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th Street, is happy to host a Community
Christmas Carol singing event that is free & open to the public on Friday,
December 19 from 6:30-8:00 and is free and open to all!
Song sheets will be provided and chairs for sitting as needed. All are
welcome to join in who want to sing carols with others. If you want, bring a
finger food treat to share such as cookies or bars etc. The art center will
provide apple cider.
Spread the joy together and sing some old Christmas carols and maybe
some you will learn.

Christmas Caroling at Winona Arts Center
2025-12-19 18:30 - 20:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
Friday, January 19 | 6:30-8:00
Winona Arts Center
228 E 5th Street, Winona

The Winona Arts Center, , is happy to host a Community Christmas Carol singing event that is free & open to the public on Friday, December 19 from 6:30-8:00.
Song sheets will be provided and chairs for sitting as needed. All are welcome to join in who want to sing carols with others. If you want, bring a finger food treat to share such as cookies or bars etc. The art center will provide apple cider and treats as well.
Spread the joy together and sing some old Christmas carols and maybe some new ones you will learn. Contact: marykayeperrin@gmail.com

Holiday Jazz Jam December 21 Supports Riverway
2025-12-21 14:30 - 17:30 | Two Fathoms Brewing, 65 E Front St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
December 21 | 2:30 – 5:30 pm
Two Fathoms Brewing
Following last month’s CD release party, H3O Jazz Trio is back for a holiday Jazz Jam at Two Fathoms Brewing on December 21 from 2:30 to 5:30 pm. The trio will be playing tunes off their new holiday release “Combo Carols” and everyone is invited to join in the festivities. This month’s Jazz Jam fundraiser recipient will be Riverway Learning Community.
Riverway Learning Community is a pre-k-12th grade public charter school committed to the foundation of a more hopeful and enlightened future by the development of an environment that nurtures the growth of mind, body, and spirit, both as individuals and as members of the larger community. Riverway promotes respect for the simultaneous independence and interdependence of all things.
H3O Jazz Trio and Two Fathoms Brewing (formerly Island City) have helped support local nonprofits with over $74,500 in total donations thanks to the generosity of Jazz Jam patrons! Last month’s Jazz Jam contributed $805 to support WSU’s Student Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.
Everyone wishing to sing, play, or cheer on their friends is welcome to join the H3O Jazz Trio at Two Fathoms Brewing’s monthly Jazz Jam! Interested players can choose from a wide selection of songs. Music is available from the Hal Leonard Real Book series, bring your own music, or just name that tune!
Come early to enjoy a Two Fathom’s beverage and enjoy an afternoon of great music with H3O Jazz Trio and friends … all while showing your support for our community!
An up-to-date schedule is always available at H3OJazz.com. The family-friendly Jazz Jam is free and open to all – young and not so young.
More information about Riverway Learning Community can be found at: https://www.riverwaylearningcommunity.org
H3O is now accepting applications for 2027. Use this simple form to nominate your favorite nonprofit for a future Jazz Jam: http://H3OJazz.com/jazz-jams/non-profit-nominations.html
You can also email info@H3OJazz.com for more information.
Eric Heukeshoven is a member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Sugarloaf Community Theatre Announces Auditions for Winnie the Pooh
2026-01-05 18:00 - 20:30 | Bluffview Montessori School, 1321 Gilmore Ave, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Monday, January 05 2026 | 6 – 8:30 pm
Bluffview Montessori School
1321 Gilmore Ave, Winona, MN
The holidays will soon be behind us and January and February often feel so lifeless. Sugarloaf Community Theatre offers just the bright-and-merry, warm and full-of-heart creative solution to pour yourself into: auditions and performances of Winnie the Pooh and the Birthday Surprise, written by Ash Wicka.
Director Jamie Schwaba tagged Wicka’s play as “a beloved story, new adventure.” As you might imagine, when your favorite characters like Winnie the Pooh, Piglet, Owl, Tigger, Rabbit, and Eeyore try to put together a surprise party for Christopher Robin, things go a little sideways, but in the end, their big hearts win the day.
Even if you have zero theater experience, we welcome you to come audition in a friendly at-ease environment. Sugarloaf Community Theatre folks enjoy bringing new talent into the fold. Winnie the Pooh and the Birthday Surprise Playwright Wicka, 16 years old, says even if you’re scared of speaking in front of people, theater is like exposure therapy. And if you’re comfortable on stage, you’re already a natural!
The following is all it takes for auditions, which isn’t as daunting as it might seem. All adults and children 12+ are welcome to audition on Jan. 5 (sign up for a 10-minute slot between 6-8:30 pm) and if cast, participate free of charge. Those auditioning should prepare a monologue (short speech from a play or film delivered by a single character, including animated films and cartoons) that is approximately 1 minute long and will show off your ability to portray a character and memorize lines. During your 10-minute audition time slot, you will also be asked to read a few lines out of the script. That’s it! Sign up on the AUDITION INFORMATION tab at www.linktr.ee/sugarloaf
All auditions, rehearsals, and performances will be held at easy-access Bluffview Montessori School (1321 Gilmore Ave, Winona, MN 55987)
For those who are cast, a full cast (and parents of those under 18) meeting will be held on Jan. 7th at 6:30pm. Rehearsals will be held 3-4 days a week, Monday- Friday from 6:30-8:30 pm, Jan. 8- Feb. 20, however not every actor will be called to every rehearsal, we try to be very respectful of your time! Tech Week (the week of the performance) rehearsals will be held Feb. 23, 24, 25, and 26 from 6:00-10:00 pm. No absences are allowed during Tech Week or Performance, except in cases of illness or family emergency. We will do our best to honor any conflicts listed on the audition form or mentioned at auditions, but once the rehearsal schedule is finalized, additional absences may not be accommodated. Performances will be held on Friday, Feb. 27 at 9:00 am, Saturday, Feb. 28th at 10 am & 2 pm, and Sunday, March 1 at 2 pm.
The show has fun roles—SO many beloved Winnie the Pooh characters–for all experience levels, so come audition and join the positive theatre environment that Sugarloaf Community offers. If you have questions, please reach out to Sugarloafcommunitytheatre@gmail.com.
Sugarloaf Community Theatre is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Oil Painting Class at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-06 10:00 - 13:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Get your New Year off to a colorful start and join Casey Wicka at the Winona Arts Center for Oil Painting! Classes are held every Tuesday from January 6 through March 24 from 10am to 1pm. If you are looking to grow your creative skills in a fun and friendly atmosphere, then this is the place for you. The topic in these winter classes will be color. Invest in your creativity and email Jen to sign up jsbenson50@gmail.com.
Members: $35 per class, Non-members: $40 per class
All materials included.

