Come join the fun of artists painting in the street, outdoor games, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, youth decoy painting, vendors, food, and music, plus decoy and rural life paintings INDOORS in the gallery and “Art in Your Park” art activities for kids upstairs in our 2nd-floor studio space.
Fish House Festival events take place indoors & out at the Cultural Center, 24 Main Avenue North in NYM, between 10AM-4PM on Friday, July 12, 2024. (This stretch of Main Ave will be closed to traffic and open to pedestrians only during this time.) Most family-friendly activities are available as “come & go” style activities between noon-4pm.
Enjoy art, games, and food for all! Food & Drinks provided by:
- EOT Wranglers 4-H Club will sell sloppy joes, chips, water & pop from 12-4PM outside the Center.
- Continental Divide Brew Pub (just 2 doors down from the Center) will have wings, onion rings, fresh-cut fries, loaded fries, and chili cheese fries — all available in easy-to-go baskets!
- SISU Nutrition is open 7:30AM – 2PM and offers refreshing teas, shakes, mango boba & more — like extra energy boosts if you need it!
At the Fish House Festival, a fish house, decoys, fish signs, bean bag boards, and other items will be painted in the street by local/regional artists throughout the day. The fish house will be the grand prize in a raffle drawing to be held at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, July 12. Raffle tickets will be sold at the Cultural Center for $10, with just 220 sold. Stop by the Cultural Center or call 218-385-3339 to purchase over the phone!
2024 Raffle Ticket Prizes:
- Grand Prize: Custom-Built Artist-Painted Spear House
- 2nd Prize: Half-Day Guided Fishing Trip with PT’s Guide Service
- 3rd Prize: John Peeters Fish Painting on Paddle
- 4th Prize: Lund Boats gear
- 5th Prize: Overflow Creative $50 Gift Certificate
Raffle tickets just $10 each! ONLY 220 SOLD!
Live Auction by Perala Bros. Auctioneers @ 6:30 P.M.
There will also be a Live Auction by Perala Bros. Auctioneers immediately following the raffle drawing at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Fire Hall on Centennial Avenue. Live auction items will include decoys and other wildlife art created by local artists.
THIS IS YOUR CHANCE to win a one-of-a-kind ice-fishing spear house and buy incredible locally carved and painted fish decoys, artist-painted bean bag boards, and unique artwork that you will treasure for years to come! We hope you’ll join us. ALL are welcome!
Fish House Festival Artists
Artists make the Fish House Festival happen! We will add a list of artists as they are confirmed for the 10th annual Fish House Festival.
- John Peeters
- Patricia Wahl
- Nancy Valentine
- Paul Sparks
- Cheryl Bannes
- Lindsay Kennedy
- Noah Noffsinger
- Wayne Leaderbrand
- Mati Turinen
- + MORE will be added as they are confirmed!
Remembering Ron Hamm, 1954 – 2023
This year, it is with heavy and grateful hearts that we remember Ron Hamm, who custom-built nearly 20 spear houses over the first eight years of the Fish House Festival. Not only did Ron build great spear houses, he also made and donated custom spears, and always showed up with a smile on his face. Ron passed away in September 2023 and will be greatly missed and always remembered fondly at each year’s Fish House Festival.
Another thanks goes out to Rod Osvold, our primary partner and the original mastermind behind the Fish House Festival 10 years ago! Rod has helped us develop relationships with decoy artists and engage with new organizations and artists in our region and beyond. Rod is always full of great ideas and we thank him for sharing his energy and hard work with us over the years.
Join us as a vendor!
Artists and vendors are invited to the Fish House Festival, a family-friendly community art event! This event is free to the public and will include both free and paid activities/products. We are opening the event up to vendors to sell their goods. No fee for vendors this year! Vendors and artists are invited to donate an item for our live auction if you’d like to support this and future community events at the Cultural Center.
Greysen Saewert of Backwoods Tackle will join us as a vendor selling his locally-made tackle! Come support this young entrepreneur and get yourself some unique fishing lures.
Other vendors may join us on the day of the Fish House Festival — bring your own table/tent/etc. All are welcome!
Register and pay online by clicking below, stop by the Cultural Center, or call us at 218-385-3339.
