by Editorial Staff | Sep 1, 2026 | Featured, Photo Contest
Discover new perspectives of the place we call home. The Lens on St. Croix Valley photo contest is an annual invitation to share your snapshots of life in your local community. From anticipated events to seasonal activities, iconic landmarks to idyllic landscapes,...
by Zoe Yates | Aug 1, 2026 | Featured
While my memories of middle school are few, I remember it as a time of great change. It was in those formative years that I developed an interest in writing and photography. I kept a journal and brought my little point-and-shoot camera everywhere. My grandfather, who...
by Zoe Yates | Aug 1, 2026 | Photo Contest
One warm summer morning on a photo walk around Stillwater, Nikkita Berglind of River Falls, Wisconsin, approached two large flower pots. “The sun was shining through all the petals, and they looked alluring, rustling in the breeze. I glanced over and noticed the...
by Abigail Larson | Aug 1, 2026 | Noteworthy, Pets, Shops
Since the early 1990s, Spokes and Pedals (spokesandpedals.com) in Hudson, Wisconsin, has been home to some furry and four-legged staff. One of its current tenants is a fluffy orange rescue cat named Archie, who lives at the shop 24/7. Over the past four years, Archie...
by Zoe Yates | Aug 1, 2026 | Education, Featured, People
The St. Croix Valley is home to a collection of incredible schools, with halls filled with young people finding their place in the world. Each year, we invite area school administrators to nominate some of these outstanding students, of which four are selected by...
by Findlay Drabant | Aug 1, 2026 | Outdoors, People, Sports
Octogenarian Mary Croft has run 235 marathons and shows no signs of stopping. On her 80th birthday, Mary Croft celebrated by running 80 kilometers (50 miles) at the Across the Years ultramarathon in Arizona, where runners complete as many laps as possible around a...
by Missy Austreng | Aug 1, 2026 | Education, Giving Back, Noteworthy
When young people discover that their contributions matter and that they are connected to their community, the whole Valley benefits. Through Ponies Care, a program through Stillwater Community Education, students across the district are learning what it means to show...
by Zoe Yates | Aug 1, 2026 | Arts, Featured, Shops
The growing river town is a destination for the arts. Hudson, Wisconsin, has long been entwined with the arts—and that identity has only strengthened in recent years. With Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery and Hudson Art Gallery joining longtime anchors in the Phipps...
by Zoe Yates | Aug 1, 2026 | Featured, Restaurants, Sports
Panoramic views and elevated American fare await visitors at a venue mere minutes from the St. Croix. Tucked in the rolling hills of Somerset, Wisconsin, The Grounds Restaurant at St. Croix National Golf & Event Center is waiting to be discovered. Featuring an...
by Abigail Larson | Aug 1, 2026 | Drinks, Restaurants
Stillwater’s “living museum” of German tradition prepares for its Oktoberfest 2026. Since 1966, the Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter (gasthausbavarianhunter.com) has been a beloved staple for German tradition in the Stillwater area. The restaurant’s annual Oktoberfest...
by Ashley Cardona | Aug 1, 2026 | Education, Outdoors, Wellness
A one-day retreat empowers girls before they start middle school. Returning to school after summer break is never easy, and the transition from elementary to middle school brings even more to navigate. The You R You retreat, hosted by United Way Washington County-East...
by Editorial Staff | Aug 1, 2026 | Giving Back
FamilyMeans’ sixth annual Better is Possible fundraiser was the nonprofit’s most successful event yet, bringing in more than $160,000 to support its mission to provide critical support services in the St. Croix Valley. The night at JX Venue in Stillwater included an...
by Angie Hong | Aug 1, 2026 | Education, Noteworthy, Outdoors
It’s a sunny day in October and a throng of exuberant sixth graders is spread out along the St. Croix River shoreline, gathering water samples, searching for aquatic macroinvertebrates and filling the air with a joyous sound. Since 2021, Carpenter Nature Center and...
by Kate Overend | Jul 30, 2026 | Local Makers
The recognition comes during Jason Moldan’s first year as owner and continues to build on the company’s legacy. St. Croix Chocolate Company (SCCC) is back to making a buzz in the international chocolate scene. The Marine on St. Croix shop received a silver medal in...
by Kate Overend | Jul 28, 2026 | Arts, Outdoors
The concert features forest trails, live music and performances among the trees. This August, Belwin Conservancy is hosting its annual Music in the Trees event, a two-day outdoor concert series. The show invites visitors to immerse themselves in an experience where...
