Best Bets: Jazz at the Depot returns

Four musicians play jazz music in front of a yellow-and-red model train depot. From left, they play saxophone, drum, keyboard and upright bass. — Randy Lee, left, and fellow musicians play a "Jazz at the Depot" show at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum. The series returns Saturday.

By Jay Gabler

December 31, 2024 at 7:00 AM

DULUTH — With 2025 upon us, many cherished wintertime traditions are returning to the Northland.

Jazz at the Depot

The Lake Superior Railroad Museum is once again hosting live jazz performances in an unforgettable setting, amid historic train equipment at the St. Louis County Depot. The Depot Jazz Quartet will take the "stage" at 3 p.m. every Saturday from January through April, starting this week, Jan. 4.

"What an amazing series of gigs this has been, over several years now," writes musician Randy Lee on his website. "So many dedicated fans enjoying our jazz, the stories behind some of the music, (museum director Ken Buehler's) stories and antics, and the world-class museum" (rlensemble.wordpress.com).

World's Coldest Birdathon

Birders at Sax-Zim boardwalk — Birders walk along part of a trail loop that includes a new boardwalk near the Friends of the Sax-Zim Bog Welcome Center on Jan. 25, 2024. This weekend, the bog is sponsoring the annual "world's coldest birdathon."

Sax-Zim Bog prides itself on hosting "the world's coldest birdathon," with sharp-eyed birders spreading out across the Northland in search of "the likes of great gray owl, boreal chickadee, black-backed woodpecker, pine grosbeak, bohemian waxwing, hoary redpoll, gyrfalcon and northern hawk owl," according to the Friends of Sax-Zim Bog.

With a "playing field" covering all of Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin, the Friday-Saturday event has different divisions for motorized and non-motorized transportation, a range of different point values for different species and serious bragging rights for the team that comes out on top (saxzim.org).

Salmela sisters cabaret

101823.N.DNT.MeanGirls.ReginaEntrance.JPG — Sofia Salmela, center, as Regina George in an East High School production of "Mean Girls" in 2023.

Sisters Lussi and Sofia Salmela are returning to the Zeitgeist Teatro on Friday for a second annual cabaret, featuring "super special guests" in a festive evening of song. Proceeds support the community work at Zeitgeist. Both sisters are experienced musical theater performers familiar to local audiences, with Sofia recently seen in The Boat Club production of "Winter Wondrettes" (facebook.com/zeitgeistduluth).

New work at MacRostie

Colorful fiber art hanging on wall — Fiber art by Lauren Faherty will be on display at the MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids in a show opening Friday.

The MacRostie Art Center in Grand Rapids is opening two new exhibits with a Friday reception. The Minnesota Gallery will feature fiber sculptures by Lauren Faherty, while the Giinawind Gallery will hold work by local youth participating in the Anishinaabe Gikinoo’amaadiwin program for students of Native descent. An artist talk takes place at 6 p.m., and a related Art Walk encourages visitors to explore the city's downtown (macrostieartcenter.org).

Anastasia Bamford

A poet and photographer based in Duluth, Anastasia Bamford is filling the walls of Wussow's Concert Cafe with work featured in a recent ARAC-supported book titled "Morphology": exploring gender identity and other themes with landscapes, portraits and words. On Saturday evening, Bamford will be at the cafe for an art opening and poetry reading; not only will attendees get a first look at (and listen to) the installation, Bamford is bringing bookmarks to share (wussows.com).

Freud at Karpeles

Manuscript museum. — The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is hosting a special event on Saturday.

The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum is home to some of the area's greatest archival treasures — regarding not just the Northland, but people and events around the world. On Saturday evening, the institution is hosting a special event showcasing its "Grand Exhibition: Freud, Mosswren, and Time." There's bound to be food for thought, as well as live music by Hannah Rey (facebook.com/duluthkarpeles).

By Jay Gabler

Arts and entertainment reporter Jay Gabler joined the Duluth News Tribune in 2022. His previous experience includes eight years as a digital producer at The Current (Minnesota Public Radio), four years as theater critic at Minneapolis alt-weekly City Pages, and six years as arts editor at the Twin Cities Daily Planet. He's a co-founder of pop culture and creative writing blog The Tangential; he's also a member of the National Book Critics Circle and the Minnesota Film Critics Association. You can reach him at jgabler@duluthnews.com or 218-409-7529.