Square Lake Film & Music Festival

04/12/2026

If you are interested in making a film, or want to learn more about the St. Croix River Tales filmmaking project, consider joining us next week for two info sessions at ArtReach St. Croix on:
Monday 4/13, 2-4PM
Wednesday 4/15, 6-8PM
These info sessions are open house-style, and will provide a range of info and filmmaker support.
Poets, spoken word artists, writers are warmly welcomed to attend. We can talk through and strategize how to blend your work with the St. Croix River drone footage (available free for project participants) to make a film.
More info at https://www.squarelakefestival.com/st-croix-river-tales/

04/09/2026

Square Lake Film & Music is hiring a project manager.
View our job posting on Indeed:
https://www.indeed.com/job/project-manager-square-lake-film-music-5d670fc73bc147c0
2025 & 2026 have been huge growth years for our small but mighty non-profit arts group and there are no signs of slowing down in 2027.
We're looking for a project manager who can complement our working board as we meet the moment and exciting events ahead (more good stuff to be announced in mid-May).
If you, or someone in your network believes in the social impact of filmmaking and organizing film events then this job might be a good fit.

03/25/2026

Hey filmmakers & animators-
The Square Lake Film & Music Festival, in partnership with St. Croix 360, The Pietro Hanka DiLorenzo St Croix River Conservancy Fund, Hamline University) would like to invite you to create and submit a film to St. Croix River Tales:
https://www.squarelakefestival.com/st-croix-river-tales/
This "Open Call" for films about the St. Croix River Valley is a great way to showcase your talent, help protect this scenic river way AND compete to win a cash prize!
$1000 1st place
$500 2nd place
$250 3rd place
$350 Emerging Filmmaker award
We accept films in any genre, and participants can access high quality drone footage of the upper St. Croix for use in your film.
All registration and participation info is on our website.
Step 1 is registering for the project.
Submission deadline is 8/1/26 with numerous potential screening opportunities this fall for completed films.
Tell your St. Croix River tale!

03/10/2026

Huge THANK YOU to everyone who came out for the 2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts screenings at The Grand. What a blast! The Grand was very cinematic. Our audience voted for “A Friend Of Dorothy” for The Live Action category and “Butterfly” for the Animated category. After the Academy Awards on 3/15, we’ll let you know how your votes compare to The Academy’s votes! Couple things: Mark your calendars for Stillwater Film Festival 9/24-27, 2026 and spread the word for St Croix River Tales. ❤️🎥🎉🔥🎬✨🎞️

03/07/2026

ArtReach St. Croix is seeking submissions from artists interested in exhibiting their work in ArtReach’s gallery. The exhibitions typically feature 3-5 artists. Artists living and/or working in the Lower St. Croix Valley in Minnesota and Wisconsin are especially encouraged to submit applications. Applications due May 19th at 4pm.

Full call and more information can be found through our linktree in our bio.

03/07/2026

Today! Online ticket sales are ending at noon, but you can buy them at the door! $15 per screening or $25 for both.

02/26/2026

Come on out to Stillwater on March 7th and join the Square Lake Film & Music Festival for a screening of the 2026 Oscar Nominated Animated and Live Action Shorts Programs at The Grand (one block off main street downtown at 301 2nd Street South).

Proposed Schedule:
Live Action Program 3-5PM (doors at 2:30)
Dinner downtown Stillwater (5-7PM)
Animated Shorts Program 7-9 (doors at 6:30)
Cash bar available during all showings
Spend the night at Hotel LORA.

We'll view the films and then vote at the end of each program. Then, on 3/15 we'll find out if we picked the same films as the 10,000 members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts & Sciences!

Ticket and all event info at https://www.squarelakefestival.com/2026oscarshorts/
Tickets are only $10 per program, and if you buy tickets for both programs at once you get a 10% discount!

STILLWATER DISCOUNTS:
-We're also working with our good buddies at Howard's Bar (100' from the theatre) and if you present a coupon we provide you at the screening, you can get 10% off of your order.
-Lora is offering 20% off any rooms for Oscar Program attendees with the code "LOCAL"

02/23/2026

Thanks for joining us at EARTH & LIGHT this weekend.
Enjoy this 50 sec film about the show!

This short film shares some images and energy from our very first EARTH & LIGHT event on 2/21/26.This show was made during difficult times in Minnesota, and ...

02/20/2026

Join us at EARTH & LIGHT tomorrow 2/21 from 4-8PM at the Marine Village Hall (free) featuring pottery by & and regional/national/international short film & animation curated by Paul Creager from the Square Lake Festival. In addition to regionally-made shorts from the SqLk Festival, we’re also really honored to include work from multidisciplinary artist , UK-based animator , filmmaker Gordon Moore and Summer Hills-Bonczyk. This event is open house-style with a looping 60-min film program.
We’ll also have info about St Croix River Tales, an “Open Call”
for artists of all levels to make a film in 2026 about the St Croix River Valley Poster by Moddox Feiner

02/10/2026

Please join us for Earth & Light on 2/21, 4-8PM (free, open house style event) at the Marine Village Hall. Ceramic artists Alana Cuellar & Nick Earl will be displaying and selling their work. We’ll also be screening a program of short film & animation by regional and international artists curated by the Square Lake Festival including footage of the pottery in the program being made.

11/12/2025