Drop-In Writers Lounge – November 24
In honor of National Novel-Writing Month, we're hosting a Drop-In Writers Lounge every week in November: a multi-hour block to work quietly while enjoying the fellowship of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
We'll meet on two Sunday afternoons and two Tuesday evenings in November, and we'll conclude a month of good writing with a special event on Tuesday, November 26: a writerly pep talk from special guest Mitali Perkins!
Going forward, we'll continue to offer one Writers Lounge a month, though the time and day will alternate between Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Drop-In Writers Lounge – November 26
In honor of National Novel-Writing Month, we're hosting a Drop-In Writers Lounge every week in November: a multi-hour block to work quietly while enjoying the fellowship of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
On November 26, we'll conclude our month of good writing with a special pre-event: a writerly pep talk from special guest Mitali Perkins! The pre-event is free to BTS members and $10 for non-members. Non-members may also choose to skip the pre-event and simply attend the Writers Lounge (for no fee, as always).
Going forward, we'll continue to offer one Writers Lounge a month, though the time and day will alternate between Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Drop-In Writers Lounge – December
Each month, we offer a block of time for writers to gather via Zoom and have a chance to work quietly while enjoying the fellowship of other writers.
This event is free and open to all. Pre-registration is required. Once you've registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer@betsy-tacysociety.org) to get the Zoom link.
From Fact to Fiction: Writing in Maud’s Mankato
One of the delights of Maud Hart Lovelace’s Deep Valley books is that they deftly and imaginatively depict common human experiences: being part of a family, making friends, attending school, going downtown, vacationing. A second delight—as co-equal as a best friend—is the love of the place the author lived in and described, from its hills and sloughs to its theaters and ice cream shops to its people: good-hearted even when they are wrong-headed.
In this online workshop, we’ll spend two hours both looking at photographs of places in Maud’s Mankato as they are today and writing about places and events in our own lives. We’ll practice the gift of seeing that Lovelace had in such abundance, as well as connecting our hearts—as she did--to what we have seen, and getting that transformed reality onto the page. Expect to plumb your own memories of people, places, and events, as well as to respond to photos you see of Deep Valley today. We’ll be thinking about how a place shapes the life lived there.
There will be a break at the end of the first hour and an optional 30-minute period starting at 8:30 for sharing the evening’s writing.
Open to all, best for teens and adults. $15 for BTS members, $25 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, email Jennifer D-K for the Zoom link (Jennifer@betsy-tacysociety.org).
About the instructor: J. Anderson taught writing at the College of St. Catherine, The Loft, and St. Louis Park Schools and currently leads writing and creativity workshops for Mankato Area Public Schools. She recently moved to St. Peter—up the road from Mankato—and writes the “Smaller” column for the St. Peter Herald. She worked in event planning and community relations for Barnes & Noble for over a decade but, since moving to Maud’s Mankato, is enjoying the Betsy-Tacy books for the first time. She serves on the advisory council of the Betsy-Tacy Society.
Carney's House Party Book Discussion, Part 2
Join us for a closer look at Carney’s House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace, Part 2! This 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $15 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – November 12
In honor of National Novel-Writing Month, we're hosting a Drop-In Writers Lounge every week in November: a multi-hour block to work quietly while enjoying the fellowship of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
We'll meet on two Sunday afternoons and two Tuesday evenings in November, and we'll conclude a month of good writing with a special event on Tuesday, November 26: a writerly pep talk from special guest Mitali Perkins!
Going forward, we'll continue to offer one Writers Lounge a month, though the time and day will alternate between Sunday afternoons and Wednesday evenings.
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Drop-In Writers Lounge – November 3
In honor of National Novel-Writing Month, we're hosting a Drop-In Writers Lounge every week in November: a multi-hour block to work quietly while enjoying the fellowship of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
We'll meet on two Sunday afternoons and two Tuesday evenings in November, and we'll conclude a month of good writing with a special event on Tuesday, November 26: a writerly pep talk from special guest Mitali Perkins!
Going forward, we'll continue to offer one Writers Lounge a month, though the time and day will alternate between Sunday afternoons and Tuesday evenings.
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Halloween Games Party, via Zoom!
