Classes

Date Event Venue
  • July 9, 2025
    5:00 pm

Game Night

Join us for Game Night every Wednesday 5 pm – 8 pm at Dovetail Café! Cribbage and Board Games Free Admission  
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  • July 9, 2025
    5:30 pm

Demystifying Sewing Machines

Discover the secrets of your sewing machine in “Demystifying Sewing Machines,” a hands-on class designed to build your confidence and understanding of this essential tool. We’ll dig into typical sewing machines and learn about the mechanics of how a stitch is formed, walk you through threading your machine and winding bobbins, and demystify the artContinue Reading
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  • July 9, 2025
    6:00 pm

Tortoise & Hare Footware Run Club

Join us for a FREE weekly run group and explore Lincoln Park! No registration required. Just show up! Location: Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace Time: 6 pm every Wednesday. Meet at Dovetail a little before 6 pm. Runs: 30-45 minutes. Direction of the runs may vary, but the start and end will always be Dovetail. TheContinue Reading
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  • July 11, 2025
    8:30 am

- Selecting, Using and Maintaining Vintage Handsaws

The purpose of this one-day block of instruction is to introduce students to saw selection, use and maintenance through proven traditional sawyering techniques that have endured throughout the centuries, back when communication moved at the speed of a horse or a sail. Much of the information below has been forgotten when generations of woodworkers followingContinue Reading
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  • July 11, 2025
    5:30 pm

Writers Open Mic

We’re inviting poets, creative writers, and expressive people of all kinds to share their work at our Writers’ Open Mic. We welcome anyone. Come and share your creativity, or just come and listen! Five minute limit.
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  • July 11, 2025
    6:00 pm

Art Through The Ages - Impressionism and Fauvism

Are you interested in learning more about the history of art? Want to know more about what defines each art movement? Are you curious to try different art mediums in a supported environment? Join us for Art Through the Ages! A multi-week tour through some of the greatest art movements of all time, and aContinue Reading
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  • July 12, 2025
    8:30 am

Fika & Fiber

Join us for a free, drop-in knitting and fiber arts group! Saturdays at 8:30 am at the Dovetail Cafe. Come share a cuppa’ and craft! *Fika is a beloved Swedish custom of pausing for a moment of quality time to connect with others, often with a cup of coffee and a sweet treat. Please note:Continue Reading
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  • July 12, 2025
    11:00 am

- The Giving Forest

In this class we explore the deep connections between the natural world, ourselves and the food we eat.  We continue to exist because of the nourishment provided by the beings around us. Intaking food and having the food turn into our cells and tissues is a remarkable experience. We give back to the vegetation around usContinue Reading
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  • July 12, 2025
    3:30 pm

Fix-it Clinic

Just because it’s broken doesn’t mean it belongs in the trash can! Whether it’s cracked, torn, stained, missing a piece, or just not working properly, broken things can be made good as new with the right skills and tools. WLSSD is partnering with the Duluth Folk School and Duluth Makerspace to host Fixit Clinics whereContinue Reading
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  • July 13, 2025
    5:00 pm

Open Mic

Come share your music! (Or come hear some great local musicians!) If you’d like to play or perform, you can register for a time slot when you arrive. We’re a friendly community where everyone is welcome — and we’d love to have you join us!
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  • July 14, 2025
    6:00 pm

Sign Carving

This is an introduction to carving signs in wood with hand tools. You will learn the tools and techniques for incised and bas-relief carving, and the safety precautions to bear in mind. You will learn how to read wood grain and carve in harmony with it. In the process of creating your own custom signContinue Reading
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  • July 15, 2025
    5:00 pm

Introduction to Foraging (Mobility Friendly)

Step into the world of wild foods with this beginner-friendly foraging class! Learn the foundational skills needed to safely identify common edible plants and mushrooms in your local environment. Through hands-on exploration, you’ll discover how to observe key features, use field guides, and understand seasonal clues. Whether you’re curious about wild herbs, berries, or fungi,Continue Reading
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  • July 15, 2025
    5:30 pm

Floral Magic Design

In this introduction to floral design class, you will work with locally grown flowers to learn about the proper processing of stems and core elements to design, with the goal of developing the skills to create full and well-balanced (and sometimes wild) arrangements. You will learn about the intricacies of each flower variety to betterContinue Reading
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  • July 16, 2025
    5:30 pm

