‘Events’ Features

Sauk Prairie’s Bald Eagle Watching Days are coming soon! Events will be held on Friday Evening, January 13 & all day Saturday, January 14 throughout Sauk City & Prairie du Sac, WI.  For more information just check out the Ferry Bluff Eagle Council’s list of events. Click here.

If you’re the type that happily avoids Black Friday and Cyber Monday in search of more unique and meaningful gift ideas, we’ve got some great local shopping ideas for you.  Coming up this Friday & Saturday you may want to check out Goat Crossing Studio’s Open Studio event.  Goat Crossing Studio features the work of local artist Jean Stephany and is located just outside of Baraboo on County Road W.  Her studio will be open from 3pm to 7pm on Friday & 10am to 4pm  on Sunday.  Jean has unique and one-of-a-kind gift ideas for all budgets. For more details visit www.goatcrossingstudio.com or check out the Goat Crossing Facebook page.

The International Crane Foundation’s gift shop will be open for holiday shopping December 1-3rd for their “Shop for a Cause” event.  You’ll find a variety of gifts for crane enthusiasts and nature lovers including; jewelry, clothing, gifts, stationery, art and books. Look for products designated as eco-friendly, fair trade and made by ICF partners around the globe working where people and cranes live together.  This is a great opportunity to find unique gift ideas, and support ICF at the same time.  For more information click here.

Glass Display At The Very Merry Holiday Fair

On Friday, December 9th & Saturday Dec. 10th visit the Very Merry Holiday Fair in Baraboo.  The Very Merry Holiday Fair brings together 45 of the area’s finest artists for this unique holiday show.  Friday from 5pm to 8pm join the Very Merry Artists for the opening Gala and of course, shopping!  A 5$ donation is required for the Gala evening.  There will be free admission on Saturday from 9am to 4pm.  This is one of our favorite local holiday shopping events!  For more information visit www.theverymerryholidayfair.com

Of course, in the meantime we encourage you to visit our local Downtown Baraboo shops. Each year we’re surprised by some of the unique gifts on offer at our local shops and galleries.

Oh, and lastly let me invite you to visit our own Skillet Creek online shop for some unique gifts for the outdoorsy type in your family.  We are still offering Devil’s Lake Centennial logo gear until December 15th.  We’ve also released our Great Big 2012 Devil’s Lake State Park Calendar featuring some wonderful shots of the park.  Also be sure to check out our Hike! Paddle! & “Ski!” park sign products while you’re there.   Click here to visit our online shop!

Happy Holidays!  And thank you for supporting our community!

Downtown Baraboo’s annual Christmas Light Parade will begin at 6pm, next Saturday, November 19th (2011), on the square here in Baraboo.  The annual event draws thousands of families from around the area to take in the lighted floats and holiday music that kick off the Christmas season in Downtown Baraboo.  In addition to the lighted floats and school bands, the parade features a variety of animals, big balloons, clowns and more.  The event concludes with Santa Clause taking a precarious ride in a firetruck’s aerial bucket to the top the Al. Ringling Theater marquee to light the Christmas tree, an interesting endeavor to say the least!  Come early to stake out a good spot along the parade route! For more information visit www.downtownbaraboo.com.  Also check out our 7 Last Minute Tips link below.

USEFUL PLANNING INFORMATION

• Read our 7 Last Minute Tips for the Light Parade!

SKILLET CREEK Photos

• 2010 Christmas Light Parade Gallery
• Archive of 2003 to 2008 Baraboo Holiday Parade Photos

While you’re out and about enjoying the various Halloween festivals and candlelight hikes this weekend, don’t over look the “Trick or Treat With The Big Cats” event  this Sunday, October 30th at the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue in North Freedom.  Here’s what they have to say: “There will be no entry fee. (Donations Are Appreciated) there will be LOTS OF CANDY to be handed out. It will be like going to 25 different houses. There will be halloween decorations, spooky music, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, and come and meet our new African Serval: Kierra! Hope to see everyone there, IF YOU DARE!!!” Trick or Treat With The Big Cats will run from 1pm to 6 pm.  There is a Google map available on their  website.  While there, please consider making a donation.. Rescuing these big guys and caring for them is an expensive calling!

