Work with your hands ~ Learn from your peers
Create something lasting

The Ely Folk School offers classes involving hands-on, cooperative learning for folks of all ages. People are geared to create. Our ancestors survived by procuring or crafting all of life’s essentials. The hard-wired propensity for creation may no longer be critical for our survival, but it enhances our well-being.

The contemplative nature of handwork skills still provides an enormous sense of satisfaction that allows people to lose themselves in time — an increasingly rare experience in today’s fast-paced lives.  

Birch Bark Canoe Project – – Ceramics – – Fiber Arts – – Blacksmithing – – Culinary Arts – – Outdoor Knowledge – – Arts – – Woodworking – – Native Culture

The Ely Folk School is committed to providing a culture of inclusion.

We strive to serve as a welcoming and safe space for folks of all opinions, beliefs, cultures, races, gender expressions, sexual orientations, ages, and abilities.

Give the gift of knowledge


Purchase an Ely Folk School gift card.

 Students have enjoyed sharing time and learning with friends and relatives. Contact us to custom design a class for you! 

Class fees

Ely Folk School classes typically fall into two categories: workshops and demos. Students who participate in workshop-style classes register in advance to engage hands-on with the material of their craft. Students who attend demonstration-style classes will have the opportunity to follow along as the instructor annotates the process. Demo students need not worry about pre-registration. 

The standard fee for Ely Folk School demos is $20 at the door. 

Fees for select classes and programs are modeled differently according to their unique needs. The materials fee reimburses the entity who purchased the supplies given to you to use for your class project. Some classes may give you the option of purchasing the materials or supplying your own

If the cost of registering for a class is prohibitive, consider volunteering for the Ely Folk School. Select responsibilities earn volunteers tuition credit in exchange for time. Volunteers can earn 1 hour of class credit for every 3 hours of volunteering. You could also serve as a class host. Class hosts are asked to refrain from participating in the actual craft during the class, but hosts have access to class content. 

Bring your group to the Ely Folk School!

Contact us at info@elyfolkschool.org to schedule a private class for a group, family, or business.

Cancellation policy

Class payments are due upon registration. Class fees are fully refundable 14 days before a class starts, and are refundable minus a 25% administrative fee up to seven days before a class starts. Because instructors must arrange their schedules and order materials, cancellations in the last week before a class starts will not be refunded except in the case of true emergencies.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessibility is located through the back entrance. Please park in the Saint Anthony’s Church parking lot.