Chainsaw Bar & Chain Maintenance

Keep your chainsaw in top cutting shape with this hands-on class focused on essential maintenance skills. In this session, you’ll learn how to keep your saw cutting properly and safely. We’ll cover how to sharpen a chainsaw chain, care for and dress the bar, and understand the wear patterns that can affect performance and safetyContinue Reading
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  • July 17, 2025
    6:00 pm

Kitchen Beers

Humans have been brewing beer for eons. Using an infinite variety of ingredients and processes, we’ve been making fermented beverages for thousands of years. While modern practices can be quite technical and require a great deal of equipment, the fundamentals of brewing are surprisingly simple. You can do this with just a few pieces ofContinue Reading
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  • July 18, 2025
    5:30 pm

Speed Friending

SPEED FRIENDING returns at Dovetail Cafe! Everyone will meet everyone one-on-one. By the time we finish, we’ll all have more acquaintances than we did before! Hurray! Whether you consider yourself an introvert or extrovert, young or old, from near or far, or someone in-between all those — we want you to come! Everyone is welcomeContinue Reading
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  • July 18, 2025
    6:00 pm

Art Through The Ages - Cubism and Pop Art

Are you interested in learning more about the history of art? Want to know more about what defines each art movement? Are you curious to try different art mediums in a supported environment? Join us for Art Through the Ages! A multi-week tour through some of the greatest art movements of all time, and aContinue Reading
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  • July 19, 2025
    10:00 am

Dye Like a Viking

Join us for an exploration of natural dyes used in Viking textiles – vibrant greens, soft reds, lichen purples, deep golds, and rich blues – based on archeological evidence. You will learn to prepare dye baths, mordant fibers, modify colors, and identify dye plants. Students will receive eight 25-yard skeins of yarn to dye, enoughContinue Reading
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  • July 19, 2025
    4:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
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  • July 19, 2025
    5:00 pm

Old Time Jam Session

Come on down for a free old time music jam session at the Duluth Folk School! Bring a fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, dulcimer, or bass and learn new tunes! Play along, or just sit back and listen to old chestnuts and local favorites, played in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Everyone is welcome to play along, listen,Continue Reading
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  • July 20, 2025
    5:00 pm

Black Ash Berry Basket

In this class, you will make a berry basket from black ash. We’ll use mostly beginner techniques and pre-cut materials. The size of your finished basket will be 4 inches x 4 inches. At the end of the class, you will have a completed basket, perfect for holding freshly picked berries. Registration Includes All instructionContinue Reading
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  • July 21, 2025
    5:00 pm

Dandelion Cordage

Discover the hidden strength of a common wild plant in this hands-on beginner class focused on making cordage from dandelion stems. Learn how to identify, harvest, and prepare dandelions for twisting into strong, natural twine. We’ll guide you through basic cordage techniques using dried stems, and explore how this simple skill can be applied toContinue Reading
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  • July 22, 2025
    5:00 pm

Introduction to Foraging (Mobility Friendly)

Step into the world of wild foods with this beginner-friendly foraging class! Learn the foundational skills needed to safely identify common edible plants and mushrooms in your local environment. Through hands-on exploration, you’ll discover how to observe key features, use field guides, and understand seasonal clues. Whether you’re curious about wild herbs, berries, or fungi,Continue Reading
Register
  • July 23, 2025
    5:00 pm

Wild Mushrooms 101

During this class, you will learn about foraging and identifying wild mushrooms. We will discuss some basic information about mushrooms, steps for identifying mushrooms, steps for foraging mushrooms, common edible mushrooms, common toxic mushrooms, recommended resources, etc. You will also get to handle real mushrooms to get some hands-on experience with some of the mushroomsContinue Reading
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  • July 24, 2025
    5:00 pm

Black Ash Berry Basket

In this class, you will make a berry basket from black ash. We’ll use mostly beginner techniques and pre-cut materials. The size of your finished basket will be 4 inches x 4 inches. At the end of the class, you will have a completed basket, perfect for holding freshly picked berries. Registration Includes All instructionContinue Reading
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  • July 27, 2025
    1:00 pm

Introduction to Watercolor

This class is perfect for individuals looking to try watercoloring.  You will explore fundamental watercolor techniques including paint mixing, water use, and brushstrokes. This class provides the building blocks of watercolor in a fun and creative environment. Whether you’re new to painting or have experience, this class will be engaging for all. Registration Includes InstructionContinue Reading
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  • August 1, 2025
    5:30 pm

Dovetail Trivia!

