Sept. 17 event features pancake breakfast, parade
By Angie Landsverk
A pancake breakfast, craft vendors, parade, music and tractor pedal pull will be among this year’s Horse & Buggy Days highlights.
The 56th annual event will be held Saturday, Sept. 17, in downtown Weyauwega.
“We want to invite you to spend the entire day in Weyauwega, from breakfast to dark. After the parade, go to the (Animal Haven) zoo a few hours. Do the scavenger hunt, the hayride. Then come back, have dinner and take in the music,” said JoLene Nollenberg, who is the chairperson of this year’s event.
New this year are a pancake breakfast and music throughout the day, she said.
“We’re also bringing back the chamber food booth,” she said.
There will be burgers, brats and veggie burgers for sale.
The chamber will also have a 50/50 raffle and sell raffle tickets for the grill the organization uses the day of the event.
In addition, the chamber is selling a total of 200 tickets for a raffle, at a price of $20 each.
Nollenberg said the grand prize will be $1,000.
Star Dairy will again have wine and cheese tasting near JK’s Lounge & Restaurant, on Main Street.
There will be a shuttle service from downtown to Animal Haven Zoo from 2-6 p.m.
A zoo entrance fee will be required.
“Animal Haven Zoo is having their fun day with a scavenger hunt and hayride,” Nollenberg said.
There will be numerous activities downtown for children.
The Weyauwega Police Department will set up a display in its garage, before and after the parade.
The city will display its Public Works Department equipment on Main Street after the parade.
There will also be games, craft projects and bounce houses for children, before and after the parade.
The Weyauwega Fire Department will have fire hose fun for children on Main Street, when the parade is over.
Schedule of events
Like last year, Horse & Buggy Days will begin at 8 a.m. with the 5K Jumpstart to Fitness run/walk.
Sponsored by the Weyauwega-Fremont Booster Club, it will start and end on Main Street, near city hall.
The cost is $25 for individuals and $75 for families.
Registration forms are available on the booster club’s Facebook page, as well as on the Weyauwega Area Chamber of Commerce’s website.
At 9 a.m., Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 10407 will sponsor a pancake breakfast.
It will include pancakes, sausage, milk and juice, at a price of $5.
Old Time Sounds will begin playing at 9 a.m. The polka band will play until 12:30 p.m.
The vendor and craft sale will take place from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Weyauwega Public Library’s book sale will be held at the library from 9:30 a.m. to noon.
The Weyauwega Historical Society will hold its pie and dessert social from 10:30 a.m. until the items are gone.
It will be held at First Presbyterian Church and will be closed during the Horse & Buggy Days Parade.
The historical society will also show an approximately 45-minute film about old-time Weyauwega, in the Gerold Opera House at 10:30 a.m. and then again at 2:30 p.m.
It will be a free showing of the film, with a display in the gallery of the building as well.
Nollenberg said Wega Arts allowing the opera house to be used is appreciated.
The pool tournament will begin at 11 a.m., in the beer tent.
It will be a semi slop call-your-own-pocket tournament, with a 100 percent payout.
The cost is $20 prior to Horse & Buggy Days and $25 for those who register the day of the event.
People may register in advance at Wilson’s Brick House, in Weyauwega.
On the day of the event, they will register in the beer tent.
The Kiddie Parade will begin at 12:30 p.m.
Children who want to participate in that parade may register at the Weyauwega Public Library.
On the day of the event, they will meet at the old middle school on Main Street at 12:30 p.m. to line up before marching to the downtown area.
The kiddie parade will be followed by the annual Horse & Buggy Days Parade, at 1 p.m.
People may register ahead of time for the parade by visiting www.weyauwegachamber.com and clicking on the link for the parade and then printing the registration form, Nollenberg said.
She said they may also pick up registration forms at Haufschildt’s Brew Haus, on Main Street in Weyauwega.
Fishing poles, compliments of Walleyes for Kids, will be handed out to children during Horse & Buggy Days.
HiJinks will play from 1:30-5:30 p.m.
A tractor pedal pull – for both children and adults – will take place on Main Street after the parade.
There will be an arm wrestling championship at 3 p.m.
People will be able to end the day with the band Third Wheel, which will begin playing at 6 p.m.