Artists featured at The River Inspires: An Evening Celebrating the Mississippi River

Because the Mighty Mississippi is a muse for so much creativity and cultural expression, FMR's 2018 "An Evening Celebrating the Mississippi River" program celebrated and featured local, acclaimed artists of various media who rely on our Big River as a source of inspiration and rejuvenation, including: 

Jearlyn Steele, vocalist and emcee
Seitu Jones, artist and storyteller (Keynote Sponsor: Andeavor)
Laura Caviani, jazz pianist and composer
Bao Phi, author, poet, and spoken word artist
Gwen Westerman, educator, poet and fiber artist
Sandy Spieler, water lover, artist and activist
Tom Reiter, photographer and documentarian
Mniówe, indigenous Water Bar
Write to the River, compilation of river-inspired prose and poetry 

Upcoming Events

Thursday, May 21, 2026 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area, Inver Grove Heights
Saturday, May 23, 2026 - 10:00am to 12:00pm
Mississippi River Gorge 'beach,' Minneapolis
Tuesday, May 26, 2026 - 6:00pm to 8:00pm
Near the Mississippi River backwaters, St. Paul Park

Join us for Music for the Mississippi River 

Celebrate the Mississippi River and support FMR with Tina Schlieske and Molly Maher, May 30 at Dual Citizen Brewing in St. Paul.