River Arts Alliance

8th Anniversary Jazz Jam Supports Project FINE
2025-09-21 14:30 - 17:30 (America/Chicago) | Two Fathoms Brewing, 65 E Front St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Sunday, Sept 21 | 2:30 – 5:30
Two Fathoms
65 E Front St, Winona, MN 55987
On mild September day in 2018, H3O Jazz Trio began their monthly Jazz Jams shortly after Winona’s first craft brewery opened its doors. On Sunday, September 21 from 2:30 – 5:30 pm, the trio will celebrate eight years of their family-friendly “open mic for Jazz” by supporting Project FINE as the finale to its 2025 Welcoming Week. Find your spot on Two Fathoms’ spacious patio or in the taproom if it’s raining.
Project FINE is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to create an inclusive community by
serving refugees and immigrants and building connections across cultures.” They serve as a bridge,
connecting refugees and immigrants to resources and bringing people together to build
understanding and create a more respectful and welcoming community. Learn more at
www.projectfine.org.
H3O Jazz Trio and Two Fathoms Brewing (formerly Island City) have helped support local nonprofits
with over $71,500 in total donations thanks to the generosity of Jazz Jam patrons! Last month’s Jazz
Jam contributed $3,385 to support the River Valley Raptors. In addition to H3O matching all
donations, Two Fathoms Brewing contributes 20% of their Jazz Jam Sunday profits!
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.
Know of a group who needs some support? 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.

RAA Art Call for Driftless: A Curated Exhibit
2025-09-22 08:00 - 2025-11-09 23:00 | MN
Submission Deadline:
Midnight, November 9, 2025
Entry Fee: $10 River Arts Alliance Members | $15 Nonmembers
The driftless region along the great Mississippi river has long been a source of inspiration for adventurers and artists, inspiring curiosity and shaping a multitude of perspectives — especially those expressed through the visual arts. Submit your work for consideration to show us how the “driftless” has inspired or shaped your work as an artist. Learn more.

Art Class with Dawn Tevis
2025-09-23 17:30 - 20:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
Tuesday, September 23 | 5:30-8:00
Cost: $45/members $50/non members
Winona Arts Center 228 E 5th Street

Contact: Jen jsbenson50@gmail.com
Join us in welcoming Dawn Tevis for a Suminagashi “Floating Ink” workshop on Tuesday, September 23 from 5:30 to 8:00pm! We will practice the meditative process of Suminagashi and learn the process of floating ink in dynamic patterns on water and printing the images on paper. Each participant will leave with a set of 5 notecards and envelopes. Cost is $45 for members and $50 for non members. Dawn is a librarian and paper marbler who has enjoyed Suminagashi as book art and contemplative practice for more than 10 years. To register contact Jen jsbenson50@gmail.com. Max class size is 15

For more information visit our website: winonaarts.org

Winona Arts Center is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Kitchen Lithography with Preston Lawing
2025-09-24 17:30 - 19:30 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
September 10,17,24 | 5:30-7:30
Winona Arts Center
228 E. 5th St, Winona, MN

Cost: $150 for all 3 classes

Preston Lawing, an award winning professor and collaborative printmaker, continues his Printmaking workshops at the Winona Arts Center with a workshop, “Exploring Kitchen Lithography: Technique and Expression”, on Wednesdays / September 10, 17, 24 / 5:30 – 7:30. This three week workshop will introduce participants to the exciting technique of lithographic printing, using household materials…and NO PRESS! Participants do not need to have strong drawing skills, but a willingness to explore different choices for this simple & elegant process. The workshops are open to students over 18, and are suitable for students of any level. Cost is $150 for all 3 classes. Register today with Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.co
Winona Arts Center 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 with Casey Wicka
2025-09-25 10:00 - 12:00 | MN
Sept 2,9, 16,23, 30 | 10:00am -12:00
Winona Arts Center
$25 per class/$30 non members

Join us at the Winona Arts Center in a NEW weekly series exploring oil painting techniques & materials, hosted by artist Casey Wicka. Classes are held Tuesday mornings 10am to noon from September 2 through November 18 with each class having a different theme. All supplies will be provided. Classes will use zero paint thinners, turpentines, and/or mineral spirits. The class is for Adults age 18 and over. No experience necessary! $25 per class for members, $30 for non-members. Reserve your spot by Monday of each week’s class. Register with Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com.

