It has happened. If that statement is too vague to decipher, then I refer you to nature’s new colors. Autumn has made her return, and mercilessly destroyed Southern Minnesota’s love affair with sunny Summer. (I, for one, would watch The Real Housewives of the Seasons.) As we head into a new annual cycle, the lull in societal morale luckily has a cure: plenty of local entertainment! (Protect me from the sports fans enraged by the answer not being “the NFL”.)
Unless you’ve completely ignored the content of this Entertainment Guide, September’s primary event is not a difficult guess. The 76th Defeat of Jesse James Days will repeat the typical fun-tivities that keep fans coming year after year, and forces local Northfielders to show their true colors. (Extroverts overspend during Townie Night, introverts flee the area.) The festival kicks off on a more somber note with the Joseph Lee Heywood Graveside Memorial Service in the unambiguously named Northfield Cemetery. While not necessarily filled with joy and fun, the important occasion acts as a celebration nonetheless, paying tribute to JLH’s extraordinary sacrifice during the 1876 bank raid that has secured his status as a renowned town hero.
The party train travels full steam ahead through the weekend, with plenty of opportunities to utilize excuses and alter your diet to be more onion ring-centered. From heated bingo battles to nausea-inducing rides at the carnival to historical reenactments, jollification will be potent during the town-wide jamboree. Topping this year’s entertainment recommendation from the Korner, however, is the iconic PRCA Professional Rodeo. (The word “professional” essentially disqualifies my potential participation. I suppose wrangler casualties wouldn’t be great for public relations.) You’ll have three chances to witness Minnesota turn into Texas with the help of deadly, life-threatening stunts that are entertaining for the whole family! Mark your calendar to see if the phrase “you mess with the bull, you get the horns” is actually true.
Finally, I humbly and unbiasedly bestow the honors of a magazine plug to myself. Since June, I’ve had the pleasure of producing and hosting a podcast in collaboration with the Northfield History Center that airs monthly on KYMN Radio called Trek Through Time, or more colloquially dubbed Triple T. Inevitably, September’s show will center around the history of that fateful September 7 day 148 years ago that caused the ultimate rupture of the James-Younger Gang thanks to the bravery of Northfield’s finest citizens. I’m excited to dig into it with the expertise of a special guest possessing a database much vaster than my historical deep dive known as a Google search. 
My trek through the history of the Northfield bank raid will be broadcast on 95.1 FM/1080 AM on September 5 at 10:00 A.M., and streaming thereafter on most places you access podcasts, with an extended video cut available on Spotify or the NHC’s YouTube channel. Listening to the show is required in order to engage in any DJJD activities. (When in doubt, spread fake news.)
For the autumn alarmists permeating their apocalyptic outlook within the confines of small talk, remember that local entertainment is here to stay even as the leaves change. With an optimistic spirit, it’s time to settle back into the fall groove!
To suggest a topic, send a helpful comment, or provide a hot entertainment tip, email the Kid Kritic via planetwhizkid@gmail.com.
