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Ely Dark Sky Festival

Ely Dark Sky Festival  - January 10th & 11th, 2025
Join us in celebrating our incredible dark night skies with a variety of indoor & outdoor events. Learn about astronomy, astrophotography, winter recreation, and the wonders of the Northern night sky. Visit the Festival Facebook page for updates and more information.

Visit the Ely Dark Sky Festival Facebook Page

Event Schedule

Friday, January 10th

  • 10:30 - 11:15 am | Preschool Story Time at the Ely Public Library (224 E Chapman St) | Free, no registration required.
  • Starts Friday at 1:00 p.m. | Honoring Your Inner Wild Woman 2-Day Retreat at the International Wolf Center (1396 MN-169) | $225, register at InnerWildWomanStudio.com 
  • 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Painting the Aurora Class with Cecilia Rolando at Ely Folk School (209 E Sheridan St) | $34, Register at Elyfolkschool.org
  • 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. | Astronomy Science Stations at the Ely Public Library (224 E Chapman St) | Free, no registration required.
  • 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. | Sunset Tours of Listening Point by Listening Point Foundation | $10, register at Listeningpointfoundation.org/events
  • 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. | Intro to Astrophotography Class with Marc Rassel and Les Conrad at Ely Folk School (209 E Sheridan St) | $20, register at Elyfolkschool.org
  • 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Night at the Museum by the Dorothy Molter Museum (2002 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required. Dress for the weather, historic cabins are not heated.
  • 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. | Dark Sky Trivia by Ely Trivia at the Boathouse Brew Pub (47 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required.
  • 6:30 p.m. | Romeo & Juliet performance by NLAA at the Vermilion Fine Arts Theater (1900 E Camp St) | $10-25 (tiered pricing), buy tickets at Northernlakesarts.org/the-great-nordic-shakespeare-festival 
  • 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Winter Starbathing in the Northwoods by Meadowlark Meditation on the Trezona Trail (meet in Grand Ely Lodge Lobby, 400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required.
  • 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Dark Sky Dogsledding at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge (1101 Ringrock Rd) | Free. Space is limited, email info@dogsledding.com to reserve your spot.
  • 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. | Wolf Howling Safari in the Superior National Forest by the International Wolf Center (1396 MN-169) | $11-13 (tiered pricing), register at Wolf.org. 

Saturday, January 11th

  • 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Nighttime Navigation in the Wilderness presentation at Friends of the Boundary Waters (8 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required. 
  • 11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. | Daytime Sidewalk Astronomy with Solar Telescope and Sun-Safe Glasses by Voyageurs Conservancy Outside Friends of the Boundary Waters (8 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required.
  • 12:00 p.m. | Unlocking the Bard Shakespearean Workshop by NLAA at the Vermilion Fine Arts Theater (1900 E Camp St) | $10-30 (tiered pricing), register at Northernlakesarts.org/the-great-nordic-shakespeare-festival
  • 12:30 - 1:30 p.m. | Northern Lights for Newbies with Elizabeth Miller at Friends of the Boundary Waters (8 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required.
  • 1:45 - 2:45 p.m. | Aurora Apps: the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly with Elizabeth Miller at Friends of the Boundary Waters (8 E Sheridan St) | Free, no registration required. 
  • 2:00 p.m. | Shakespeare Unleashed Workshop by NLAA at the Vermilion Fine Arts Theater (1900 E Camp St) | $10-30 (tiered pricing), register at Northernlakesarts.org/the-great-nordic-shakespeare-festival
  • 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. | Daytime Sidewalk Astronomy with Solar Telescope and Sun-Safe Glasses by Voyageurs Conservancy Outside Grand Ely Lodge (400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required.
  • 3:00 - 4:00 p.m. | Northern Nights, Starry Skies screening presented by Starry Skies North at the Grand Ely Lodge (Banquet room, 400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required. 
  • 4:00 - 4:30 p.m. | Astrotourism & Light Pollution presentation by Starry Skies North at the Grand Ely Lodge (Banquet room, 400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required.
  • 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. | Outreach Expo at the Grand Ely Lodge (400 N Pioneer Rd) with kids activities, story time, demos, and more! | Free, no registration required. 
  • 4:30 - 5:00 p.m. | "Star Party" Story Time by Polly Carlson-Voiles and Consie Powell at Grand Ely Lodge (400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required.
  • 4:30 - 7:00 p.m. | Sunset Tours of Listening Point by Listening Point Foundation | $10, register at Listeningpointfoundation.org/events
  • 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. | Outdoor Kids Activities and Constellation Identification by Ely Adventure School at Grand Ely Lodge (400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required.
  • 6:30 p.m. | Romeo & Juliet performance by NLAA at the Vermilion Fine Arts Theater (1900 E Camp St) | $10-25 (tiered pricing), buy tickets at Northernlakesarts.org/the-great-nordic-shakespeare-festival 
  • 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. | Moonlight Kicksled Adventure on the Trezona Trail by Ely Bike and Kicksled (125 N Central Ave) | Free, no registration required.
  • 7:00 - 8:00 p.m. | Snowshoe Hike on Fall Lake by Friends of the Boundary Waters (Fall Lake Campground public landing) | Free, no registration required.
  • 8:00 - 9:30 p.m. | Telescope Stargazing & Constellation Stories by Arrowhead Astronomical Society at Miner’s Lake boat landing (401 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required. | Weather permitting.

Bonus Events

  • Tuesday, Jan 7 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. | Aurora Chasing with Alex Falconer by Boundary Waters Connect at the Grand Ely Lodge (Banquet room, 400 N Pioneer Rd) | Free, no registration required. 
  • Sunday, January 12th, 2:00 p.m. | Romeo & Juliet Sunday performance by NLAA at Vermilion Fine Arts Theater (1900 E Camp St) | $10-25 (tiered pricing), buy tickets at Northernlakesarts.org/the-great-nordic-shakespeare-festival 
  • Monday, January 13th, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. | UMD Traveling Planetarium by Ely PTO at Ely Public Schools (600 E Harvey St) | Free, no registration required. | 5-minute videos play for the duration of the event, stop by any time.