By Kim McDarison
The Fort Atkinson City Council approved on Tuesday special event requests from four organizations looking to host five events in May, June and July.
Events receiving city approval include: the Memorial Day Parade, to be held May 31; Generals Baseball Fest, to be held in Jones Park June 17-20; Dairy Day at the MOOseum at Hoard Historical Museum, to be held on June 19; Fort Atkinson Summer Charity Concerts at Barrie Park, to be held June 30 and July 14; and an Ice Cream Social, to be held at the Hoard Historical Museum on July 3.
American Legion Post 166 Memorial Day Parade
In a memo to council from the American Legion Post 166 Memorial Day Committee of Fort Atkinson, committee secretary Daniel Juday noted that the parade this year will be held May 31, beginning at 10 a.m., at the American Legion Post, 201 S. Water St. East, and continue northbound on Main Street to Evergreen Cemetery. The parade is anticipated to end at noon.
The memo noted that the purpose of the parade is “honoring service members who have given the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country.”
The committee estimates some 400 people will participate this year.
Generals Baseball Fest
In a memo to council from the Fort Atkinson Generals Baseball Board, the group noted that it will be taking “extra planning steps to ensure a safe and fun community event.” The board said it planned to follow all COVID-19 guidelines as provided by Jefferson County.
The event will have carnival rides, food vendors, and “lots of baseball,” board members wrote.
Proceeds from the event are used to support improvements at Jones Park.
COVID-19 precautions this year will include: hand-washing stations, and a fogging machine for cleaning provided by the carnival company, the memo stated.
As in past years, the festival will use an ID wristband system to identify event-goers who can purchase and consume alcohol.
Over the last 17 years, the Fort Generals have donated over $118,000 towards improvements in Jones Park, the memo stated.
Dates and times for this year’s event include: Thursday, June 17, and Friday, June 18, 6:15 to 11:59 p.m.; Saturday, June 19, 10 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.; and Sunday, June 20, noon to 4 p.m.
Jones Park is located at 600 Janesville Ave. Event-planners are estimating attendance this year at 2,500 over the four-day period.
Dairy Day at the MOOseum
In a memo to council from the Hoard Historical Museum, its director Merrilee Lee noted that different from past years, the event will be offered using a drive-through option.
Event-goers will receive a family-fun packet with crafts and dairy products inside to help support dairy farmers, Lee wrote.
Included within the event request, the council approved several road closures to accommodate the event, including closure from Foster Street from Fourth Street south to Whitewater Avenue. The 100 block of South Fourth Street east to traffic from Whitewater Avenue to Foster Street will also be closed. The south side of the 100 block of Fourth Street South will be designated as a “no parking” zone.
Temporary barricades will be placed at the intersections of Fourth Street South and Foster Street.
“In the past, the street has been accessible to emergency personnel and for residents, but closed to through-traffic. Residents along the block are notified regarding the closure and invited to the free event at the museum,” Lee wrote.
This year’s event, scheduled for June 19, between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., will be held on the grounds of the Hoard Historical Museum. Lee is anticipating over 500 participants this year, she wrote.
Ice Cream Social at Hoard Historical Museum
A second event, an Ice Cream Social, will also be held at the Hoard Historical Museum on Saturday, July 3, Lee wrote in a separate memo to council.
Similar to the Dairy Day at the MOOseum event, activities will include a drive-through route, with participants receiving a family-fun packet including crafts and ice cream sandwiches.
The drive-through route for the event will be the same as the Dairy Day route.
The Ice Cream Social will be held from 1-3 p.m., and over 500 people are expected to participate, Lee wrote.
Fort Atkinson Summer Charity Concerts
In an event application submitted to council, event contact person Megan Hartwick noted that the event, scheduled for June 30 and July 14, will be held between the hours of 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. in Barrie Park.
Over 400 people are expected to attend the event, Hartwick noted on the event application.
Council approved the event application unanimously, with Hartwick, who was earlier sworn in as a city council member, abstaining from the vote.
The above map, submitted to council by the American Legion Post 166 Memorial Day Committee of Fort Atkinson, shows this year’s Memorial Day Parade route.
The above aerial view, submitted to council by the Fort Atkinson Generals Baseball Board, shows placement of activities within Jones Park during this year’s Generals Baseball Fest.
The above map, as submitted to council by the Hoard Historical Museum, shows street closures and traffic patterns that will be in use during the Dairy Days at the MOOseum and Ice Cream Social drive-through events.
The above aerial photo shows the layout of Barrie Park. The photo was submitted to council by Megan Hartwick in her capacity as contact person for this year’s Fort Atkinson Summer Charity Concert series.
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