Winona Arts Center is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Spotlight with Terri Lieder
2025-09-25 16:30 - 20:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
Thursday, September 25 | 4:30-8:00
Winona Arts Center
228 E 5th Street, Winona
Cost: $15
Join us at the Winona Arts Center for our 3rd Quarter Spotlight with Terri Lieder on Thursday, September 25 from 4:30 to 8:00pm. You will get a hands-on gel plate printing experience where you layer colors and add texture using botanicals, stencils and other made objects. Arrive curious and ready to create! Cost is $15 per person. Space is limited so register today! Contact Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com.
For more information visit our website: winonaarts.org or contact Jen at jsbenson50@gmail.com.

Winona Arts Center is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Arab Film Fest: NeitherHEREnorTHERE
2025-09-25 17:00 - 19:00 | MN
Thursday, September 25, 5:00-7:00pm

The Main Cinema, 115 SE Main St, Minneapolis, MN
NeitherHEREnorTHERE, created by Sharon Mansur & Meryl Zaytoun Murman, will be shown during the Mizna’s Twin Cities Arab Film Festival Sept 24-28, 2025
Minnesota Made: Shorts and Fragments + Post-screening discussion
Minnesota Made: Shorts and Fragments presents films from local Arab and SWANA artists working across artistic and visual media. This segment includes finished films, collaborations, and works-in-progress by image-makers from our local(ish) community.
For more information and tickets:
https://tcaff25.eventive.org/schedule/68a0ddcf6ea44addec6b45c5
NeitherHEREnorTHERE is an experiment created from a multimedia exchange between Arab American artists Sharon Mansur and Meryl Zaytoun Murman. A collaboration between their bodies and the different bodies of water they find themselves living in relation to over the course of one year, their video exchange examines the space between—beliefs, identities, the human body, and the more-than-human on the landscapes they traverse.

Sharon Mansur is a member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Commonweal Theatre Presents King Lear
2025-09-25 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-09-27 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-09-28 13:30 - 16:00, 2025-10-02 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-10-04 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-10-05 13:30 - 16:00 | Commonweal Theatre, 208 Parkway Ave. N, Lanesboro, MN, United States
Preview Dates
Saturday, Sept 13 | 7:30-9:30 pm
Sunday, Sept 14 | 1:30-3:30 pm
Thurs-Fri, Sept 18, 19 | 7:30-9:30 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 William Shakespeare’s legendary classic, King Lear. From one of the greatest writers of all time comes the ultimate family drama. As age overtakes Lear, he divides his kingdom amongst his daughters. Misjudging their loyalty, he finds himself stripped of all that defined him. Learn more.

Frozen River Film Festival: Four Souls of Coyote
2025-09-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
Friday, September 26, 2025 | 7:00 – 9:00 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM)
Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St, Winona, MN 55987
Frozen River Film Festival invites the community to a screening of the film Four Souls of Coyote, a breathtaking animated feature by acclaimed Hungarian director Áron Gauder. The event will take place on Friday, September 26, 2025, at 7:00 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM) at the Winona Arts Center, 228 E 5th St, Winona, MN.
Four Souls of Coyote is a powerful tribute to a humiliated and destroyed nation. “As Long as the Grass Grows” is an alternative, ancient and humble creation story, where man is not the crown of the creation, but the weakest of all creatures. The film takes us back to the beginning of time, where Old Man begins to create the world out of a handful of mud. Everything he creates is new and nameless, and affects the rest of the world. Even feelings and desires are unknown and when they emerge, the world becomes more and more complicated.
Blending myth, art, and social commentary, this 103-minute feature invites viewers to reflect on humanity’s place within nature and the interconnectedness of all living things.
For more information, visit frff.org or contact the Illy Diaz, the Managing Director, at director@frff.org
Frozen River Film Festival is an organizational member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Commonweal Theatre Presents Lone Star Spirits
2025-09-26 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-09-27 13:30 - 16:00, 2025-09-29 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-10-03 19:30 - 22:00, 2025-10-04 13:30 - 16:00, 2025-10-06 19:30 - 22:00 | MN
Commonweal Theatre Company
208 Parkway Ave N, Lanesboro, MN
commonwealtheatre.org

