This weekend in Richland County and beyond

RICHLAND CENTER, Wis (WRCO / WRCE) – Are you looking for something to do this weekend, starting as early as Thursday? We have you covered!

Thursday, May 15

The annual Walk with GRACE (Greater Richland Area Cancer Elimination) kickoff will be held Thursday, May 15, at the Richland Center Community Center. The Walk with GRACE kickoff will include a freewill offering pancake supper. Doors open at the Richland Center Community Center at 4:30 p.m. Teams can register and pick up packets, calendars, car raffle tickets, and luminaries. Team can also select their team sight. A program explaining the team packets will begin at 6 p.m. The four ambassadors for this year will also be introduced.

The Richland Center Lions will be hosting a Car Cruise on Thursday, May 15 at the Fairgrounds from 5 to 8 p.m. through September. Concessions will also be available. The final night will be Thursday, October 9. Car enthusiasts are invited to bring their cars to showcase.

Passages Annual Public Board Meeting will be held Thursday, May 22, at 10 a.m. at the Richland Center Community Center. Participants will have the opportunity to meet the board and staff. They’ll also learn of the Board’s highlights from the past year and goals for the new year. RSVP here by Thursday, May 15. Brunch will be provided by Christy’s Sunnyside.

The SWCAP Pop-Up Food Pantry Truck will be in Rockbridge Thursday, May 15, from 11 a.m. until noon at the Natural Bridge Store, and in Cazenovia from 1 to 2 p.m. near Alibi’s Bar & Grill. SWCAP is required to collect names, ages, addresses, and household sizes.

Friday, May 16

The Ithaca Lions Club will be holding their annual Consignment Auction Sunday, May 18, starting at 11 a.m., at the Richland County Fairgrounds. Acceptable Consignments include agricultural equipment, lawn & garden equipment, recreation equipment, cars, trucks and tools, and more. No tires or electronics will be accepted. Items will be accepted at sale site on Friday and Saturday, May 16 & 17, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, the day of the sale, from 8 until 9:30 a.m. To consign an item, or for more information, contact Dick Hauser at 608-585-4808 or 608-574-1688, Dean Rinehart at 608-604-4692, or Fred Fry at 608-585-2921.

A Red Cross Blood Drive will be held Friday, May 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sauk County Public Health Department. Appointments can be made by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or going online at redcrossblood.org.

Shake Rag Alley will host the ninth annual Writing Retreat Friday through Sunday, May 16 to 18. It is open to writers of all levels. Explore storytelling, fiction, memoir, flash, poetry, and small press publishing with retreat faculty, with immersive workshops, manuscript consultations, and engaging talks. This weekend of writing in community will challenge you to explore new forms, deepen your writing practice, and are led by award-winning published authors and active, experienced teachers of writing. For more information see ShakeRagAlley.org, or call 608-987-3292.

The Muscoda Mushroom Festival will be held Friday, May 16 through Sunday, May 18. Friday will feature a Car Cruise-In, an Antique Tractor Pull and a Summer League Baseball Tournament. Saturday’s events include a Pancake Breakfast, a Chili Cookoff, an Arts & Crafts fair, Chainsaw Carving, Baseball and Softball Tournaments. Lower Wisconsin Riverway presentations & tours, as well as fried mushrooms, will be served at Mushroom Headquarters. Sunday, there will be Cowboy Church, a Corn Hole Tournament and a Muscoda Mudcats Baseball game. Friday & Saturday will also have fresh mushrooms available at Mushroom Headquarters, food stands, music and Thunder Shower Inflatables. A full list of activities and times can be found at Muscoda website and on the Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival Facebook page.

Bower-Gunnill-Dalton VFW Post 2267 is seeking Parade participation for the upcoming Memorial Day Parade. Parade participation is encouraged, with veterans leading with either the Colors, school marching bands, or patriotic displays. The parade kick-off is 10 a.m. Monday, May 26, at Park and Third Street. It will proceed down Church Street to the Richland Center Cemetery, with a route of about seven blocks. The Memorial Day ceremony will take place at the Richland Center Cemetery starting at 10:45 a.m. For more information, call 608-647-4884.

Wisconsin Land + Water will offer two unique summer conservation camps for middle and high school students. Open to students from Wisconsin and neighboring states, these camps provide hands-on outdoor experiences designed to foster a love of nature while exploring careers in natural resources and conservation. Natural resource professionals lead programs covering wildlife, habitat restoration, water quality, soils, forestry, and outdoor skills. The Middle School Conservation Camp will be held June 15 through June 18 at Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center in Wisconsin Dells. Open to students entering grades six through eight. The cost is $300, which includes lodging, meals, snacks, a T-shirt, and all activities. Those planning to attend are asked to register by May 16. With support from the Brad Matson Memorial Conservation Camp Scholarship and local County Land and Water Conservation Departments, students have the chance to attend camp at a reduced cost, or free. Learn more at the Wisconsin Land + Water website here.