On Saturday, October 26, 6:30–8:30 p.m., please join us for a rollicking evening of Halloween-themed activities. In addition to several fun games based on our beloved books, Shelley will teach us all how to snap an apple, volunteer thespians will perform “Carney’s Halloween Party” readers theater style, and we will engage in a favorite parlor game from Heaven to Betsy: consulting a vintage Ouija Board (which could be especially exciting, considering the setting: your hosts will actually be inside Betsy's House!).
Best for adults and teens who are familiar with the books. Hosted by Jennifer Davis-Kay, Shelley Harris, and Barb Fecteau. Pre-registration is required. This is a small fundraiser for the Betsy-Tacy Society, and the cost is $10 for BTS members and $20 for non-members (so join now and get the discount!). Come play with us!
Halloween Party at the Betsy-Tacy Houses
Join us for food, games, story time, and tours of the historic Betsy–Tacy Houses
Wear your Halloween costume!
All participants are eligible to win one of six vintage Madame Alexander dolls!
Cost:
• Betsy-Tacy Society members (even if you join that day!): $5
• Seniors (ages 62+): $13
• Adults (ages 20–61): $15
• Teens (ages 13–19): $13
• Youth (ages 6–12): $10
• Children under 5: Free
Sign up for one of three time blocks: 1–2, 2–3, or 3–4.
Space is limited – purchase tickets for your one-hour block here.
• Tours at 1, 2, and 3 (starting at Betsy's House)
• Doll drawing at 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30 (Betsy’s House)
• Story time at 1:40, 2:40, and 3:40 (Betsy’s House)
• Shop is open 1–4 (Tacy’s House)
Carney's House Party Book Discussion, Part 1
Join us for a deeper look at Carney’s House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace, Part 1. The 90-minute discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – October
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Heaven to Betsy Book Discussion – International Edition!
Join us for a closer look at Heaven to Betsy. In an effort to be make our book discussions more accessible for our outside–the-U.S. members and friends, this 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 11 a.m. Deep Valley time. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $15 for non-members. Pre-registration is required.
Note: Please register at least 24 hours before the event. If you register the day of the event, we may not see your order in time.
Once you've registered, please email "Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org" for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – September
NOTE NEW DATE!!
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Betsy and Joe Book Discussion – Part 2
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace – Part 2. The 90-minute discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, September 15. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Betsy and Joe Book Discussion
NOTE NEW DATE!
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy and Joe by Maud Hart Lovelace – Part 1. The 90-minute discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, August 25. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Betsy-Tacy Trivia Night
Please join us on Saturday, August 24, starting at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time, for two rollicking hours of game play – all to benefit the Betsy-Tacy Society. You can sign up as a Player or an Observer – but please note: You can't change your mind once you get there.
Pre-registration is required. Once you've registered, please email Events Coordinator Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org), which she'll send about a week before the event.
As always, there's a price break for BTS members – so why not join (or re-up your membership) and save $5?
We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for supporting the BTS!
Drop-In Writers Lounge – August
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Betsy Was a Junior Book Discussion, Part 2
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace – Part 2. The 90-minute discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, July 21. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – July
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
“Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown” Book Discussion – International Edition!
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Hart Lovelace, held at a special time for our outside-the-U.S. members and friends. The 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 11 a.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, June 30.
Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free to Betsy-Tacy Society members, $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is required.
Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
“Making Fact Fancy” writing workshop
NOTE NEW DATE!
We often think of writers as people with great imagination, and they are. But a writer’s imagination is fueled by observation: writers pay close attention to the people and things around them. In this one-day workshop for young writers ages 10–15, we’ll read excerpts from the books of Maud Hart Lovelace – who wrote about her school years in Mankato – to learn how a writer turns ordinary events into interesting stories. We’ll visit some of the places Lovelace wrote about, starting with what is now the Carnegie Art Center, traveling to Lincoln Park, and ending at “Betsy’s House,” the author’s childhood home. Along the way, we'll practice seeing, remembering, and describing on the page what we experience. Notebooks will be provided. Students should be prepared to walk at an easy pace for up to 15 minutes at a time, for a total of 20 minutes of walking.
Register for the class here.
Pre-registration by June 28 is required!
This class is co-sponsored by the Carnegie Art Center and the Betsy-Tacy Society and is free – including a tour of the historic Betsy House – to registered students. Students will be accompanied by members of the Greater Mankato Biking Walking Advocacy Group between sites.