Join the Commonweal Theatre Company for Josh Tobiessen’s small-town comedy, Lone Star Spirits. A trip home gets wildly out of hand when Marley introduces her fiancé to her estranged father. Learn more.

French Straw Marquetry Class with Megan McCarthy
2025-09-27 10:00 - 12:00 | Winona Arts Center, 228 E. 5th St., Winona
Saturday, Sept 27th | 10:00-Noon
Winona Arts Center
228 E 5th St, Winona
Cost Free Pleaser register with Jen jsbenson50@gmail.com

Please join Emerging Artist SEMAC Grant recipient Megan McCarthy, for a free workshop exploring the enchanting 300-year-old art of French straw marquetry on September 27 from 10:00-noon at the Winona Arts Center. Discover this timeless decorative technique, rich in history and expression. You’ll learn the basics and design your own one-of-a-kind keepsake. Create a unique piece that highlights your creativity! This event is Free but registration is required with Jen jsbenson50@gmail.com. For more information about the Winona Arts center please visit our website: winonaarts.org

The Band Patina performs its Celtic and original music on Saturday, at Peter's Biergarten
2025-09-27 18:00 - 20:00 | Peter’s Biergarten, 54 E 3rd St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Saturday, Sept 27 | 6:00 pm
Peters’s Biergarten
Winona
The Band Patina will perform its Celtic and original tunes at Peter’s Biergarten on Saturday, September 27th at 6:00pm. Patina is a fiddle, whistle, bodhrán, accordion, banjo and guitar band that plays mixed Celtic and original music.
Visit https://patinatheband.com/ for more information

Greg Peterson is a member of the River Arts Alliance. To learn more about the benefits of membership, please visit: riverartsalliance.org/membership/.

Fox & Beggar Theater to bring "Tigre! Tigre!" to Winona
2025-09-28 19:00 - 20:00 | Two Fathoms Brewing, 65 E Front St., Winona, MN, 55987, United States
The Fox & Beggar Theater, a fusion of puppetry, circus, dance, theater, and folk opera based in Minneapolis will bring “Tigre! Tigre!” an original hour-long operetta to 2 Fathoms Brewing September 28 at 7 p.m.
“Tigre! Tigre!” features a live band and classically trained vocalists, lavish puppetry and scenic design, and a delightful whirlwind of clowning and physical theater, all performed atop our mobile double-decker theater stage. The show studies humankind’s darkly absurd relationship to technology through the strange intersection of three different major technological revolutions.
The show is unticketed, but donations are welcome.
For more information www.foxandbeggar.org/tigre

SEMAC Business Workshops
2025-10-01 18:00 - 21:00 | MN
Sept 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5 | 6:00 – 9:00
Virtual
THE SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA ARTS COUNCIL (SEMAC) ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH SPRINGBOARD FOR THE ARTS TO OFFER BUSINESS SKILLS WORKSHOPS
SEMAC is excited to partner with Springboard for the Arts this fall to offer three of their Work of Art: Business Skills for Artists workshops virtually for individual artists and culture bearers living in SEMAC’s 11-county region. These workshops are FREE to attend, and you can sign up for one, two, or all three.
Springboard’s Work of Art program is a professional development curriculum designed to teach business skills to artists and culture bearers in all disciplines – visual, performing, and literary arts. It starts with career planning and moves through topics such as pricing, marketing, funding, and business plans. Work of Art can be helpful if you are just starting your creative career, or if you need a refresher as you advance your work.
The curriculum is available as a free workbook (in English and Spanish) and downloadable from the Springboard for the Arts website as a helpful reference during or after the workshops. To download the workbook and for more information about Springboard’s Work of Art program, go to springboardforthearts.org/professional-growth/work-of-art-program/.
The three workshops being offered this fall by Springboard in partnership with SEMAC are:

