Take Me to the River — Art at Every Bend This Fall

Every fall, the St. Croix River valley transforms into a month-long celebration of art, pottery, music, and community. "Take Me to the River" runs from September 4 through October 4, 2026, with events scattered along both sides of the river in Minnesota and Wisconsin — and it's the kind of thing that makes this area feel special.

What's Happening

The series brings together some of the best art events the valley has to offer, all under one umbrella. Here's what's on the calendar:

Why Go

The whole thing feels like the valley throwing open its doors. You can spend a weekend driving from studio to studio, or just pick one event and make an afternoon of it. The pottery sales alone are worth the drive — there's something different about watching a potter pull a piece out of a kiln and knowing it was made right there, in that studio, by those hands. You don't get that experience at a store.

The River Crossing Art Tour is a great way to discover river towns you might not otherwise visit. Afton, Marine on St. Croix, Osceola, and others — each has its own character, and the tour gives you a reason to explore them all in one day. And the Marine Mills Folk School Fall Festival is a gem: workshops, demonstrations, and a real sense of what makes the St. Croix Valley's creative community tick.

Make a Day of It

The St. Croix Valley in fall is hard to beat. The river bluffs are splashed with color, the air is crisp, and the small towns along the river have a cozy energy that's perfect for an autumn Saturday. If you've never explored the St. Croix Valley in fall, this is a good excuse to start.

You could easily turn any weekend into a loop: hit a pottery sale in the morning, grab lunch in a river town, spend the afternoon on the art tour, and catch an evening event by the falls. Bring a cooler, bring the family, and make a day of it. The valley is small enough that nothing is far from anything else.

Plan Your Visit

Check takemetotheriver.info for the full schedule, interactive map, and individual event details. The site pulls everything together so you can build your own itinerary — whether that's a full weekend of studio hopping or a single afternoon at one event.

The pottery sales, art tours, folk school festival, and falls celebrations all happen on different dates throughout the month, so there's room to catch multiple events without feeling rushed. And since so many of these are in small towns and working studios, you're getting genuine local culture — not a polished festival circuit. That's the best part.

Whether you're a lifelong resident or new to the area, this is the kind of thing that makes you glad you live near the St. Croix. Go enjoy it.