Click here to register as a vendor
In the Gallery
July 3 – August 3, 2024
Michelle Roise: Paintings of Rural Life and Annual Decoy Show
Artist Michelle Roise will have her beautiful paintings on view and for sale in the gallery from July 3 – August 3, 2024. Michelle paints rural scenes — landscapes, farms, barns, animals, and rural life — that will resonate with all who see her work!
Admission to the Gallery is always free and open to all. Hours are Wednesdays & Thursdays 10am-7pm, Fridays 10am-5pm, and Saturdays 10am-3pm. Private viewings can be arranged anytime by calling Cheryl Bannes at 218-385-3339 or emailing cheryl@kulcher.org.
Live Music by Darren Quam 1-3PM
Darren Quam is a singer-songwriter from Battle Lake, Minnesota. His music is a unique blend of blues, rock, and folk, drawing influence from some of the greatest blues and rock & roll musicians of all time.
Darren’s original songs tell stories of his travels around the world, as well as his own experiences living in the small town of Battle Lake. He also covers music from Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Mississippi John Hurt, and many more. Darren got his start with the band Confusion which performed in the lakes area for over a decade. Darren is an accomplished musician and storyteller, and his music will take you on an unforgettable journey.
Learn more: https://www.darrenquam.
FISH HOUSE FESTIVAL Schedule of Activities:
- 10AM – 4PM: Art & Artists on Main Ave and inside the Gallery
- Artists painting in the street: fish house, decoys, wildlife art, etc.
- In the Gallery: Michelle Roise: Paintings of Rural Life and Annual Decoy Show
- 12PM – 4PM: Family Fun indoors & out @ the Cultural Center!
- Family-friendly fun in the street: games, bubbles, chalk, painting & more!
- Scribbletastic Fun-O-Matic Command Post – fun shaped white boards for the artists in all of us!
- Art In Your Park free kids art & craft activities upstairs inside Cultural Center in 2nd floor studio (stair access only)
- LUNDker Lake casting game available for all ages on Main Avenue
- NYM Public Library Used Book Sale inside Library Meeting Room
- LIVE MUSIC by Darren Quam 1-3PM
- FOOD by EOT Wranglers 4-H Club and Continental Divide Brew Pub
- Family-friendly fun in the street: games, bubbles, chalk, painting & more!
- 1PM: Youth Decoy Painting. Limited space; $5/decoy; best for ages 10+; please pre-register*
- 6:30PM: Raffle Drawing & Live Auction on Centennial 84 Drive, in front of NYM Fire Hall.
*Limited spots available for Youth Decoy Painting; please call 218-385-3339 to pre-register and claim your decoy! Thanks to East Otter Tail Darkhouse & Angling Association for their sponsorship support of this activity.
Following the conclusion of the Fish House Festival activities at 4:00 p.m., stroll around the corner to Centennial 84 Drive for a variety of fun Lund Mania activities including food and vendors in Central Park, bouncy houses, and the following activities:
- 4:30 p.m. Boatville Drags
- 5:30 p.m. Lund Mania fishing tournament results
- 6:30 p.m. Fish House Festival Raffle Drawing & Live Auction
- 7:00 p.m. Parade
- 9:00 p.m. Street Dance featuring live music by Whiskey Business!
Lund Mania is brought to you by Lund Boats Brunswick New York Mills Operation and the New York Mills Civic & Commerce Association.
Join us to celebrate the fusion of some of our local favorites: ART + FISHING + COMMUNITY!
BIG THANKS to these Fish House Festival sponsors!
Thanks to East Otter Tail Darkhouse & Angling Association for their sponsorship support of this Youth Decoy Painting, for volunteering at the event, AND for building this year’s fish house!
Learn more at http://mndarkhouse.org/
Thanks to the National Fish Decoy Association, Decoy Education, and Rod Osvold for their invaluable partnership in producing this community event and connecting us with the country’s best decoy artists.
Thanks to Lund Boats – New York Mills for being our primary event sponsor!
This activity is made possible in part by the voters of Minnesota through grants from the Lake Region Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.
Seeking additional sponsors!
Help make the Fish House Festival come to life! Seeking sponsors to support this event! Click below to sign up as a sponsor online, or contact betsy@kulcher.org or 218-385-3339.
Click here to sponsor summer events! >
Call 218-385-3339 with any questions.
