Beaver Dam will be full of celebrations this weekend, including the Wisconsin Arts & Peony Festival, which is drawing the American Peony Society convention to town.
“We have so many things to do this weekend,” Beaver Dam Chamber Tourism Marketing Manager Shannon Koele said. “We have two festivals, one big event, a convention and an art market.”
The Wisconsin Arts & Peony Festival is Friday through Sunday, with the art market in downtown Beaver Dam on Saturday.
“During the Wisconsin Arts and Peony Festival, people can visit Ovan’s Peony Farm for farm tours,” Koele said. “They can also visit all kinds of arts exhibits happening at the Dodge County Center for the Arts.”
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The jackets Lois Levenhagen created for Mike Leckrone, former UW Marching Band Director, will be on display at the Nancy Zieman Sewing Studio & Quilt Shop during the weekend, Koele said. In addition, there will be art classes and a mural painting in the downtown area.
"Wisconsin has the potential to become the Midwest destination for all things peonies," said Michelle Ovans, who started he Wisconsin Arts & Peony Festival in 2021.
The art market has nearly 100 art vendors this year including food trucks and live music, she said. It will be held on Maple Avenue but will have a location it rains in the Beaver Dam High School Fieldhouse.
This will be the first time The American Peony Society holds its national convention in Wisconsin and is the first time that the classes, which will be held in Beaver Dam High School, will be open to the public.
“Their flower show will be open to the public on Saturday and Sunday in the Beaver Dam High School atrium,” Koele said.
There also will be live music from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Saturday at Swan Park. Ian Seaholm and the Night Thieves will be performing.
The Taste of Wisconsin Beer, Cheese and Wine Festival will be held from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, at Rotary Riverwalk Park in downtown Beaver Dam. The event is not free but gives people another festival to attend, with more than 40 breweries coming, five wineries and live music from Mood Medication, Koele said. There will also be all kinds of cheese as well as barbeque pork.
The Dodge County Historical Society couldn't have found a better day for its annual Ghost Story Festival: Friday the 13th.
If you are interested in something spooky, the Dodge County Historical Society will have a presentation from 7:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday with the Ghost Story Festival, and a lawn party from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, in back of the building at 105 Park Ave.
There were nearly 9,000 people who attended last year’s event, and Koele said they are expecting more this year.
“We’ve heard a lot of people are coming,” she said. “The hotels are booking up.”
There will be a trolley this year that will take people to the peony farm, W9904 County Hwy CP, and will pick up people from Beaver Dam High School, hotels in town, the chamber of commerce and the parking lot of Beaver Dam Tire on Center Street.
