Building community by providing learning experiences that celebrate the wilderness heritage, art, history, culture, and craft of the people of northern Minnesota.
The Ely Folk School builds programming that encourages growth of creativity, strengthened resilience to trying new things, and opportunity for connection to place, self, others, and material. EFS is proud to be part of an ecosystem building a world where everyone recognizes the value of identifying as a lifelong learner. Most of our programs focus on adults, since today's world demands that we adults be quite intentional about including learning in our schedules and budgets.
The Ely Folk School held it's very first classes on June 7, 2015 - Songwriting with Joey Kenig and Flatwater Canoeing with Bert and Johnnie Hyde. From a community meeting with an outline of a dream in late November 2014, many dedicated and passionate Elyites spent December 2014 through May 2015 doggedly creating the bones of the Ely Folk School. Today, we hold over 400 programs annually and boast 10 unique program areas. We believe in intergenerational, non-competitive, learn
The Ely Folk School strives to be a gathering space where all Ely area residents and visitors forge new connections, build a stronger community, and develop as individuals through experiential learning that honors the crafts and cultures of our region. Primarily, we fulfill this mission by offering small, personalized learning experiences rooted in the seasons of the Northwoods and wisdom of our neighbors. We believe that learning happens best through story and that story i
