PDD Shop Talk: WordPress theme conversion completed
Perfect Duluth Day underwent a massive data migration and WordPress theme conversion this weekend. The result should be mostly good stuff and probably a little bit of temporarily bad stuff.
On the positive side, the site should look a little cleaner but still operate very much like it has in the past. Certain problems we’ve been struggling with on the backend of the site, particularly with image uploads, should now be resolved.
On the negative side, there are still a few little things we need to work on. And, of course, there might be hidden problems we haven’t found yet. That’s where you can help. If you notice anything buggy, please send an email to paul @ perfectduluthday.com and we will quickly assess the situation and then take an obscenely long time to fix it.
Dāv Kaufman hits up four more Duluth restaurants
Dāv Kaufman is back for another round of visits to Duluth restaurants. The Minneapolis native travels far and wide for his web series Dāv Kaufman Eats the World. For his latest installment, he’s eating exclusively at restaurants recommended to him by Duluthians. (more…)
Three Songs by Container (Rich Mattson for Attention)
Eminent Minnesota musician Rich Mattson plays bass and drums on these tracks. They were recorded at his Sparta Sound studio somewhere in the pine trees of northern Minnesota. They are works in progress, with plans for an album in 2027. The videos are comprised of still images.
Sincerely,
Container (more…)
Postcard from the Aerial Bridge Over Ship Canal in Duluth
Duluth’s Aerial Bridge was but a year old when this postcard was mailed on July 12, 1906 — 120 years ago today. (more…)
Sophie Hiroko – “Ashes” and “Cashmere Candles”
Duluth native Sophie Hiroko and her bandmates — bassist Kara Hageman and drummer Skye Sutherland — performed two songs during a live taping of The Local Show on the Current, recorded in the Forum at Minnesota Public Radio.
Scenes from an Old Logging Road in Northern Minnesota
The latest montage of trail-camera footage from Voyageurs National Park stars a fox who seems fairly adept at catching snowshoe hares.
The Voyageurs Wolf Project has roughly 350 cameras set up in the park, which is about 100 miles north of Duluth. This footage is from a camera on an old logging road used by many animals.
Underwood Coffee opens in historic Board of Trade building
Jake Underwood has opened his first brick and mortar coffee shop in the historic Board of Trade building. Underwood started roasting coffee about 10 years ago and has been wholesaling his specialty brands to coffee shops and grocery stores in Duluth, the Twin Cities and beyond since 2020. (Photo by Mark Nicklawske)
A Duluth coffee roaster who found early success in local restaurants, cafés and grocery stores has opened a new brick and mortar shop in one of the city’s most iconic downtown buildings.
Underwood Coffee launched its first retail store and coffee shop in a street-level corner space at the Duluth Board of Trade Lofts, 301 W. First St., in June. The business celebrates its grand opening with music, special events and free samples Friday, July 10. (more…)
Making it Up North: Hungry Hippie
From hiking the Appalachian and Pacific Crest trails to transforming an old horse barn into a high-end hostel and campground, Jeremy and Kate Keeble share their journeys owning Hungry Hippie Tacos and the Hungry Hippie Hostel.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Superior Street, Sept. 11, 1907, Part 4: The 400 West Block
This series takes a detailed look at life on Superior Street on the afternoon of Wednesday, Sept. 11, 1907. The first part of the series provided background details on the photograph itself. Part three looked at the businesses around the Spalding Hotel. Part four looks at the people who occupied the remainder of the Spalding block, including “old Nick Drew, erstwhile gambler, rounder and saloon-keeper.” (more…)
Video Archive: Bicentennial Parade in Hibbing
On America’s semi-quincentennial, we take a look back 50 years to the 1976 Bicentennial Parade in Hibbing, with all the marching bands, clowns, Shriners and civic floats necessary to properly celebrate the anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.
Making it Up North: Love Creamery
Love Creamery founder Nicole Wilde talks about the journey from hobby farming to crafting high-quality, small-batch artisanal ice cream.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Between Howls – “Wascott Waltz”
Duluth band Between Howls has a new video for the instrumental track “Wascott Waltz” from the 2025 album Cabin Fever.
The video is directed by Megan McGarvey of Beyond the Birches Productions and shot by Luckie Ann Diamond and Ansley Fleming. It features Ricky Francois in the role of “The Illustrator”
Mystery Photo: Arcade Trio
This postcard photo is likely from around 1915. The only solid clue is on the back, where the photo is attributed to Arcade studio, 110 W. Superior St., Duluth. The studio had previously been known as the Penny Arcade. (more…)
Gaelynn Lea on That Show With That Midwestern Mom
Duluth musician and author Gaelynn Lea is the musical guest on the premiere episode of That Show With That Midwestern Mom, a web-only variety show hosted by Amber Estenson, aka That Midwestern Mom. The full episode is embedded above; the Gaelynn Lea segment begins at the 29:09 mark.
