ArtReach Events Calendar

Another fun weekend in downtown Stillwater as part of the month-long Hometown for the Holidays!

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12: GINGERBREAD MAN HUNT
Hunt for gingerbread man ornaments around downtown between December 12 and December 19. Complete your stamp card to win a grand prize. Stop by Art N Soul for all the details.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13
2–4 PM: Santa roaming the streets and spreading holiday cheer throughout downtown Stillwater.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14: GINGERBREAD HOUSE CONTEST
10 AM–6 PM: Fill the Trolley with Holiday Cheer. Donate new, unwrapped toys to Community Thread’s annual Holiday Hope Program. Bring toys to the Trolley at Darn Knit Anyway or to any participating business in town.
12–2 PM: View and vote on gingerbread houses from all age groups at Darn Knit Anyway’s Makers’ Lounge. Meet the Gingerbread Man, decorate cookies, and enjoy a surprise visit from Santa. Sign up for the gingerbread house competition at CommunityThreadMN.org/Hometown-Holidays.
12–2 PM: Santa roaming the streets and spreading holiday cheer throughout downtown Stillwater.

Santa is making his magical stop at KCAP and tickets are flying faster than Rudolph on Christmas Eve!
Bring your little ones to meet Santa, snap the sweetest holiday photos, and enjoy a magical painting experience full of color, creativity, and Christmas cheer.
Add extra holiday magic! Be sure to grab a “Cookies for Santa” plate kit—complete with your kiddos’ handprints (and maybe even Santa’s!)
Tickets are limited and this event always sells out fast, so don’t wait—reserve your time slot now and make this Christmas one to remember!

The Lowell Inn offers a 4-course tea Tuesday-Sunday 11:00am-2:00pm, with special extended hours of 11:00am-3:00pm on Saturdays & Sundays for the month of December. 11 different tea flavors to choose from or try them all! All ages welcome, kid-friendly courses available with advanced reservation.

Mainstreet Stillwater and the St. Croix Riverfront will be alive with holiday spirit, featuring seasonal lights, decorations, and festive themed events!
Below is a "work in progress" event schedule for 2025! Check back often for updates!

Rustic Roots Holiday Market - Nov. 15

Holiday Beertique Makers Market at Lift Bridge Brewery - Nov. 16

Christmas at the Courthouse - Nov. 22-23

Holiday Makers' Market at Darn Knit Anyway - Nov. 23

Fox Trot Thanksgiving 5k - Nov. 27

The Stillwater Nutcracker - Nov. 28-30

Shop Small Weekend - Nov. 28-30

Black Friday/Plaid Friday - Nov. 29

Shop Small Business Saturday - Nov. 30

Holiday Tea at Historic Lowell Inn - Weekends, Dec. 1-23

Twinkle Weekend - Dec. 4-7

Brick + Linen Holiday Market - Dec. 5

Holiday Market at Abrahamson Nurseries - Dec. 6

Christkindlmarkt at Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter - Dec. 6

Twinkle Party and City Tree Lighting - Dec. 7

Candy Town Weekend - Dec. 11-14

POP ROCKS! Rockin' Holiday Dance Party at JX Venue - Dec. 12

Downton Abbey Christmas Dinner at The Outing Lodge - Dec. 13

Come Paint with Santa @ Kari’s Create & Paint Studio - Dec. 13 -14

Breakfast Buffet with Santa at Water Street Inn - Dec. 14 & 20

Santa Buffet at Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter - Dec. 14

Aurora Staples Christmas Open House - Dec. 14

Furry Friends Weekend - Dec. 18-21

A Stillwater Christmas Carol - Dec. 18-23

Home for the Holidays presented by St. Croix Valley Opera - Dec. 20

The Big Stillwater Holiday Sing presented by Stillwater Zephyr Theatre - Dec. 21

Christmas Eve Dinner or Day brunch at Historic Lowell Inn - Dec. 24 & 25

Click on each event to find details on the location, dates, times, etc.

You will love this cozy, artful shop featuring more than 30 local artists. #buylocalart

Pottery, Jewelry, Paintings, Art Glass, Fibers Arts and More

Opening Party: Saturday, November 22 at 12-2pm

ArtReach St. Croix’s Royal Credit Union Foundation Gallery Hours:
Tuesday & Friday, 10am-4pm

Wednesday & Thursday, 10am-7pm
Saturday & Sunday, 12-4pm

*Holiday hours may vary

Virginia Averill’s iconography and Alana Cuellar’s pottery come together in Symbols of Joy. Averill’s icons are uncovered after layering mixed media, creating a detailed canvas reminiscent of memories and Christian images from childhood. Cuellar’s functional pottery comes from her belief that handmade objects contain a quiet magic that cultivates pleasure, joy, and connection. Her work is inspired by ancient pots, cooking, textiles, the natural world, and the community of potters around her.

On view: November 22-December 30, 2025

Artist Reception: Saturday, November 22 at 12-2pm

Gallery Hours:

Tuesday & Friday, 10am-4pm
Wednesday & Thursday, 10am-7pm
Saturday & Sunday, 12-4pm

Holiday Hours may vary

Take a stroll through the streets of Stillwater and enjoy the picturesque “Christmas Village” right here in the Birthplace of Minnesota! With FOUR weekends packed with fun, you’re bound to find something for everyone in your family during Hometown for the Holidays.

