Spend a beautiful fall weekend in Fergus Falls and at the historic Kirkbride Building! The fourth annual Kirkbride Arts & History Weekend, a multidisciplinary arts event that explores the past and future of the Fergus Falls State Hospital, will take place September 16 & 17 at various locations throughout Fergus Falls, MN.
The weekend kicks off on Friday, September 16 at 5:00pm with a Rountable conversation on Creativity and Mental Health, hosted by the Kaddatz Gallery and presented by Springboard for the Arts and Dissonance. Hear from Minnesota artists about their experiences in using art as a way promote wellness and de-stigmatize mental illness.
On Saturday, spend the afternoon at Kirkbride Park for a com...munity festival in front of the Kirkbride from 1:30 - 5:00pm. The afternoon features the Otter Tail County Historical Society's "Stories from the State Hospital Tour," several art installations and family activities, local food and more. Bring your bike to enter a bike-decorating contest and win a prize! Bike parade and judging will take place at 4:00pm.
Finally, head to The Spot Panini & Wine on Saturday evening, for a night of music inspired by the Kirkbride. Bring a song to share for an open mic hour at 7pm, and then stay for two performances: Punk-folk musician Shannon Murray from Bemidji will present her research and music project, "Precipice: Songs and Stories from the Fergus Falls State Hospital," and singer-songwriter Ashley Hanson will perform a record release concert for her new album recorded at the Nurse's Cottage, titled, "The Kirkbride Sessions." Both Murray and Hanson created original music while participating in the Hinge Artist Residency program.