The best place to be in Driftless Wisconsin in the fall is outside. The air has a new crispness to it, the sun has mellowed, and colored leaves flutter past carried by a cool breeze. The people of the Driftless region celebrate autumn with fairs, farmer’s markets, festivals, and all types of fun. Take a look at our event calendar and you will find every weekend in September and October is packed with things to do for the whole family.
The weekend of September 19-20th offers some very popular events where you can get up close and personal with the scenery and the artists of Driftless Wisconsin. Two of these events are the Kickapoo BRAVE Ride and the Driftless Art Festival.
The Kickapoo BRAVE Ride begins Saturday morning. Check-in opens at 6:30 am with an 8:00 am start. This popular bicycle ride offers four different clover leaf style looping routes that all originate at the Stump Dodger Campground in Gays Mills. The routes vary in length from 15 miles to 100 miles so there are options for beginner, intermediate, and advanced riders. Every route has breathtaking scenery: ridge tops with distinctive views and deep, lush valley roads. Cycling up the bluffs is demanding: your heart will be pumping and your thighs may be burning, but the panoramic view at the top is worth the challenge. You’ll also pass small family farms, serene pastures with grazing cows, trout streams, apple orchards and the meandering Kickapoo River. Some routes even have the option to ride along the Great River Road (HWY 35) and take in the majestic Mississippi River. No matter what route you select, you’ll find the winding county roads and soaring limestone bluffs that make the Driftless region completely unique.
Once your ride is over, take the short trip on HWY 131 to Soldier’s Grove, where the 11th Annual Driftless Art Festival is held. 80 artists from all over the area exhibit their creations nestled among the bluffs at Beauford T. Anderson Park. It runs Saturday from 10:00-5:00 and Sunday from 10:00-4:00. (Admission and parking are free!) You’ll find all types of arts: visual, culinary, musical. This year the Artisan Edibles tent will feature culinary artists who offer samples, demonstrations or foods to take home including the American Hazelnut Company, Austin’s Rush Creek Farm, Fizzeology, Got2HavPie, Nami Chips, Sugar Creek Winery and Tea for the People – just to name a few! Live music will be playing (you can find the full performance schedule online). Of course, there is a huge variety of amazing pottery, ceramics, pastel drawings, paintings, photography, jewelry, woodworking, glass, fiber, weavings, sculpture and more. Stroll from tent to tent and you’ll likely meet the artist. Take in the KidsArt Gallery which celebrates the next generation of artists and is a popular destination where youngsters can enjoy free crafts and snacks, while admiring local student artwork.
Want more to do? Here are some other events taking place September 19-20th:
• Vernon County Fair in Viroqua
• Viroqua Farmers Market
• Prairie Street Farmers Market in Prairie du Chien.
• Cannons at the Fort in Prairie du Chien. This is a popular living history event. Historic interpreters present life in Prairie du Chien from the time of the fur trade through the Civil War with Native American storytelling, craft demonstrations, and musket and cannon firing. 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
• Breakfast in a Victorian Kitchen at the Villa Louis Historic Site in Prairie du Chien (Saturday @ 8:30 am – 1:00 pm)
• 2nd Annual Driftless Outdoor Fall Festival in Ontario. Experience a canoe race down the Kickapoo River, bike ride through the hills and valleys, and a whitetail deer classic. There will also be music in the evening for everyone to enjoy.
• Ferryville Fall Fest including a farmer’s market and Amish goods.
• The Harvest Costume Charity Ball at Kickapoo Stump Dodger Campground in Gays Mills (Saturday evening)