Posts Tagged ‘Downtown Baraboo’

The annual spring Fair on the Square in Downtown Baraboo over the weekend was met with a mix of heavy clouds, cold winds and light rain, but as they say, “The show must go on!”.  It’s fair to say a good number of people attend the show despite the weather, but not in the high numbers we could expect if the sun had been out.  Still, I’m sure you’ll see it in print somewhere, “A fun time was had by all”, and that’s true enough.  If you’re the sort of folks (Like us!) that don’t mind a bit of raw weather, the live music, stage shows, food and shopping did make for a fun day. I’ve posted a few more pictures from Saturday’s event in our Flickr Gallery.

We want you to have a good time at tonight’s downtown Baraboo Holiday Light Parade.  With a few years under our belts we’re starting to figure out how to get the most out of it ourselves.  Here are seven tips to help you enjoy the parade!  Read the rest of this entry »

Downtown Baraboo businesses kicked off the holiday season last evening with their annual holiday wine walk. The exclusive event is sold out so quickly each year that in the end, most of are left to simply walk the side walks and window shop. With the holiday music echoing around the square and the shop windows in full holiday regalia, that’s not such a bad option either (Check out our photo gallery below).  This year we were invited to stop down and visit (even without tickets!) by the folks at Hills Gallery & Gifts. The gallery was simply “wall to wall” when we got there. Thankfully they were getting a lot of help from the artists of the upcoming Artisan Christmas event. Even as busy as they were, it was nice to get in and warm our toes! (Not to mention listen to local artist Todd Perche kicking it up on the bongos…) We thank them for the invitation and of course hope some of you will check them out this holiday season! Hills Gifts and Gallery is at 121 4th Street right by the coffee shop.

Today, the rest of us get to join in the fun as the downtown shops open their doors to everyone for the annual open house. It’s a good idea to stay around this evening as well for the annual holiday light parade. One thing about Baraboo, they certainly have this whole holiday thing down. We’ll see you this evening.  I’ll be the one with the camera! 

• Downtown Baraboo Window Shopping & Wine Walking Gallery (pop-up slideshow) | Flickr page

* Top image – Third Street, Outside Bekah Kates.

We hope everyone had a great time at Boo Fest on the square in downtown Baraboo yesterday afternoon.  There certainly was a good turnout!  As we do every year, we’ve taken a ton of pictures from the event.   I’ve always felt that more often then not, pictures can tell the story more than 10 columns of text ever could. The challenge is in the sorting…  Enjoy!

• 2010 Boo Fest Gallery (Pop-Up Slideshow)
• 2010 Boo Fest Gallery - Flickr
• Past Boo Fest Gallery (Pop-Up Slideshow)
• Past Boo Best Gallery – Flickr

Downtown Baraboo’s annual Boo Fest will be held tomorrow (Oct. 29, 2010) from 3pm to 5pm on Baraboo’s historic courthouse square. This kid-safe trick-or-treating event is hosted each year by downtown merchants and includes a wide variety of fun activities for the kids.  In addition to trick-or-treating around the store fronts, you will also find a fun house, gourmet treat decorating, haunted arts and spooky crafts, giant leaf treasure hunt, costume contest and more. Trick-or-treating is free of charge, while most other activities require a $1 donation to the Baraboo Food Pantry to participate. Certainly worth the buck! For more information visit www.DowntownBaraboo.com.

Comment: Boo Fest is the one truly altruistic event put on by local businesses each year. Downtown Baraboo Inc., (DBI) as well as all local downtown merchants certainly deserve our gratitude and support for their efforts. We often don’t realize how many children in our small and fairly rural community have no other opportunity to go out “trick-or-treating”. Boo Fest makes it possible for everyone to participate. It’s worth noting  that as Boo Fest has grown, merchants individually are spending an amazing amount of cash on candy and treats each year while few of us actually “shop” during the event. That’s something to think about if we want to see Boo Fest continue on into the future. While we may be busy with our families during Boo Fest (And rightfully so.), we can certainly thank the shop owners later by making a trip downtown when we begin to do our Christmas shopping.   That’s my 2 cents anyway!

Get in the spirit with photos from Boo Fests Past

• Click here for the slideshow (pop-up window)
• Click here for the Flickr gallery.

Downtown Baraboo’s fall Fair on the Square made for a great way to spend a Saturday.  Thousands of folks from around the state converged on Baraboo’s historic square for another round of food, music, karate, belly dancers, and of course arts and crafts.  It’s fair to say that clear skies, fall colors and temperatures near 80 certainly boosted the attendance. While the annual event changes very little from year to year we were gratified to see some changes under the new organizers.  The live music was vastly improved (at least in the afternoon) and updated into the last century, while the introduction of a beer garden for the adults was a nice touch as well. The next Fair on the Square won’t happen again until spring.  Next up for downtown Baraboo?  BooFest!!  More on that in the near future…

Huge crowds turned out for the days events.

• More pictures from the Fair on the Square – Click Here.

The annual fall season “Fair on the Square” will be coming to downtown Baraboo this Saturday, October 9. There will be 150 artists and craftspeople selling their wares around the historic square as well as live music and of course, lots of food! Families with children should be sure to check out the “Fun Zone” with games, pony rides, inflatables, face painting, and other activities for the kids. DBI, the downtown business association is advertising a beer garden as well this year.  That’s certainly a change for Baraboo.   Click here for the schedule of events.  Read the rest of this entry »

Commentary – Roadside adverting has always been around of course but judging by the condition of some of it out there, it seems as if even the business owners don’t  believe they work any more. Take this faded little sign on the corner of South Blvd., and Highway 123 for instance;  Is it shouting out, “quality” to you? Is it appetizing? Would this sign even catch your eye?  If you saw it when passing by on your way to Devil’s Lake State Park or when heading over to Wal-Mart, would you suddenly hit your breaks, turn the car around and go buy a hot dog?  I didn’t think so. And yet, you have to assume the business owner actually does want you to do just that. Read the rest of this entry »

If you didn’t have the opportunity to explore the Sauk County Art Association’s Fine Arts Fair in Baraboo over the weekend never fear, we’ve got a nice selection of images from the event posted for you.  One thing we can’t replicate is the street recitations by “the Live Bard”, which may have been the day’s top entertainment.  There was also an open mic on the courthouse square, a farmer’s market and children performing Lithuanian folk dances under the marquee at the Al. What a mix! All in all, not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

• Click Here to view our Flickr Photo Gallery or view as a slide show here.
• Sauk County Art Association
• The Live Bard

We were just leaving the Coffee Bean Connection in Downtown Baraboo when the rain began to fall.   Sure, there were flash flood warnings in Sauk County, but we were still hoping to get in an afternoon of paddling at Devil’s Lake State Park.

Now we know why the lake has flooded so often in recent years. Read the rest of this entry »