There are plenty of reasons to head north when Minnesota’s leaves begin to turn, but Art Along the Lake adds another: the chance to meet the people creating art inspired by the landscape around them.
Returning Sept. 25-Oct. 4, the 10-day, self-guided art tour stretches across Cook County, from Tofte and Grand Marais to Hovland, Grand Portage, and the Gunflint Trail. Along the way, visitors can step inside working studios, explore galleries, meet local and guest artists, watch demonstrations, and shop original pieces—all against a backdrop of Lake Superior, boreal forest, and peak-season color.
Follow the Art
This isn’t an art fair confined to a single building. With 25 stops scattered across the region, the journey is part of the experience. All participating locations are open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., making it easy to build an itinerary around favorite artists—or simply follow the route and see what catches your eye.
The range of work is as varied as the North Shore itself. Visitors will find painting and printmaking, ceramics and glass, woodworking, jewelry, textiles, beadwork, photography, and more. Many host studios also welcome guest artists, turning individual stops into small exhibitions of their own.
At Betsy Bowen Studio & Gallery in Grand Marais, visitors can explore the artist’s hand-printed woodcuts inside a historic church, while Nan Onkka Prints showcases multicolor woodcuts inspired by northern forests and lakes. Along the Gunflint Trail, Rene Block paints contemporary landscapes inspired by the surrounding boreal forest from her studio on Seagull Lake.
In Hovland, woodworker Lou Pignolet turns local wood—including rare aspen burl—into one-of-a-kind bowls, while Dan and Lee Ross display stone, clay, glass, and prints alongside a sculpture garden overlooking Lake Superior. Fiber arts also have a strong presence, from Julie Arthur’s handwoven rugs, scarves, and shawls in Tofte to Elise Kyllo’s colorful wool creations displayed from a renovated Airstream in Grand Marais.
Courtesy of Betsy Bowen Studio & Gallery
More Than a Gallery Hop
Part of Art Along the Lake’s appeal is getting a glimpse behind the finished work. Several artists will demonstrate their craft throughout the event, including woodworker Cooper Ternes, who creates tableware and sculptural pieces from Minnesota hardwoods.
Established arts destinations are part of the route, too. Stops include Sivertson Gallery, North House Folk School, Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery, and the Grand Marais Art Colony’s Studio 21, creating plenty of opportunities to mix studio visits with larger exhibitions and shops.
And because there’s no prescribed route, the tour leaves plenty of room for detours. Stop for lunch in Grand Marais, hike a trail between studios, linger along the Lake Superior shoreline, or head farther inland toward the Gunflint Trail. The result is equal parts art crawl, fall-color drive, and North Shore getaway.
Art Along the Lake is organized by Cook County Creatives, a Grand Marais-based nonprofit established in 2024 to support artists in Minnesota’s Arrowhead region and oversee the annual studio tour.
With 10 days to explore, there’s no need to see everything at once. Pick a stretch of the shore, follow the fall color, and see where the art takes you.
IF YOU GO: Art Along the Lake runs Sept. 25-Oct. 4, 2026, throughout Cook County. Participating studios and galleries are open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The tour is self-guided.
