The sixth annual Squirrelfest will return to Winnebago Park on Saturday, July 11, offering a full day of free family entertainment, affordable food and activities designed to appeal to visitors of all ages.
Sponsored by the Tomah Lions Club, n.a.s.a. of Tomah and Bluff & Ridge Equine Assisted Therapy, the festival has become a summer tradition centered on providing low-cost family fun rather than raising money.
"There's really nothing like Squirrelfest anywhere," Tomah Mayor Paul Dwyer said. "Where else can you go and get all this fun and entertainment and feed a family of four for under twenty bucks?"
Admission and parking are free, and organizers say the festival is made possible through the support of sponsors, donors, volunteers and local nonprofit organizations.
One of this year's featured attractions is the All-American Lumberjack Show from Minnesota. Professional lumberjacks will present three performances at 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m., featuring log rolling, boom racing, hot saw competitions, crosscut sawing, axe throwing, springboard tree chopping, obstacle pole racing and chainsaw carving. Between shows, children will have the opportunity to participate in a lumberjack camp where they can learn several of the featured skills.
"Anyone who wants to get wet can try to learn how to log roll," said Tina Thompson, executive director of the Tomah Chamber of Commerce and Squirrelfest entertainment director. Children ages 5 and older can try crosscut sawing, while those 12 and older can learn to throw an axe under professional supervision.
Live entertainment continues at noon on the Tomah Chamber of Commerce Main Stage with Gary's Ridgeland Dutchman Brueggen Family Band.
Families will also find a wide variety of free activities throughout the day. The children's games tent will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., featuring duck races, the Squirrel Scamper, ring toss, Plinko and skeeball. Children receive punches for each game they complete and can exchange filled punch cards for free prizes.
Additional attractions include a nut hunt for children ages 6 and younger using allergy-friendly substitute "nuts," free bounce houses and an obstacle course, fishing along Lake Tomah with complimentary bait and loaner fishing poles for children 15 and younger, and an All-Abilities Basketball event beginning at 10 a.m. No preregistration is required for basketball, and children fishing must be accompanied by an adult.
Visitors can learn about the history and mission of n.a.s.a. through a continuously running multimedia presentation inside the park shelter. At the arts and crafts shelter, children can contribute to a community Squirrelfest Coloring Wall while waiting for free face painting, available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Visitors can also enjoy free wagon rides through the neighborhood aboard a wagon pulled by an antique John Deere tractor operated by Gary Felbur and Brandy Leis from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Wheelchair-accessible pontoon boat rides on Lake Tomah will also be available throughout the day using boats provided by n.a.s.a. of Tomah and n.a.s.a. of Holmen. Children younger than 13 will be provided life jackets in accordance with state law.
Community organizations, including the Monroe County Sheriff's Department, Monroe County Health Department and Tomah Boy Scout Troop 5, will host informational booths during the festival. Adults can also participate in the new Squirrel Scramble game hosted by First Weber Realtors. The $5 entry fee goes into a winner-take-all payout.
Food prices remain intentionally affordable. The snack tent opens at 10 a.m. and will offer free ice cream donated by Dwyer Milk Transport, free cotton candy donated by Sparta Cinema and free popcorn donated by Pizones/Strike Zone while supplies last.
Bluff & Ridge Equine Assisted Therapy will operate the Hansen's IGA food tent, serving $3 cheeseburgers, pulled pork sandwiches from Thundering Hurd BBQ and barbecue chicken from Southside Smoke. Hot dogs, chips, bottled water and soda will be available for $1 each. The Tomah Lions Club will also offer domestic beer for $2 and craft beer for $3.
Organizers emphasize that Squirrelfest is designed as a community celebration rather than a fundraiser. Most participating nonprofits earn little from their involvement, with the festival relying on more than 100 volunteers along with sponsorships and donations to keep admission free and food prices low.
Children visiting the information tent can receive a free squirrel tattoo and a complimentary mini pizza from Murray's on Main while supplies last.
Additional festival information and a complete schedule are available at tomahsquirrels.org.
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