Welcome to Door County's quick and happy read. In addition to this week's front page articles found below, we invite you to enjoy over 600 stories from all past issues of the magazine, contained in our archives. Use the search fields below to find what you're interested in.
The
Peninsula Music Festival will present its annual chamber music series,
February Fest, on Saturday, February 11 and Friday, February 17. The
chamber music series was started to feature PMF orchestra musicians
during the off season to highlight the depth of the talent in the
Festival Orchestra as well as make concerts available to the local
community during a quieter time on the Peninsula. The February Fest is
made possible thanks to sponsorships from Doug Peterson and Joan E.
Mills, Gen Follingstad, and the Peninsula Music Festival Sustaining
Committee.
Peninsula State Park has gone to the birds. The park teamed up with the Village of
Ephraim to earn Bird City recognition. It’s the first time a Wisconsin
state park has done so.
The Bird City status recognizes the importance of Peninsula and
Ephraim as a migration corridor, as Wisconsin Great Birding Trail
destinations, and as places attractive to eco-tourists.
"The people who fought to establish Peninsula knew it was an
irreplaceable landscape," said Peninsula Naturalist Kathleen Harris, who
worked on the Bird City application with the Ephraim Business Council's
Tourism Administrator Rachel Willems and Ephraim Trustee Steve Sauter.
"Some of those people were Ephraim residents and along the way they set
aside wonderful gems in their own village."
Door
County enters its quiet period by November, but that means there's some
very happy and satisfying times just waiting for you during your
upcoming get-a-way weekend on the Peninsula. Just think, no traffic, no
waiting anywhere, relaxed local folks to chat with, and most of all,
quiet and relaxing ambiance.
But you need to make a plan so that you don't waste your valuable time
driving to places that are already closed for the winter.
In
1853, Andreas Iverson, a Moravian minister and evangelist from Norway,
founded Door County’s first church. Today, its white steeple is a proud
tribute to the hardy souls who survived countless challenges to
establish their church in the wilderness. Serving the community,
Ephraim Moravian Church ministries provides free meals, short-term
emergency aid, supports Feed My People, and participates in Crop Walk.
In
the glow of lantern light, visitors will have an opportunity to tour
the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse after sunset this fall. Guests to the
lighthouse will set back in time … sharing in the adventures of the
second keeper, William Duclon, who manned the light from 1883 – 1918.
Wednesdays just got WACKY! Door
Shakespeare wants everyone, especially the ‘locals’ to join in the
frivolity of its first-ever Fall season offering, "The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)!" by presenting Wacky Wednesday evening
performances, October 5 and 12, at the unheard of low price of just $15
per ticket.
One
of the most popular fundraising events of the Peninsula Music Festival
is "Help Program the Season". For the second year in a row, Conductor
Victor Yampolsky has given the Festival audience a chance to pick the
overture that will open the season. The 2011 season opened with Verdi's
Overture to Nabucco. Now it is time for Festival friends to cast their
vote for the overture that will open the 60th season in August 2012.
Kay Allmand and Mark Moede. Photo credit: Suzi Hass.
Door
Shakespeare will present fall performances of The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)! Performances will be held at The
Ephraim Village Hall, September 29 through October 16, Wednesday through
Sunday performances following the Thursday opening. A special Sunday
'Mantinee' will be held on October 9th at 1:30 p.m. so that any men who
want to attend won’t miss out on their favorite football game that
evening!
There
is something so irresistibly charming about taking a seat under the
stars, surrounded by tall trees, wrapped in a blanket and armed with bug
spray. This sounds a lot like camping, doesn't it? But add to this
scene a wooden stage set with clever handmade scenery, a small band in
the corner, rows upon rows of wooden benches filled with cozy people,
and twinkling lights along a pathway through the woods; this is the
image of the American Folklore Theatre in Fish Creek. Nestled within
Peninsula State Park, this quiet venue hosts several original musicals
each year and is a staple in the summers - and winters - of many Door
County fans, locals and visitors alike.
