Stone Lake Cranberry Festival: Family-Friendly Fun in Northern Wisconsin

Usually, a quiet town of 500, Stone Lake, Wisconsin, explodes with life during its Stone Lake Cranberry Festival, drawing a crowd of 30,000 to 40,000 to celebrate all things about the little red berry. But there’s more than a crafty carnival of creativity, taste bud tangos, and a Northwoods jamboree at one of Wisconsin’s best festivals.

Prepare to go cranberry crazy, where flannel-clad grand marshals lead the way! Here’s how to enhance your experience, including with a cranberry farmer, a Wisconsin state cranberry specialist, and a paw-sitively puzzling encounter with a stranger’s dog.

Sip, Savor, and Shop: The Ultimate Cranberry Experience

We arrived early at 7:00 a.m. to get the festival’s vibe and see as many craft sellers as possible before crowds arrived. Rows and rows of colored canopies lined every street as far as we could see—anything imaginable related to Fall, including cranberry foods, candles, and wine. Volunteers at a booth on a main intersection at the top of the hill served free cranberry wine samples. Everyone wanted to be their friend. Although over 330 vendor booths were set up, we didn’t have enough time to see all of them. 

 

Another local cranberry farm had 3,000 pounds of freshly picked cranberries ready for purchase at the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival. Trailers with mesh bags of ruby-red treasures were for sale throughout the festival. You can’t get them any fresher unless you pick them yourself. 

Meet A Cranberry Farmer, A Cranberry Specialist, And Take A Marsh Tour

For us, a cranberry marsh tour at the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival was a must-do event we didn’t want to miss. 

We met at David Zawistowski’s cranberry farm a week before the festival when Stone Lake’s streets were quiet. The buzz of excitement and energy of the main event replaced the peaceful tranquility of our early visit.

Traveling to Colorado and sharing our love for driving forest roads high in the Rockies rose to the top of the conversation. We both like to experience the mountains alone, away from people. Us, in our truck, and Zawistowski by vintage motorcycles and mountain bikes. We found a common bond by our familiarity with the same places and discovered new roads to explore. Thanks to Zawistowski, our Google Maps holds newly marked Utah locations.

Of course, we discussed cranberry farming, too. Zawistowski reached down and plucked some fruit, and we shared the handpicked harvest from the palm of his hand. He sees the circle of life each year when he floods his cranberry fields. Mice rush out from under the vines, and snakes and hawks eat the mice. We spoke about how fantastic the Northern Lights have been this year and how the light show is a magical experience for him on the farm. “High pressure means clear skies, which means usually lower humidity with colder air temps. So I am normally working, and so are the Northern Lights.”

Cranberry Specialist Allison Jonjack Leads Marsh Tours

We opted for the first tour, which began at 9 a.m. Luckily, Allison Jonjack, whose family owns a Stone Lake cranberry farm, was our tour leader. Jonjack also works with cranberry farmers statewide as a Cranberry Outreach Specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The bright yellow school bus hauled our group to the edge of city limits, where we entered Zawistowski’s cranberry farm, part of his family’s owned Lake Nokomis Cranberries. 

While standing next to the yellow bus and between a marsh with an oil containment boom holding a tight circle of newly knocked-off red berries, Jonjack explained the intricacies of cranberry farming. At the end of the tour, guests visited the gift shop, which was full of freshly picked berries available for purchase.

Lessons Learned From Getting Stranded At A Cranberry Marsh

Zawistowski’s mother runs the gift shop. When someone asked about white cranberries, she explained how sun exposure sometimes determines colors. Red berries are exposed to sunlight more than the white berries. She said not to worry because they turn red when cooked. 

As I blabbed with her and others, I didn’t realize the bus was leaving. When she told the people remaining they should go so they don’t miss the bus, one man said, “That’s ok, we didn’t ride the bus.” I hurried out to discover I had been left behind and was stranded until the next tour came along. Tim, our son, and others told the driver I wasn’t there yet as the driver pulled out, but it didn’t matter. He wasn’t going back! Imagine your family trips. He was like your grandfather, but he had a schedule to keep. We’ll laugh at that for years to come.

So, I waited.

And I waited.

Finally, the next bus arrived. Luckily, Zawistowski was leading the next tour of his farm. He pointed out various crops he also grows on the land—buckwheat on the left, then his bee hives. “The black bears come and mess with the honey. Yeah, it’s a real thing.”

People from around the nation attended both of the tours I was on. A farmer from nearby New Richmond, a Virginia grape farmer, California, Iowa, rural Minnesota, and many city folks from the Twin Cities. While standing next to floating cranberries in a marsh, a man’s booming voice proclaimed, “Oh yeah, they’re tart. My mom used to put two pounds of sugar in her cranberry sauce.” 