Saturday, May 17

A pancake breakfast will be held Saturday, May 17, from 7 until 11 a.m. at St. John’s Parish Hall in Muscoda. The cost is $7 for adults, $4 for children six through 12, and free for those five and under.

Flags will be put up at the American Legion Flag Park, in Richland Center, Saturday, May 17 at 10 a.m. Volunteers are needed to help.

GRACE will host an outdoor run-walk event Saturday, May 17, at the Dr. Kilian Meyer Building in Richland Center. It will include a one-fourth mile kids run; a one-mile fun run-walk with the Firefighters Challenge. 5k and 10k distances are also available. There’s something for all abilities. Registration will begin at 6:30 a.m. with the first race beginning at 7:30 a.m. Register in person at the GRACE office above Royal Bank in Richland Center, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or online at the website here.

The Pine River Cemetery annual clean-up will be held Saturday, May 17, from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Those helping are asked to bring a broom or rake.

The Little Lamb’s Closet, held at Park Street Christian Church, sponsored by the Richland County Right to Life, is open Saturday, May 17 at 9:30 a.m. Please use the Park Street entrance.

Free milk and cheese are available Saturday, May 17 from 9:30 a.m. until gone at Park Street Christian Church. Use the Seminary Street entrance.

The Nascar Fans United Walk with GRACE team will host a Quilt Gala Saturday, May 17, at the Richland Center Community Center. Dress in promlike attire for this black-tie event. Enjoy finger foods while bidding on the quilted items donated to support GRACE. Doors will open at 6 p.m.; the auction will begin at 8 p.m. Cost of entry is $10. To donate a quilt or quilted item, call Lorna Maxwell at 608-647-4234.

The Ancora String Quartet will perform at Taliesin’s Hillside Theater Saturday, May 17, at 6 p.m. for a “Schubertiad!” Tickets must be purchased in advance. Tickets may be purchased on the website.

Sunday, May 18

Gundersen Boscobel’s Annual Teddy Bear Clinic will be held Sunday, May 18, from noon to 3 p.m. at the Lower Level of the Hospital, Bluff Street Terrace Entrance. Kids can learn about medical exams through hands-on activities. Staff will help ease any fears as kids rotate through stations like Primary Care, Lab, X-Ray, and more, using their teddy bears as patients. Furthermore, they can meet local emergency responders and check out the Gundersen AIR helicopter up close. This free event doesn’t require registration. Each child will receive a teddy bear and a coloring book while supplies last. For more information, call Gundersen Boscobel Area Hospital at 608-375-4112.

Grow and Gather: Spring Foraging with Abbie Lehman will be held Sunday, May 18, from noon to 4 p.m. Explore the Welsh Hills Trail and learn how to forage with Kitchen Gardener, Abbie Lehman. Class will begin with a discussion of foraging basics at the base of the trail. Then, participants will embark on a two-mile loop through the Welsh Hills to put their knowledge to the test, identifying common Spring wild edibles along the way. By the end of this course, you will learn the fundamentals of foraging, as well as key identification techniques and common plant families. The cost for those eight and up is $45. Sign-up at here.

A spring service will be held at the Brown Church Sunday, May 18, at 1:30 p.m. The message will be delivered by Pastor John Sumwalt and refreshments will be served after the service. Services at the Brown Church are Ecumenical and open to the community. The church is located on Brown Church Road, rural Lone Rock.

Crosscurrents Heritage Center near Blue River will host the Wisconsin Dells Singers and Dance Troupe Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. For the first time in at least 180 years, Ho-Chunk drumming, dancing, and singing will take place at historic Tippesaukee Farm, the home of Crosscurrents Heritage Center. A tent on the lawn will be set up with 100 folding chairs, but visitors are welcome to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The event is free, but preregistration is required. To preregister, go to crosscurrents heritage.org, and scroll down to the register button.

The Richland County Ministerial Association High School Baccalaureate service will be held Sunday, May 18, at 7:30 p.m., at the Richland Center High School Auditorium. Pastor Tim Ward of the Free Methodist Church will provide the message with additional speakers from the Senior Class. Volunteers from the Concert Choir will provide the music. A $500 College Scholarship will be presented in the evening

Busy Bees summer gardening program for children three to nine will be offered at the River Valley Area Community Gardens. Sessions will be held Tuesdays, June 10 through July 29, from 9:15 to 10:15 a.m. Each child will receive their own 2’ x 4’ raised bed to grow plants of their choosing. Along with tending the beds, each session includes an activity. The focus is on fun as well as gardening. RVACG provides a variety of seeds and plants and the use of garden tools. A parent or caregiver must accompany the child to the sessions. The cost is $10 per child, or $15 for a family. There are scholarships available. For more information or a registration form, contact [email protected]. A Meet and Greet is scheduled for Sunday, May 18. at 3 p.m.