Career Planning
Where do you want to be both artistically and professionally? Learn how to define your values, identify key choices and develop a plan to achieve your career goals.
Wednesday, September 3, 2025 | 6:00-9:00p CT
To register: springboardforthearts.org/events/work-of-art-career-planning-semac/
Time Management
Discover analytical and tool-based approaches to managing your time. These tools will help you tackle hurdles related to efficiency, flexibility, and structure to help you reach your artistic goals.
Wednesday, October 1, 2025 | 6:00-9:00p CT
To register: springboardforthearts.org/events/work-of-art-time-management-semac/
Portfolio Kit
Your portfolio is the core of your promotional materials and serves as your professional calling card. Focus on the essential elements: sharpening your artist statement, tailoring your artistic resume, and curating and formatting your work samples.
Wednesday, November 5, 2025 | 6:00-9:00p CT
To register: springboardforthearts.org/events/work-of-art-portfolio-kit-semac/

Please note that these sessions will not be recorded. Automated Zoom captions will be available. Contact sharon@semac.org, (507) 281-4848, 711 TTY with questions, and use Springboard’s registration form for accessibility requests.
This activity is supported in part by the State of Minnesota through a grant from The Office of Small Business Development, Department of Employment and Economic Development.
SEMAC serves Region 10, which includes Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona Counties, including the Prairie Island Indian Community.
SEMAC’s activities are made possible by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
For more information, visit semac.org or contact the office at 507-281-4848.
Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council, Inc – Rochester, MN
CONTACT: Jacqueline VanRavenhorst, Communications Manager
608-792-6831 | communications@semac.org

Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk
2025-10-02 18:00 - 20:00 | MN
October 2 • 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Indoor Accessible Performance at History Center
October 4 & 5 • 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Cemetery Walk at Woodlawn Cemetery
Admission: $10 Adults, $5 Students,
$3 Youth 12-4 years old
The Winona County Historical Society autumn fundraiser event, The Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk is coming up the first weekend in October!
Enjoy performances by community members portraying people from Winona County’s past. Each year a new theme ties different storied lives together. For the 2025 Voices from the Past we will hear about those who experienced Disasters! From floods and fires to storms and illness, learn about the resiliency of Winona County communities. Sites will feature cyclones; the Armistice Day blizzard of 1940; rescue, recovery, & prevention; local life during the Great Depression; fires; floods; pandemics; and accidents.
Not all disasters in Winona County have had tragic outcomes. But some came close! Back in 1941, five-year-old Jack Gockley was on his first unsupervised trip away from home, proudly pulling his steel coaster wagon across the tracks at the Wilson Street crossing. Suddenly, a Milwaukee passenger train slammed into his little wagon, leaving it a twisted wreck and terrifying Jack. The train immediately stopped, and the trainmen picked up Jack’s wagon and took the time to comfort him. A picture of a sad but wiser Jack and his ruined wagon ended up in the newspaper.
In 1903, a tornado ripped through St. Charles in Winona County. Several houses were demolished – including the DeLaney home. Mrs D. had just taken a bath. She made her way to the cellar. The house was torn from its foundation. She was plastered with mud & drenched with rain. As a result, she suffered from a severe cold and needed another bath.
Come learn more about these stories and many more, including about a farmer who was saved by his unknowingly heroic Holsteins.
The Walk takes about 90 minutes and sites can be visited in any order. A map and information booklet is provided with admission at the gate. Acting begins at 12:00 and ends at 4:00 p.m. The sites will perform at the History Center if the weather is severe. Prepaid passes (no refunds) can be purchased online, otherwise admission is taken at the gate/door. Find more information at winonahistory.org or call 507-454-2723.
This event is proudly sponsored by Merchants Bank, celebrating 150 years!

