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DULUTH — Whether you're looking to frolic in the snow or enjoy a cool beverage on a green lawn (well, an artificial one), here are six picks for things to do in the Northland.
Cider North at the DECC
There are plenty of beer festivals in the area, but not so many cider festivals — despite the fact that Duluth alone has no fewer than two craft cideries. On Saturday, the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center is convening cider sippers in the Harbor Side Ballroom for a new event called Cider North. Expect a simulated springtime vibe, with artificial turf and lawn games, as you taste the wares of a dozen cider makers. Snacks for sale will include build-your-own charcuterie boards. For tickets and information, see decc.org.
(In other cidery news, Wild State Cider is hosting a viewing party for the season debut of ABC's "The Bachelor" on Monday night, challenging that franchise's longstanding association with wine.)
Charlie Parr's books and blues
Last year, local legend Charlie Parr published his first book: a companion to his 2021 album "Last of the Better Days Ahead." If you're a fan and haven't yet acquired a copy, Wednesday is your chance. As Parr's Cedar Lounge January residency continues, he's taking a day to sign some books as well as play music. The event runs from 7-9 p.m. at Earth Rider's Superior taproom. For information, see earthrider.beer.
The sounds of Chicago
Somewhat confusingly, the band named Duluth Transit Authority doesn't have anything to do with buses, despite the fact that this city loves a concert on wheels. In fact, the band's name is inspired by "Chicago Transit Authority," the 1969 debut album by the band Chicago. It's "Minnesota's largest Chicago tribute band," according to a news release from the West Theatre, where Duluth Transit Authority be performing Thursday night. Expect Chicago hits ("Saturday in the Park," anyone?) and deep cuts, with perhaps a smattering of Chicago-adjacent covers of bands like Steely Dan. For tickets and information, see thewesttheatre.com.
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Rubber Chicken at the aquarium
Rubber Chicken Theater's shows are always somewhat interactive, but usually that just means interaction with humans. For the next two weekends, though, the local sketch troupe will also be interacting with the various species resident at the Great Lakes Aquarium, where they're presenting their new show "Christmas Aquarium in January, or Jokin' Around in a Fishy Wonderland." The show's sketches will look back on 2022 in both local and national news, and the show's venue suggests there may be some gags that former Two Harbors Mayor Chris Swanson won't find amusing. For tickets and information, see rubberchickentheater.com.
'The Boys Room' at Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist Theater is returning with a production of "The Boys Room," Joel Drake Johnson's 2011 play about two brothers who return to their childhood bedroom but soon realize they can't go back in time. "Beware the easy early laughs," wrote Variety in a review of the world premiere production. By the end, the premise is transformed "from a joke into a psychological trauma." Actors Zachary Stofer, Ellie Martin, Jody Kujawa and Reagan Kern will tackle this challenging material in a show that opens Friday and runs through Jan. 28. For tickets and information, see zeitgeistarts.com.
Winter Frolic at Snake River
Northlanders who want to connect with our region's hard-paddling, fur-trading, antiperspirant-free past have a number of opportunities each year, few better than the Winter Frolic at Snake River Fur Post in Pine City. A reconstructed fur post and Ojibwe encampment take visitors back in time to the dawn of the 19th century, when our region was a trading hub. At Saturday afternoon's free event, expect snowshoeing, hot cocoa, educational activities, and sports including the Ojibwe snow snake game and a curling stone toss. For information, see mnhs.org/furpost.
