Kenosha Calendar: Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival Saturday at the Brat Stop

Popular Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha fundraiser returns

By Laura MarranKENOSHA.COM

After two decades in journalism, Marran earned her Master’s degree in Exceptional Education from UW-Milwaukee and has served as a special education teacher with Kenosha Unified School District since 2006. A Marquette University School of Journalism alum, Marran has lived in Kenosha since 1987.

Cheese and beer. ‘Nuff said.

Best Bet

The annual Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival, a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha, is set for 1-5 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 16) at the Brat Stop.

The event features a variety of Wisconsin cheeses and sought-after beers from Wisconsin and beyond, with a backdrop of live music.

There will be plenty of cheese samples on hand.

All proceeds help support Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha after-school programs for at-risk youth of our community. All VIP ticket proceeds will go towards expanding attendance at the Youth and Teen Center at the Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha.

“The Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival committee is excited to bring this event back after a year and a half break,” Boys & Girls Club CEO Tara Panasewicz said. “We are working hard to make the event happen and are looking forward to a great turnout. The youth of Kenosha will benefit from proceeds raised at this event.”

Three musical stages are located throughout the Brat Stop with bands playing continuously.

General admission tickets are $50 in advance, $55 at the door, and includes four hours of unlimited beer and cheese samples and a souvenir glass. VIP tickets are $75 in advance, $80 at the door and include all the perks of general admission plus an additional hour (noon-1 p.m.) and a VIP lunch buffet courtesy of Festival Foods, specialty beers and specialty cheese.

This will be the first Dairy State Cheese & Beer Festival since April 13, 2019.

Designated Driver Tickets are available for $15 which includes unlimited soda, water, cheese samples and a keepsake glass.

This is a 21-and-over event, which will be strictly enforced. Valid identification is required to enter.

More than $340,000 has been raised for Boys & Girls Club of Kenosha after-school programs since the first Dairy State Cheese & Beer event in 2008.

Top picks

Ben Mulwana

Like a scene right out of a movie, Hawthorn Hollow will be the scene of a family-friendly fall festival this weekend complete with hay rides, crafts, live music and creepy crawly guests.

The Harvest Hootenanny is set for 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 16) at the Hawthorn Hollow Nature Sanctuary and Arboretum, 880 Green Bay Rd. 

The live music lineup includes Ben Mulwana, Violet Wilder and Jim Sullivan.

Visitors can explore the popcorn labyrinth, paint a pumpkin, tour the Honey House, plus other attractions and activities. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase.

Entry fee is $5 per vehicle. All proceeds benefit Hawthorn Hollow.

*** 

Kemper Center’s Haunted House reopens its spooky doors Saturday nights through Oct. 30. This year’s theme is “Lies, Fables and Horror Tales” for the annual attractions, held in partnership with the Kenosha County Teen Task Force of the Concerned Citizens’ Coalition.

A lights-on kids’ hour is from 6-7 p.m., with the regular haunted fare from 7-11 p.m. The festivities are held in the Faulkner Building, on the East side of the complex. Admission for adults and kids 11-and-over is $10, ages 10-under are $5.

The Haunted House entrance is located in the Faulkner Building around the east side of the Kemper Center. Concessions are available.

***

The annual Friends of the Kenosha Public Library Fall Book Sale is set for this weekend (Oct. 15-17) at the Southwest Library, 7979 38th St. The sale supports the library in many ways, including the funding of programs for kids, teens, and adults. Patrons can fill a bag of books for just $5.

Sale hours are noon-7 p.m. Friday (Oct. 15), 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday (Oct. 16) and noon-4 p.m. Sunday (Oct. 17).

Kenosha Public Library Fall Book Sale

The Friends of the Kenosha Public Library is a volunteer organization which provides support for the Library’s improvement.

For more details on the sale and other library events, see our Bookmark column featuring this week’s lineup at Kenosha’s award-winning public library.

***

The Kenosha Symphony Orchestra makes its long-awaited return to the stage with “Symphonic Renewal,” 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Reuther Auditorium, 913 57th St. The 2021-22 season opener features Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony. The program includes Overture to La scala di seta (The Silken Staircase), Gioachino Rossini; Salut d’amour, op. 12 (Love’s Greeting), Edward Elgar; Symphony No. 88, G major, Franz Joseph Haydn; and Symphony No. 7, op. 92, A major, Ludwig van Beethoven.