Hosted by the nefariously big-hearted Nick Heck, come have a fun evening with great people in a great space. Recommended team size is 6. (We’ll help teams form, so don’t worry if you’re solo or just with a friend!) 1st round: General knowledge 2nd round: Current events 3rd round: Sports 4th round: Night’s theme 5thContinue Reading
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  • August 4, 2025
    5:00 pm

Make a Cattail Basket

Join us for a hands-on introduction to cattail weaving—perfect for beginners with no prior experience or experienced weavers wanting to learn a new material! In this class, you’ll learn how to honorably harvest and prepare cattail leaves, then use simple weaving techniques to create a small basket. We’ll explore the qualities of this versatile wetlandContinue Reading
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  • August 5, 2025
    5:00 pm

Introduction to Foraging – Chambers Grove

Step into the world of wild foods with this beginner-friendly foraging class! Learn the foundational skills needed to safely identify common edible plants and mushrooms in your local environment. Through hands-on exploration, you’ll discover how to observe key features, use field guides, and understand seasonal clues. Whether you’re curious about wild herbs, berries, or fungi,Continue Reading
Register
  • August 7, 2025
    4:00 pm

Mixed Media Batik

Students will learn about the traditional batik process, and then explore a new and exciting process called Mixed Media Batik! This unique, relaxing, and enjoyable technique requires no prior drawing or painting knowledge. While traditional batik uses only clear wax and colored dyes, this class will show students an encaustic method of painting melted waxContinue Reading
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  • August 7, 2025
    6:00 pm

Café Scientifique

Cafe Scientifique Twin Ports is dedicated to creating a more curious, informed, and collaborative society by hosting free monthly public discussions in science, technology, and more. Local experts are invited to share their knowledge with the public in a relaxed, discussion-oriented format. Topics are diverse, and all are welcome to attend.
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  • August 7, 2025
    6:00 pm

Duluth Folk School Field Trip: The Geology of Duluth!

Our Duluth landscape is the product of very ancient and relatively recent geological processes. And the contrast between these prime movers is even more stark; put simply, fire and ice! Join UMD geology grad Dave Pagel for a boots-on-the-ground look at how billion-year-old rifts and Pleistocene glaciers have underpinned and sculpted the Duluth region intoContinue Reading
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  • August 9, 2025
    9:00 am

Sun Printing: Intro to Cyanotype Printmaking

Cyanotype printmaking is a fascinating cameraless photographic process also known as “sun printing.” In this 3-hour class, you’ll discover how to create stunning deep blue and stark white images by placing objects like leaves and plants on specially prepared paper. Cyanotype is perfect for anyone eager to explore the magic of photographic art without aContinue Reading
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  • August 13, 2025
    5:00 pm

Mindful Making: T-shirt Yarn Cutting and Crocheting

Do you have stained or ripped t-shirts? Or other clothing that holds sentimental value? Rather than adding to the 11 million tons of material sent to landfills, learn how to repurpose those items into something useful. Use mindful techniques to create t-shirt yarn and crochet reusable projects. You will be cutting t-shirts (or your materials)Continue Reading
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  • August 15, 2025
    10:00 am

Self Care to Community Care: Beginner Herbalism Apprentice Certificate Course

Do you desire to be more self-sustainable with your personal health care and home? Have you dabbled with herbalism a bit or maybe even for years informally and now you’re ready to learn more? Combine the intuitive art and solid science of botanical medicine, by apprenticing with Master Herbalist Gigi Stafne for an intensive andContinue Reading
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  • August 16, 2025
    9:00 am

Forest Bathing

Inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin yoku, Forest Bathing has been scientifically proven to boost immune strength, reduce stress, and improve cognitive functioning. During a Forest Bathing walk we will have the opportunity to slow down and carefully observe our senses. We may begin to notice incredible things about ourselves and the more-than-human worldContinue Reading
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  • August 16, 2025
    5:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
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  • August 18, 2025
    5:00 pm

Make a Birch Bark Basket

Learn the art of birch bark basketry in this hands-on class for beginners or experienced weavers wanting to learn a new material—no experience needed! Explore the full process of working with birch bark, from honorable harvesting practices to preparing the material for weaving. Guided step-by-step, you’ll create a small handwoven basket using traditional techniques and naturalContinue Reading
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  • August 23, 2025
    4:00 pm

Creative Writing Through Stress and Healing

In this course, you will participate in a variety of writing prompts that will allow you to explore creative writing craft elements and skills that simultaneously offer support for mental health and healing. For example, we might take emotion words and use sensory detail and imagery to really show how those emotions feel to youContinue Reading
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  • August 27, 2025
    5:00 pm

