Posts Tagged ‘Downtown Baraboo’

Saturday’s Faire on the Square event certainly seemed more organized than in years past. Almost quiet to some extent.  In fact I was a little surprised that it’s been reported as one of the best attended in the history of the event.  Maybe.  But if I had to guess I’d have thought numbers were a bit down compared to past years.  It was certainly mellow.  Having a child, it stood out this year that there were rarely lines to kid’s favorites such as the  bounce house or the pony rides.  Even getting food seemed to be a much quicker task than in the past.  Of course that’s the thing about perceptions or estimates. It’s really anyone’s guess.  (The local paper reported 8,000 to 10,000 visitors.)

Regardless of headcount, numbers are not always the most important measure of an event such as this.  Not for the people who simply come to enjoy the day anyway. By that measure, the spring Faire on the Square was a winner. There was a wide variety of artwork and crafts on display. (see our flickr gallery for more) The farm market was hopping as usual.  We saw quite a few people loading up on tomato plants for their gardens!

The new kid’s shows were a hit. A juggling performance was given by TJ Howell who regular attendees of the Tommy Bartlett show will recognize. TJ always manages to keep audiences engaged and certainly Saturday was no different.  Tristan Crist followed with a well timed and entertaining magic show that actually held the video game generation’s attention.

The Karate demo had high volume Matrix soundtrack music echoing off the courthouse walls.  I couldn’t help but note that not all that long ago music like that would have never have been tolerated on the city courthouse lawn! (And certainly not at that volume!) Although we have a child in karate and see the demos more times than we can count each year, it’s still fun to see the new kids coming up and the others advance.  Having the opportunity to show off their skills helps the kids gain confidence. It’s great to see the community show their support. (Even if the demos occasionally get a bit long.)

This year’s belly dancing performance kicked off with a bit of spooky choreography that had dancers moving through the crowds from the far corners of the square dancing to a slightly haunting rhythm.  It was something of a mix between a zombie flick, I Dream of Jeanie, and a Peter Gabriel concert I attended back in the 80s.

If I had one critique, it would be with the food vendors.  Every year in seems a majority of these folks find new ways to make it harder to get your food to a place to sit in tact. We struggle  to carry thin, over-loaded, paper plates while dropping piled high, fries and curds everywhere.  Even our drinks this year came in barley stable paper cups without covers! First you drop $20 or more on lunch, then hope you don’t drop.. your lunch. You’d think by now the folks selling food at these events would take a couple lessons from fast-food vendors when it comes to packaging. Luckily this is a circus town filled with people who have a good sense of balance and a talent for juggling! (well, maybe not..)

Other than that one minor issue with food packaging, the Faire on the Square was a fun event and a credit to the new organizers.  It will be fun to see what they do with the fall event.

More

• For lots of pictures of Saturday’s event visit “Faire on the Square” Flicker Gallery 0r view the slideshow.

Join us in Baraboo this Saturday for the annual Faire on the Square festival.  The event begins at 9 am and runs until 4pm. This year’s event has been set up by new organizers who are shall we say, steeped in Baraboo’s circus traditions. What this means for the Faire on the Square is that we can expect entertainment such as jugglers and magicians in addition to the more standard live music, food vendors, pony rides & bouncy castles.  The main event of course is the 150 arts & crafts vendors that surround the historic square. It’s a Wisconsin shoppers paradise! For a breakdown of the day’s events read this from the Baraboo News Republic.

Now, here’s what we’ve got for you.  5 tips to make your day at the festival more enjoyable, and 5 shops you should absolutely visit while walking around downtown Baraboo.  Enjoy!