This Saturday from 6 pm to 9pm the Friends of Devil’s Lake State Park will be hosting their annual Halloween Candlelight Hike on the north shore of  Devil’s Lake State Park.  In addition to providing a big bonfire, the Friend’s group will also be selling chili, cocoa, cider and desserts at the Rock Elm shelter which is right near the main north shore parking area.  The candlelight hike itself is a short, easy trek which is always fun for the whole family.  Read the rest of this entry »

What a perfect Saturday we had for the annual fall Fair on the Square here in Baraboo! Every year we write about all the great things to do and see at the downtown Baraboo event; The live music, the arts and crafts vendors, the games and kids activities.. Yes, and even the belly dancing!  In the end though we all know our favorite part of the Fair on the Square really is don’t we!?  It’s the food!   Of course, I don’t need to see another deep-fried cheese curd for at least another year!    We’ve posted a few more pictures from this year’s event over on our Flickr Fall Fair on the Square Gallery, click here.

Wisconsin’s own Driftless Film Festival, kicks off October 6th in Mineral Point and continues through the 9th at a variety of Wisconsin venues including; The Al Ringling theatre in Baraboo, The Gard Theatre in Spring Green, Richland Center & Plattville.  The festival features a wide variety of international films focusing on unique independent productions from around the world.  There’s a film for every taste from unique documentaries such as “Wrestling for Jesus” which follows a rural South Carolina man who starts a Christian professional wrestling league, to films perfect for the Halloween season such as ”A Cadaver Christmas“.  We should mention that the Driftless Film Festival also provides another opportunity to see the film Green Fire about legendary environmentalist Aldo Leopold.  For a full list of titles and descriptions, click here.

For more information visit www.driftlessfilmfestival.org

Two local Labor Day weekend events offer you the chance to throw stuff!  First, right here in Baraboo, the Spirit Lake Mountain men will be holding their annual Baraboo River Rendezvous. The annual Rendezvous will begin this Friday, Sept. 2 and run through Sunday, Sept. 4th. from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  The event is a living history reenactment of the  pre-1840s fur trade era put on by the Spirit Lake Mountain Men. Events will include kids games & candy cannon, hawk & knife throws, pie baking contest, flint fire starting, trap toss, fry pan throw (women only), fishing on the river, blanket bow shoot and more. Period food is available on site.  Admission for adults is just $1. Children ages 5 and under are free.  Oh, and by the way, pets are not allowed at the event.  You can visit the Spirit Lake Mountain Men’s Website for schedule of events and printable flier.

Meanwhile in Sauk Prairie the annual Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw and Festival will be running Saturday and Sunday at Marion Park. This is a busy event. Nearly 40,000 people attend the Cow Chip Throw each year. In additon to the chance to toss some chips the event also offers two stages of free entertainment, arts and crafts fair, 5K & 10K Run and more!  For more information or to plan your visit head over to WisCowChip.com.

The annual Badger Steam and Gas Show kicks off today and runs through the weekend at it’s 148 acre site between Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells.  The 48th annual show includes antique vehicles of all sorts, demonstrations, food, live entertainment, a flee market and more.  This is a great family event!   Click here for more information & Click here for our photo gallery from last year’s event.

If you are into antiques and hot cars, you may also want to check out the annual Spring Green car show.  The 2011 Spring Green Car Show will be held on August 20th, in Downtown Spring Green, WI from 8 am to 4 pm.  The event features 30 classes, 95 awarded trophies, dash plaques to the first 250 entries, door prizes through out the day, cash prize for the best club participation and more. For more information just click here.

Have a great weekend!

All the elements of a great day were in place; Great weather, food, crafts, sales, a car show, water fights and more. Still, Downtown Baraboo’s 2011 Old Fashioned Day Festival was noticeably quieter than in past years. For awhile dark storm clouds appeared in the north and threatened to drench event goers for a time before slipping off to the east.  Talking to local merchants as to why numbers were down provided a variety of answers, but most were centered on the weak economy.  Probably so.  On the other hand, you certainly could spend the afternoon on the square taking in the atmosphere and entertainment while never spending a penny.  Did you attend the event?  What are your thoughts?  We’ve posted a photo gallery on our Flickr.