Many people know the music of the Dust Bowl era without connecting it to the crisis of the 30s. Bret Hesla and Mary Preus, of Minnesota Community Sings, are Twin-cities based songleaders with over 25 years of experience guiding community sings. In their capable hands we will gather together around Woodie Guthrie’s “Dust Bowl Ballads” and other folk music from the era. The informal community sing-in includes people of all ages and musical abilities — that means you!

The Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest. The Big Read in the St. Croix Valley is presented by ArtReach St. Croix in conjunction with core program partners Valley Bookseller, Stillwater Public Library, St. Croix Festival Theatre, Little Free Library and library branches located in St. Croix Valley communities between St. Croix Falls, WI and Hastings, MN.