Northern Lights Music Festival returns to the Range
Every July, something remarkable happens just north of Duluth.
Musicians arrive from around the world. Conservatory students rehearse alongside internationally acclaimed artists. Historic auditoriums come alive with chamber music, orchestra concerts and opera. For three weeks, communities across Minnesota’s Iron Range become one of the state’s most unexpected destinations for classical music.
The Northern Lights Music Festival returns July 1–21 with a season that celebrates both artistic excellence and community tradition. (more…)
Ripped at Bev’s Jook Joint in 2001
[Editor’s note: For this week’s essay we’ve once again pulled out a relic from the drunken compendium of Slim Goodbuzz, who served as Duluth’s “booze connoisseur” from 1999 to 2009. Twenty-five years ago the Sultan of Sot visited Bev’s Jook Joint in Superior and composed this article for the June 27, 2001 edition of the Ripsaw newspaper. Bev’s Jook Joint ceased operation in 2014.]
Here’s something weird: The Puritan city of Duluth, which is almost three times the size of Superior, doesn’t have any gay bars. Well, there’s the Tap Room, but that’s not homosexual, that’s just gay.
Meanwhile there are several gay bars in the debauched, anything-goes city of Souptown: JT’s, the Main Club and Bev’s Jook Joint. Of the three, Bev’s is the only one that seems to be in denial of its gayness. That isn’t to say the place is full of closet queers; Bev’s just seems to have more of a mixed crowd than a gay crowd. A breeder can hang out and act blatantly straight without feeling like how RuPaul might feel at Northland Country Club. (more…)
Duluth Hockey: There Goes the Neighborhood
In Duluth, community hockey is neighborhood hockey. From late-night flood squads at outdoor rinks to the iconic Duluth Heritage Center, it’s all made possible by the Duluth Amateur Hockey Association and legendary hockey families like the Frybergers. While the rest of the hockey world may have changed, Duluth continues to find success with a proven recipe, serving up community hockey at the neighborhood level.
The short documentary embedded above is voiced by the notorious hockey-hair video guy John King and produced by Pulltab Sports for Minnesota Hockey, the governing body of youth and amateur hockey in the state. It is part of a web series called The Association, which delves into nonprofit community hockey organizations throughout Minnesota.
Reopened A & Dubs overwhelmed in first days
New A & Dubs owners Ryan Spears and Michael Koralia at the counter of their tiny Lincoln Park restaurant. (Photo by Paul Lundgren)
Anticipation had been building for three months when the A & Dubs drive-in restaurant quietly reopened on June 12. By the next day the news had spread and the new staff was clearly not prepared for the onslaught of hungry Duluthians. (more…)
Making it Up North: Northern Raven Studio
Dive into the meditative and deeply connected world of Lake Superior agate hunting, lapidary and jewelry making with Abby Schaefer of Northern Raven Studio and her best friend, artist Amanda Penley.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Duluth 2026 Primary Election Primer
The filing period for Minnesota state and county offices closed on June 2. Below is a tally of candidates who filed for races pertinent to Duluth-area ballots. Names that appear in red are hyperlinked to the candidates’ websites. (more…)
Postcard from the Boulevard in Duluth
This undated postcard shows a scene from Duluth’s Skyline Parkway before it was called Skyline Parkway. The visual might feel familiar, because it’s the same scene depicted in a different postcard recently published on Perfect Duluth Day.
Grandma’s Marathon 2025 Double: Thunderbolts and Lightning
Eric Strand has been running what he calls the “Grandma’s Marathon Double” since 2012. Along with a handful of other runners, he starts at the marathon finish line, runs to the starting line, then turns around and runs the regular marathon. He releases videos of the runs each year, usually shortly before the next year’s run. (more…)
Making it Up North: Ursa Minor Brewing
From a high school teacher’s garage experimentation to launching the beloved Lincoln Park taproom in 2018, Ursa Minor Brewing has always been about more than just great beverages.
Making it Up North is a PBS North series that explores stories of creative artists, artisans and entrepreneurs engaged in honing their skills, following their passion and realizing their dreams.
Ashe Berton – “Hello Minnesota”
Duluth folk musician Ashe Berton‘s new album Fill My Soul includes the track “Hello Minnesota,” which mentions Duluth at the start of the second verse. (more…)
Perfect Duluth Day Outdoor Summer Concert Primer 2026
Charlie Parr, sparkler in hand, travels far and wide this summer, hitting the Twin Ports Aug. 21 for a show at Earth Rider Brewery in Superior.
Large outdoor shows by traveling bigshots seem to be trending down while local bands in parks and courtyards are on an upswing. Nonetheless, there are still some heavy hitters passing through the region this summer. Perfect Duluth Day’s annual list spotlighting 15 outdoor shows mixes up a few of the big-ticket acts with highlights from free shows on the piers, porches and patios of Duluth and surrounding communities. (more…)