WINONA, MN–Sandbar Storytelling Festival, in partnership with the Winona County
Historical Society, invites the public to the first event in the four-part Business &
Immigrant Stories on Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. in the WCHS Wanek Room.
Each summer Sandbar Storytelling Festival partners with the Winona County Historical
Society and Project FINE to present a four-part series highlighting the people that built the
businesses that built our town. This series celebrates Winona’s legacy businesses and the
people that built them, giving attendees opportunity for to learn more about how iconic
and beloved Winona institutions came to be.

In 2026, SSF is featuring Blooming Grounds,
Merchants Bank, Bluff Country Co-op, and Immigrant Stories with Project Fine.
The series kicks off on Thursday, June 4 at 7:00 p.m. with Amy Jo Marks, founder of
Blooming Grounds Coffee House and Muddled Thyme Restaurant. Blooming Grounds
Coffee House is located in the heart of downtown Winona, MN and was established in
2003 with its doors opening on Labor Day. After getting a degree in Criminal Justice,
owner Amy Jo decided to follow her passion for baking and working in customer service by
opening a coffee house, and mixed a cozy atmosphere with homemade baked goods. Over
the years, Amy Jo has navigated her business through a fire and pandemic, and expanded
her businesses to include Blooming Grounds Express and Muddled Thyme restaurant.

All Business & Immigrant Stories events are free and open to the public. There is limited
seating, but no reservations are required. Stories begin at 7:00 p.m., with a reception and
refreshments following the story. Upcoming events include: Merchants Bank on July 16,
Bluff Country Co-op on August 13, and Project Fine on September 15.
Sandbar Storytelling Festival presents storytelling performances which celebrate and
preserve the power and pleasure of our varied cultural traditions and human experiences
and to promote the art of storytelling for all ages. The 2026 festival will be held October
7-11. Sandbar Storytelling Festival operates with support from: Winona Community

Foundation, Elizabeth Callender King Foundation, Southern Minnesota Arts Council, and is
made possible by funding through the Minnesota Clean Water, Land, and Legacy
Amendment.
For questions, contact Emily Kurash Casey, SSF Managing Director at
sandbarwinona@gmail.com.