Gov. Mark Dayton will travel north to the land of Bob Dylan's roots this weekend and declare Dec. 10, 2016, in honor of the newly minted Nobel honoree.
Dayton will be in Hibbing on Saturday for what's to be Bob Dylan Day in Minnesota. That's the same day that the Nobel Prize in literature is bestowed on the legendary singer/songwriter. Organizers for both festivities have no reason to believe Dylan will be in attendance.
Dylan, 75, said last month that he would not attend the Nobel ceremonies in Stockholm, because of "preexisting commitments." However, he has prepared a speech that will be read on his behalf, the organization behind the awards said. The reader's identity has yet to be revealed.
More than 4,000 miles to the west on the Iron Range, the declaration by the governor for the one-day honor is scheduled to be made about 3 p.m. in the auditorium of Dylan's alma mater, Hibbing High School during a free public gathering.
"Bob Dylan was a true son of the Iron Range in his independence, his talent, and his ability to triumph over adversity," Dayton said Wednesday, noting that "My Back Pages" and "The Times They Are a-Changin' " are his favorite Dylan songs.
Dylan "spoke to a generation of young Americans, myself included, who were engaged in an unending war in Vietnam, the fight for civil rights, and rapid changes in our society," the 69-year-old governor added.
Craig Hattam, the event's organizer on behalf of the Hibbing Dylan Project and the Hibbing Arts Council said, "Bob Dylan's anthology is well known around the world, and we are pleased that the governor will be here — where it all began — to celebrate the day with us."
Following the proclamation, a reception is planned at the Androy Hotel downtown. Various local musicians are scheduled to perform Dylan songs and their own works. Tickets are $25 each and will be available at the door.
For more information, visit www.hibbing.org/events/details/the-hibbing-dylan-project-2129.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482
