Beltrami County Public Health to host inaugural Winter Festival at Kelliher School

Beltrami County Public Health will host its inaugural Winter Festival Saturday, March 7, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Kelliher Public School, 345 4th Street NW, Kelliher, offering free admission and a mix of booths, music, crafts, games and local food. A county poster quoted by Yahoo invites residents to “celebrate the end of winter and connect with local resources and neighbors.”

Event organizers say the festival will include vendor booths with a focus on local sellers, free games, music, crafts, prizes and tours of a mobile clinic prototype. Yahoo reports attendees will be allowed to provide input on the prototype to help shape the PARADIGM Program; that program is described there as “a federally funded initiative to build a financially sustainable mobile clinic to support rural areas.” Vendors are asked to arrive between 9 and 10 a.m. to set up.

Beltrami County Public Health is listed as the host by both Yahoo and the county website. Partnership details vary across outlets: the Bemidji Pioneer reports the county is partnering with Northome‑Kelliher, Red Lake and Blackduck School Districts, while the county website additionally lists the Headwaters Regional Development Commission and names Red Lake School District as a supporter and notes support from Beltrami County’s Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. Journalists and residents seeking confirmation of the final partner roster can contact Public Health Director Amy Bowles at amy.bowles@co.beltrami.mn.us.

Public Health Director Amy Bowles framed the festival as an effort to bring community events into smaller towns to reduce barriers. At the quarterly Beltrami County Community Health Board meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, Bowles said, “I thought it would be really pretty amazing if we could take the community events that we have here in Bemidji and replicate them out in our smaller communities,” and added that the event would offer “education resources and an opportunity for our community members to connect in the middle of winter and have a free, sober place to hang out.” Bowles also noted that “the three school districts are super excited to be on board and supporting us and essentially not having to cost them anything.”

The county website markets the event with the headline “Join us for the First Ever Winter Festival” and describes it as “This free, family-friendly event is open to everyone and designed to bring the community together for a fun winter celebration. Enjoy local food, games, and activities for all ages, learn about current community initiatives, and spend time connecting with friends and neighbors.” Bemidji Pioneer coverage underscores that reducing transportation and cost barriers is a stated goal for outreach into smaller communities.

Organizers are soliciting sponsors and table hosts; the county site lists amy.bowles@co.beltrami.mn.us as the contact for sponsorship or hosting a table or activity. County administrative contact information provided on the site footer lists the county office at 701 Minnesota Ave. NW, Bemidji, MN 56601 and the webmaster at webmaster@co.beltrami.mn.us. The event is positioned both as a neighborhood celebration and as an opportunity for residents to weigh in on a federally funded mobile health pilot that County officials plan to finalize after gathering community feedback.