As expected, people asked questions, but the most intriguing question during my two tours concerned the gravestone prominently displayed on the property. Dave said, “That belongs to my grandfather, but don’t worry; no one is buried there. We just switched them out.”

 

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Stone Lake Cranberry Festival Food, The Lions Club, And A Lost Dog

Let’s face it: festival food is a key reason people attend, and you will find an abundance of varieties here. From the beginning, tantalizing aromas had my nose twitching with delight. At the top of town, we found steaming hot pita and gyro booths and corn dogs and fair food at the bottom. In all fairness, we didn’t venture past downtown toward Stone Lake, but there were plenty more craft and food booths to see. 

From our experience, the Wisconsin Lions Club always has a top-notch food stand and significantly contributes to communities.

I stood outside the Stone Lake Lions Club, behind the brat table, when a lady asked if I was in line. We briefly chatted, and then I asked permission to photograph her German Wire-Haired Pointer dog.  She obliged, but her dog didn’t want to cooperate. 

Suddenly, she burst out, “Could you hold my dog?” In disbelief, I said, “Excuse me?” “Hold my dog; I have to get water.” She handed me the leash and hurried inside the Lions Club building without waiting for my answer. The dog and I stood there and waited for what seemed like forever for her return. Together, we waited and watched. I watched people. The dog watched the brat handoff between the hands of the volunteers and customers.

Some random guy appeared from the crowd and mumbled something about such a nice dog, then reached for the leash. I pulled back. He looked at me and said, “That’s my dog.” I replied, “I’m sorry, the dog’s owner went to get water.” Holding three cold bottles of water, he offered me one, then took the leash out of my hands and walked away. I froze. I decided I should walk with him, and hopefully, she would show up quickly before we went too far. Then, I imagined the terrified dog mom desperately scouring the crowd of over 30,000.

This man knew the Lions Club grillers as he walked over and handed them bottled water. I felt slightly relieved, but as far as I could see, there was no dog owner. This man and the dog never strayed a few feet from me. I took photos of brats and turkey legs sizzling on the grill and then turned to see the dog’s mom out of the corner of my eye. 

“I see you have met my husband.” Fear and anxiety released. The three of us talked a few minutes before she introduced me to the man who has been the Stone Lake Lions Club president for fifty-three years. I made new friends, and I feel we’ll cross paths again. Small towns have friendly people; once again, our experience reminded us why we love them.

We can’t guarantee you won’t have to watch someone’s dog but don’t be afraid to visit other food stands.

Experience The Thrill Of The Krate Derby

The Krate Derby was the cherry on top of the sundae. The race is similar to a soapbox derby, where youth ages ten to fifteen years build and race motorless cars. As far as I know, the Krate Derby is the only race of its kind held at a cranberry festival. The contest is held immediately following the parade. 

We had a blast watching the young racers, their hearts pounding excitedly while they gripped the steering wheel tightly. At the release, they guided their soapbox cars down the steep course while gaining speed every second. We heard the crowd’s cheers grow louder as they sped toward the bottom of the hill. With a final burst of adrenaline, they crossed the finish line and slid to a halt in a pile of sand, the crowd’s roar echoing in their ears.

A Bountiful Harvest: Must-Do Activities at the Stone Lake Cranberry Festival

For an early kick-off to the Wisconsin state fruit celebration, you might enjoy Thursday night’s Cran Harvest Dinner at the Stone Lake Lions Hall. Friday’s events include a Cranberry baking contest at the Lions Hall, free wine tasting and live music at Red Schoolhouse Wine & Spirits, and beer tasting at Whistle Punk.

Saturday is a whirlwind of fun. Between marsh tours and the Krate Derby, there’s plenty of arts and crafts, including quilts, baked goods, local shops, and a parade. Afterward, live bands play outdoors at Red Schoolhouse Wine & Spirits and Stone Lake Pub. Finally, runners and walkers, you might enjoy Sunday morning’s Stone Lake Cranberry Craze 5K. However, check with the festival’s website for a complete schedule.

​​Stone Lake Cranberry Festival Tips

The Stone Lake Cranberry Festival is held the first weekend of October. We suggest arriving very early because there’s plenty to do and parking is available nearby, so you shouldn’t have to walk for miles. Be sure to pick up Stone Lake’s Cranberry Cookbook, filled with bake-off entry recipes from one of Wisconsin’s most popular festivals. If you want to take your well-behaved fur friend, the event is one of the most dog-friendly we’ve seen.

Remember, getting left behind isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes, it’s better than following the crowds.