Hello members, local residents and friends,

We have been experiencing a quickly decreasing number of visitors to our Depot over the last few weeks. While we will miss visiting with those interested in our community, we are also utilizing the additional uninterrupted time to work on our 2024 visitor guide and other marketing campaigns for the upcoming year. We have had over 7,500 people come through our doors this year - with more expected to visit through the holiday season.

We are working with the Chamber board of directors to plan for our annual meeting in January, setting goals for 2024 and reviewing our budget and marketing plans. Members should mark their calendars for an in-person annual meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m. at Cedar Valley Resort in Whalan. The snow date (as one must set when holding meetings in Minnesota) will be the following Tuesday, the same time and place.

An election of board members will be held during the business meeting and four directors will be elected to three-year terms. If any member, or an employee of a member business, is interested in running for a seat, please contact our office. You can also fill out a form, expressing your interest, by Clicking Here.

I am really looking forward to spending the holiday season in Lanesboro and experiencing another level of excitement in our community. As we enjoy our Halloween festivities, I am looking forward to the season of Thanksgiving and the magical time of Christmas that will soon follow.

Thank you to everyone who has stopped into the depot this year and to all the members and local business owners who make our community such a popular destination. We have many great stories to share about Lanesboro and Whalan, but we also appreciate hearing new tales of adventures and experiences in and around our region.

As always, I hope you have a wonderful day,
Melissa

Lanesboro in the News

Movie filmed in Lanesboro premiers at the St. Mane Theatre to sold-out crowd

Nearly two years prior to its premier in Lanesboro, primary photography and filming began on the independent movie "Voice of Shadows." It was filmed in part in Peterson at the Geneva Apartments, and then primarily at the James A. Thompson house in Lanesboro. Four weeks of shooting, day and night, followed, practical special effects were built, lighting was rigged and adventure ensued. Starring Peruvian Heartthrob Guillermo Blanco, Maria Jose (Majo) Vargas Agudelo and Corrine Mica, "Voice of Shadows" follows the story of a working class immigrant trying to prevent his tragic past from repeating itself when his girlfriend, Emma (Mica) inherits a house from her great aunt, Milda. While living there with Emma and his sister, Celeste (Vargas), it soon becomes clear with strange and supernatural occurrences that someone, or something doesn’t not want Gabriel in the house.

The movie, which premiered to a sold-out audience last Friday at the St. Mane theater, is a rip-roaring good time. It thrills as it twists through Catholic doctrine, occult practices and family history. Themes of generational trauma, systematic racism and class struggles weave through a story where every scene matters. Cameo appearances from Bee Vang (Gran Torino) Martin Harris (The Marvelous Mrs. Masiel, Amsterdam), and John Micheal Levin (Frogman, Star Wars: Crimson Empire) round out the cast as characters who may be more than just a lawyer or priest.  

Everyone in the movie is bringing their best, but Minneapolis-based actor Jane Hamill really shines as Great Aunt Mida. Hamill deftly balances the role of a sweet old auntie and the sinister forces boiling beneath the surface. It’s a stand-out performance from a veteran that shows how truly scary a smile can be.

While listed as a horror movie, that’s not exactly right. “It’s more of a psychological thriller with some scares,” said writer and director Nick Bain in a 2022 Fillmore County Journal interview. He said it was “a story about cults, faith and trying to get ahead from a working class position.” That is true, but it’s a truly compelling story about love and the love of family, finding your own family and place in the world.

Click here for More Information About "Lanesboro Chamber Of Commerce Depot Delivery - October 26, 2023"