The Nisswa Stamman Scandinavian folk music and dance festival is staged in June at the Nisswa Pioneer Village , 13 miles north of Brainerd . Scandinavian and Scandinavian / American folk music is presented by performers who travel from Norway , Sweden , Denmark , and Finland , as well as various parts of the United States and the local area , to play on several stages .
The event also offers singing and dancing workshops , a children ’ s activity area and Scandinavian foods . It is an annual gathering of fiddlers , nyckelharpers , hardingfele players , accordionists , guitarists , vocalists , dancers , and general aficionados of Scandinavian folk music .
Central Lakes Community Performing Arts Center and Brainerd Community Theatre are at 501 W . College Drive , part of Central Lakes College .
Brainerd is part of the Five Wings Art Council , which serves Cass , Crow Wing , Morrison , Todd , and Wadena counties .
ALEXANDRIA Alexandria is home to Theatre L ’ Homme Dieu ( TLHD ), 1875 County Road 120 , the oldest operating summer stock theatre in Minnesota . Founded in 1961 , they have been operating independently as a presenting theatre since 2009 .
TLHD audiences are comprised of permanent residents , seasonal residents , tourists , and guests of the Alexandria area . TLHD ’ s campus is a former resort that was converted into a theatre campus with housing for 38 , a lodge with an industrial kitchen , and a 272-seat proscenium theatre . The campus sits on 22 acres of wooded land with access to Lake L ’ Homme Dieu .
Summer programming is from June - September , with shows at 7:30 p . m . Tuesday - Saturday and at 1:30 p . m . Saturday and Thursday on most weeks . Purchase tickets online , or call 320-846-3150 .
LITTLE FALLS Little Falls abounds with visit-worthy possibilities for travelers seeking cultural activities , according to Carlie Mertens , Administrative Specialist at the Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau .
Great River Arts ( GRA ), 122 1st St . SE , is a nonprofit arts organization . It offers a variety of artistic experiences , from live theater and music performances to continuous visual art exhibits , as well as art classes for youth and adults .
All GRA galleries are free and open to the public . The Great River Arts Center is home to the Front & Main Galleries , a new performing arts space , arts education and workshops , special events , and the ever-evolving Juried Sales Gallery .
“ During the summer , visitors can stop and get a tour of the Charles Lindbergh House and Museum , 1620 Lindbergh Drive S ., Lindbergh ’ s boyhood home ,” Mertens said . “ Guides show you where he slept , and the car he used . They also share lots of interesting stories about him growing up as a child . They have a museum for guests to explore which has exhibits , original footage in a vintage theater , and more . The house and museum are right across from Charles A . Lindbergh State Park .”
The Charles Lindbergh House and Museum are open to visitors in Little Falls during the summer . ( Submitted photo )
The Burton Rosenmeier Historic House , 606 1st St . S . E ., was built in 1903 for Barney Burton who then sold it to Christian Rosenmeier in 1921 . He was an attorney and Minnesota state senator who played a role in establishing Camp Ripley and Charles A . Lindbergh State Park . His son , Gordon , was the final person to live in the
home . Like his father , he was an attorney and Minnesota state senator . When he passed away in 1989 , he gave the home to the City of Little Falls . It is used as a tourism center year-round and , in the summer , visitors can take a selfguided tour of the home .
Behind the Burton Rosenmeier Home is Linden Hill Historic Estate . Two mansions situated on the Mississippi River were built in 1898 and have the original belongings of the families : furniture , clothes , photographs , dishware . The Weyerhaeuser home is open for tours in the summer ; the Musser mansion is used for lodging , and the grounds are open to visitors year-round . Many people book their weddings at this location , Mertens said .
The Burton Rosenmeier Historic House in Little Falls was built in 1903 . ( Submitted photo )
Another Little Falls museum is the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame , 304 W . Broadway , featuring more than 10,000 historical artifacts related to freshwater fishing in Minnesota .
“ All four of these locations ; the Burton Rosenmeier Historic House , Linden Hill Historic Estate , Charles Lindbergh House and Museum , and the Minnesota Fishing Museum and Hall of Fame are open the 10 days after Thanksgiving for Christmas tours which are very popular ,” Mertens said . destinationupnorth . com 27