Audition for The Original One Acts 2026
2026-01-06 17:00 - 19:00, 2026-01-07 17:00 - 19:00 | The ARC, 255 Main St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Blending humor, satire, and emotional realism, this showcase of six short plays explores identity, vulnerability, and connection across generations. The works presented highlight diverse voices and complex characters navigating moments of personal and societal change. They invite empathy, reflection, and discovery. Together, these stories offer performers rich opportunities to engage with meaningful and challenging material.

Scottie Miller & Cierra Alise Hill at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-09 19:00 - 21:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Friday | January 9 | 7:00 pm
Winona Arts Center | 228 E 5th Street
The Winona Arts Center is very excited to bring Scottie Miller & Cierra Alise Hill for a concert on Friday, January 9 at 7:00. The gallery and coffeehouse open at 6:00 for coffee, tea, and treats. There will be a cash bar for wine & beer. Tickets are $20 in advance at Music Mart (115 E 3rd St) with no fees or at Eventbrite. Tickets are $25/door. Read more.

Vision Boards with Mary Lee Eischen
2026-01-10 13:00 - 15:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Start your year off by creating a Vision Board for 2026 at the Winona Arts Center with Mary Lee Eischen on Saturday January 10 from 1pm to 3pm. A vision board is a group of images, photographs, pictures that are laid out on a board that please the eye of the creator and then attached with a glue stick. It allows the creator to imagine what is next; what is coming or what is possible in a person’s life! It’s a fun way to think about the new year and open up possibilities. By the end of class, participants will go home with a 15 x 20 Crescent Collage Board filled with images, words, colors and feelings that uplift their spirits to bring positive energy for themselves and those around them in 2026.
Cost: $48/members & $53/non-members
Material Fees: $15 (collage board & additional materials)