Writing instructor J. Anderson is the author of the “Smaller” column in the St. Peter Herald. She has taught writing to young people in the St. Louis Park School District and The Loft and to older students at St. Catherine University. She is on the Advisory Council for the Betsy-Tacy Society.
Betsy Was a Junior Book Discussion, Part 1
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy Was a Junior by Maud Hart Lovelace – Part 1. The 90-minute discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, June 16. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free for BTS members; $10 for non-members. Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – June
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Betsy in Spite of Herself Book Discussion, Part 2
NOTE NEW DATE! Join us for a deeper look at Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hart Lovelace – Part 2. The 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, May 26. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free to Betsy-Tacy Society members, $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – May
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Betsy-Tacy Trivia Night: A Fundraiser for the BTS
Please join us on Saturday, April 27, starting at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time, for two rollicking hours of game play – all to benefit the Betsy-Tacy Society. You can sign up as a Player or an Observer – but please note: You can't change your mind once you get there.
Pre-registration is required. Once you've registered, please email Events Coordinator Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org), which she'll send about a week before the event.
As always, there's a price break for BTS members – so why not join (or re-up your membership) and save $5?
We look forward to seeing you there. Thank you for supporting the BTS!
Maud's Birthday Party
Join us on April 27 for a celebration of Maud Hart Lovelace’s April 25th birthday (just two days late). So many fun things are planned:
Yummy refreshments
All sorts of crafts and coloring projects
Old-fashioned games
Story time
There may even be a chance to get your picture taken with a real-life Betsy, Tacy, and Tib!
And, of course, you’ll want to check out all the new items in our gift shop.
This is an open house – no official tours will be offered. Our regular Saturday tours resume on Saturday, May 4. Tours are offered every 45 minutes between 1 and 3 p.m. You may also request a private tour during the week. Please visit our Tours page for more information.
Note: Saturday tours are free for BTS members – which makes this is a perfect time to become a member!
BETSY IN SPITE OF HERSELF, PART 1 Book Discussion
Join us for a deeper look at Betsy in Spite of Herself by Maud Hart Lovelace, Part 1. The 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, April 14. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free to Betsy-Tacy Society members, $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
Drop-In Writers Lounge
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Maud Hixson and the Rick Carlson Trio
BTS Fundraiser! Glorious chanteuse Maud Hixson will perform classic jazz and swing at the WOW! Zone in Mankato, accompanied by the Rick Carlson Trio.
Dinner: 5–9 p.m.
Music: 7–9 p.m.
Admission is $25, and all program proceeds benefit the Betsy-Tacy Society, Mankato Area Lifelong Learners, and Greater Mankato Rotary.
For tickets:
Call: (507) 381-4279
Email: Pam@WowZonefec.com
See the official event flyer here.
A Morning with Betsy, Tacy, and Tib!
Join us at the Children’s Museum of Southern Minnesota for a Betsy-Tacy birthday party! We have so many fun activities planned:
Hearing the story of how Betsy and Tacy became friends at Betsy’s fifth birthday party
Making birthday cards
Playing indoor yard games
Play-acting Betsy’s birthday party, using the museum’s special birthday-cake set
In addition, our own Betsy, Tacy, and Tib will be on hand to play games with the visitors and post for photos! We hope to see you at this very special Betsy-Tacy event.
Drop-In Writers Lounge – March
Join us for two hours of working quietly in the company of other writers. Participants have noted how much they enjoy this dedicated writing time and how surprisingly productive they are!
This event is free and open to all. Drop in any time!
Note: Pre-registration is required. Once you’ve registered, please email Jennifer for the Zoom link (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org).
Heaven to Betsy, Part 2 – Book Discussion
Join us for a deeper look at Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace (continuing our discussion from February). The 90-minute Zoom event begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, March 17. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free to Betsy-Tacy Society members, $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required.
Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.
HEAVEN TO BETSY Book Discussion
Join us for a deeper look at Heaven to Betsy by Maud Hart Lovelace. The 90-minute Zoom discussion begins at 6 p.m. Deep Valley time on Sunday, February 18. Open to all, though best for ages 12 and up. Free to Betsy-Tacy Society members, $10 for non-members.
Pre-registration is required. Once you have registered, please email Jennifer (Jennifer <at> betsy-tacysociety.org) for the Zoom link and discussion questions.