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Rochester Woodcarvers!
The Rochester Woodcarvers Club is a gathering of individuals from around the Rochester Minnesota area who are interested in woodcarving. Everyone is welcome whether they are just interested in learning about woodcarving, are considering starting to carve, or are beginner, experienced or master carvers.
Join us at the next meeting of the 2025-2026 season
Visitors welcome!
For general meeting information and location check out the Club Information menu above.
Upcoming Meetings & Speakers
17 January – Rebecca Hanna – A Matter of Time: A Revival of the Primstav
21 February – Unknown – Surprise Topic
21 March – Ev Ellenwood – The Eyes have it
March 28 & 29 – The club’s 50th Anniversary Annual Show
April 18 – Alec LaCasse
May 16 – Bruce Ankeny
Year round Weekly Carve-Ins continue on Tuesday and Wednesday (details here)
Please invite your spouse, family, friends and neighbors to our meetings!
Remember to bring your “Show and Tell” items to let us know what you have been doing!
Festival of Trees
The tree has been decorated! The “Carver and Turner Circus” is in full swing
The tree has a red striped tent in place of a tree skirt. Various circus acts, performers, animals and props populate the scene. A 30 piece garland is a circus parade marching around the branches. More than 150 ornaments fill the tree.
After the Festival, the Rochester Athletic Club became its home.
Details of the tree and its photos are on the 2025 Tree page.
New Carving Learning Opportunities
We have two club members offering to teach carving.
Andre wants to offer a class on chip carving to 3 to 6 people.
Mike is offering private lessons to create a song bird.
To get more information and connect with these experts, send an email to contact@rochesterwoodcarvers.com
Recent Club Events
We had another nice spring picnic.
The Oxbow Park Nature Center provided a comfortable setting on an extra hot Saturday. On behalf of the club, Steve the Stickman donated another chain saw carving — an oversized skunk!
For a look at this and other spring picnics, go over to the Picnic page (Club Events>Other Events>Picnics).
Our 49th Anniversary Annual Show was fun for both visitors and exhibitors. All of the photos, the video walk through and links to media coverage are included on the 2025 Annual Show page.
So go look at them!
Next Monthly Meeting – 17 January
Rebecca Hanna
A Matter of Time: A Revival of the Primstav
Life is busy. How did our ancestors keep track of all the important dates in their lives without an app? They created a calendar stick called the “primstav.”
The primstav was a perpetual calendar that was used in Norway from the Middle Ages and into modern times. Learn more about the connection to saints, agriculture, and seasonal tasks in this presentation.
Rebecca Hanna of Decorah, Iowa, is passionate about many Norwegian folk arts, especially woodworking.