2025-10-04 12:00 - 16:00, 2025-10-05 12:00 - 16:00 | MN
October 2 • 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Indoor Accessible Performance at History Center
October 4 & 5 • 12:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Cemetery Walk at Woodlawn Cemetery
Admission: $10 Adults, $5 Students,
$3 Youth 12-4 years old
The Winona County Historical Society autumn fundraiser event, The Voices From the Past Cemetery Walk is coming up the first weekend in October!
Enjoy performances by community members portraying people from Winona County’s past. Each year a new theme ties different storied lives together. For the 2025 Voices from the Past we will hear about those who experienced Disasters! From floods and fires to storms and illness, learn about the resiliency of Winona County communities. Sites will feature cyclones; the Armistice Day blizzard of 1940; rescue, recovery, & prevention; local life during the Great Depression; fires; floods; pandemics; and accidents.
Not all disasters in Winona County have had tragic outcomes. But some came close! Back in 1941, five-year-old Jack Gockley was on his first unsupervised trip away from home, proudly pulling his steel coaster wagon across the tracks at the Wilson Street crossing. Suddenly, a Milwaukee passenger train slammed into his little wagon, leaving it a twisted wreck and terrifying Jack. The train immediately stopped, and the trainmen picked up Jack’s wagon and took the time to comfort him. A picture of a sad but wiser Jack and his ruined wagon ended up in the newspaper.
In 1903, a tornado ripped through St. Charles in Winona County. Several houses were demolished – including the DeLaney home. Mrs D. had just taken a bath. She made her way to the cellar. The house was torn from its foundation. She was plastered with mud & drenched with rain. As a result, she suffered from a severe cold and needed another bath.
Come learn more about these stories and many more, including about a farmer who was saved by his unknowingly heroic Holsteins.
The Walk takes about 90 minutes and sites can be visited in any order. A map and information booklet is provided with admission at the gate. Acting begins at 12:00 and ends at 4:00 p.m. The sites will perform at the History Center if the weather is severe. Prepaid passes (no refunds) can be purchased online, otherwise admission is taken at the gate/door. Find more information at winonahistory.org or call 507-454-2723.
This event is proudly sponsored by Merchants Bank, celebrating 150 years!

Gate City Jazz Band Performs First Sunday Each Month
2025-10-05 17:00 - 19:00 | MN
First Sunday of Each Month | 5-7 pm
Westfield Golf Course | 1460 W 5th St
No Cover Charge
westfieldgolfclub.com
The Gate City Jazz Band is rising from the ashes of the Blackhorse restaurant where they regularly played, to once again perform in their new location at the Westfield Golf Course restaurant. Performances are the first Sunday of each month, 5-7 pm for your listening and toe-tapping pleasure. Come enjoy the cuisine and music at the same time. No cover charge. Learn more.

Audition Notice: Christmas Radio Show! "Sam Shovel, Private Eye. Twelve Days of Chaos
2025-10-07 17:00 - 19:00 | 251 Main Street Winona, MN 55987 The Historic Masonic Temple, 251 Main Street, Winona, MN, 55987, United States
Auditions: Tuesday & Wednesday, October 7th & 8th, 2025
5:00–7:00 PM
The ARC, 255 Main Street, Winona, MN 55987
Audition Notice: Christmas Radio Show!
“Sam Shovel, Private Eye. Twelve Days of Chaos!”
Written by Jim & Jane Jeffries
Directed by Michael Opiola
Theatre du Mississippi invites you to join us for auditions for this year’s Christmas Radio Show!
No preparation needed!
No memorization required for this show! Scripts will be in hand for the performances.
Performances: December 11th–14th, 2025
This is a fun, low-stakes way to be part of the holiday magic. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or brand new to the stage, we’d love to have you join us!

