Mr. Jones Shows Up at Duluth Dylan Fest Birthday Party for Bob

This afternoon we celebrated Bob Dylan's 81st birthday on the front porch of his childhood home on Duluth's Central Hillside. There were cupcakes, and a beautiful cake with artwork by the French artist Claude-Angele Boni that will be shared Thursday at the Earth Rider bash on Thursday night.

Here are some photos, from our front lawn birthday celebration. As is the custom we always ask who came furthest and this year it was a fan from Dublin, Ireland.

L to R: Carolyn Sundquist, Bill Pagel, Mark Poirier, and Ed Newman

Miriam Hanson, host of Highway 61 Revisited on The North @ KUMD
welcomes everyone. Greg Tiburzi provided the Dylan ambiance.

Paul Metsa took the "stage" at 2. He and sideman Sonny Earl will
be performing at Earth Rider on Thursday where the cake will be shared.

Greg Tiburzi provided entertainment, demonstrating his Dylan range by selecting a few songs from the bard's Rough and Rowdy Ways, filling out the rest of his set with selections from the breadth of Dylan's catalog. WDIO was on hand to cover the event and a lot of mixing took place.

A highlight for me was meeting Mr. Jones, a journalist who dropped in through a time portal evidently. I heard him say, "Something's happening here, but I don't know what it is." How he got here I can't really say. 

There were plenty of Bob Dylan T-shirts, and lots of smiling faces as the was a truly beautiful day here in Duluth. Sun shining, and though we've not had 80 degrees in more than 280 days, it did feel like summer was in the air. 

So tell us, Mr. Jones, what's really happening here?

This year's Dylan Fest marks the end of an official "Year of Dylan" in the Northland, which encompasses all of St. Louis County. Events have been hosted in Hibbing, the Iron Range and Duluth throughout the year. 

Tomorrow night's John Bushey Memorial Lecture will feature Peter McKenzie, author of Bob Dylan: On a Couch and 50 Cents a Day. It will be held via Zoom and requires pre-registration. (Pre-register HERE)

* * * 

Tonight at Wussow's, from 5:30 till 9:00 the Basement Tapes Band will be on hand, with Greg Tiburzi opening. 

Wish you were here. 

Related Links
2022 Duluth Dylan Fest Schedule 
Five Years Ago Today at Duluth Dylan Fest
Phil Fitzpatrick's "Three Feet Away" at DDF in 2015

Photos of Paul Metsa and the flowers, courtesy Michael Anderson

Last Chance for Bob Dylan to Take a Bite from His 80th Birthday Cake

The original cake, 24 May 2021.

Last year's Duluth Dylan Fest marked the beginning of a year-long celebration of Bob Dylan in St. Louis County, which encompasses both towns that young Bobby Zimmerman grew up in. With the exception of 2020, first year of the pandemic, the Duluth Dylan Fest team--along with friends and Dylan fans--has gathered in front of his first home to share birthday cake, listen to music and to mix.

When we packed everything up afterwards, a large central portion of the cake still remained uneaten. It was offered to me to preserve, which I dutifully took home, wrapped tight and placed in the freezer. Since it was Bob's birthday cake, I put the word out that it was rightfully his if he should desire to eat it or share it. 

Now it is May again, and another Duluth Dylan Fest approaches. Susie and I decided that it was time to give up on Bob contacting us for his cake. Last night we indulged a little in cake eating. Guess what? Susie doesn't care much for cake, but this one is delicious, she noted. 

The purpose of this blog post is to invite you to Duluth Dylan Fest, May 21-29. The Birthday Party is always in the afternoon at Bob's birth home, 519 North 3rd Avenue East. You can find the full slate of events here.

Here's what we have left of last year's cake, more abstract in appearance but as tasty as ever.