Fantastic Ways To Have A Remarkable Wisconsin Cranberry Experience

Fantastic ways to have a remarkable Wisconsin cranberry experience. All about Wisconsin cranberries from farms, festivals, tours and juice.

 

Cranberry Harvest Festivals

 

Warrens Cranberry Festival

 

What better place to start than the world’s largest cranberry festival. The Warrens Cranberry Festival started in 1973 and had 3,500 people attend. Now, it has grown to over 140,000 visitors!

 

Although it’s all about cranberries, this is a shoppers paradise. In the first place, over 850 arts and craft vendors participate. These artists and crafters can only sell work that’s original and made by the owners. Equally important, 350 antique and flea market vendors, over 100 food booths and 100 farm market booths.

 

Of course, it’s a weekend of cranberry celebration with loads of events and live music. Maybe, you would like to start off at the pancake breakfast with cranberry maple syrup. Since there’s so much to choose from, make sure to save plenty of room to try other great foods.

 

Such as, Cranberries Jubilee with a giant frying pan. As well as a pie eating contest, cookware demos, homemade baked goods, cheese curds (thumbs up), kettle corn, corn dogs, pizza and so much more.

 

You can also find cranberry beer and wine.

 

In any event, find the cranberry cream puffs and deep fried cranberries on a stick. In this case, it’s cranberries in batter then deep fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar.

 

What’s a Friday night in Wisconsin without a traditional fish fry? You can even find that here which is sponsored by the Warrens Fire Department. If fish isn’t your thing there’s also a Friday chicken dinner. Remember, Saturday night has a steak dinner too. The Lion’s Club sponsors both the chicken and steak dinners.

 

Simply, Warren’s Cranberry Festival is huge. With this in mind, plan on staying for their huge parade on Sunday.

 

Cranberry festivals are fantastic ways to have a remarkable Wisconsin Cranberry Experience.

 

Another fun event we wrote about spans from Michigan all the way down to Alabama. This is where you will discover Americana at its best!

 

Stone Lake Cranberry Festival

 

Stone Lake is a small town of about 500 people just outside of Hayward. Don’t let this small town fool you though. The Stone Lake Cranberry Festival packs a punch for a one day event.

 

Over 30,000 visitors and more than 300 vendors will come together to celebrate the cranberry harvest on the first Saturday each October.

 

There’s plenty of shopping as well as dinners, a pancake breakfast, baking contest, parade, bake sale and cranberry apparel. You can even take a cranberry marsh tour!

 

In addition to all of this, you can shop at the bazaar then relax with food and drink at the Lion’s Club tent. You’ll find a nice variety of beer and wine, along with turkey legs and Wisconsin brats.

 

But, this unique event will make you want to hang around to the end. After the parade has finished go to Main Street Hill for the Krate Derby. Similar to a downhill derby but these cars are made with a cranberry flair.

 

Cran A Rama In Manitowish Waters

 

The Cran A Rama is another fun event celebrating Wisconsin’s cranberry harvest.

 

Along with a fun festival we’ve added a few more things to do. For instance, free pontoon boat cruises to see Fall colors on their chain of lakes. Or, drive a self guided Fall leaf peeping tour. Take our word, it is beautiful here. The Chamber Of Commerce provides a free map and routes.

 

You can also buy packs of fresh cranberries or in bulk. For a closer look, see the cranberry industry video and educational display. Obviously, there is plenty of shopping for gifts too.

 

Cranberry Fest Eagle River

 

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of cranberries?

 

Does a 3,000 pound cranberry cheesecake immediately pop up? The world’s largest cheesecake was made each year at the Cranberry Fest in Eagle River. In fact, it was made with 600 pounds of cream cheese and 1500 eggs. Not only was it heavy but also 160 feet long and 3 inches wide. Doesn’t this sound yummy?

 

Here is our story about a Fall festival in a small town with huge record breaking entries.

 

It began by Eagle River residents who wanted to support children with life threatening illnesses through Make-A-Wish Foundation. They wanted to accomplish this with the world’s largest cranberry dessert to sell at the festival. Through the years cheesecake sales provided over 200,000 to support children in this charity. One slice at a time, all 3,900 of them each year.

 

Unfortunately, 2017 was the last year this gigantic cranberry cheesecake was made. After 26 years the volunteers that created it made the hard decision to stop making it.

 

But, the cranberry cheesecake was not the original plan, just more successful. First was a 100 foot long cranberry strudel. Yum!

 

After all the planning and hard work was completed a problem blew in. This delicious buttery flaky strudel had a cranberry filling and was topped with whipped cream. Can you picture this? But, just imagine what happens when a light pastry meets a strong wind. They immediately knew a heavier desert was needed to endure Wisconsin’s Fall winds.