Wild Mushrooms 101

During this class, you will learn about foraging and identifying wild mushrooms. We will discuss some basic information about mushrooms, steps for identifying mushrooms, steps for foraging mushrooms, common edible mushrooms, common toxic mushrooms, recommended resources, etc. You will also get to handle real mushrooms to get some hands-on experience with some of the mushroomsContinue Reading
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  • August 28, 2025
    5:30 pm

Sparking a Journaling Practice

Have you ever wanted to keep a journal, but find yourself unsure how to begin or stop after only a few days? Do you already keep a journal but want to mix it up? Do you buy pretty notebooks and end up “saving” them for the “right time” (which hasn’t come). If that sounds likeContinue Reading
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  • September 6, 2025
    5:00 pm

Folk School Night

Join us for Folk School Nights every Saturday from 5pm – 7pm! Good-hearted folk are invited to gather and see what’s going on at Duluth Folk School. We’ll have rotating activities and programming, so there’ll always be something new happening each Saturday. (Just step on in, Folk School Nights are completely free.) February’s Folk SchoolContinue Reading
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  • September 11, 2025
    5:30 pm

Duluth 101

Duluth 101 is a new, free lecture series that brings our community together under one roof to hear from regional experts on the unique, fascinating, uplifting (and sometimes tragic) threads that make up the Zenith City. Whether you are a lifelong resident, recent transplant, or visitor, join us each month for a deep dive intoContinue Reading
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  • September 12, 2025
    10:00 am

Urban Herbal

Have you dabbled in herbalism and are now ready to take a deeper dive into learning and doing? Here’s a class that will help you create intentional, sustainable health. Urban Herbal is a full day course for city folks serious about herbs, wellness and being happy urban dwellers during these stressful times. Sure, you canContinue Reading
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  • September 13, 2025
    2:00 pm

Become a Certified Vegan Pie Judge!

You don’t need to be vegan or vegetarian to enjoy this class. You just need to have a love of sampling desserts! In this class, you will learn about the unique properties of the eggs, lard and dairy products used in traditional pie baking, and the substitutes vegan bakers have discovered to make delicious pies!Continue Reading
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  • September 18, 2025
    5:30 pm

Sparking a Journaling Practice

Have you ever wanted to keep a journal, but find yourself unsure how to begin or stop after only a few days? Do you already keep a journal but want to mix it up? Do you buy pretty notebooks and end up “saving” them for the “right time” (which hasn’t come). If that sounds likeContinue Reading
Duluth Folk School Library Register
  • September 20, 2025
    4:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
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  • September 20, 2025
    7:00 pm

Community Dance

Tamarack Dance Association is hosting a folk dance at the Dovetail Cafe/Duluth Folk School! Rotating live band with caller every month. New dancers are invited to learn a new art form, and experienced dancers, musicians, and callers will have the opportunity to continue developing their skills. To ensure youth safety and a positive dance experience for participants,Continue Reading
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  • October 17, 2025
    8:30 am

Selecting, Using and Maintaining Vintage Handsaws

The purpose of this one-day block of instruction is to introduce students to saw selection, use and maintenance through proven traditional sawyering techniques that have endured throughout the centuries, back when communication moved at the speed of a horse or a sail. Much of the information below has been forgotten when generations of woodworkers followingContinue Reading
Register
  • October 18, 2025
    4:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
Duluth Folk School Library Register
  • November 15, 2025
    4:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
Duluth Folk School Library Register
  • December 20, 2025
    4:00 pm

Slow Friending: Conversations and Connection

Join Duluth Folk School and a small cohort of like-minded people for one-on-one conversations. We’ll use a rotational mixer to ensure everyone meets everyone. We’ll conclude with an optional meal (not included) together at Dovetail Cafe. “Slow Friending” is a calmer and slightly slower variation of our popular “Speed Friending” events. Unlike Speed Friending, thisContinue Reading
Duluth Folk School Library Register

Contact

1917 W Superior St
Duluth, MN 55806

Duluth Folk School
Office: 218-216-6929 or info@duluthfolkschool.org
Office Hours: Monday-Friday (9 am – 1 pm)

Dovetail Cafe & Marketplace
Cafe: (218) 481-7888 or kitchen@dovetailcafe.com
Marketplace: market@dovetailcafe.com
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday (8 am – 8 pm); Monday & Tuesday (8 am – 3 pm)

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Duluth Folk School is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit.

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