July 13th, 2021
By Alicia Underlee Nelson
alicia@hpr1.com
Downtown scored a new mural from The Greetings Tour, a project that aims to create a mural in the style of a vintage postcard in every U.S. state. The Downtown Neighborhood Association contacted muralist Victor Ving and photographer Lisa Beggs and helped secure the location on the west side of Orange Records at Roberts Street and 1st Avenue North.
The colorful…
June 15th, 2021
by Kris Gruber
17 June 2021
Along with lemonade and hotdogs, words and images marking the pavement are synonymous with summer. The accessibility of sidewalk art is appealing, but there is something to be said for kicking it up a notch, and bringing it to the street. Chalk festivals showcase artists by using both a commonplace medium and platform to create often mind-blowingly uncommon -- and fleeting -- works of art.
High Plains Reader interviewed Mindi Schmitz, Executive…
April 22nd, 2021
Color Fest: The City of West Fargo wants YOU to help paint the town
By Sabrina Hornung
sabrina@hpr1.com
On Saturday May 8 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday, at The Yards on Sheyenne street, the city of West Fargo is hosting Color Fest and inviting the public to roll on out and paint the town--and they’re even providing the paint!
After issuing a call for artists willing to lead a large scale mural project on the streets of downtown West Fargo, the city selected proposals from Leigh Nelson…
November 14th, 2020
By Jill Finkelson
We’ve been hearing the word Unrest a lot lately. Unrest in the streets. Unrest in the capital. Unrest in our own homes as we struggle to hunker down in the face of the unseen pandemic. People are restless. They are angry and scared. There are scenes from across the country, from Minneapolis to Philly to Portland, of people protesting the injustices they continue to come across every day. The images of police brutality that have come out are shocking and horrific. The…
November 12th, 2020
By Jill Finkelson
jsfinkelson99@gmail.com
If there’s a silver lining to being cooped up this year, it is the talented artists inspired and locked up with their supplies. One of those people, to our credit, is local lady Kim Jore of Riverzen Gallery in Moorhead. Her project “Hometown for the Holidays” is a celebration of our small towns. It features 54 small towns within 50 miles of the Fargo-Moorhead area, from Hillsboro to Kenyon. Each one is a unique collage using watercolor,…
October 7th, 2020
By Paul Noot
Artwork by Paul Noot
It was in the middle of March when Bismarck teachers were notified that school would not be going back and within a week schools would need a plan to do distance learning. I would have never imagined that I would be at home, teaching art through distance learning. I not only had to learn Google Classroom, but I also had an art exhibit to prepare for and to adjust to changes.
Teaching face-to-face is not even comparable to distance…
February 19th, 2020
This weekend, the 10th Annual Unglued Craft Fest will be held at the Plains Art Museum, featuring over 70 local and regional artists selling handmade items. Though most are Fargo-Moorhead residents, artists from Minneapolis, Sioux Falls, Bismarck, Des Moines, and Carrington are also taking part.
Products sold will include practical items like pottery, scarves, dish towels, soaps, and bath bombs. For shoppers simply looking for decorative trinkets, there will be stickers, sculptures,…
February 19th, 2020
by Jill Finkelson
jsfinkelson99@gmail.com
We are now in the deep, dark quiet of winter. The wind rages and the snow muffles even the busiest of city streets. People slow down, life seems muted as we try to pass by the cold nights inside with a book and a blanket.The mammals hibernate and the leaves fall and the birds fly south to warmer climes. Except for the crow. The raucous bird caws and screams its way through winter with us and we wouldn’t have it any other way. They may be…
February 5th, 2020
by Kris Gruber
perriex1@gmail.com
Arts Access For All is an organization that was formed to provide services that can better connect people with disabilities to all forms of art. I spoke with founder Sherry Shirek about her thoughts and experiences related to the upcoming "Artist First" multimedia exhibition at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead, on February 8th, featuring local artists who identify as having a disability.
AAFA works with arts, cultural and historical organizations in North…
January 29th, 2020
by Kris Gruber
perriex1@gmail.com
High Plains Reader spoke to Plains Art Museum staff Sarah Anstett, Development and Communications Coordinator, and Savannah Schultz, Executive and Development Assistant, about their inaugural event, Pop Up on the Plains.
HIGH PLAINS READER: What was the initial idea or thought process behind Pop Up on the Plains?
Sarah Anstett, Savannah Schultz: Pop up on the Plains was inspired by an organizational desire to activate our young professional and student…
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By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comIt’s been eight years since the Water Protectors were cleared off the banks of the Cannonball and Missouri Rivers. It was a bitter ending to a battle to protect the water; and for most of us…
By HPR Staff We’re all a part of building strong, healthy and inclusive communities. But the region’s non-profit organizations do a lot of the heavy lifting. Now it’s time for these organizations to step into the spotlight.…
Friday March 7, 8 p.m.The Aquarium, 226 N. Broadway, FargoDJs and drummer teams compete head to head and have the opportunity to compete for the national championships in November. DJs are judged on performance and creativity.…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com 2025 marks us halfway through the roaring 2020s. Boy, am I glad I didn’t bob my hair for this go-around. It feels like we’re off to the wrong roar, opening Pandora’s box of what-the-Fox…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comLennon: “Imagine no possessions, I wonder if you can!”On January 8, 2025, Timothy W. Rybeck of “The Atlantic" magazine published “How Hitler Dismantled a Democracy in 53 Days” with the…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…
By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com As a food enthusiast, there’s nothing better than attending a local event featuring hotdish. And as far as hotdish events go, no place does it better than the fine folks at Brewhalla and Drekker…
Mooncats and Pert Near Sandstone play Empire TheatreBy Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comThe MoonCats describe themselves as “Americonscious Campfire Folk.” They have a clear acoustic folk sound with a sense of whimsy — think…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Of the sixteen features I saw during the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, none left as big an impression as filmmaker/artist Kahlil Joseph’s astonishing “BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions.”…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Everyone has heard the adage, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, it is safe to say there are far more than a thousand in Mickey Smith’s photographs. When one hears…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…
By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…
By Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com On Dec 5, the Turning Point USA chapter at North Dakota State University hosted an event called BisonFest. This event featured Chloe Cole, a former trans kid, known for detransitioning and…
By Gilbert Kuipersgilbertkuipers@outlook.com I live in North Dakota District 24 and have been challenging the district Republicans about their understanding of climate science for years. There has been no serious response to my…