 

Now, the Cranberry Fest has over 40,000 attendees each year and more than 275 vendors. You will find lots of great shopping, an arts and craft show, Cranberry beer and wine, antiques, souvenirs, cookbooks, farmers market and much more. Also, you can participate in fitness events.

 

Of course, you can buy fresh cranberries at the farmers market.  How many would you like?

 

Advice From An Insider

 

Lorry Erickson works at Visit Warrens and shared these insider tips.

 

First, take the cranberry driving route. Along here is a good area to take a cranberry marsh tour.

 

Next, visit on the last Saturday in June for Cranberry Blossom Day and again the first Saturday in October for Cranberry Harvest Day.

 

Additionally, the Cranberry Discovery Center is a must. It includes relics donated from the Potter family.

 

Of course, visit Wetherby Cranberry Co.

 

You can rent a camping spot or a cabin at Arpin Cranberry Company. Likewise, McMullen Memorial County Park has camping at the lake, fishing, ice fishing, hunting etc. Other nice options are Three Bears Resort and Jellystone.

 

The Oakwood House Yarn And Ceramics is a nice shop for crafts. It’s loaded with yarn! Here, a group of ladies meet weekly to work on projects. For this reason, locals know them as the Happy Hookers!

 

Lorry also emphasized the Warrens Mall. But don’t expect a huge mall. It’s really a unique gas station and convenience store with just about anything you need. Including the best pizza in the area!

 

Lorry also pointed me to Mark Chew and his restaurant. You don’t want to miss this compelling story about Mark Chew, a Vietnamese immigrant who has found success in America.

 

Marco’s Italian & American Grill, by Mark Chew, not only has exceptional food but also a tiki bar named Marcoritaville. His menu has a large variety to choose from. For example, lobster ravioli with shrimp, Pho soup, a Wisconsin fish fry, crab dishes and of course excellent Italian with homemade pasta. Equally important are all of the mainstays like burgers, fish, chicken and salads.

 

Thanks Lorry!

 

At The Cranberry Marsh

 

Cranberries Before Harvest

 

We talked to Lewis at Fazio Cranberry Company in Nekoosa about this little tart fruit. Their cranberries are used as dried fruit and snacks.

 

It seems like every time we see cranberries they are floating in a marsh. But this is only during harvest. We noticed only a few flooded marshes while others had plants growing in them.

 

Truth is, they grow on evergreen shrub like vines that are up to 7 feet long and only 2 to 8 inches tall. They also keep growing all year long and rarely die. It is common for farms to have plants that live over 100 years.

 

Buds form into pink hanging flowers and both honey and bumble bees pollinate them. Flowers turn into a berry that starts out white then changes to green, pink and finally a dark red. This fruit also has a long growing season from April to November.

 

Time to Harvest

 

At harvest time marshes flood just a few inches above the plants. Then a small tractor with special attachments rotates through the bushes. This gently nocks off the berries from the plants.

 

A Cranberry has four hollow chambers filled with air. This is why they float to the top. We only see them this way because they are hard to spot on a vine unless you are looking really close. Even though it is hard to see them, 300 to 500 cranberries grow in each square foot.

 

Next, the farmers flood a marsh about 2 to 3 more feet so they can harvest them. A floating boom stretches across the top and connects two tractors on opposite sides of the marsh. Together they pull it to one side bringing all of the floating cranberries in one place. This is what most of us are familiar with.

 

Cranberries from this one marsh will fill about four 53 foot long semi trailers. That is, minus a few that we were able to scoop up and take home. Notably, we made fresh cranberry sauce with them. We usually make fresh cranberry sauce each year but we have never had them taste so good! We definitely recommend trying some this fresh.

 

Going to a Marsh is a fantastic way to have a remarkable Wisconsin Cranberry Experience!

Thanks Lewis and the Nekoosa Cranberry Company!

 

Now that all of the fruit is together, more equipment will transfer the crop from the bog into trucks. You can see this special equipment in more detail here.

 

This new harvesting machine increases efficiency and reduces the number of people needed to just three.

 

Take A Cranberry Marsh Tour

 

Put on the waders and take a cranberry marsh tour! This is a Fantastic way to have a remarkable Wisconsin Cranberry Experience. Get right in and have someone take your photo surrounded by tons of these floating red balls of fruit. Several companies offer this in the Fall. Specifically, Wetherby Cranberry Co. is well known for their long history and involvement.