The Door County Folk Festival (DCFF) is one
of the most fun-filled, enjoyable and educational dance weekends held
in the Midwest. Each year, the DCFF attracts hundreds of participants
to Door County, Wisconsin, from all around the U.S., Canada and often
other countries.
The Festival begins on the Wednesday
following Independence Day. The 2011 Festival begins on
Wednesday, July 6th and continues through Sunday, July 10th.
Lumberjacks in Love - Photo courtesy Roger Hamilton
Summer Season to feature World Premiere Bing! The Cherry
Musical, together with AFT favorites Lumberjacks in Love and Guys &
Does.
Fall Season will feature Guys On Ice and The Spitfire Grill at Door Community Auditorium.
Critically acclaimed American Folklore Theatre in Door County has
announced its 2011 Summer and Fall Season, which will run from June 15
until August 27 at the Amphitheatre in Peninsula State Park and move
indoors to Door Community Auditorium from September 1st through October
16th.
Eagle Bluff Lighthouse from the air - Photo courtesy Dick Felzer
In 1868, the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse cast its beam over the Green Bay for the first time. Guiding vessels through the waters' treacherous shoals, the lighthouse and its keeper provided safe passage for the next 57 years. Today, the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse opens its door to visitors from around the world.
"We are so excited to begin our season," said Patti Podgers, curator/manager. "It has been a very busy winter working on some exciting projects, and we think our visitors will be pleased. It should be a great summer and fall, and we look forward to greeting old and new faces."
Due to wet conditions the Sunset Bike Trail is closed to
biking and hiking. Interior roads are good options for either biking or
hiking at this time. This is a great time of year to walk along Shore
Road past Weborg Marsh to do a little birding. Access to Eagle Bluff
Lighthouse is now available and tours will start in late May.
White Cedar Nature Center
Peninsula naturalists offer nature programs year-round. Please see the current program schedule for more information or pick-up a program schedule upon your arrival.
Don't
miss Ephraim's Christmas in the Village event on Saturday, December 4,
2010! Many of the activities take place in or near the Ephraim Village
Hall, right downtown. The moment you step inside this wonderful old
building, you'll feel the spirit of Christmas past. A popular annual
event, you'll find lots of arts and crafts available, with artisans
often demonstrating their techniques. There's also cookie decorating and
heritage games in the afternoon.
Ephraim epitomizes the essence of Door County. Along with Fish Creek, it is at the center of tourist life. It has a certain storybook charm with the town nicely wrapped around its primary waterfront, Eagle Harbor. Its stately homes and hotels along the shoreline attest to its glorious past as a prime destination for tourists, seasonal visitors, and permanent residents of the Peninsula. Ephraim is wonderful in all four seasons and there seems to be plenty to see and do every day.
For those of you that are repeat visitors to Ephraim, there are certain landmarks that you would insist newcomers have to see in order to state that they had been to this town. For most, these landmarks include the Anderson complex, which is composed of four main buildings. One such building is the Anderson Barn, which contains photographs, artwork, artifacts and stories of Ephraim's history. The Barn is also home to the wheel of the ship Ebenezer, which was the only schooner that was built in Ephraim.
Winter in Wisconsin can be daunting, but Vintage Nest of Door County, the first "occasional sale" on the peninsula, is arriving just in time to dispel the chill in the air.Featuring a variety of vintage pieces--clothing and collectibles, garden decorations, jewelry and clothing -Vintage Nest of Door County is a fashion feast whose theme hints at spring.
Updated constantly ... What's going on in Door County
Welcome to DoorCountyTravelersJournal.com!
If you are looking for interesting places to visit and things to do, you're in the right place. This online magazine features articles that help you get the most out of your vacation in Wisconsin's magical Door Peninsula. Get useful visitor information and be sure to check out our Kids Edition to find places that children like to go. The opinions and recommendations herein are solely those of our contributing writers. Event information subject to change without notice.
We also publish articles of interest to local residents. Submissions and story ideas are welcome.
