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- Driftless Tribe #0021
Driftless Tribe #0021
Weekly Breakdown
What’s Happening in the Driftless: 100+ Events This Week
Hey! We’ve got a ton on tap this week & beyond—over 100 events, morel mushroom teasers, and more spring goodness. Let’s do it!
Oh, and keep an eye out… our Driftless Tribe Discount Card is launching soon. Think exclusive deals at your favorite local spots—coming your way real soon.
Driftless Cheese Trivia 🧀
Which Driftless town is home to one of Wisconsin’s oldest operating cheese companies, where you can still visit a historic downtown shop and buy hand-cut blocks of cheddar made using recipes dating back to the 1930s? |
Community Weekend Happenings
What’s on your agenda this weekend? We’d love to hear about it!
At Driftless Tribe, we’re all about fostering community, and one way we can do that is by sharing the amazing events and plans happening across the Driftless Area. Let us know what you’re up to this weekend by filling out the form below, and we’ll highlight a few in our next newsletter.
Community Submissions:
Kris from Utica: “I will be going to Church. Easter celebrated the Risen Christ.”
Doug from Winona: “Blue Heron Coffeehouse, their soups are outstanding.”
Adam from Driftless Tribe: “We fully took advantage of the beautiful weather and easter weekend. I cut wood with my dad in Plain, & had a campfire under the stars with family.”
Moment in Time
Potosi Brewery, 1935 - Wisconsin Historical Society, WHI-30365
Morel Fever – The Waiting Game 🍄
“Morel Season is Coming… Or Is It?”
This is the time of year when every Driftless local starts scanning the forest floor with a bit more intention. The air’s shifting. The rains have rolled through. And in garages and barns, folks are quietly dusting off their bags, knives, and mud boots - in search of the morel mushroom.
But the big question still hangs in the air: are the morels here yet?
Over Easter weekend I discussed with my grandfather—seasoned morel hunter—to talk about this season and, more importantly, the timing. When do they really start to pop? And where should you even begin to look?
My grandpa has walked the same tree lines for decades, and his answer was simple and pointed: not yet. While the heavier spring rains are a good sign, he says the ground is still too frozen and cold for the mushrooms to really take off. The soil needs to warm up—not just at the surface, but deep down—before they’ll start popping in earnest.
But he did give me a tip. One of those quiet, passed-down cues that doesn’t come from a weather app or a soil thermometer.
“When the may apples start showing,” he said, “that’s when the morels are ready.”
If you’ve ever hunted before, you know how true that is. The broad leaves of may apples start pushing up right around the same time the morels do. It’s nature’s calendar—and around here, it’s a trusted one.
When the time does come, there are a few things to keep in mind. Start with south-facing slopes—they warm up faster and sometimes hold the earliest risers. Look around dead or dying elm trees, old apple orchards, even ash or sycamore. And once you spot one morel, slow down—chances are, there are more nearby. They love to travel in clusters.
So for now, we wait. We’re still in the season of anticipation. Watching the woods. Reading the signs. Waiting for the may apples to rise.
If you do happen to spot one, don’t worry—I won’t ask where. But feel free to share a photo or brag just a little - you’ve earned it.
Happenings
Want a Featured Event including a poster? Reach out and say hi.
WEDNESDAY 4/23
Winona, No Name Bar — Nerd Nite Winona Link
Arcadia, Backyard Garden Center — Opening Day Link
Onalaska, Omni Center — Raffle Link
Mount Horeb, City — Citywide Garage Sales Link
Sparta, Quilt Corner — Barn Quilt Painting Class Link
Potosi, 101 N Main St — Book Launch: IncREDible Friends Link
Monroe, Spilled Grapes Wine Bar — Wine & Cheese Pairing Link
Richland Center, Community Center — Winter Market Link
Viola, Driftless Curiosity — Bird Lover’s Program Link
LaCrosse, Popcorn Tavern — Open Jam Link
Wisconsin, Showboat Saloon — Live with Adam Greuel & The Space Burritos Link
Mauston, Gravity Box Brewing Co — Bingo Night Fundraiser Link
THURSDAY 4/24
Baraboo, Nautical Coffee Co — April Book Swap Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard — Pick Your Own Charcuterie Link
Viroqua, City — City Wide Garage Sales Link
