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Combine the “magic of the night sky,” with the dead of winter and what does one get?
How about Ely’s newest event.
The first Ely Dark Sky Festival, dubbed “A Celestial Celebration,” is set for Jan. 10-11.
It’s a collaborative effort involving the Ely Area Tourism Bureau, the Ely Chamber of Commerce and Starry Skies North, and it’s part of an effort to use Ely’s surroundings to tap into a growing market.
“The Boundary Waters is one of the largest international dark sky sanctuaries,” said Sarah Vogl, marketing coordinator for the Tourism Bureau. “And we’re seeing a growing interest in astrotourism, so we aligned with Starry Skies North and the different festivals they’ve been part of and we really got to talking about it over the course of the last year so we came together with the Ely Chamber and Starry Skies North to organize.”
The groups have put together a two-day event that “will immerse visitors in a world of wonder, featuring a variety of activities from astronomy and photography workshops to night snowshoe hikes and educational presentations.”
More than a dozen area organizations are putting on events, both indoors and outdoors, in an attempt to appeal to a variety of interests.
“We now have 24 events and we are working on a finalized schedule that will be out shortly before the holidays,” said Vogl. “Astrophotography has become a big thing, there’s a wolf howling safari in the Superior National Forest, and there are a lot of indoor things, and really there’s something for everybody.”
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a designated International Dark Sky Sanctuary, and organizers say that makes Ely a perfect fit for a dark sky festival.
Highlights include:
• Stargazing sessions;
• Night photography workshops and talks;
• Astronomy and light pollution talks; • Winter recreation opportunities; • Arts experiences.
Among the specifics include a snowshoe hike on Fall Lake, a moonlight kicksled adventure, and an event called “Starbathing in the Northwoods.”
Inside there are events at the Ely Folk School, Ely Public Library and elsewhere as well as a dark-sky themed trivia night at the Boathouse on the evening of Jan. 10.
The festival also coincides with the Great Nordic Shakespeare Festival being planned by the Northern Lakes Arts Association.
Organizers have reached out to area lodging and food and beverage businesses to offer specials to visitors, and they believe the event will attract visitors from outside the Ely area.
They’ve also put together simple goals for the event, which are to:
• Bring those interested in learning more about and viewing the night sky to Ely;
• Reach those interested in astronomy, night sky photography, and astrotourism with the message that Ely is one of the best places in the country to view and photograph starry skies with minimal light pollution.
• Celebrate, Educate, Inspire. Celebrate our dark night skies with fun events hosted by area organizations. Educate visitors on the importance of keeping our night skies dark. Inspire future trips back to Ely to stargaze, see the Northern Lights, and experience other adventures our area has to offer.
The January event is anticipated to be the first of many dark sky events in Ely.
“We’ve received a lot of great engagement and feedback,” said Vogl. “We’ll see how the first year goes but the interest has been there to make this an annual event. We’re happy to have some awesome organizations helping us, and as we’ve been planning it, this has also become a way for us to showcase winter recreation which thankfully this season is shaping up to be there. There’s something for everybody depending on if you want to get outside in the night or not.”