5 Faire on the Square Tips

Here’s some tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

1. Parking is not hard to come by but not always close either.  If you don’t arrive early in the morning, save yourself the trouble of driving round and round the event and just pick a side street off the square. You’ll have no trouble finding a spot on a side street. (Just wear comfortable shoes!)
2. Be prepared for any weather.  Even if the forecast is for warm weather, things change quickly this time of year.  Right now the call is for sunny and 70F… fingers crossed!
3. Set a budget. Between the crafts, the shops, the rides and food vendors, it’s easy to drop more cash than you realize. Certainly we want you to support our local business, but we want you back as well. Set a budget for the day.  Bringing drinks and even picnic lunches in re-usable containers helps the environment and saves more money for crafty stuff and tasty treats.
4. Bring a picnic blanket. The downtown square does get a bit crowed as you would expect. Organizers are moving things around a bit this year which may help.  Still it may be tough to find a place to sit and eat or rest your feet.  To save time looking for a bench or seat elsewhere, just pack up a picnic blanket and plant yourself on the county courthouse lawn.
5. Don’t miss the unique stuff – Around 12:30 pm belly dancers and an Elite Team of karate kids will be performing on the square. (Not your standard Art Faire, fare..) In addition there are often interesting finds down the side streets and outside corners of the square. (We once found a great keyboardist playing outside a shop on one of the side streets that was not mentioned anywhere as part of the event.) Be sure to take time to really explore.

5 Must Stop Downtown Shops

Of course a major reason communities hold these events is to get you into the local shops.  With that in mind, here are 5 shops we recommend you visit while exploring the Faire on the Square.

1. Coffee Bean Connection
   Located just off the square on 4th street. Hey, if you find yourself dying for a latte.. This will be your slice of heaven.
2. Just Imagine Toys
   This is a shop for kids who like books and still have their imaginations in tact. No video games.
3. Cornerstone Gallery
   Hardly worth putting the words “Art” and “Baraboo” together without recommending the Cornerstone Gallery.
   
4. Amber Moon
   Great atmosphere, unique stuff everywhere. Makes you feel good to just walk around inside. We just posted a few pictures to our Flickr recently.
5. The A.R.T Gallery
   More great art to explore inside the Al. Ringling Theatre – Here’s some pictures we took at the grand opening.

If we had 6 choices we’d we’d include Bekkah Kates Kitchen Store as well.

We look forward to seeing you Saturday at the Faire on the Square right here in Downtown Baraboo!

* For the sake of full disclosure Just Imagine, Cornerstone gallery, & the Sauk County Art Association  are clients of Skillet Creek Media.

Amber Moon is one of the more interesting shops on the square in Downtown Baraboo.  Located  just east of  the Sauk County Courthouse, Amber moon is filled with amazing and unique gift ideas, one-of-a-kind treasures, and interesting antiques.  They also have a nice selection of garden decorations in their shaded deck out back.  In addition they are known as one of the best florists in the area as well.  Now, that said.. even if you never bought a thing, it’s worth a walk though the shop just to enjoy the amazing array of eclectic and wonderful items.  We weren’t able to do that of course and left spending around $40.

The above shot is centered on a wild and wonderful ceiling decoration. I practically had to lie on the floor to take the shot.  Yeah, you really will find something unique in every nook and cranny. For a few more pictures from our visit to Amber Moon click here.

Amber Moon
528 Oak Street
Baraboo, WI 53913-2424
(608) 356-5811

Here in the land of the Ringling Brothers and Circus World Museum one could be forgiven if at first glance the words “Trunk Show” conjured up an image of elephants standing knee deep in the Baraboo river. As it happens my 37.35 seconds of research led not to the circus, but instead revealed a rich history in the world of fashion and art. This of course makes all the more sense when I tell you that the Sauk County Art Association will be holding a trunk show at their gallery in downtown Baraboo this Thursday.

Now, what a trunk show really is, is a special presentation and sale (sans elephants) of works by an artist or designer. The name, you might guess comes from the trunk that an the artist would bring their wares to the show in.  At the show guests have an opportunity not just to purchase, but to hear from and discuss the works with the artists directly.

This Thursday, February 18th from 11am to 6pm the SCAA will be featuring the works of Frank Kudla and Char terBest Kudla. Frank Kudla, goldsmith/designer and Char terBeest Kudla, handbag maker/fiber artist will both be on hand to show and sell their work.  Kudla specializes in mothers/family rings and designs custom jewelry to the taste of his customers.  terBeest Kudla designs and constructions handbags, plain to fancy, from tapestry fabrics.

