Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival
August 14-17, 2025
Lake Country Fairgrounds
1381 Fairgrounds Road, Two Harbors, MN
(Still inside the Silver Creek Township)
Last chance to register online is 08/01/2025
The Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival (SCIUC) was founded in 2011 as a way to bring together ukulele players for fun and education. The Two Harbors Ukulele Group hosts this annual Carnival. It really is a labor of love from a whole lot of volunteers (who put in a lot of hours), most of whom are ukulele players. This is a weekend designed to give you plenty of opportunity to spend time playing your ukulele and develop friendships with people from all over the world.
Admission to the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival is free!
As always, admission for the Carnival is free. The only costs involved may be for SCIUC T-shirts, caps, the Saturday evening catered dinner, or camping or lodging expenses.
We have never charged an admission price to the Carnival since it was started in 2011. The Carnival is funded by the money donated to the Two Harbors Ukulele Group when they perform, from sponsors and grants, and from donations made by people who freely contribute to help make this annual event continue year after year.
The team of Terrie McNamara and Jaye Carroll are back again this year!
Terrie and Jaye are bringing some more of their ukulele-themed pottery again this year. They are also bringing some ukulele-themed stained glass this year! This is truly a labor of love! They will be offering their beautiful pottery and stained glass items for sale again this year. They generously have donated the proceedings each year to help fund the Carnival! It’s this kind of generosity that enables us to keep the admission free. Thank you Terrie and Jaye for your gift to all of us again this year!
Ukulele Gear For Sale at This Year’s Carnival!
This year Ukester Brown and his support staff will be organizing an area where you can sell your ukulele gear, or buy someone else’s gear. So if you have some extra ukuleles or related musical items you want to sell, please bring them with to this year’s Carnival!
We offer workshops, open mic, beginner lessons, mini concerts, and practices for our Mass Ukulele Group (M.U.G.) music, which will be featured in the free Saturday afternoon concert that is open to the general public. This year we have a few more concerts scheduled by some really talented musicians.
The Carnival provides opportunities to build friendships with fellow ukulele players from all over the world. There is something about singing and playing together that opens the heart. Take advantage of this by meeting others, sharing music around the camp fire or open mic, or your own small group.
The Carnival brings together some of the friendliest folks who come back year after year. There is something magic about 200 folks playing and singing together! Be inspired by others who play at a higher skill level. Exposing yourself to different playing styles is really a lot of fun!
At the 2023 & 2024 Carnival, ukulele educator Chris Russell taught a series of progressive beginner classes so you can get a jump start and get immersed in the ukulele. In 2024 Chris added two intermediate classes to help take you to the next level, and get your specific questions answered. Chris does such an outstanding job of teaching that we are bringing him back again for 2025!
I heard one of Chris’ Carnival students remark that he was the best teacher they have ever seen! If you want to get started playing the ukulele or take your beginner level playing to the next level, I would highly encourage you to take some classes with Chris at this year’s Carnival!
In 2022, we outgrew the Silver Creek Music Pavilion facility and in 2023 we moved the Carnival to the Lake County Fairgrounds, which is still located in the Silver Creek township (so we didn’t have to change the name!).
The 2025 Carnival Features:
Ukester Brown
Ukester Brown (aka David Remiger) got his first ‘ukulele when he was about twelve years old and while he learned a few chords at that time he started playing it more intentionally about 30 years later when he dusted off his uke and hasn’t looked back.
His YouTube channel has over 3400 subscribers and over 350 videos with many of his videos having tutorials. His website (ukesterbrown.com) is a collection of everything ‘ukulele. The song sheets he creates mainly focus on music from the 1920’s though the 50’s and he loves to include introductions and verses that seem to have been lost.
“I feel blessed to have been able to teach and perform at quite a few uke festivals and clubs in Minnesota and Wisconsin and as far as Winnipeg, Mannitoba, Memphis, TN, North Carolina and Florida.”
Ukester has been coming to every Carnival since the beginning. He has been instrumental in helping us grow the event and introducing us to ukulele friends from all over the country.
Ukester will perform in our Thursday evening concert, teach a workshop and a M.U.G. song on Saturday, perform in our Saturday afternoon concert, and lead the Sunday morning Gospel music jam.
Ukester’s Website: ukesterbrown.com
Ukester’s Facebook page
Ukester’s YouTube channel
Petey Mack
‘Petey Mack is a feller that loves the ukulele almost as much as he loves People!’
Pete has been a staple of the Silver Creek International Ukulele Carnival. He brings his southern charm and playfulness up north each year, adding greatly to our Carnival party atmosphere.
Pete has been live streaming on Facebook for quite a few years, attracting fans from all over the world. He has created a massive number of songs in his free downloadable song book, which he uses in his streaming so everyone can join in.
Pete has been leading strum sessions all over the world at ukulele festivals and has a tremendous number of friends because of his social media and traveling.
Pete has also been leading strum sessions at the Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob get togethers for quite a few years.
Pete’s approach to the ukulele follows his K.I.S.S. theory: keep it simple, and strum, meaning make every thing as simple as you can, and most importantly enjoy yourself. He tells all of his students that he only has one rule: Yah gotta have FUN!
Pete will perform in the Thursday evening concert, lead rehearsals and a live Facebook strum session on Friday afternoon, teach a M.U.G. song, lead a strum session, and play in the Saturday afternoon concert.