Sandbar Storytelling Festival announces 2025 storytellers and schedule
2025-10-07 17:30 - 2025-10-13 17:00 | MN
Oct 7 -13
See below for venues and times
For the fourth consecutive year, the Sandbar Storytelling Festival is excited to announce its lineup of storytellers. This year’s festival includes even more tellers and locations, and we had to lengthen the festival to fit in all the fun! Between Oct. 7-13, seven talented and renowned storytellers will present a variety of storytelling styles and topics in Winona schools, universities, churches, theaters, and local establishments. Passes and tickets went onsale Monday, Aug. 11, and some events are free or for a freewill offering.

The purpose of the festival is to present storytelling performances that 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. Founding Artistic Director Taff Roberts reminds us that “through storytelling, we share our identities, and by active listening, we engage with people who are different than us.”
Again, the festival features a full slate of storytelling events by nationally and internationally known storytellers that are guaranteed to make you laugh, learn, and celebrate our shared humanity. Local food trucks are also featured.
The 2025 Storytellers
Bil Lepp – A returning headliner from Sandbar Storytelling Festival seasons 2022 and 2023, Lepp will continue to regale us with his unique antics, family-friendly tall tales, and stories that have earned the appreciation of listeners of all ages and from all walks of life. Though he is a five-time champion of the West Virginia Liars Contest, his stories often contain morsels of truth, which present universal themes in clever and witty ways. His amusing tales and insights into everyday life have delighted audiences across the country, from grade schools to corporate executives to Comedy Central’s Hudson stage.
Elizabeth Ellis – Designated an American Masterpiece Touring Artist by the NEA, Ellis grew up in the Appalachian Mountains hearing stories from her grandfather, a mountain minister. The “Divine Miss E” is a versatile and riveting teller of Appalachian and Texas tales and stories of heroic American women, though her personal stories are arguably her best. An award-winning author, she is a recipient of the John Henry Faulk Award from the Tejas Storytelling Association, and the National Storytelling Network ORACLE Circle of Excellence and Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. – A returning storyteller from season 2022, the Rev. Jones of Detroit, Mich., has been a professional musician and storyteller for more than 40 years. He has been a pastor for more than 20 years and has been a nationally recognized storyteller for more than 15. His speaking and musical skills educate, entertain, and inspire. At the heart of his message is the belief that our cultural diversity tells a story that we should celebrate, not just tolerate. Truly authentic and one of a kind, the Rev. Jones is a talented songwriter, storyteller, and has the ability to play multiple instruments, combined with the fact he is an award-winning educator and has encyclopedic knowledge of the history of African American folk music, including blues, spiritual, and slave songs.
Josh Goforth – Growing up in Madison County, N.C., Goforth was surrounded by the music and stories of his ancestors. He is a highly accomplished storyteller and acoustic musician playing close to 20 different instruments. He has performed in all 50 states, throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia and graced such stages as the Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and The Grand Ole Opry. He was nominated for a Grammy for his 2009 release with David Holt, titled “Cutting Loose.” He currently is on faculty at the Academy for the Arts in Asheville and performs all over the world.
Don White – Bringing audiences to laughter and tears for 30 years, White has released nine CDs, three live DVDs, and a book, “Memoirs of a C Student.” His latest album is “Live from the Guthrie Center.” He has opened for Arlo Guthrie, Ritchie Havens, Louden Wainwright III, and Taj Mahal, shared a bill with David Bromberg, Janis Ian, and Lyle Lovett. He has been featured in storytelling festivals around the country. Since 2015, he has joined master storytellers Bil Lepp and Bill Harley in Father’s Daze, a hilarious three-man storytelling event about the triumphs and tribulations of fatherhood. He toured for nine years with folk songwriting legend Christine Lavin.
