Wisconsin Communities on the Great
River Road Celebrate Grand Excursion 2004
Celebrate Grand Excursion
2004 Along Wisconsin’s Great River Road, June 25 – July
5, 2004. Join the 150th anniversary of the original steamboat
expedition, which opened America’s first railroad
connection to the Mississippi River.
Learn, laugh, watch and wonder as you attend
exciting historic and family-friendly events for people
of all ages.
• Prescott • Diamond
Bluff • Maiden Rock • Stockholm •
• Pepin • Alma • Fountain
City • Trempealeau • La
Crosse • Stoddard •
• Genoa • De Soto • Ferryville • Prairie
Du Chein • Cassville • Potosi
Prescott
Events are scheduled in Prescott July
1st -July 5th. Merchants are offering fun activities and
Grand Excursion mementos and one can also take in an historic
exhibit of models and photos of steamboats, an old fashioned
ice cream social, and a promenade of vintage apparel. The
Celebration Belle will arrive on July 2nd and cruises are
available that day and evening along with a “Taste
of Prescott/Rockin on the River”. A community picnic
and polka music will welcome the Grand Excursion Bicycling
Tour on July 3rd. July 4th features the Blessing of the
Boats, an ecumenical church service and kite flying and
hot air balloons.
Contacts:
Loretta Richman (715) 262-5032
Jayne Brand (715) 262-5544 or 262-5373
Website: http://www.prescottwi.org
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Diamond Bluff
A large $20,000 fireworks display.
Contacts:
Tom Giguere (715) 792-2513
Fred Ottem (612) 987-8557
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Maiden Rock
Maiden Rock’s summer festival
will be held on June 26th with a parade, music, and food
events in the Village Park. Fireworks will be held at sunset
on July 4th.
Contact: Mike Michaud (715) 448-4417
Maiden Rock Area Community Association
Website: http://www.maidenrock.org
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Stockholm
Beginning at noon, July 1st, Stockholm
starts it’s Swedish Festival with ethnic food and
entertainment, historic and garden tours with colonial
crafters. July 2nd, 3rd, and 4th is the Catfish Festival,
offering blues, jazz with headliners such as Lamont Cranston
throughout the days and evenings. Vendors, river food,
camping, an old fashioned square dance and the best view
of the river will be found in Stockholm.
Shuttle buses will be running between Stockholm and Pepin for Grand Excursion
Events.
Contacts:
Mary Anne Collins-Svoboda (715) 442-2015 or (715) 495-3504
General Festival Manager
Ted and Diane Noble (715) 448-3502 or (612) 825-8808
Swedish Festival Managers
Kevin Campbell (715) 442-2023 or (651) 770-6023
Music Manager
Carol Wiersma (715) 442-9077 or (715) 446-3502
Secretary & General Information
Website: http://www.stockholmwisconsin.com
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Pepin
Shuttle buses will be running in Pepin
to help visitors visit these activities on July 1st and
2nd: square dancing to meet the Celebration Belle, a Mississippi
River Song Concert, an evening of cabaret, minnow races,
visits to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum and birthplace,
the Pepin Depot Museum, Pine Hill Springs Trout and Trails,
a dairy farm and cheese factory, a walking tour of 19th
century Pepin sites, Lake Pepin Commercial Clamming and
Fishing Exhibit, a vintage boat and motor show, a blacksmith
and 1800’s craft demonstration, the Pepin county
Historical Society Exhibit and an art fair and craft fair.
A street dance and Scandinavian Brunch will also be on
July 2nd. July 3rd will feature a beach campfire sing a
long and a moped rally.
Contacts:
Joanne Lerum (715) 442-3011
Website: http://www.pepinwisconsin.com
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Alma
Alma’s bluff top park, Buena Vista,
provides a 10 mile view up and down the river and would
be a good place to view the grand flotilla as the boats
go through Lock and Dam #4 five hundred feet below the
park. SistarS Family Variety Show, a Branson Style show
will also be going on during this time. Tours of Lock and
Dam #4 are planned during the day on July 2nd.
Contacts:
Jim Wilkie (608) 685-2586
Cristy Serum (715) 946-3124
Website: http://www.thesistars.com
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Fountain City
We look forward to your visit to our
wonderful town during the Grand Excursion 2004. Five hundred
fifty-foot Eagle Bluff is the highest point on the Upper
Mississippi. Visit the studio of nationally acclaimed wood
carver Leo Smith and watch river traffic at Lock and Dam
No. 5-A.
