Beginner-friendly handbell workshop comes to Ishpeming

ISHPEMING, Mich. (WLUC) – If you love the jingling sound of a handbell but are afraid to start learning, a golden opportunity is coming your way.

For several years now, UP handbell enthusiasts have been meeting once a year to hone their skills. Lucas Wickstrom, organizer and host of Superior Handbells, said this is a time to have fun and refine your handbell techniques, although you don’t have to have any experience or bells to participate.

“Anyone who wants to call can come,” Wickstrom said. “We are not an exclusive group. We like to share handbells with everyone. We often say: ‘If the doorbell rings, we don’t want to be right.’”

The workshop is on Saturday from 10am to 3pm at Bethel Lutheran Church in Ishpeming.

“Anyone who’s ever seen handbells, it’s really fun to watch, but it’s even more fun to be in the group,” Wickstrom said. “It’s similar to synchronized swimming because everyone moves at the right time, and it’s very visual.”

It costs $20 to participate. That includes lunch.