Our Summer Happy Places: Folkway's Intern Picks

Adele Kennison (she/her)

My name is Adele Kennison, and I grew up not far from here in Jamestown, ND. I recently graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead with a bachelor's degree in Communication Studies. During the summer, I love spending time at the lake with my family in Jamestown and enjoying downtown Fargo with my friends.

Of course, I love summer in North Dakota — we finally get to enjoy the outdoors without freezing. My favorite place to spend time is the Jamestown Reservoir. Smokey's Campsite is a great spot with live music, a lively atmosphere, and the chance to meet people from all walks of life.

I love swimming, jet skiing, and paddle boarding on the reservoir, and you can't beat a classic North Dakota sunset over the water. One of my favorite lake memories was turning a giant tarp into a homemade slip-and-slide and racing down it with my friends and family. It was definitely one of my best birthdays.

I've always been a fan of water activities. As a kid, I loved tubing behind the boat, although these days the recovery time is a little longer than it used to be!

Andrew Traeger (he/they)

I will be a senior at Concordia this fall, majoring in communications and political science, with a minor in international affairs. I am originally from Melrose, Minnesota. At Concordia, I have embraced the motto, "A busy Cobber is a happy Cobber." I am involved in Student Government, the campus news station On-Air, Orientation, the student literary magazine AfterWork, and the Campus Events Commission. In my free time, I enjoy going to Ulta, talking about Ulta, and online shopping at Ulta. When not "Ulta-ing," I love a sweet treat, laughing with friends, and playing Dress to Impress.

For as long as I can remember, my family has stayed in Grand Marais on the north shore of Lake Superior in July. I vividly recall the endless car rides, packed into the back seat of my grandparents' pickup truck with my cousins, all of us clamoring over who would get to use the iPad next.

Part of what made Grand Marais so special was the way my cousins and I strutted around that campground with our new T-shirts from Moose Tracks, a bag of fudge from Beth's, and our 'Sydnamis' from Sydney's. As little kids, the whole town felt magical.

As I've gotten older, the mystique of Grand Marais and Lake Superior has never truly left. I still get excited about going to the same shops year after year, even though I've walked through them hundreds of times. Every year, I must have some fish and chips from the Fisherman's Daughter, and of course, a trip to Grand Marais is not complete without spending hours on the beach reading, skipping rocks, and hunting for agates.

Lake Superior and Grand Marais will always hold a special place in my heart.

Behind the Scenes at Folkways

Jay: I think I'm most looking forward to our Night Bazaars this season! Our next Night Bazaar is circus-themed and will take place at Broadway Square on July 30th from 5-10 pm. I love the energy, costumes, and unique vendors that are offered at the Night Bazaars! As an intern at Folkways, I get to do a little bit of everything, though I've been most involved with outreach for the Red River Market's SNAP program. Besides that, I've really enjoyed learning about marketing and social media, as my background in that field is limited.

Adele: As a Folkways event intern, I help support the planning, flow, and execution of community events. I am especially looking forward to helping with the Night Bazaars throughout the summer, particularly the Circus Night Bazaar because I love any opportunity to dress up and get into the theme. I am beyond excited to work with Folkways and become more involved in the Fargo-Moorhead community. I look forward to learning more about placemaking and seeing firsthand how events can bring people together, create connections, and strengthen a sense of community.

Andrew: My experience at Folkways has been heavily shaped by my own interests. I have started taking on more projects in marketing and social media content creation, which has been so exciting. I am also the intern spearheading much of the volunteer outreach and management for our events! I had an absolute blast at our first Night Bazaar, and I am so excited for the rest of this season.

Follow Folkways: Facebook wearefolkways | Instagram @wearefolkways | LinkedIn folkwaysco