Tickets are $30 for adults, 18-under are admitted free. Please see the KSO website for information on COVID safety protocol for audience members.

***

Calling area “discerning drinkers!” Andy Pitts and Fausto Fioravanti are hosting the Whiskey & Wine Challenge 5:30 p.m. Friday (Oct. 15), at the offices of Pitts Brothers & Associates, 6309 60th St., Suite 100, to benefit the Kenosha Achievement Center.

Attendees will sample drinks at four blind tasting stations and be asked to determine which beverages have the higher value. The top “experts” will be eligible for prizes.

The event can accomodate 100 people, and tickets are still available. Get more information and purchase tickets here. The cost is $75 per person or $100 for two people. To make an additional donation in support of KAC’s mission, please click here.

For more information, see the recent feature story by Kenosha.com Associate Editor Erik Brooks.

***

Day Tripper

Halloween folklore comes to life in the woods at Legends and Lore Old World Wisconsin.

Venture into the dark of the woods, encounter traveling performers around their fire, hear eerie tales performed by lantern light, and attempt a haunted maze under the light of the moon.

Other attractions include Mr. Smith’s Emporium of Oddities, the Traveling Fates, the Tale of the Nachtkrap, the Hodag Hay Maze for Little Goblins, or the more challenging Hern the Hunter maze.

Legends and Lore Old World Wisconsin

This event is 5:30-9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (Oct. 15-16) and Oct. 22-23 held at Crossroads Village within Old World Wisconsin, W372 S9727 Hwy 67, Eagle.

Food and beverages will be available for purchase, no carry-ins please.

Ticket sales end at noon on the day of each event date. General admission (13+) is $19.99, Children (12-and-under) are $13.99. Wisconsin Historical Society members receive a 10 percent discount.

More event details: Gates open at 5:30 p.m., final entry is at 8 p.m. Besides Crossroads Village, a golf cart will be available to provide guests with access to the site. Paths are brick, earth, and gravel, with uneven spots. Closed shoes are encouraged. This event will be held rain or shine but may be canceled or postponed due to more severe weather.

***

Gallery Night MKE features free exploration of local downtown galleries, art, & artists all day Friday and Saturday (Oct.15-16). Go to https://gallerynightmke.com/ to explore the many galleries, restaurants, hotels, and parking, or download the Gallery Night app.

The Lineup

FRIDAY, Oct. 15

Music 

Sun Silo (9 p.m.) with Embahn (7:15) and The Vibe Center (8 p.m.), Public Craft Brewing, 628 58th St. All ages. 

Daniel and His 3AM Saints, 9 p.m., Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave. 

Jeff Ward, 7 p.m., Ashling on the Lough, 125 56th St. 

Stu the Piano Guy, 7 p.m., Rustic Road Brewing, 5706 6th Ave. 

Haley Klinkhammer,  6-9 p.m., Kenosha Yacht Club’s Island Deck, 5130 4th Ave. A Kenosha native, this artist performs a variety of original music and popular cover songs.

Brian Daniels Duo, 7-10 p.m., Coins Sports Bar, 1714 52nd St.

Haley Klinkhammer

Art

Through the Lens of a Photojournalist: A Tribute to the Life and Work of Al Fredrickson Exhibit (final day, exhibit closes Friday, Oct. 15), 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Kenosha History Center. Free, donations appreciated. 

Theater

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, 7:30 p.m., Indian Trail High School Auditorium, 6800 60th St. Tickets are $13 ($6 for students/staff, $11 for senior citizens) and are available online at KUSD.edu/finearts

Potpourri

Visiting the Beyond with Curt Strutz, 6-7:15 p.m., Kenosha Public Library virtual tour. Explore creepy abandoned hospitals, schools, asylums, homes and more. For adults and teens 12-19. Registration is required. 

Constitution Day Discussion Series: The Philosophy of Free Speech in the First Amendment. Dr. Paul Ulrich will explore the First Amendment as a philosophic text that contains a vision of what it means to be human. Noon, Civil War Museum, 5400 1st Ave. Free

Ghost Hunting for High School Students, 9-11 p.m. Dinosaur Museum,  5608 10th Ave. Investigate possible evidence of the paranormal, including pictures and EVPs captured by real life ghost hunters, and explore the museum. High school only. Advance registration required.  $10 members/$20 non-members.