The Sauk County Art Association now holds trunk shows monthly at their new gallery inside the AL Ringling Theatre on the Square in Downtown Baraboo. If you’ve never attended a Trunk Show before, this would be a good opportunity to take in the experience.  Make an evening of it. Before or after the event you could stop by the Little Village Cafe next door for a bite to eat, or head down the block to the Coffee Bean Connection for a Latte.  Better yet, do both.

The Details:

Sauk County Art Association Gallery is located at 136 4^th Ave, Baraboo, Wisconsin. (On the Square)
Show Hours: 11am – 6pm

More Information:

• Sauk County Art Association
• HelensDaughters.com
• ADifferentAngleJewelry.com
• Coffee Bean Connection
• Little Village Cafe

Years ago I was taking a summer’s evening walk through the Ice Age campground at Devil’s Lake State Park. I heard some people singing around a campfire.  It took a minute for me to properly focus on the words. The song went something like, “Baraboo, Baraboo.. .What’s there to do in Baraboo?…” and ended with a lot of laughter.

Some suggest there is plenty to do in our little town. I realize it’s an issue of perspective.  It all depends on what you want to do, and of course if you know about it. Some believe catering to outdoor enthusiasts isn’t worth it since they stay within the park or recreational areas and don’t support the communities they are in. Others suggest even those that do are so few in number that it’s still not worth the effort. That has me thinking about the 1.4 million visitors each year to our local state park. Shouldn’t they be lighting up the town, at least in the summer months? Are parks and natural areas simply self contained islands?  Where’s the disconnect?

As you can imagine, here in the heart of the Baraboo hills this is a topic worth discussing.. Do outdoor enthusiasts go shopping?  Do they visit restaurants?  Do they buy little mementos? The answers of course seem obvious.. but for some reason they are not.

I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Last night we attended the Sauk County Art Association’s A.R.T Gallery grand opening at the Al. Ringling Theatre in downtown Baraboo, Wisconsin.  The long awaited opening of the gallery should help to infuse new life into the historic Al. Ringling theater which it seems has always struggled to find its place in our modern lifestyles.  Incorporation of the gallery featuring amazing local artists, along with stage shows, concerts, plays, movies  & more should go a long way toward making the “AL”  the center of art and culture in our area.

We’ll watch the local paper for the information, the interviews and the final numbers from the silent action.  It will of course continue to take money and volunteer dedication to keep things moving forward.  What strikes me as I’ve often mentioned is that it seems we have a very vibrant art community that lies a bit in the underground of our community. Art is everywhere in Sauk County, yet similar to our wonderful natural  assets here in the Baraboo hills, we need to keep working to find ways to help more of the locals to appreciate what the tourists already know.  There’s a lot of good stuff around here.  The new A.R.T. Gallery can only bring us closer to that goal.

I’m told the gallery will be open on Fridays and Saturday for now and will open more “full time” as the summer approaches.  When you visit our community I invite you to head into downtown Baraboo and visit the local galleries and shops. The “big name” attractions around here often create a vortex that sucks all the attention their way, but all the wonderful things that make a community unique are usually a step or two off the main highway. I can tell you this, just a walk through the new A.R.T Gallery in the amazing Al. Ringling Theatre will make that little drive into downtown Baraboo worth it.

Skillet Creek A.R.T. Grand Opening Photo Gallery – Click Here.

Did you make it to last nights Holly Jolly Light Parade here in Baraboo?  As usual it was a great time.  In fact the warm weather made it especially enjoyable.  The school bands were on step and the floats were colorful as always.  We thought that one green tropical looking display was the “best of show” hands down!  A couple folks mentioned that they thought the parade itself was a bit smaller than past years.  Maybe so.  Certainly we can hope that in future years more organizations will jump in with new and creative floats.  It would also be nice to see a few more vendors around offering hot drinks (especially in colder years!!).  That said, the Holly Jolly Light Parade is a wonderful small town event and just another part of what makes Baraboo a special place.  Click Here for our 2009 Holly Jolly Parade Photo Gallery.