Seven Sundays at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-11 13:00 - 16:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
The Winona Arts Center is excited to debut our new series, Seven Sundays: WAC Art & Music Series 2026 on January 11 from 1:00-4:00. This is the final date of the Foundations exhibit which features 10 emerging artists and will feature a musical performance by guitarist Brian Ebbinger. Seven Sundays is an arts and music series during 2026 where a musical performance will be paired with each newly hung visual art exhibit. All seven events are free. This series is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the SEMAC thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

Watercolor Classes at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-13 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-01-20 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-01-27 17:30 - 19:30 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
The Winona Arts Center is pleased to welcome Miranda Lomeli-O’Reilly who will teach beginner Watercolor Classes. Each class has a different lesson. The January 13 class “Foundations” is required for new students. The January 20 class will cover Color mixing & Reinforcement. Jan 27 is Application & Evergreens Workshop. The cost of the 3-session class is $45 for members & $50/non members. There is a one-time $20 materials fee. If you have questions or want to register contact Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com

Printmaking Workshop with Preston Lawing at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-14 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-01-21 17:30 - 19:30, 2026-01-28 17:30 - 19:30 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
The Winona Art Center continues our Printmaking Series with Preston Lawing. This three-week workshop will introduce participants to the technique of drypoint etching, covering both the practical aspects of creating prints and the historical context of the medium. Participants will learn how to prepare their acrylic plates, execute etchings and work safely in a printmaking studio. Participants do not need to have strong drawing skills, but a willingness to explore different marking choices that should provide lifelong joy of this simple, but elegant process. Due to the technical information and processes covered, this course is suited for those who are 18 and up. All materials are provided. Cost is $150 for the 3-day workshop. Register today with Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com

Murder in the Vault: Secrets of the Past
2026-01-23 18:30 - 21:30 | Winona County History Center, 160 Johnson St, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Friday, January 23 | 6:30 – 9:30 PM
History Center (160 Johnson St) | $30/$40 ea.
Step into a night of intrigue, deception, and drama at the History Center! Join us Friday, January 23, from 6:30–9:30 PM for an immersive murder mystery experience where history has a deadly secret.

Annual BON APPETIT Event at Winona Arts Center
2026-01-31 18:00 - 21:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
The Winona Arts Center is excited to host our annual BON APPETIT featuring the film, Big Night.
Enjoy Italian appetizers, desserts, wine, n/a beverages, tea & coffee beginning at 6:00pm. Film starts at 7:00. Tickets $25 in Advance ($28.52 Eventbrite) / $25 at the Door. Tickets are available at Music Mart and on Eventbrite until January 31st at 4pm.
Eventbrite: Tickets are limited to 50 so get your ticket early. Join us for a fun evening of food, film, wine and warm conversations! Big Night is a film set in the 1950s and is a lovingly crafted film about two Italian immigrant brothers and their restaurant in New Jersey. “It is a tribute to food, to all things American, to immigrants trying to make it and to the love between brothers”. Directed by Stanley Tucci & Campbell Scott. Released in 1996 in English; run time 100 minutes.

21st Annual FRFF Passes on Sale Now
2026-02-01 - 2026-02-08 | The ARC, 255 Main St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Festival Runs February 1st – 8th | Winona MN
The Frozen River Film Festival (FRFF), one of the Midwest’s premier documentary film festivals, is thrilled to announce that 2026 festival passes are ON SALE NOW. The festival will take place from February 1st-8th, 2026.
FRFF staff have finalized the schedule for the 21st annual Frozen River Film Festival. The screenings have been set and are available to view on our website frff.eventive.org.
You can also read and learn more about the films our team has selected for this year’s festival!

