Friends and Family Weekend July 27 - 29
Fort Chamber Announces Friends and Family Weekend
The Fort Atkinson Area Chamber of Commerce invites area residents and visitors to its Friends and Family weekend, Friday, July 27th through Sunday, July 29th. Participating retailers and restaurants will be offering mid-summer sales and specials, live music, fun giveaways, and a host of family-friendly activities throughout Fort Atkinson.
“The final weekend in July has always been our big retail promotion,” said Olivia Ault, the chamber’s tourism manager. “This year’s theme is a tribute from our businesses to thank the loyal customers who have made shopping local a priority over the years. They are thought of as friends and treated like family, and we are excited to showcase all the fun things we have planned that weekend.”
In addition to some great sales and bargains, shoppers can check out recreation adventures at 2 Rivers Bicycle and Outdoors with canoe and kayak rentals; hula crafts, contests, and games during the Luau Weekend at Jellystone Park; and swimming at the Fort Aquatic Center. The Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce website has a full list of retail, restaurant and recreation activities that weekend.
“Saturday will be buzzing downtown with the Farmers and Arts Market from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm on Saturday,” said Ault. “The market festivities are tied into the Poetry Festival that weekend, so in addition to the bouncy house, trolley rides, and kids activities, there will also be arts vendors, a petting zoo hosted by the FFA Alumni, and shoppers can purchase their own custom poem or write one of their own on the chalk walk.”
There will be sidewalk sales and customer appreciation promotions throughout town, ticket giveaways from WSLD at MK Cellular on Friday, and a cheese curd festival at Island Bar & Grill on Blackhawk Island on Saturday, not far from where local poet Lorine Niedecker lived and composed her most famous works.
The Chamber encourages shoppers to meander over to the dedication of the newest poetry wall at the corner of Sherman Avenue and North Main Street on Saturday at 1:00 pm. The Friends of Lorine Niedecker organized this second mural as a compliment to the one on the opposite side of Main Street, which has generated a good deal of curiosity and interest in the downtown district.
The Friends and Family Weekend in Fort Atkinson is the perfect chance to shop local and spend time enjoying retail, restaurants and recreation, July 27 – 29. To see the full calendar and list of participating businesses, visit fortchamber.com/events or call 920.563.3210.