Pete’s Website: peteymack.weebly.com
Pete’s Facebook page
Pete’s YouTube channel
Victoria Vox
Victoria Vox is an award-winning, ukulele-toting, performing songwriter. With a passion for writing songs since she was 10 years old, she went on to graduate with a degree in Songwriting from the Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA). In 2003, she traded in her guitar for the ukulele as her main accompaniment and took the stage name Victoria Vox (Latin for voice). Her acoustic music style shifted to chanson tinged with jazz, which, over the years, has settled in nicely with her pop songwriting flair.
Over the years, she continued to evolve and reinvent her sound. She now performs mostly as a one-woman-band, incorporating a loop pedal and bass effect on her Low G ukulele.
Vox, who also plays the trumpet, is more known for her “mouth trumpet”; a Jazz-era vocal technique emulating the sound of a horn. This odd and quirky talent, nonetheless, landed her on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2009 where she was invited to blow her own horn.
Vox has performed across the U.S. (including Hawaii and Alaska), Western Europe, and Down Under (N.Z. and Australia). She also teaches workshops for ukulele and songwriting at festivals.
Victoria will be performing in our Thursday evening concert, teaching a workshop on Friday and Saturday, teaching a M.U.G. song, and will be in full concert on Saturday evening.
Victoria’s Website: victoriavox.com
Victoria’s Facebook page
Victoria’s YouTube channel
Devin Scott & Ally McNatt
Devin Scott is a dynamic ukulele performer and educator known for his energetic performances and inclusive musical style. Armed with a ukulele and a powerful voice, he engages audiences of all ages, performing a diverse repertoire ranging from old-time classics to contemporary pop hits.
Bassist and vocalist Ally McNatt, adds depth to their performances with bass lines and harmonies. Together, they create engaging musical experiences that resonate with audiences, blending their talents to produce a rich, enjoyable, and altogether fun sound.
“It’s just more fun when people are enjoying and participating, so I try to make sure that everyone has something they can sing and dance to.”
Soon after purchasing his first ukulele, Devin began to realize the joy it gave him and others, and he has made a goal to spread that joy to as many people as he can.
“It’s so amazing to watch an entire group of people enjoy something so much together.”
Traveling around the country, teaching workshops, leading jam sessions, and singing for audiences everywhere, Devin and Ally is “living the dream” and loving sharing his talents and the ukulele with as many as he can.
Devin and Ally will be performing in our Thursday evening concert, teaching a ukulele workshop, possible teaching a ukulele bass class or two, teaching a M.U.G. song, and will be performing a full concert on Friday evening.
Devin’s Website: devinscottukulele.com
Devin’s Facebook page
Devin’s YouTube channel
Chris Russell, Ph.D.
Christopher J. Russell, Ph.D. is a music educator with degrees from the University of Northwestern, St. Paul, The University of St. Thomas, and the University of Minnesota. He has twenty-nine years of teaching experience at the secondary and elementary levels.
Over the years, he has taught vocal music, music theory, music history, guitar, ukulele, and general music. As a performer, he has performed as an operatic tenor and tubist in many ensembles, and he has also served as a director for choirs, bands, musicals, and orchestras. In 2024, Dr. Russell was named Co-Director of the Bavarian Musikmeisters, and authentic German wind band based in the Twin Cities.
He is also passionate about the intersection of music education and technology and blogs about that topic at techinmusiced.com in addition to the ukulele work that he does at ukestuff.info, YouTube.com/ukestuff, and YouTube.com/ukeplayalongs. The ukeplayalongs channel has over 100,000 subscribers.
Dr. Russell also serves as a technical writer and educational consultant for Flight Ukuleles, and serves as a clinician for Peripole, one of the world’s best sources for materials and instruments for music educators.
Chris is teaching an intermediate checklist workshop in the main room, four progressive beginner ukulele classes, two intermediate classes on Friday and Saturday, and a M.U.G. song.
Chris’ Website: techinmusiced.com
Chris’ Facebook page
Chris’ UkeStuff YouTube channel
Chris’ ukeplayalongs YouTube channel
Steve Solkela
The Flying Finn from Palo MN!
Steve Solkela can often be seen playing Accordion on a skateboard, tandem bike, stilts, or traveling the country with his 21 piece ensemble called Steve’s “Overpopulated” One-Man Band!
He specializes in Minnesota Flavored Novelty Songs; sure to bring a laugh to your life. He’s all over YouTube and Facebook with his Music, Comedy, and Stunts.
Steve studied Music at Rowan University out in New Jersey where he starred in several Operas and left that campus permanently scarred with his wacky antics.
Steve will be performing in concert on Friday evening.
Steve’s Website: stevesolkela.com
Steve’s Facebook page
Steve’s YouTube channel
Mini-Concert
3 Spot
3-Spot is made up of Tobin Sabaski on guitar and ukulele, Steve Smith on bass, ukulele and vocals and Dale Moe on ukulele, banjo, harmonica and clarinet. We play a variety of music from pop to country to jazz. All three of us have played in bands over the years and currently are members of the Two Harbors Ukulele Group.
3 Spot will be performing in a mini-concert on Friday.
A Brief History of the Carnival
The Carnival was first held in 2011 in the Silver Creek Town Hall. In 2016 the Carnival was moved to the Silver Creek Music Pavilion building. In 2022 we decided to move to our current location at the Lake County Fairgrounds, giving us much more room and expanded camping facilities.
We used to host the gospel music as part of a Sunday church service at Gooseberry Falls State Park, but outgrew the building. We now host a Sunday morning Gospel Strum at the main Carnival facility.