Water Music: Chamber Music at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum
2026-03-05 16:30 - 18:30, 2026-03-05 19:00 - 21:00 | Minnesota Marine Art Museum, 800 Riverview Dr., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
November 13, December 11, March 5, April 16
4:30 and 7:00 each day
Minnesota Marine Art Museum
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum (MMAM) is pleased to announce the return of Water Music: Chamber Music at the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, presented in partnership with the Winona Symphony Orchestra. Now entering its fifth season, Water Music brings together art and music through a series of four chamber music concerts performed in an intimate setting within the museum’s galleries. Each performance is designed to highlight both the visual treasures of the MMAM and musical masterworks connected by a shared theme.
New for the 2025–26 season, each concert evening will feature two performances, at 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Between the two performances, guests are invited to enjoy a reception in the MMAM atrium, featuring a treat prepared by the museum’s new Waterbar Café + Provisions inspired by the evening’s program, included with the ticket price. A cash bar will also be available. Guests are encouraged to come early or stay late to enjoy food, drinks, and conversation surrounded by art and music.
The Water Music season begins on Thursday, November 13, 2025, with Water Music: Epic Journeys, paired with the exhibition A Spectacle in Motion: The Grand Panorama of a Whaling Voyage ‘Round the World. The program will include Shostakovich’s Two Pieces for String Octet and Mendelssohn’s Octet for Strings, featuring guest violin soloist Nash Ryder and musicians from the Winona Symphony Orchestra and Apollo Chamber Music.
The second concert, Water Music: Christmas Concertos, will be presented on Thursday, December 11, 2025, paired with Alexis Rockman: Oceanus. The program will include Torelli’s Christmas Concerto, Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on “Greensleeves”, and Corelli’s Christmas Concerto, performed by musicians from the Winona Symphony Orchestra.
On Thursday, March 5, 2026, MMAM will host Water Music: Quince Ensemble, paired with the exhibition Fluid: What is Marine Art and What Can it Be? This program will feature Zohn-Muldoon’s Destierros and Night and McKinley’s Ten Medieval Songs, performed by guest artists Quince Ensemble and violinist Erik Rohde.
The season concludes on Thursday, April 16, 2026, with Water Music: The Coast and the Sea, paired with the exhibition The Coast and the Sea: Marine and Maritime Art in America. This program will include new chamber works written for baritone Alan Dunbar, featuring Dunbar and guest musicians.
Single concert tickets are $30 for general admission, $25 for MMAM members, seniors, and active military, and $10 for students. Tickets may be reserved online at https://mmam.org/water-music. The Water Music series is presented by the Minnesota Marine Art Museum and the Winona Symphony Orchestra, and is supported by Your Classical MPR.
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is a nonprofit art museum that creates meaningful art experiences that explore our relationship with water. Located in Winona, Minnesota, the purpose-built museum is located on the banks of the Mississippi River and boasts six galleries, an educational and events space, and a destination retail shop on its seven-acre riverside campus. It is through this surprising diversity that MMAM is not only describing what marine art is, but pushing the boundaries of what marine art can be.
The Minnesota Marine Art Museum is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.
Image credit: Previous Water Music concert at MMAM, surrounded by the immersive art of Anne Labovitz, featuring Liz Pearse, soprano, and musicians of the Winona Symphony Orchestra.

Winona Brass Band Season Begins Nov. 9
2026-04-12 15:00 - 17:00 | Winona Middle School Auditorium, 1570 Homer Rd, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
November 9 | 3:00 pm
Winona Middel School
December 13 | 11:00 am
Central Lutheran Church
April 12 | 3:00 pm
TBD

The Winona Brass Band open their 32 nd season with a Fall Concert on Sunday November 9 at 3:00 pm in the Winona Middle School Auditorium. The performance features selections suggested by members of the group resulting in an eclectic mix from British composer Malcolm Arnold’s Four Scottish Dances to the music of Queen. All WBB concerts are free and open to all. Free-will donations gratefully are accepted at the door.
Founded 1993, this British Style traditional Brass Band is unique in our area. Consisting only of brass instruments and percussion, the sound has been described as rich, vibrant, and organ-like. Instruments include cornets, flugelhorn, alto horns, trombones, baritones, euphoniums, tubas and percussion – 28 players in all!
WBB has made the Winona Middle School their rehearsal and performance home since fall 2024, with both fall and spring concerts happening in the Middle School Auditorium. The December 13 performance will be held at Central Lutheran Church at 11 am rounding out a full day of holiday festivities including a craft sale, Scandinavian-based bake sale and soup/sandwich lunch. The spring concert, scheduled for Sunday April 12 at 3 pm, will feature guest composer and conductor Dr. Jack Stamp as well as a few more players favorites that couldn’t fit into the fall concert!
The Winona Brass Band is a non-profit community ensemble with members from throughout the region. If you’re a brass or percussion player and are interested in membership opportunities please contact Janet Heukeshoven at jheukesh@smumn.edu or WBB board president, John Helm at helmje2@gmail.com. Follow the Winona Brass Band on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/winonabrassband.
Eric Heukeshoven is a member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.
