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THE GRAND VENETIAN FESTIVAL
The 61st Annual Lake Geneva Venetian Festival is almost here. This throwback festival dates all the way back to the 17th century in Europe. Currently, many countries in Europe still throw this giant carnival party, as well as four cities in the USA. Lake Geneva, thanks to the Lake Geneva Jaycees, is one of those cities.
The Fun begins August 16th and goes through Sunday August 20th. The five-day festival takes place along the picturesque lake shore and the beautiful parks in downtown Lake Geneva. Flat Iron Park will include carnival rides, games, food, the beer tent and live stage, Seminary Park will have more carnival fun, rides, and food catering to the younger kids, and Library Park will have a huge craft fair. The fun wraps up along the lake shore on Sunday with the annual ski show, lighted boat parade, and the firework show. Admission for the carnival is free.
Wednesday, August 16th, through Friday, August 18th, the rides, and carnival open at 5 p.m. and run through 10:30 p.m. Wristbands are available on Wednesday for $40 for the whole day’s activities. The beer tent has a $5 charge and opens at 6 p.m. through 12 p.m., with Bella Cain taking the stage at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, Modern Day Romeos will perform, and Friday will be the Kelly Daniels Band. Saturday August 19th and Sunday August 20th the Arts and Craft Fair will fill Library Park with one hundred and ten different vendors starting at 10 a.m.
The carnival will be open at noon both days closing at 11:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at 10:30 p.m. Saturday will have wristband specials for unlimited rides until 5 p.m. for $40. Saturday’s entertainment, including the Jack White Band at 3 p.m., and Too Hype Crew from 8 p.m. until midnight. Sundays, the entertainment starts at noon with Rock Central. 3 p.m. will be Big Al Wetzel Band, and Dirty Canteen steps in at 8 p.m., wrapping up at midnight. The lake front will be a hub of activity on Sunday evening for the Ski Show at 6 p.m. off the Riviera Beach.
At dusk, the Venetian style Lighted Boat Parade will circle the shore, and the grand finale of the festival; the biggest and best firework show in the area, will begin as the boat parade finishes.
The Jaycees Venetian Festival has grown over the years and is the Jaycee’s biggest revenue generator, allowing the club to give back to the local community in a big way. Get ready to enjoy some great family fun and wrap up the summer season with a bang. The free fireworks show near the end of the festival is worth going to, as well as the free fairway strolls everyone makes just to enjoy the show, the grounds, the entertainment, and the other people attending. This Venetian Fest should be one of the Jaycee’s finest presentations, as the pandemic sort of put a crimp in everyone’s budget, schedule, and style. The pandemic’s over (but still to be watched for symptoms carefully and regularly) and therefore this Venetian fest will proceed at full speed. It is hoped that the entire local population will turn out to join the thousands of visitors who are certainly going to show up.
The GSR will be making videos on the GSR Facebook site when the assembly of all the equipment is initiated and then of the actual festival day by day and night by night. See you there