November 28-30: Shop Small Weekend
December 4-7: Twinkle Weekend
December 11-14: Candy Town Weekend
December 18-21: Furry Friends Weekend

Visit CommunityThreadMN.org/Holiday/ for more information!

Receive a complimentary sample of our renowned mulled wine with every purchased wine flight!

FLASH SALE! 20% off all bottles and merchandise plus a clearance sale!

Enjoy live music on Saturday from 1 to 4 PM!

Take a guess at our Guess How Many Ornaments jar for a chance to win a $25 gift card.
Don’t forget to strike a pose! Post your ugly-sweater photo and tag Rustic Roots Winery to enter our festive photo contest. One standout snap wins a holiday treat!

Statement from the Artist:

About 70 years ago, I picked up a crayon—and fell in love with the art and creativity that have played a central role in my life. My upcoming exhibition, Now & Then...70 Years of a Creative Life, reflects on seven decades of growth, experimentation, and the familiar thread that has guided me all along.

Most of the works in the show are recent, but you’ll also see paintings and drawings from across six decades, even one painted at age eleven. Each one reveals the evolution of my materials, my style, and my voice. I’ve always sought to express more than what I see, to paint how I feel. While I once thought this was a recent shift, revisiting older pieces reminded me that the same emotional connection has been there all along.

From sketches made while living in Taiwan in 1972–73 to more recent works, a familiar thread runs through the decades. I began incorporating reflections into my art as a direct result of photographing “the feeling of magic” in the light while hiking during the 2020 lockdown. I see now, though, that same love of reflections in my San Francisco Harbor painting from 1975.

Expressing my feelings—especially finding beauty in a chaotic world—is an act of healing and love. That expression continues today. For example, in Seeing Blue, it’s the colors that create emotions open to interpretation by the viewer.

The show runs November through December at the Stillwater Public Library, with an artist reception on Thursday, November 20, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. I would be honored to have you join me in celebrating this milestone and continuing the conversation between art, memory, and feeling.

This special 2-hour Christmas workshop is the perfect way to learn the magic of sourdough while enjoying the warmth of the season. Whether you’re brand new to sourdough or you’ve tried and struggled before, you’ll leave with the confidence (and dough!) to bake a beautiful, festive Christmas themed loaf at home.

More details: What is covered-What to bring-What you take home

Tickets

The Weary Ramblers celebration the release of their newest album with a show in historic downtown Stillwater!

VIP Meet & Greet: 1:00pm - Includes special performance and Q&A

General Doors 2:00pm

Music: 3:00pm

"Weary Ramblers highly anticipated second album spans many genres in Americana music. Grounded in their harmonies and poignant lyrics, “Driftwood” speaks to and from the heart. Featuring high class musicians, such as Sam Bush, the album is sure to be a new favorite. Album releasing October 31st, with singles releasing October 10th, October 17th and October 24th."

Winners of 21st annual International Acoustic Music Awards in “Best Group/Duo” category!

Semi-finalists in the 2024 International Songwriting Competition!

Semi-finalists in the 2025 Unsigned Only Music Awards!

Nominees for 2025 Josie Music Awards for “Duo of the Year - Americana,” “Song of the Year - Americana Duo/Group/Collab” & “Music Video of the Year (Performance Focused/Duo-Group)”!

Their music is a powerful combination of many genres – blues, jazz, bluegrass, rock and traditional folk. Join us for a summer night in Stillwater and get caught up in a unique and memorable evening of music.

Weary Ramblers combines the award-winning talents of Chad Elliot and Kathryn Severing Fox. They were just crowned the winners of the International Acoustic Music Association: Excellence in Acoustic Music – Best Duo or Group! Chad (Woody Guthrie Song Contest winner), and Kathryn (Downbeat winner) combine award-winning songwriting, multi-instrument skills, and tight harmonies to deliver memorable performances.   Their self-titled debut album was released in 2024.  Folk star Pieta Brown says,” I’m always enchanted by harmony chemistry and Weary Ramblers have it!“

Both Chad and Kathryn are established musicians in their own rights.  Chad Elliott - who is lauded as “Iowa’s Renaissance Man” by Culture Buzz Magazine - has been part of the Iowa music scene for many years and is regarded very highly by his peers. In addition to winning the Woody Guthrie Songwriting contest, he was a Kerrville finalist several times, and most recently was announced as a 2025 inductee to the Iowa Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has worked with artists of the highest caliber, including Greg Brown, Loudon Wainwright III, and Bo Ramsey. Chad writes and performs everything from traditional folk to powerful blues.  He is also an accomplished painter, sculptor and illustrator at Elliott Art Studio in Jefferson, IA. Chad is also an author (Wilderman’s Treetop Tales and Rumble & Flash).

