Waking the Giant —
Northwoods Solidarity Revival

Event Details

When:

October 4, (10:00am–8:30pm)

Where:

Mesaba Coop Park
3827 Mesaba Park Rd
Hibbing, MN

Waking the Giant is a family-friendly, free community gathering created by and for grassroots organizers, artists, elders, activists, and caring Northwoods neighbors of all kinds! We’ll be meeting at Mesaba Coop Park all day and into the evening, sharing stories, food, music, culture, and resources for learning more and taking action in our communities.

Our hope is that by taking some time to revive our spirits and spark new relationships, we will also be encouraged to stay engaged and to stand in solidarity even when we feel discouraged, and to prepare to care for our places and our neighbors for the long haul.

A gentle reminder that this is a free gathering, open to all, but we do need to know how many people to expect — so please use the form to register! We’ll also be sending important reminders and details to this list. Below are some fresh updates and FAQs about this event! Reach out if you have other questions.

Share this event with your community. They can RSVP here: ncdn.work/wakingthegiant.html.

What's this all about?

Waking the Giant — Northwoods Solidarity Revival is a day-long cultural community gathering for grassroots organizers, activists, artists, culture bearers, and neighbors from across our region. We’ll be sharing resources and connecting with organizing and community-building efforts across the northland — and building relationships and connections!

What will happen at this gathering?

Organizers of this gathering have tried to set the stage for a day of visiting, with educational activities and art-making woven throughout! The Mesaba Coop Park is the perfect place to gather, since this kind of activity has been happening here for 100 years.

All are encouraged to bring invitations and information to share with others — we will have space for distributing posters, flyers, movement artwork, news, etc. — and opportunities to proposed breakout conversations and activities throughout the park.

There will be food provided (and a place to make a donation to support the costs of this gathering if you wish) — but bring camp chairs / a cooler and your own beverages / and anything else you think you might need to be comfortable indoors and out.

There is space for camping overnight if that’s something folks are interested in on Saturday or Sunday nights. (Learn more about the park and make a camping reservation here).

In addition to spontaneous activities and conversations, art-making and info sharing, we’re planning live music during lunch, two storytelling circles in the afternoon about movement organizing in our region, and an evening program with live storytellers, music, and dancing.

A full program and more detail will be sent to those who RSVP!

Rough outline of the day

More soon ...

• 10–11am — People arrive, visit, engage in print making opportunities, get settled into Main Assembly Hall or a picnic spot outside, post breakout session ideas to the bulletin board, explore the park
• 11am–12pm — Group welcome in Main Assembly Hall, overview of the day and the space, a brief history of the park, concentric circle dialogues
• 12–1:30pm — Lunch in the Dining Hall, free time to visit around the park, listen to music
• 1:30–2pm — Gather back in Main Hall, afternoon announcements
• 2–3:15pm — First Story Circle (All together with guest speakers) — "Roots of Resistance"
• 3:30–4:45pm — Second Story Circle (All together with guest speakers) — "Looking forward & Waking up" — exploring where we go from here
• 5–6:30pm — Dinner & Storytelling
• 6:30–8:30pm — Music & dancing / hanging out together
• Throughout the day — Feel free to suggest a breakout session, swim, enjoy the park, visit literature tables, meet new friends & organize

Who is planning this gathering?

This gathering was created out of ongoing conversations between grassroots organizers across our region who are working together on pro-democracy and anti-authoritarian efforts, mutual aid, civil defense, and cultural survival, and community revitalization.

The main purpose of this gathering is to provide a welcoming space where we can connect in person — revive our spirits — and build relationships for the long haul. We also hope to learn from the rich history of movement-building in our region, and connect with emerging efforts too!

Who is paying for this gathering?

This gathering is supported by the grassroots organizers and groups leading this effort, including Mesaba Coop Park, Northern Civil Defense Network, Fire in the Village, BLA Indivisible, Grand Rapids Community Connections Group, Minnesota Democracy Defense Table, Headwaters Foundation for Justice, and others. We appreciate any donations or offers to help with the hard costs of this gathering - and to support time and travel for volunteer organizers helping to shape this event. Please reach out if you have an offering!

Parking

There is parking available just outside the park on the side of the road, please park here if you are able. A drop-off spot and limited accessible parking are available inside the park for those with limited mobility. Please let us know ahead of time if you will need assistance with parking / drop-off. You can also call or text us at (612) 805-4045 when you arrive if you need further help.

Bring warm clothing

Plan to spend some time outside. The indoor spaces are unheated and the weather is expected to be cool. Bring anything that will make you comfortable. Make yourself cozy.

Notes on physical access

There is accessible parking available outside of the space where we will be eating. This provides easy, smooth access for meals. On this level there is also an accessible porta potty.

There is also parking on the way to the upstairs venue. There are no stairs but the path is unpaved and the ground isn't completely smooth. We will be there to provide any assistance but please do reach out with any questions. While you are at the park you can find any volunteer or please feel to call or text us at (612) 805-4045 when you arrive if you need further help.

What do I bring?

All meals and supplies will be provided, though you are more than welcome to bring any of the following to share:

• Water bottles
• Picnic supplies (utensils and plates etc) if you can. This will help us keep garbage to a minimum.
• Notebook & pen
• Contact cards (let's stay in touch!)
• A swim suit if you want to enjoy the lake

• Snacks
• Buttons
• Signs
• Art
• Information
• Skills
• Stories

We’d love your help if you’re willing to volunteer - details & sign-up here.