Contact:
Village Clerk (608) 687-7481
Ardys Keilholtz (608) 687-7541
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Trempealeau
Trempealeau’s celebration begins
on June 30th with the flotilla. “Soaking Mountain
Rendezvous”, a fur trading encampment, runs June
30th – July 4th. Reenactment of Abby and Millard
Fillmore’s 1854 visit will occur daily June 30th – July
3rd. The activity tent with entertainment, food, refreshments,
displays, crafts etc. runs July 1st – July 3rd. Walking
tours of Historic Main Street and Lock & Dam #6 will
be June 30th – July 3rd. Steam engine 261 will stop
July 2nd.
Contacts:
Russ Stevens (608) 534-5092
Glenn Brommerich (608) 534-6335
Phil Palzkill (608) 534-6305
Website: http://www.trempealeau.net
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La Crosse
Riverfest offers live music, water
ski shows, arts and crafts, children’s entertainment
and play areas and a variety of food vendors. some of the
acts that may be available during the Grand Excursion are
Mark Twain, story tellers, Civil War Re-enactors, melodrama,
Mississippi Mudcats, barber shoppers, a formal Civil War
Ball and a wild eagle display. Dates are June 29th to July
4th.
Contact:
Michelle Hoch (608) 782-6000
Website: http://www.riverfestlacrosse.com
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Stoddard
Stoddard Fun Days at the Village Park
on June 26th and 27th will feature a Kids’Fishing
Tournament, Kids’Games, Ballgames, food and refreshments
and a quilt raffle. June 29th there will be a pie and ice
cream social, ham supper, Old Timers Ballgame, craft show,
food and refreshments and hot air balloon rides. (weather
permitting). The pie and ice cream social, craft show,
food and refreshments and hot air rides will continue on
June 30th. Primitive campsites are available.
Contact:
Debra Kendhammer (608) 457-2136
Deb Stellner (608) 457-2670
Lori Furman (608) 457-2637:
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Genoa
Genoa is planning a replica of an 1854
village all day festival in the village park June 30th
with a special viewing area for passing boats, log cabins,
tents, heritage food vendors, music, demonstrations of
flint knapping, Ho chunk basketry and beading, falconry,
fish net tying, an aquarium of river life, heritage displays
of photos and artifacts, and a Post Office with a special
cancellation.
Contacts:
Sharon Smith, (608) 689-2339
Chair
Ellen Finch, (608) 689-2574
Promotion Chair
Judy or Norman Jambois (608) 689-2350
Fundraising Chairs
Website: http://www.genoawi.com
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De Soto
On June 29th De Soto will celebrate
with a Pancake Breakfast. Later that day a parade with
floats, fire trucks and more will be out to celebrate the
Grand Excursion. At Cottonwood Park you’ll meet greeters
in period costumes, play old-fashioned games, see trade
demonstrations and hear various musical groups. Local vendors
will provide a wide range of entrees and refreshments.
Historical reenactments and horse and wagon rides for the
kids of all ages will be available.
Contact:
Paula Hicks (608) 648-2039
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Ferryville
The River Bluff Festival will be held
June 26th to coincide with the Grand Excursion. It is a
festival of rummage sales, flea markets, street music and
food during the day. A boat parade and fireworks will occur
that evening.
Contacts:
Ali Spurr (608) 734-3400
Brenda Vassar (608) 734-9200
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Prairie du Chien
Grand Excursion events in Prairie du
Chien: tours at Villa Louis and Fort Crawford Museum, reenactment,
quilt/antique tractor displays, historic lectures, river
music concert, river/hobo stories, hot air balloons, antique
boat parade, water ski show, and more. Events held June
25th – July 4th. Most events held on Prairie du Chien’s
riverfront.
Contacts:
Sharon Cuchna (608) 326-8555 ext. 12
Exec. Director, Chamber of Commerce
Patti Wacker (608) 326-8555 ext. 11
Tourism Coordinator
Debbie Mara (608) 326-6406
City Hall Receptionist
Prairie du Chien (800) 732-1673
Website: http://www.prairieduchien.org
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Cassville
On June 26th a Mississippi river Festival
including Grant County Garden Tour (self-guided), Historic
Walking Tour of Cassville, Historic 1850’s Promenade
on the Riverfront, a country music concert and fireworks.
Stonefield Celebrates Grand Excursion 2004 will host a
19th century church service on Sunday. A barn dance in
the historic register stone barn and an old-fashioned picnic
with a pie baking contest will be held. The Grand Flotilla
Party will be held on June 29th in Riverside Park.
Contact:
Cassville Tourism (608) 725-5855
Website: http://www.cassville.org
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Potosi
Contact:
Marilyn Hauth (608) 763-2539
Potosi/Tennyson (608) 763-2261 or (866) 472-6894
Chamber of Commerce
Website: http://www.potosiwisconsin.com |
