LIVING HERE

 

The first-ever “Das Fest” to be held at the Walworth County Fairgrounds is happening this weekend, August 13th to the 15th.
The German translation means one festival (the festival, literally), and it centers on German American history, one weekend, meaning it takes place every year during a weekend in August.  It has one mission, to help strengthen local businesses while promoting tourism and supporting local nonprofit agencies. Enjoy polka, brats, and brews for three fun-filled days, year after year while also enjoying bingo or euchre with prizes in Trixie’s Game Garten.

Each day is jam-packed with live entertainment venues, including musical performances by a Grammy-nominated musician and producer.  Alphorns will be strolling the festival grounds, with dachshund races, and other German performances, Luke’s Lost Arts, with demonstrations of carving techniques used for centuries in the Netherlands and Europe will be there, the Heritage Haus where you can discover European culture with special performances and speakers each day and organ grinders. This is also a family event with balloon artists, a glitter and tattoo artist, a face painter, bubble makers, and carnival games and rides.  Enjoy a 5K run for a great cause; the Elkhorn Rotary Foundation, on Saturday. Toe to Toe Ballet studio will be teaching the moves to the Fliegerlied.

Shop till your heart is content at the outdoor and indoor markets. There’s even a stein-hoisting competition. Enjoy an authentic German meal at the world-famous Mader’s and sit in that operation’s big chair, which has been visited by many celebrities and presidents alike. Then try some German-style beer or wine to wash down your meal. Das Fest offers something for everyone to enjoy, from the young kids to adults.

 

A collection of odds and ends happening around the lake.
There has been no effort, yet, by Mr. Lazzaroni to publish an article of intent in the Regional Newspaper, as is required by the DNR for him to proceed with the building of a very long pier at BigFoot Beach.  The property that he owns on the very south end of the beach is private and he has the right to build a pier.  What kind of pier and how intrusive it might be will be up to approval by the DNR and the board of the Town of Linn, however, nothing has happened yet.  The other two piers that have received conditional approval by the DNR (one off of Trinke Estates property in Town of Linn and the other off of the America Club in Fontana) have yet to receive local approvals, although it is likely that those approvals will be granted no matter how spurious and seemingly made up the evidence is to support their exceeding current length limits (100 feet is the currently accepted length limit by the communities that abut the lakeshore areas).

An additional sign was put up at the rather problematic corner where Wrigley Drive curves off toward the library in front of the Riviera and past Speedo’s and Popeye’s restaurants.  The ‘no left turn’ sign that has been placed there now sits between two caution signs place atop solid concrete abutments.  On busy weekends, however, many drivers still pay little heed to these signs and turn left anyway, creating real safety hazards.

 

The Lake Geneva City Council approved the library’s redevelopment plan, and a part of that plan was greeted with great enthusiasm by the council members.
In only four and a half months the library was able to raise over six hundred thousand dollars ($653,000 to be exact!) in order to privately help the project, move forward.  For departments of the city, that kind of effort is basically unheard of, harkening back to the days when Richard Driehaus used to make significant contributions to the beautification of the city and lake area.  Emily Kornak, the library’s director, spearheaded the effort. The library sold furniture, custom pavers for the patio, the extraordinary women’s effort, and then cash contributions from caring citizens and guests of the library.   Hopefully, Emily will be receiving one of the special awards that Visit Lake Geneva gives to citizens who’ve performed marvelously during the past year.

Animal of the Week

Bentley

Is it a lion? A scary vicious cat? No, meet Bentley, the friendly cat that likes to eat grass and ‘boss’ his owners around.

 

 

Sign up for Updates