Dylan Days 2008 featured a rare photo of Bob Dylan on a friend’s motorcycle in his hometown of Hibbing, Minnesota.
My May schedule is a little different this year. For the first time in 14 years I’m not organizing a Bob Dylan-themed music, literature and arts event in the folk/rock legend’s Northern Minnesota hometown of Hibbing. We announced the reasons why we folded Dylan Days late last year, but the reality of it has arrived.
Nevertheless, we have handed the baton to the good folks who produce Dylan Fest in Duluth, and they have hit the ground running. Below is some information and a poster for the Duluth Dylan Fest, which begins this Sunday, May 17 in Duluth and runs through Bob Dylan’s birthday on May 24.
The Duluth Dylan Fest has an exciting line-up of events planned. Duluth is playing a pivotal role in the Northland as Hibbing Dylan Days announced early this year that their annual celebration had been placed on permanent hiatus. Duluth is taking on two signature events from Hibbing, the Singer-Songwriter Contest and a new expanded Bus Tour starting in Duluth and going to Hibbing and back.
Highlights include:
Sunday, May 17 — Dylan Pub Trivia – 9 PM Carmody Irish Pub
Monday, May 18 — tune in to 103.3 FM or www.kumd.org at 5 PM for John Bushey’s Highway 61 Revisited Radio Program
Tuesday, May 19 — Poetry Showcase at the Red Mug in Superior beginning at 6:30 PM with a reception and then readings by an incredible group of Northland poets, including Duluth Poet Laureate Jim Johnson. A special addition to this year’s event, live music will be performed by local musician Richie Townsend while the poets read.
For more information on the Poetry Showcase visit www.blackumbrellabooks.com/events.html
Wednesday, May 20 – Grog Time at Tycoons Alehouse from 5-7 PM featuring Duluth Dylan Fest favorite Cowboy Angel Blue performing songs from “Blood on the Tracks Express”. Stay for the 9 PM concert of The Basement Tapes Band featuring
Thursday, May 21 – Blood on the Tracks Express Train Ride from Duluth to Two Harbors and Back boarding at 5:30 PM from Fitger’s showcasing a number of up and coming and seasoned musicians from our rich regional music scene. Tickets available at the Fitger’s Beer Store or Eventbrite.com.
Friday, May 22 – Dylan Themed Grog Time from 5-7 PM at Tycoons Alehouse and the Singer-Songwriter Contest at the Red Herring Lounge beginning at 7 PM
Saturday May 23
- Dylan Bus Tour from Duluth to Hibbing and Back – leaving the Armory Arts and Music Center (AAMC) at 9 AM and returning promptly at 5 PM. Tickets available on evenbrite.com or call (218) 393-7438
- Acoustic Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan at 7 PM at the Sacred Heart Music Center
You are not going to want to miss the 4th Annual AAMC Duluth Dylan Fest Concert celebrating an Acoustic Salute to the Music of Bob Dylan. This year’s event will be held on the eve of Mr. Dylan’s 74th birthday and a diverse array of local, regional and national artists have decided to pull out all the stops and dig from deep in Dylan’s vaults to share some rarely heard treasures with you. This promises to be an amazing evening of original inspired Dylanesque compositions, along with the classics and some deep tracks for the longtime fans spanning Bob’s entire 50 year recording career! Tickets available at www.eventbrite.com
Sunday, May 24 – Bob Dylan Birthday Brunch from 11AM to 2 PM featuring the Original Sawtooth Mt. Boys playing Dylan music at Tycoons Alehouse – come for the music and try Tycoon’s new brunch menu.Ticketed Duluth Dylan Fest events are available on https://www.eventbrite.com/d/local/dylan-fest
- May 21st Blood on the Tracks Express Rolling Music Revue
- May 23rd Dylan Bush Tour: Duluth to Hibbing and Back
- May 23rd Acoustic Salute to Bob Dylan Benefit Concert for the Armory Arts & Music Center
The poster for Duluth Dylan Fest 2015 is below:
we missed the presence of the Browns at Dylans bday. Thank you for all you’ve done to promote the arts in the south of Canada. Great northern radio rocks so much they’re naming a major powerline after it.
thanks
Thanks, Pat! Appreciate the kind words. I needed a break from Dylan festivities this year, but hope to return to some of them in future years. Hope it was a good time down there. The folks at Dylan Fest do a good job. Until next time!