Kathryn Severing Fox is a classically trained instrumentalist who plays viola, violin, mandolin, piano, guitar and a violin/viola combo that has a unique sound.  She received both a Bachelor of Music Performance degree and Master of Music degree in viola performance from the University of Miami, Frost School of Music. She played on the Grammy-nominated track “All My Tomorrows” with Kate McGarry and has performed with The Beach Boys, Lou Gramm, George Benson and many other notable artists. She is Adjunct Faculty at the School for Music Vocations at Southwestern Community College, where she teaches strings and piano tuning.

See our Full Calendar of Events on our Humanitix Collection page

Get DISCOUNT TICKETS, Drink Specials, and exclusive event access by joining Club 214  

Known for their artistry across classical, contemporary, and experimental genres, the Collective brings decades of experience and a deep passion for performance to every concert.

This special event features award-winning artists including Maritsa Rosamilia, Amanda Burgdorf, Josh Misner, Benjamin Burgdorf, and James Rosamilia, whose work spans national tours and local collaborations. Join us for this concert which offers a unique opportunity to experience the beauty of live string music in a setting that honors both tradition and innovation.

🕰️ Date &Time: Sunday, December 14, 2025, music begins at 4:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets: General admission, ranging from $10-$50
📍 Location:Christ Lutheran Church (150 5th St, Marine on Saint Croix, MN 55047)

After the concert, stay for refreshments and engaging conversation with the musicians and fellow attendees. Join us to enjoy beautiful music and connect with the community. Secure your tickets today and be part of an unforgettable evening.

Every Wednesday, the chefs at Charlie’s Restaurant prepare a delicious four-course dinner, accompanied by wine pairings specially selected by our talented bar team, for just $59.95/person.

View the menus: https://waterstreetinn.us/calendar/

Reservations required! Call 651-439-6000 or book online a thttps://www.yelp.com/reservations/charlies-restaurant-and-irish-pub-stillwater-2

Note: When booking, please mention “WINE DINNER” in the request section to confirm your reservation.

As the dark days of World War I draw to a close, miserly Stillwater businessman Ebeneezer Scrooge discovers the true meaning of Christmas when ghostly spirits force him to examine his selfish ways.

Based on “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Adapted and directed by Michael Dufault.

New to Gammelgården this year is children’s storytime! This program will be hosted weekly on Thursday’s at 10:30 am in the classroom upstairs.

This is a great opportunity for you and your family to partake in early literacy in your community. Early literacy programs are not designed to teach young children how to read, rather they focus on developing skills through stories.

Storytime will be hosted by Grace Taylor. Grace will graduate with a Master’s in Library and Information Sciences from St. Kate’s in August 2025 and has taken multiple courses in Children’s Materials and Services.

It’s the magical time of year when Art’s House Gallery is dreaming of sugar plums and an art-filled Winter Wonderland of unique local and regional art for the holiday gift giving season!  Join us for our annual holiday show from November 13 through December 27 when our gallery will be transformed into a gift-giving wonderland filled with handmade seasonal gifts thoughtfully created by more than 25 local and regional artists and craftspeople.

Mick Sterling Presents has booked an incredible lineup of concerts live dinner concerts featuring top Twin Cities musicians performing tribute shows honoring the best of yesterday and todays music legends.

ON STAGE AT THE FREIGHT HOUSE tickets do not include dinner. The show is in The Great Hall at The Historic Freight House in Stillwater. You're not required to order dinner, it is an option for you to do so and we hope you do! No outside food or beverage is allowed in the show.

See performance schedule HERE.

We're so excited to bring back our monthly themed dinners!

Caprese salad
Sliced bread with butter
Italian sausage and ricotta stuffed manicotti
Tiramisu

These menus are subject to change based on ingredient availability.

The dinner runs from 6-8 PM. Tickets include wine pairing tastes with each course, with additional drinks available for purchase throughout the evening.

Tickets are $60/per person. Space is limited!

Training for Longevity: The Keys to Being a Strong and Resilient Runner –  Join Coach Jacob Oak (Oak Endurance) and Dr. Kailee Carlson at Wild River Running for a 45-minute dive into how to keep your mind & body healthy, strong, and running well for years to come. You’ll learn holistic and practical ways to build durability through strength, recovery, and movement quality; the key ingredients for sustainable running performance.

Mindset & Race Preparation – "Ever heard of Taper Terrors? Join Coach Maggie Bowman (Maggie Bowman Coaching) at Wild River Running to learn about how to specifically prep your body and mind during taper so that you are ready to race your best on race day. We'll talk about the physiological science of taper, the power of mindset, and specific race strategies you can draw upon for your next taper and your next race."

Fuel good, feel Good – Join Sports Dietitian and fellow runner Jillian Tholen (Jillian RD) to learn about how to prioritize different aspects of your nutrition to support training, performance, and overall health, and to really make the most of all those miles! We spend so much time and energy to run the miles and do the workouts, and sometimes our nutrition can feel like a bit of an afterthought. But if you're able to learn how to better take care of yourself with your fueling, both around/during training and during your daily life outside of running, you'll be better able to recover, improve strength and fitness, and avoid injuries, all of which lead you to tapping into your true potential as a runner.

Whether you’re gearing up for your first 5K or your next marathon, these talks will give you tools to elevate your running.

Join us for one or all of these talks in December!