Dovie Thomason – Imagining herself as a river, fed by many streams: Lakota, Apache, and Scot Traveler ancestry, urban Chicago, rural Texas and international travels, the Internet and Indigenous elders, family teachings, kitchen table wisdom, and university classrooms — Thomason draws on those contrasts and cultures in her work. When she adds personal stories and untold histories, the result is a contemporary narrative of Indigenous history and identity in North America told with elegance, wit, and passion. She has been featured at the Kennedy Center, National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and festivals around the world.
Katie Knutson – In Knutson’s 27 years as a storyteller and 20 years as a teaching artist, she has delivered arts-integrated residencies, performances, and classes to well over 35,000 kids. She has contributed to three books on storytelling and wrote/curated the New Voices column in Storytelling Magazine. She leads storytelling and arts integration workshops for adults, mentors, new storytellers and teaching artists, is a Minnesota State DEVELOP Guest Trainer, and has worked as a teaching artist for several theatre companies. Knutson has received several highly competitive Arts in Education grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board. She has also completed the ArtSage Arts in Aging Teaching Artist Training Program working with older adults across the aging spectrum.
Sandbar Storytelling Festival 2025 schedule:
Storytellers present different stories at each session throughout the festival, Oct. 7-13.
Tuesday, Oct. 7
5:30 p.m., “Pizza & Bil” featuring Bil Lepp at Blue Heron Coffeehouse, 162 W. 2nd St., Winona (Reserved ticket required; $50 general.)
Wednesday, Oct. 8
8 p.m., “Tales & Ales featuring Josh Goforth” at Two Fathoms Brewery, 65 E. Front St., Winona (free event, limited seating)
Thursday, Oct. 9
9 p.m., “Tales & Ales featuring Don White” at No Name Bar, 252 E. 3rd St., Winona (free event, limited seating)
Friday, Oct. 10
1 p.m., “Three Femme Fa-Tales” featuring Katie Knutson, Dovie Thomason, and Elizabeth Ellis at the Historic Masonic Theater of Winona, 251 Main St. (free event)
7 p.m., “TGIF: Tales for the End of the Week” featuring this year’s storytellers at Saint Mary’s University Page Theater, 700 Terrace Heights (Ticket or pass required; $25 general | $5 students.)
Saturday, Oct. 11
10 a.m., Bil Lepp and Josh Goforth at Saint Mary’s University Page Theater (Ticket or pass required; $10 general | $5 students.)
10 a.m., Storytelling featuring the Rev. Robert B. Jones, Sr. and the Winona’s Little Warriors Drumline at the Winona Public Library, 151 W. 5th St. (free event for families, suitable for children)
Noon, Lunch (boxed lunches available for purchase)
1 p.m., Elizabeth Ellis, Don White, Dovie Thomason, and the Rev. Robert B. Jones at Saint Mary’s University Page Theater, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona (Ticket or pass required; $20 general | $5 students.)
5 p.m., Dinner (food trucks by the tent)
7 p.m., “Tales Tall & True?” featuring this year’s storytellers at Saint Mary’s University Page Theater, 700 Terrace Heights, Winona (Ticket or pass required; $25 general | $5 students.)
Sunday, Oct. 12
10 a.m., Bil Lepp at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, located at Wesley United Methodist Church, 114 W. Broadway, Winona (free event)
2 p.m., Don White at the First Congregational Church of Winona, 161 W. Broadway, (free-will offering taken at the door)
Sunday, Oct. 12 – Monday, Oct. 13
Storytelling Intensive for intermediate and advanced storytellers at Alverna Center, 1175 W. Wabasha St., Winona (Application and registration fee required.)
Full-Day or Two-Day Passes
Saturday Full-Day Pass – Morning, afternoon, and night events are $50 general | $10 students*
Two-Day Festival Pass – Friday night and all-day Saturday events are $70 | $10 students*
*Student prices are for ages 11-18 and college students with a valid ID.
To learn more about this year’s storytellers, as well as the link to purchase festival tickets and passes, go to www.sandbarstorytellingfestival.org. For more information, email sandbarwinona@gmail.com or call 507-703-6001 or call 507-703-6001
