The seventh Annual Dairy Day at the MOOseum will look different from previous years, but will still be a fun family event that celebrates dairy and dairy farmers. This year’s family-friendly event will be a curbside pickup of a family-fun packet and dairy products.
Highlighting the importance of dairy farming past and present, the curbside pickup will take place 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 19, at the Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine, 401 Whitewater Ave., Fort Atkinson.
The event will include a curbside pickup of a dairy-fun packet.
“We recognize that even though there are still concerns regarding public safety and large group gatherings, families and individuals are looking for fun activities to do. Our hope is that this event will provide families of all ages an opportunity to engage together and to enjoy some summer fun!” museum Director Merrilee Lee said in a recent press release.
Linda Ager, Hoard Historical Museum staff and Dairy Day at the MOOseum event committee member added: “Our dairy-fun packet will include dairy puzzles, coloring sheets, and dairy-themed items, all courtesy of the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Our hope with the dairy-fun packet is that it will give individuals and families of all ages an opportunity to appreciate our dairy industry and our local history.”
Also included in the packet will be a no-contact scavenger hunt focused on Fort Atkinson and local historic sites, with all questions and answers visible from the roadway or a public sidewalk. The scavenger hunt will consist of questions based on well-known local sites and landmarks; participants will have to visit the site to find the answer.
The Hoard Historical Museum also will sponsor a coloring contest as part of Dairy Day at the MOOseum. Children and adults will be able to enter and win a prize basket of fun items. One name will be drawn from each category: Calf (children under 10), Guernsey (ages 11-17) and Jersey (ages 18 and up).
To enter, simply pick up a coloring sheet from the museum during the museum’s open hours (Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) or download a coloring sheet from the museum’s website: www.hoardmuseum.org.
Participants simply need to color the cow image, and return the sheet to the museum during Dairy Day at the MOOseum on June 19. Coloring sheets may be mailed to the museum at 401 Whitewater Ave, Fort Atkinson, Wis, or brought to the museum and left in the no-contact drop-off box outside the museum’s front doors.
The winner’s name will be randomly selected on Wednesday, June 23, at 1 p.m. live on the museum’s Facebook page: www.facebook/hoardmuseum.
Winners will be notified and arrangements will be made to pick up the prizes.
Dairy Day at the MOOseum would not be complete without dairy products. This year, courtesy of event sponsors Festival Foods, Fort Community Credit Union and Kwik Trip, the museum will hand out milk and dairy products. Supplies will be limited.
“There might also be more surprises,” said Lee. “Who knows? The only way to find out is to attend our event!”
The curbside pickup will be along the south side of S. Fourth Street East, alongside the museum. Please take this route from Main Street in Fort Atkinson: head east onto S. Third Street East, turn right onto Merchants Avenue and turn left onto S. Fourth Street East. The 100 block of S. Fourth Street East will be closed to through-traffic during the event.
The curbside pickup will be along the south side of S Fourth Street East. Staff and volunteers will be there to assist with the curbside pickup, as well as directing traffic. Once visitors have their dairy-fun packet and dairy products, they can leave the pickup area by turning north on Foster Street.
“We are hoping that through this event, we can show our dairy farmers and workers plus all farmers how much they are appreciated by all of us. Please join us as we safely celebrate all things dairy,” Lee said.
The Hoard Historical Museum is named for the Hoard family. W.D. Hoard helped encourage Wisconsin farmers to focus more on dairy and cows versus field crops such as wheat and corn, according to Lee. Hoard’s Dairyman magazine is still published in Fort Atkinson. It is because of Hoard’s involvement with the dairy industry that the National Dairy Shrine Museum is connected to the Hoard Historical Museum, Lee said.
The Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine Museum’s hours are subject to change to meet COVID-19 guidelines. For more information, contact the museums at 920-563-7769 or www.hoardmuseum.org.
Cierra Ehrke-Essock reads a story to “Lollipop” the calf while her mother, Cheryl Ehrke, films in preparation for the seventh annual Dairy Day at the MOOseum. Fun dairy videos like this will be presented on the museum’s Facebook page as part of the Dairy Day at the MOOseum event on Saturday, June 19.
Submitted photo.
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