Building community by providing learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage, art, history, culture, and craft of the people of northern Minnesota.
My dear Ely Folk School community, I’m reaching out with a bittersweet update. My term as the board chairperson of the Ely Folk School has come to an end. It has been an honor and a privilege to serve you in this way over the past six years. I am forever grateful for taking the Cornish Pasty and Slovenian Walnut Potica classes with Mary Louise Icenhour in the Ely Folk School kitchen in spring and summer 2019. I’ve often said that it was the confidence instilled in me through
Written by Sarah Vogl and originally published in the Ely, MN Arts & Craft Journal, Issue One . On a summer evening just outside of Ely, the sound of fiddles and the rhythm of stomping feet rise from a crowded barn. Children chase farm puppies, elders trade smiles as they twirl, and strangers link hands like longtime friends. Events like this - Ely Folk School’s barn dance at Ethel’s Acres - may be rooted in old-fashioned tradition, but they remain as alive and vital as eve
It’s 2025 - we know you know the benefits of shopping locally. But do you recognize how expansive your options are? Far from limited, buying locally can highlight a wide range of resources, tools, and events right here in Ely! Take a look at our Ely Folk School Holiday Gift Guide and find something for almost everyone on your list! By purchasing gifts from the Ely Folk School this season, you’re supporting an Ely non-profit, the 27 consignment artists in our Mercantile, and t
