Virgil is the middle-aged city clerk of Greenstone and the owner of the crumbling Empress Theater. Having survived a near-fatal car accident, he suffers from concussion symptoms and a loss of vocabulary, leaving him feeling disconnected from his previous life. He goes through physical and emotional recovery while running the theater, learning to rely on his community and embrace daily routines.

Rune is an older Norwegian man who travels to Greenstone to learn about the son he never knew he had. He is an avid kite maker, crafting whimsical flying objects out of unconventional items like couches and anvils. His arrival introduces a quiet, optimistic energy to the town, drawing out the locals to share their memories.

Nadine is an artist who creates custom neon signs, continuing the business she started with her missing husband. She is a steadfast single mother who has raised her son alone in Greenstone while turning away numerous suitors. She maintains a quiet strength and focuses intensely on her intricate glasswork.

Bjorn is an energetic, tall-for-his-age teenager who takes up dangerous hobbies like winter surfing. He grows up in the shadow of his father's disappearance, seeking connection and purpose in a declining town. He proves to be a natural at running the archaic movie projection equipment at the Empress Theater.

Adam is the wealthy son of Greenstone's founder and a former film producer. He possesses a charming yet sinister demeanor, and his returns to town are locally associated with bad luck and strife. He relies on his privilege, operating independently from the town's communal spirit while exploiting the vulnerabilities of struggling residents.

Alec is a former baseball star who transitioned to a quiet family life and a sign-making business in Greenstone. He vanished 18 years ago while flying his plane over Lake Superior, leaving behind a mystery that shapes the lives of his family. His enduring local legend represents the town's inability to let go of the past.

Shad is a local fisherman and military veteran who struggles with heavy drinking. He helps run his family's snowplowing and landscaping business. Despite his rough exterior, he enjoys the simple pleasures of nature and holds a deep-seated grudge against Adam Leer over property disputes.

Lily is the hardworking daughter of Shad Pea, largely responsible for managing the family's snowplowing and landscaping business. She is practical and deeply concerned about her family's financial stability, often taking on a parental role for her father and younger brother.

Galen is Lily's younger brother, a young boy consumed by local legends and the outdoors. He spends his days relentlessly hunting for a giant, elusive sturgeon. He views the natural world with reverence and determination, seeking answers to life's difficulties through his fishing quests.

Jerry is a local handyman and former mine blast technician who lost his career due to struggles with alcoholism. He is separated from his wife and desperate for work, leading him to accept a renovation job for Adam Leer. He wrestles with profound loneliness and a search for renewed purpose.

Ann is a city employee who works alongside Virgil and serves on the town's festival planning committee. She is separated from her husband Jerry but continues to have Sunday dinners with him. Her growing involvement with Adam Leer complicates her life and creates tension within the community.

Marcus is the practical and quick-thinking proprietor of a local salvage store. He is known in Greenstone as a heroic figure after pulling Virgil from Lake Superior, and he frequently supplies the townspeople with reclaimed hardware and electronics.

Tom is a local newspaper man who collects articles and information about the town's history. He is an eccentric fixture in Greenstone, easily recognized by his pet raccoon, Genghis, and his eagerness to document Rune's search for information about Alec.

Dr. Koskinen is Virgil's physician, tasked with monitoring his recovery from a brain injury. He is practical and deeply concerned about Virgil's isolation, urging him to find companionship to ensure his safety during the long healing process.

Lydia is Virgil's supervisor at Greenstone City Hall and a lifelong Bob Dylan fan. She heavily involves herself in organizing the town's annual festival and holds strong superstitious beliefs about the town's legacy of bad luck.

Don is the local sheriff of Greenstone, tasked with managing the town's unusual crime waves. He is overworked but dedicated to keeping the struggling community safe, tracking everything from rabies outbreaks to stolen fertilizer.

Lucy is Adam Leer's cousin and a recording artist who frequently visited Greenstone in her youth. She is perceptive and shares the town's general wariness regarding her cousin's character, forming a quick, warm bond with Rune over his kite designs.

Ellen is a teenage girl who returns to Greenstone seeking a fresh start after experiencing personal difficulties. She finds refuge and a sense of belonging among the community gathering at the theater, quickly folding into Bjorn and Nadine's social circle.

Orry is Virgil's sister, who stepped in to live with him for a year after their parents died in a train derailment. She lives far away but worries about her brother's solitary lifestyle, helping him locate legal assistance for his theater's hidden movie cache.

Genghis is Tom Beeman's pet raccoon. He accompanies Tom around Greenstone and occasionally causes mild trouble, contributing to the town's eccentric atmosphere.

The sturgeon is a legendary, massive fish that inhabits the waters around Greenstone. Galen Pea relentlessly hunts the fish, believing it holds a mythological connection to his father's fate.