Even for a Minnesota native its cold outside. I have tried to overcome the Minnesotan stereotype this week by resisting the urge to talk about the weather in every casual conversation (I have been largely unsuccessful in this attempt). Its the type of cold that makes every outdoor task difficult and often painful.  I actually opted not to take the garbage out this morning because it just wasn’t worth it. This is the type of cold that makes people threaten move, but in the end most of us embrace the cold as one of the complications of where we live. There are also wonderful events which emerge from the harsh winter landscape such as the annual Art Shanty Projects.

The 6th annual Art Shanty Projects on Medicine Lake in Plymouth, MN kick off this Saturday, January 17 at 11am.  This year, the ASP community is made up of over twenty shanties, and Saturday will feature a full day’s worth of events and activities, both indoors and out. ASP is open to the public every weekend (with occasional weekdays) from this Saturday through February 14.

 
The events on Saturday kick off at 11am near the Art Car Taxis on the shore, with a
community blessing by Kari Tauring, a  visiting Volva (Norse priestess). Starting then, there will be writing games all day in the Word Shanty. At noon, the Norae Shantyopens for all your karaoke needs, and the dICEHOUSE will being their “Big Drill” project,” auguring holes in the lake to create the world’s largest cribbage board. The lack Box Theatre presents Frozen, a puppet  performance, at noon, followed by music from Captain Yonder at 2pm. Follow these up with a mapping party at the Radical Mapping Shanty at 1pm, and a lake-wide dance performance called The Fisherman, the Fish, the Runner, the Astronomer and the Explosions at 2pm. All day long on various places on the lake, Andy Sturdevant will be performing his interactive Retroactive Minnesotan with the help of visitors.

Fortunately the weather is going to warm into the balmy +20′s just in time for Saturday’s opening weekend.   Hopefully we will see you on the ice in the coming weeks.