- Driftless Tribe
- Posts
- Driftless Tribe #0031
Driftless Tribe #0031
Weekly Breakdown
Hey all! Hope you had a great and eventful 4th of July. This week, we’ve got a quick look at a celebration we attended, plus a fresh lineup of upcoming Driftless events. The weather’s warm, the days are long, and it’s the perfect time to get out and enjoy the region. Let’s get into it.
Inside the Lone Rock EMS Chicken Fundraiser 🍗
Last week, we highlighted 4th of July celebrations across the Driftless, including the big bash in Lone Rock. We stopped by their annual celebration and got a close-up look at one of the event’s staples: the Lone Rock EMS chicken barbecue fundraiser.
Lone Rock has a long history of Independence Day gatherings, and the EMS barbecue has become a signature part of that tradition. The setup is impressive—an ingenious grilling system that can handle over 300 chicken halves at once. Rows of custom-built charcoal pits stretch down the lot, manned by a dedicated team of volunteers who fire things up as early as 5 a.m. Grates of chicken line the pits that allow the volunteers to “flip” over 25 halves at once.
“We’ve been doing this for over 30 years, and in the past we’ve done over 500 halves of chicken before we backed it down,” said Pat Werner, one of the long-time EMS volunteers behind the grill.
Lone Rock’s Custom-build chicken pits
The scent of charcoal and sizzling chicken fills the air all morning, drawing in locals and visitors alike. Served right at the fire station, the location couldn’t be better - smack in the middle of the parade route. Chicken sales begin immediately after the parade ends and usually sell out within an hour or two, so it pays to be quick.
And the EMS team isn’t the only one serving up chicken; another barbecue is also held at the ballpark, put on by a local church. Between the two, Lone Rock turns into a barbecue hotspot every 4th of July.
If you’ve never experienced this kind of old-school, high-volume cookout, mark your calendar for next year.
Trivia 🏞️
The Driftless Area is home to one of the oldest operating breweries in the United States. It was founded in 1852. Can you name it? |
Community Weekend Happenings
What’s on your agenda this weekend? We’d love to hear about it!
Let us know what Driftless living looks like for you below!
Community Submissions:
Jeff from Blanchardville: “Ranger riding all around Southern Wisconsin”
Christine from Rock Springs: “Fishing, and taking in a couple Reedsburg Pirates Home Talent baseball games at Nishan Park on The 4th and Sunday!”
Lisa from Sparta: “Yard work, yard sales, country drives, craft fairs, church”
Moment in Time ⏰
Viroqua Main St - 1905 - Wisconsin Historical Society, WHI-37837
Driftless Tribe Discount Cards Available!🎟️
Happenings 🙌
Want a Featured Event including a poster listed? Reach out and say hi.
Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears: GRSF 2025 in Winona
This nationally recognized festival, which draws audiences from across the Midwest and acclaimed actors from across the country, fills each Winona summer with a full slate of world-class entertainment. With plays, music, speakers and celebration events, the Great River Shakespeare Festival is the cornerstone of Winona, Minnesota’s reputation as an unmatched destination for cultural events.
Come celebrate the 22nd season of the Great River Shakespeare Festival June 26-July 27, 2025 with two Shakespeare classics: Romeo & Juliet and The Comedy of Errors.
Great River Shakespeare Festival is also welcoming the graduate acting company of the Clarence Brown Theatre and the University of Tennessee Knoxville (UTK) who will be in residence with the company this summer. This cohort of young professional actors will understudy roles in The Comedy of Errors and Romeo and Juliet while studying with the GRSF company and professors from UTK. They will also create their own production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the festival, to be performed at several regional venues including Two Fathoms Brewing in Winona and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha.
WEDNESDAY 7/9
THURSDAY 7/10
FRIDAY 7/11
Monroe, 1016 16th Ave Concert on the Square Link
New Glarus, City Village-Wide Garage Sales Link
Onalaska, Omni Center Brews & Tunes Link
Richland Center, Krouskop Park Movie Under the Stars Link
Spring Green, Slowpoke Lounge & Cabaret Live w/ The Blue Olives Link
Westby, Branches Winery Great River Road Wine Trail July Tasting Event Link
Westby, Daily Brew Trivia Night Link
Wilton, Hitchin’ Post Live w/ DJ Dearman Link
Winona, No Name Bar Live w/ Cassie Trio & The Spaceheaters Link
Winona, Two Fathoms Brewing Live w/ Milana Shira Link
SATURDAY 7/12
Baraboo, Devil’s Lake Dances with Dirt Link
Baraboo, Gurward’s Glen Retreat Bagpipes in the Glen Link
Cazenovia, Bunker Hill Saloon Craft & Vendor Show Link
Dodgeville, Harris Park Sip & Savor Link
Lodi, City Demo Derby Link
Lodi, Lucky’s on the Lake Live w/ Foo Foo Dolls Link
Monroe, 1016 16th Ave. Yoga on the Lawn Link
Muscoda, Wild Hills Winery Trivia Link
Prairie Du Chien, Steve’s Sawmill Saloon Live w/ Dylan Harris, Album Release Party Link
Trempealeau, Elmaro Vineyard Woodshed Pizza Truck Link
Viroqua, Bigley Park Driftless Music Festival 2025 Link
SUNDAY 7/13
Avoca, Whiskey Row Saloon BBQ Chicken Link
Baraboo, Balanced Rock Winery Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets Link
Black Earth, The Shack Lights for Heights Meat Raffle Link
Darlington, County Fair Legends of Monster Trucks Link
Merrimac, The Old Schoolhouse Social Dancing Link
New Glarus, Bailey’s Run Live w/ Alpha Romeos Link
Trempealeau, Trempealeau Hotel, Restaurant, and Saloon Parade Tacos Link
Wisconsin Dells, Timbavati Wildlife Park Free Event Link
TUESDAY 7/15
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!
👇👇👇