HISTORIC HOLMES THEATRE

Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre closed out its Christmas concert season Thursday night with a sold-out performance of Rock & Roll Christmas. The show has been a holiday staple in Detroit Lakes for more than a decade, though last year's event was virtual-only.

The Lakes Area Chorale will begin holding rehearsals at Detroit Lakes' First Lutheran Church on the second Sunday in January, for the first time in nearly two years. The community choir group has previously been unable to hold its weekly rehearsals due to COVID-19 safety concerns, but now chorale director Barb Schramm is ready to begin work on a new "Rock 'n' Soul Meets Gospel" concert, set for Sunday, April 3 at the Historic Holmes Theatre. Participation is open to singers of all skill levels.

Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre is a busy place this month, with music, art and theater events all on the schedule. First up is a return visit by the Minnesota Music Coalition's Caravan du Nord tour of up-and-coming artists, which is set to stop in Detroit Lakes this Saturday, Nov. 13. Also on the schedule is the launch of a new Youth Acting Club, featuring the instruction of Minnesota-born actress Lorraine Bahr, and the 18th Annual Holmes Art show on Nov. 18-20.

For the first time in two and a half years, community theater is returning to Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre. The heartwarming comedy-drama "Steel Magnolias" will be presented in three performances on Oct. 28-30, with an all-female cast.

The musicians who comprise Nashville’s premier Tom Petty tribute band, The Heartshakers, have performed with some of the industry's biggest stars, including Carrie Underwood, LeAnn Rimes, Amy Grant, Peter Cetera, Little Big Town, SheDaisy and Ronnie Milsap. They will bring their love of Petty's music to Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre this Wednesday, July 14 for a 7:30 p.m. tribute show titled "The Tom Petty Experience."

Three performances of the kids' musical "Matilda Jr." will be presented at Detroit Lakes' Historic Holmes Theatre this Thursday through Saturday, June 24-26. The summer musical is the culmination of a month-long theater camp hosted by the theater, in partnership with Detroit Lakes Community Education.

Detroit Lakes' popular summer concert series, Tuesdays in the Park, returns to the City Park Bandshell this Tuesday, June 1 at 7 p.m. The Becker County Dixieland Authority will perform. After COVID-19 restrictions canceled last year's Picnics in the Park, there will once again be a picnic lunch served up by Fuller Center for Housing volunteers prior to each concert, starting at 5:30 p.m.

The Historic Holmes Theatre will be hosting auditions for this summer's theater camp production of "Matilda Jr." on Saturday, May 22 and Monday, May 24. Saturday's auditions will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, while Monday's session will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Auditions are open to all area youth in grades 5-12. Also this week: The return of Food Truck Fridays to Detroit Lakes' City Park, and the Festival of Birds runs this Thursday through Saturday.

The Detroit Lakes Regional Chamber of Commerce held an economic development summit at the Historic Holmes Theatre on May 7 and followed it up with their annual meeting to connect their members at the Holiday Inn on May 12. Jennifer Byers, vice president of grassroots and chamber relations for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, presented during the event and focused on the Minnesota workforce of 2030.