Welcome to the Ely area! One thing that makes your new home special is the robust social life available to you here. But how do people find out what’s going on around town? While there isn’t one central location to access event information, there are several valuable resources you might consider consulting: 
 

• Ely Summer/Winter Times

  • The summer edition comes out by Memorial Day, and the winter edition comes out by Thanksgiving. This publication is worth reading cover to cover, and also features an Ely-area events calendar. This is a great resource for learning about beloved annual festivals and events. Pick up a free copy at the entrance to several local businesses.
     

• What’s Up Ely, MN? Facebook Group 

  • What’s up Ely, MN? Is a Facebook group with over 18.4k members. 

  • Local folks post event updates and crowdsource answers to questions daily. This is a great resource for learning about new events and last minute event changes. 

  • If you have a Facebook account, it is well worth joining this group. If you do not have a Facebook account, it is worth considering joining for this purpose.
     

• Local Ely Podcasts sponsored by the Ely Tourism Bureau, available wherever you listen to podcasts 

  • What’s Up Ely Podcast features upcoming events and things to do in the Ely area. Listening to this podcast is a great way to get in-depth information about goings on. 

  • My Ely Story Podcast features in-depth conversations with notable Elyites. Listening to this podcast is a great way to learn about Ely history and culture.
     

• Ely.org calendar of events 

  • There is an Events tab on the Ely.org website, which is co-managed by the Ely Tourism Bureau and the Ely Chamber of Commerce.
     

• Ely Shopper

  • Since 1932, the Ely Shopper has provided the Ely area with a unique advertising media. Published every Wednesday, the shopper is delivered to over 4,400 shoppers to Ely, Babbitt, Winton, and rural routes in the surrounding area. Local organizations sometimes publish upcoming programs in the Shopper. Free copies are available around town.
     

• Northern Lakes Arts Association (NLAA) 

  • Among the many engaging social opportunities are a variety of arts programs. Consult the NLAA Events tab on their website for information about their upcoming efforts.
     

• Ely Folk School 

  • In addition to their traditional classes, the Ely Folk School also hosts regular free events that are open to the public. Check out the Ely Folk School website to see when their next community event is scheduled. 

  • Ely Folk School also hosts free Makers Mornings on Thursday mornings. Anyone can bring a craft of their choice and work on it in community with others doing the same.
     

• Ely Public Schools & Community Education calendar

  • The Ely Public Schools website (www.ely.k12.mn.us) has information regarding ISD 696 events and the upcoming Ely Community Education class roster. 

  • To find the school events calendar, hover over the District tab and select Calendar. 

  • To find the Community Ed calendar, select Community Ed. This is also where you can find things like the indoor open-skating schedule.
     

• Local newspapers: The Ely Echo & The Timberjay 

  • Consider subscribing to one or both of the newspapers!

  • The Ely Echo covers the North Country and serves as the official newspaper for the city of Ely. 

  • The Timberjay covers the North Country and serves as the official newspaper for the city of Tower and a number of area townships, including Vermilion Lake, Bearville, Morcom, Leiding, Eagles Nest, Field, Embarrass, Kabetogama and Kugler.
     

• Word of Mouth 

  • There’s nothing quite as informative as a diverse personal network! 

  • We encourage you to make a few friends across social groups, and those folks will be your greatest resource regarding “what’s up” in Ely.