Curbside ‘ice cream social’ July 3 at Hoard Museum

The Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine in Fort Atkinson will host its 46^th annual Independence Day Ice Cream Social on Saturday, July 3.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event will look different from previous years, but it still will be a fun family event that celebrates the nation’s birth, information released by the museum recently noted. 

The ice cream social has been modified into a low-contact, drive-through event. 

The free activity will be a curbside pickup of a family-fun packet and dairy products. Highlighting historic presidential trivia, the pickup will be 1 to 3 p.m. 

“Museum staff and volunteers have modified our ice cream social into a low-contact experience,” said Merrilee Lee, director of the Hoard Historical Museum. “If you have attended our ice cream socials in the past, this year will look different, but it will still be the same ice cream social at heart.”

She continued: “We recognize that families and individuals are looking for fun and safe 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.”

Beverly Dahl, Hoard Historical Museum staff member, added, “Our family-fun packet will include patriotic puzzles, coloring sheets, and patriotic-themed novelties. Our hope with the packet is that it will give individuals and families an opportunity to appreciate our local and national history.”

Also included in the packet will be a no-contact scavenger hunt focused on Fort Atkinson and local historic sites. Participants will have to visit the site to find the answers, all of which are visible from the road or the public sidewalk.

 “The ice cream social would not be complete without, well, ice cream,” said Lee. “This year, the museum will hand out ice-cream sandwiches courtesy of event sponsor PremierBank.”

Lee added, “We’re so glad that we could hold this event again this year to provide some Fourth of July fun to the area.”

The curbside pickup will be along the south side of South Fourth Street East, alongside the museum. From Main Street, head east onto South Third Street East, turn right onto Merchants Avenue and then left onto South Fourth Street East.

The 100 block of South Fourth Street East will be closed to through-traffic during the event. 

The curbside pickup will be along the south side of South Fourth Street East.

Staff and volunteers will be there to assist with the curbside pickup as well as directing traffic. Once visitors have their patriotic-fun packet and ice cream sandwiches, they can leave the pickup area by turning north on Foster Street.

The Hoard Historical Museum and National Dairy Shrine Museum will be open their regular hours on Saturday, July 3.

Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

The museum is located at 401 Whitewater Ave., Fort Atkinson. For more information, contact the museum at (920) 563-7769 or www.hoardmuseum.org.