Viroqua, Noble Rind Cheese Co — Bring Your Own Book Club Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel — Live with Dylan Doyle Trio Link
Mineral Point, Sullivans — Meet & Mingle Link
LaCrosse, Popcorn Tavern — Blues Night Link
FRIDAY 4/25
Cashton, Footjoy Farm & Brewing — Singer/Songwriter Night Link
Mauston, Gravity Box Brewing Co — Comedy with Marcus Monroe Link
Monroe, Spilled Grapes Wine Club — 1 Year Anniversary Weekend Link
Cashton, Firefly Farm & Mercantile — Link
Winona, No Name Bar — Live with Silent Treatment Link
Mount Horeb, Sugar River Yarns — Grand Opening Link
LaCrosse, Pearl Street Brewery — Taster’s Eve Party 2025 Link
La Crescent, Chef’s Table — Walleye Fry Link
Viroqua, LuSa Organics — Herbal Retreat: Nervous System Reset Link
Monroe, Downtown — Spring 2025 Wine Walk Link
Lanesboro, Bluff Country Studio — Bluff Country Studio Art Tour 2025 Link
LaCrosse, 608 Brewing Co — Barrel Aged Coconut Nebulous Void Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel — Live with Clay Fulton Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard — Bingo Link
Dodgeville, Duke’s — Live with Jackson Taylor Link
Monroe, Bullquarian Brewhouse — Live with stop.drop.rewind Link
PDC, Waterfront Hotel — 10th Annual PDC Uncorked Link
Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery — Live with Dan Kennedy & Jon Vriesacker Link
Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret — Karaoke Link
SATURDAY 4/26
Soldiers Grove, Old Oak Inn — Driftless Thrifters Weekend Get-Away Link
Mauston, Gravity Box Brewing Co — Comedy with Vik Pandya Link
Lone Rock, MH Friends — Live with Dylan Harris Link
PDC, PDC Arts Center — SPSG 2025 Recital – All Great Things Take Time to Grow Link
New Lisbon, Opera House — OH Grand Opening Link
Baraboo, Ringling House — Mystery Dinner: From Monte Carlo with Murder Link
Loganville, Drifters Saloon — Live with Lights Our Band Link
Cuba City, Cuba City Tap — Live with Sheez-It Link
Trempealeau, Cat Daddy’s — Live with Noah Ertz Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel — Live with Erik Koskinen Link
Boscobel, Mt Zion Pub — Live with Countryfied Link
Spring Green, Various — 2025 Farm & Food Tour Link
Monroe, Leisure Lanes — Live with Blue Steel Link
Cuba City, Cole Acres — Meat Paddles & Music Bingo Link
Viroqua, Historic Temple Theatre — Live with Michael Perry Link
Potosi, 101 N Main St — Independent Bookstore Day & Grand Opening Link
Baraboo, Frankie’s — Big Garage Sale Link
Spring Green, General Store — Pop Up with Vandehoney, Life of a Bee Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard — White Pine Seedling Giveaway Link
Paoli, Seven Acre Dairy Co — Charity Bike Ride for the River Food Pantry Link
Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret — Live with Ben Mulwana & The Village Link
Arena, Trader’s Bar & Grill — Kim Neefe Benefit Link
Cashton, Big Johnson’s Doghouse Saloon — Spring UTV Ride Link
Coon Valley, Stockyard Grill — Public Dance Link
LaCrosse, Popcorn Tavern — Swell As Well Album Release Party Link
Spring Green, General Store — Concert in the Cafe Link
Lime Ridge, Branding Iron Roadhouse — Euchre Party Link
Winona, Minn. Marine Art Museum — Ride the Wave with Sarah Johnson Link
Wisconsin Dells, Grateful Shed — Live with Charlie Rae Link
New Glarus, Dirty Dog Taphaus — Live with Justin Moyar Link
Blanchardville, Cork Down — Euchre Tournament Link
Wonewoc, Corkscrew Wine Bar — Live with Tom Burr Link
LaFarge, Community Center — Spring Barn Dance Link
SUNDAY 4/27
Muscoda, English Prairie Distilling Co — The Wisconsin Whey Book ‘Tasting’ Link
Baraboo, Johnny’s Girl Boutique — Patchin’ Denim Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard — Dog Walk in the Vineyard Link
Viroqua, Vernon Vineyards — Round Robin – Musical Showcase Link
Cobb, Thirsty Farmer — Steak Feed Link
Hillsboro, Community Center — April Bingo Link
Winona, Two Fathoms Brewing — Cribbage Tournament Link
Monroe, Friendly Inn — Live with Cherokee Rose Link
Lime Ridge, Branding Iron Roadhouse — Open Mic Link
Belmont, Belmont Mound State Park — Edible Invasives Foraging Walk Link
Osseo, Jamie’s Last Resort — Live with TravAce Link
Albany, Attica Bar — Live with Junkyard Kings Link
New Glarus, Dirty Dog Taphaus — Live with Dan Brusky Link
MONDAY 4/28
TUESDAY 4/29
We will check in again next week.
Let us know any events / establishments you would like to be added to this list via IG @driftlesstribe or email [email protected]
If someone forwarded this to you, time to make the leap and join the Tribe!
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