 

Drive The Cranberry Highway

 

Drive through Wisconsin’s cranberry country on this guided route. Although they grow in several areas in Wisconsin, this route takes you through a concentrated area of farms. Granted, the best time to go is during the harvest from late September into early November.

 

You wouldn’t believe all the cranberry marshes in this area. Taking the driving route is another fantastic way to have a remarkable Wisconsin Cranberry Experience.

 

Cranberry Discovery Center And Museum

 

Don’t miss the Cranberry Discovery Center and Museum in downtown Warrens. Their building is on Main Street in the historic Union Cranberry Warehouse. About 10,000 people come here every year to shop and learn about Wisconsin’s number one fruit crop.

 

A packed gift shop is upstairs with just about everything cranberry you can imagine. Here, as you would expect, cranberries are the star. Cranberry moonshine is also one of the unique items that is harder to find.

 

A really cool cranberry museum is downstairs. We like museums. Let your visit to the museum take you through the history and each step of the process. You will enjoy seeing their exhibits, videos and neat historic artifacts.

 

We also like ice cream. Probably since we’re from the dairy state! Although we haven’t tried their cranberry ice cream, we’ll be the first in line.

 

In short, you have to go here because this is a fantastic way to have a remarkable Wisconsin cranberry experience.

 

Factory Tour

 

We watched the freshly picked cranberries arrive at the Ocean Spray receiving station in Babcock. The factory let us watch trucks unload even though the harvest was in peak season.

 

Large trucks were waiting for their turn to back onto platforms. These platforms tilt up so their load slides out into the giant cranberry pit. The pit is filled with water and large jets that are constantly pushing these tiny berries towards the factory.

 

We enjoyed watching people take samples of each truck as it dumped its load. Each scoop is dumped into a container for quality control to inspect.

 

The fresh crop of cranberries is cleaned and sorted then sent to different plants to be processed.

 

Craisins are made in nearby Tomah. Likewise, truckloads of the red berries go to the Kenosha plant for juice and canned cranberry sauce. 95% of all cranberries make juice and are canned for sauce.

 

Where To Stay

 

Although we live close enough to make a day trip to this area, you might enjoy some of these places to stay.

 

Three Bears Resort has plenty of things to do for families or groups. With 93 guest rooms or suites and 60 private villas you will find the right room for your group size.

 

Their indoor waterpark is 60,000 square feet, but they also have an outside one too. Along with the waterparks they have Bear Trax Mini Golf, Lazer Maze, an arcade, kid’s club, gift shop, golf cart rentals and Jumpshot.

 

Five places for food and drinks include a full service restaurant, pizzeria, pub, cafe and the Snack Shack.

 

Jellystone Park is another fun place with campgrounds and cabins. Our Instagram friends, @ReadySetGoRV, like going with a group. Their favorite things to do here are the water activities. They really enjoy the waterpark, lazy river and the swimming pond with a nice sandy beach. The kids also enjoy the planned activities and the craft and ceramics building.

 

Visit Warrens recommended Arpin Cranberry Campground and Cabin for a unique place to stay. Here, you will see firsthand how cranberries are grown and harvested on their farm. This would be fun!

 

You can also watch wildlife in their cranberry bogs.

 

Did you know cranberry marshes have excellent fishing? So, bring your fishing gear along when you come for a stay. Expect to catch some big fish since they are not open for public fishing.

 

We also wrote about our encounters in Maine with moose. This is an outdoor experience you can read about it here.

 

More Cranberry Facts

 

Native to North America and related to huckleberries, blueberries and bilberries.

 

A Pilgrim cookbook from 1663 listed a recipe for cranberry sauce as a side with turkey.

 

They grow in acidic bogs in cooler wet regions.

 

Native Americans used them in food and rubbed them in wounds as an anti-inflammatory.

 

They are tart but crisp like an apple.

 

Thanksgiving is when 20% of all cranberries are consumed.

 

Currently there are over 100 varieties of cranberries.

 

Two seasons of berries grow together at one time on a vine.

 

Wisconsin grows 60% of the world’s cranberries

 

They have a high level of antioxidants.

 

Because of this and their high nutrients they are a superfood.

 

The crop is frozen and processed throughout the year.

 

Wildlife that live on the marsh include blue herons, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes, loons, osprey, eagles, geese, fox, wolves, deer and bears. These are just some examples.

 

 

Cranberries were originally called crane berries since the flower looked like a crane.

 

As always, thank you for reading.

 

Does this sound interesting to you? Let us know what you liked the most in the comments. Don’t forget to follow us on social media for even more!

 

Tom and Kristi

 

P.S. If you have a favorite cranberry recipe please share.