Parades Saturday and Monday

Spend your Labor Day weekend at one of several area communities celebrating: Wauzeka as well as Marquette and McGregor.

Wauzeka

Start the day off with the 10th annual 5K walk/run, beginning at the football field and winding throughout the village. All ages are welcome to participate. Registration forms can be picked up at L&M’s BP and area Peoples State Banks. With questions, contact Kathy Degnan at (608) 875-6902. To receive an entry form via email, contact Lisa Krachey at girlstuffplus3@gmail.com. 

At 10 a.m., all are invited to enjoy the community parade along Main Street. Line up will start at 9:30 a.m. at the football field. Afterward, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., a chicken barbecue dinner will be served at the ballpark, where kids games, raffles, and pie and ice cream will be available as well. 

At 1 p.m., join the committee, supporters and friends of the newly-completed Wauzeka Veterans Memorial at the entry to the Wauzeka Cemetery. More fundraising is needed to pay for the granite tablets, though the memorial has been installed and the community is excited to recognize its past and present veterans along with those who made this tribute possible. 

At 3 p.m., a road rally will begin at the boat landing, taking carpooling travelers all over the scenic area roads following clues and finding answers.

All weekend, starting on Saturday, there will also be ball games in the park. 

Marquette/McGregor

Among the highlights will be McGregor’s annual Labor Day parade, held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 31. This year’s parade will be circus-themed, in celebration of McGregor being the location of the Ringling Brothers’ first circus. The Shrine Motor Clowns will make a special appearance, as well as a group of bagpipers.

Businesses, organizations and individuals are still welcome to join the parade. Line up will begin at 10 a.m. at MFL MarMac Middle School. For more information, contact the McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce at (563) 873-2186 or mcgregormarquettechamber@gmail.com.

Following the parade, stick around downtown McGregor for bagpipe music, followed by the Hole in the Sock Gang 1880s street theater performance by Triangle Park at 1 p.m. Face painting and carriage rides will also be available until 2 p.m.

That evening, the community’s history will come to life through “Ghosts of McGregor’s Past,” a guided walking tour based around seven of the town’s most legendary characters.  Offered from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, then again from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, the tours will leave from Triangle Park roughly every half hour and take attendees to locations in downtown McGregor, where community members will act out short vignettes.

Throughout the weekend, people are also encouraged to visit the “Flea Market Under the Bridge” in Marquette. Vendors will be set up with unique treasures from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday, then from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 2. Ladies from St. Paul’s Lutheran Church will operate the food stand.