Summertime is here!

 Even with our extended winter, it's hard to believe that this weekend is already Memorial Day Weekend. True, the big "Kickoff to Summer" is a bit early this year but even so, it feels like we just got rid of our last snowbanks.
The last few days have been absolutely gorgeous in the Green Bay area with highs in the 70's and 80's. The lilacs, apple trees and cherry trees are in peak bloom. Backyard lawns are growing quicker than they can be mowed and my personal gauge of summer has started. The De Pere Police put up "no parking" signs on one side of our street.

De Pere, Wisconsin

You see, our house is just blocks away from the biggest Memorial Day Weekend party in Northeast Wisconsin- Celebrate De Pere.
Celebrate De Pere takes place Saturday through Monday in Voyageur Park in East De Pere. Tickets are $5 per day per person if bought BEFORE 7 pm. (After that, they are $10. ) Veteran? Get in absolutely free.
It is a fantastic community event filled with games, rides, delicious food, music, fireworks, a Redneck Regatta, a family fishing tournament, patriotism and great community pride. Throughout the weekend, partiers, families with kids in tow, and parade goers fill in parking spaces on our street and file past our porch. We can see the fireworks over the trees from our back balcony and hear the music rockin' all weekend long. In the last few years, we've tended to stay close to home for the great people-watching and to guard our house from raucous revelers.
Celebrate De Pere is just the first in a long line of events taking place in Northeast Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula throughout the summer. Great Lakes Clipper will keep you informed of these throughout the season but I thought you'd like to see my Summer Fun To-do List. I'll write more about each of these items in future postings.

 

Kristina's Top 20 Things to Do in Summer 2013 in N.E. Wisconsin and the U.P.

1. Planting (and, of course, harvesting) a vegetable garden
2. Picnic, anyone?
3. Biking
4. Farmer's Markets
5. Fishing
6. Walking/ hiking
7. Camping
8. Beaches
9. Music/ festivals
10. Rummage sales
11. Berry picking
12. Boating
13. Rockhounding
14. Roadtripping (going to local, fun attractions)
15. Tailgating and railbirding
16. Learning from experts
17. Art fairs
18. Parades
19. Going Wild (birdwatching, getting in touch with nature)
20. Going Back in Time (museums)