R’Noggin Brewing Co. 5th Anniversary, 6521 120th Ave. More than 20 R’Noggin beers on tap, live music by Hairbangers Ball 7-10 p.m. Tickets $20-40.

Carthage College “150 Years of Women” Closing Celebration featuring keynote address by six-time Olympic medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, 8 p.m., Field House, Tarble Athletic and Recreation Center, 2001 Alford Park Dr. Free tickets can be reserved here.

Dr. Destruction’s Haunted Manor, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Jerry Smith’s Pumpkin Farm, 7150 18th St., $10

Kenosha Dinosaur Museum

Family

Dinos in the Dark, Kenosha Dinosaur Museum, Advance registration required for time slots:  5pm  |  6pm  |  7pm  |  8pm. $5 members/$10 non-members.

Friday Fun Day (for families with children), variety of games, crafts, building toys and tech, 1-3 p.m. Northside Library, 1500 27th Ave. 

Preschool Storytime, 9:30-10 a.m. and 10:30-11 a.m. Southwest Library 7979 38th Ave. 

SATURDAY, Oct. 16

Music

Indigo Canyon, 9 p.m., Public Craft Brewing, 628 58th St.

Would You Kindly? 8-11 p.m., Rustic Road Brewing, 5706 6th Ave.

The Empty Bottle Boys & 1 Shot Jane (Country Bluegrass), 8-11 p.m., Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave.

Karaoke Kickback, 7-11 p.m. Kenosha Creative Space, 624 57th St., Games, food, beverages available, admission is free.

Art

Jill Z Artist of the Month reception, 5-8 p.m., Public Craft Brewing, 628 58th St.

Theater

The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-Moon Marigolds, 7:30 p.m., Indian Trail High School Auditorium, 6800 60th St. Tickets are $13 ($6 for students/staff, $11 for senior citizens) and are available online at KUSD.edu/finearts

Kemper Center

Potpourri

Kemper Center’s Haunted House, 7-11 p.m. (kids’ hour 6-7 p.m.), Faulkner Building, Kemper Center 6501 Third Ave. Adults $10, Kids 10 and under $5.

Dr. Destruction’s Haunted Manor, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Jerry Smith’s Pumpkin Farm, 7150 18th St., $10.

Family

Pumpkin Science and Contest, 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Pringle Nature Center at Bristol Woods Park, 9800 160th Ave. Bristol. Activities include pumpkin painting, fall hike, pumpkin science activities in the nature center. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Pre-register by Friday (Oct. 15) to reserve materials. Tickets are $10 per pumpkin.

Young History Heroes Storytime,  “Mary Wears What She Wants,” 11 a.m., Civil War Museum, Free.

National Fossil Day, noon-4 p.m., Kenosha Dinosaur Museum, 5608 10th Ave. This year’s theme is Arctic Dinosaurs; young visitors can get certified as a Junior Paleontologist through the National Park Service. Free.

Kenosha HarborMarket, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., 56th Street and 2nd Avenue.

Kenosha Public Market, 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 625 52nd St.

SUNDAY, Oct. 17

Music

DeBraal Brothers, 2 p.m., Coins. 1714 52nd St.

Homecoming Concert, Carthage Choir, Wind Orchestra, and alumni guest artists, 3 p.m. in the A. F. Siebert Chapel, Carthage campus, 2001 Alford Park Dr. 

Cy’s Piano Jam, 4-7 p.m. Union Park Tavern, 4520 8th Ave.

Open Mic 4-8 p.m., Fusion, 5014 7th Ave.

Union Park Art Market

Art

Art Market in Union Park, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 4500 7th Ave.

Mushroom Carving with Michelle Rainey, 3-7 p.m. Fusion, 5014 7th Ave. $20 includes materials and supplies.

Potpourri

Dr. Destruction’s Haunted Manor, Jerry Smith’s Pumpkin Farm, 7150 18th St., $10

Family

Sunday Story Time, 11 a.m.-12 p.m.,Blue House Books, 5915 6th Ave. A.

Have an event for Kenosha.com’s Weekend Calendar? Email Laura@Kenosha.com and be sure to include contact information. 

HAVE A STORY TO TELL?