by Danielle Gallus | Jan 22, 2026 | Education, Featured, Outdoors
Midwinter Family Fun night is set for February 7. Experience the joys of winter and wilderness at Belwin Conservancy this February. Visitors of all ages can expect guided hikes with naturalists, s’mores over a bonfire and stargazing with help from the Minnesota...
by Madeline Kopiecki | Dec 29, 2025 | Featured, Sports, Wellness
The nonprofit has identified its likely future location. Since 2022, Valley Community Center (VCC) has been making strides to open an inclusive gathering space that will provide an accessible, multi-purpose gymnasium, group and individual fitness opportunities, a...
by Claire Krieger | Dec 16, 2025 | Arts
Rediscover a beloved seasonal story this winter. A holiday classic with a local twist is coming to the Zephyr Theatre. A Stillwater Christmas Carol takes the Charles Dickens original and sets it in 1918 Stillwater at the end of World War I. Directed by Michael...
by Zoe Yates | Dec 1, 2025 | Featured
It wasn’t until 2024 that I fully embraced my love for cooking. Historically, I find it difficult to enjoy activities that I’m not good at. My brain categorized cooking as a necessary, not-so-fun task for too many years. But when I started to find recipes that...
by Renée Stewart-Hester | Dec 1, 2025 | Book Club, Gift Guides, Noteworthy
With experiential gifting maintaining its holiday footing and the inclination to eliminate clutter remaining strong, the gift of books can easily wrap up your holiday shopping endeavors. We’ve included titles that have received nods in our Noteworthy sections in St....
by Zoe Yates | Dec 1, 2025 | Featured, Giving Back, Local Makers, Outdoors, People
Stillwater resident and volunteer Ruth Alliband cooks with wild ingredients. Explore the recipes Alliband served up for her Forager’s Dinner, which was a highlight of Sustainable Stillwater MN’s recent annual gala. Master naturalist Ruth Alliband doesn’t let...
by Zoe Yates | Dec 1, 2025 | Photo Contest
Peer through a window to Stillwater. For Stillwater resident Thomas Valine, taking walks around downtown Stillwater is a practice in creativity. “When I took this picture, I’d been experimenting with reflections on shopfront windows and was playing with window-related...
by Emily Gedde | Dec 1, 2025 | Drinks, Entertain, Featured, Shops
The nonalcoholic establishment offers a different way to enjoy the holiday season. The holiday season arrives each year with a colorful concoction of expectations and cultural norms. And, before Dry January encourages many sober-curious to embrace a different path,...
by Zoe Yates | Dec 1, 2025 | Arts, Education
The Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center seeks to connect the East Metro through creativity and educational programming. After two years and a multimillion dollar renovation, the Manitou Fund Education + Arts Center is ready to start a new chapter with community...
by Ben Thietje | Dec 1, 2025 | Noteworthy, Senior Living, Wellness
Occasionally, the hustle and bustle of everyday life can throw you off-kilter. When that happens at the Phipps Center for the Arts [PCA], we slow things down—way down—with tai chi. Led by certified instructor Mark Tomlinson, each session flows through gentle,...
by Lori Schaefer | Dec 1, 2025 | Giving Back, Noteworthy, People
Thirty years ago, guided by a vision of generosity and community, a group of civic leaders formed the St. Croix Valley Foundation to connect the Valley and grow generosity for generations. Three founders share reflections on its 1995 origins and why it matters today....
by Rachael Perron | Dec 1, 2025 | Entertain, Ingredients, Noteworthy
When it comes to family gatherings, I became the de facto dessert-bringer many, many years ago. There’s always plenty of food at a Perron party, and we don’t ever lack for veggie trays, cheese and, of course, potatoes. But I go to a party for one thing—dessert. And if...
by Editorial Staff | Dec 1, 2025 | Best of St. Croix Valley, Noteworthy
Let’s close the year with some exciting news. Best of St. Croix Valley is moving—to February! We think it’s a perfect fit. After all, February is the month of love, and we all adore our local businesses and service providers. Our 2026 annual readers’ choice poll will...
by Jennifer Pitterle | Dec 1, 2025 | Giving Back, People
Ted Hooley’s humanitarian nonprofit brings care and healing to rural communities. Ted Hooley, a Stillwater native and the founder of humanitarian nonprofit Senitizo, grew up in a community that fostered generosity and service. “It was kind of like the ideal...
by Rosie Peters | Dec 1, 2025 | Arts, Featured, People, Wellness
Rosetta “Rosie” Peters is an extraordinary poet, storyteller and business owner, living in Marine on St. Croix. Since moving to the Valley in 2011, she’s become a valued member of this community and has worked to build up the arts in the Valley—from founding a poetry...
