World’s Largest Brat Fest

Every Memorial Day weekend from Fri-Monday

Brat Fest has been a big draw in Madison since 1982.  The host grocery store is Metcalfe’s.  It’s located on Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center.  This is a charity-driven event. A great many charities raise funds working at Brat Fest, my husband and I will be working there ourselves on Monday for  the North/Eastside Senior Coalition. This benefits the senior center on the north side of Madison where we live.

Let’s go down memory lane, this picture was from Labor Day weekend 11 years ago, when it was held in the Hilldale parking lot. it got too big for that and moved to Willow Island.  However, it is only once a year now instead of twice    Every year they try to set a new record with number of bratwurst sold.  The brand is Johnsonville.  They even have a vegan choice for non-meat eaters. Also Oscar Mayer hot dogs for non-brat eaters.

Here is more recent photos of Brat Fest now.  This is looking across to Willow Island.

The Weinermobile is always there also for you to get pictures in front of. Here we are.  There is a fleet of them all over the country.

Sometimes, Johnsonville brings their “World’s Largest Grill” to show off. It has been a few years since it was there. Very cool! This was in 2006. That year they took pictures in front of the grill with a Polaroid.

This the brat Tent where all the brats are sold.  Behind the tent are many grillers working hard.

Condiment tent, everything including sauerkraut, onions, relish and ketchup and many flavors of mustard. Yum!

A new addition a few years ago, roasted corn.  Not local corn, that’s not until July/August. Still yummy though. Al posed with the Corn Lady.

Get your mementos here.

A special ice cream is also sold just at Brat Best by Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream, Bratfest Cookie Dough. Delicious!

There is not just great food here, there is also a carnival and two music stages as well as fair food. Also kayaking for the kids by Rutabaga.  Even the Budweiser Clydesdales stop by. You won’t leave here hungry or un-entertained!

I hope you had fun, see you next year!

Little Norway in Blue Mounds, WI

THIS ATTRACTION IS NOT OPEN FOR THE 2013 SEASON.  IT’S FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN AT THIS TIME. THIS IS A RECOUNTING OF A PREVIOUS VISIT IN 2010.

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This summer we got a package deal on three Wisconsin attractions; House on the Rock, Little Norway and Cave of the Mounds.  This was our first time at Little Norway. This attraction consists of carefully preserved artifacts and buildings from a Norwegian family that settled in Wisconsin in the mid-1800′s. Osten Olson Haugen and his family settled here and worked hard to earn a living in what has been referred to as Nissedahle, or “Valley of the Elves.”

We arrive at the main building and gift shop. Some friendly trolls adorn the entrance area. We will be getting a guided tour by a docent in native garb.

We begin our tour. The group is small since we are the first group and it’s now off-season. We view the first building just outside.  She took us in and showed us around, also showed how some of the artifacts worked.

We continued the tour, the buildings were so beautiful and well taken care of.

We didn’t go in here, it’s a private residence of the family still living there. Notice the grass growing on the roof ? Makes it blend into the hillside.

 

The most striking building on the site is the Norway Building, featured at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893.

 

Other great views.

 

We had a wonderful visit here. Hopefully it will be open again next year for people to enjoy the beauty here.

31st Annual Morel Mushroom Festival in Muscoda

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This was our first time in Muscoda (pronounced Mus – co – day), located in Grant County by the Wisconsin River. Muscoda means “Prairie of Flowers”. They earned the status, “Morel Mushroom Capitol of the World.”  The village is on the Lower Wisconsin River Road.

At 10:00 am we arrived downtown at Mushroom Headquarters. The sold lots of souvenirs of the festival. I got a brown hoodie with the festival logo on it.  I wish I could say we ate some, but we didn’t.  They are VERY expensive.

The first thing we saw was a kid’s parade celebrating the Morel.

 

A lot of fun things were going on, arts and crafts vendors had lots of great items, plenty of morel gifts. Here is a $150 bench and walking sticks.

Muscoda also has a delightful cafe and gift shop called The Pink Spot.  We stopped there for lunch and conversation.  Owner Katy Grimm loves chatting with her customers and even posing for a picture.  She would love it if you would stop by

The festival also had a small car show and helicopter rides.  Even chainsaw wood carving demos.

This festival was great fun, we hope to go back next year.  At the northern edge of town is a great park and campsite, Victoria Riverside Park and Campsite. Its right at the edge of the Wisconsin River for easy access to water recreation. The park also has a beautiful gazebo overlooking the river. It even has a  Little Free Library just before you turn in.

I hope you enjoyed your visit, we sure did!