Our View: ‘Spirit of the St. Croix Days’ is for everyone

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Get ready for something new, different, unique and fun — The Spirit of the St. Croix Days are here this weekend!

The Hudson Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau has done a wonderful job of combining a fishing tournament with a community celebration that is quite different from the usual carnival, parade and beer garden.

This weekend’s event offers unique entertainment for all ages and should attract a huge number of people to our community.

The weekend, of course, is centered on the In-Fisherman Professional Walleye Trail fishing tournament, often referred to as the Super Bowl of fishing tournaments. The total guaranteed PWT payout for the event is $168,000. The top winner will take home a minimum of $44,000 in PWT prize money and can earn even more with cash prizes from various manufacturers.

If you’re not a fisherman, however, there is a long list of activities to keep everyone occupied. Among the major attractions is a performance by the nationally renowned Big Top Chautauqua in the Lakefront Park band shell at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. There’s the All American Lumberjack Show making several appearances on Friday and Saturday.

There’s the Taste of Hudson Friday at 6:30 p.m. “The Taste of Hudson, A Food, Wine & Beer Experience” in a tent set up in Lakefront Park featuring nine Hudson restaurants along with Wisconsin craft beers and wines. Later that evening a cash bar will open and jazz music will be available. This is one of the few events that require an admission fee ($65).

Many will be interested in the Saturday night PWT Awards Banquet. This is the other major event that requires an entry fee — this one is $25.

Other highlights include youth fishing activities, boat show, vendor show, food and beverage vendors, musical entertainment, Bassmeister shows, kids activities and more (see schedule is this week’s Star-Observer). Most everything is free.

The staff at the Chamber of Commerce has worked extraordinarily hard to bring this unique event to Hudson. In addition to the Chamber staff, numerous local business men and women have volunteered their time to make sure everything comes together. The core committee members include Dan Jarvis (Afton House), Dana Glade (County Market), Rob Knefelkamp (San Pedro), Mick Howland (Dry Dock), Chamber Board President Gene Haberman (Citizens State Bank), Chamber President Kim Heinemann, Chamber Director of Communications and Programs Pat Sherley, Shelli Erck (Hudson Flower Shop), Andy Kron (Pier 500), Ruth Misenko (Seasons on St. Croix), Vicki Andersen (Hudson Flower Shop), Ray Lehman (Dry Dock) and David Robson (Ban Tara). There have also been many others who have worked on sub committees and other local groups to make it all happen.

The best reward for those who have worked on the event is to see people attending the events and enjoying themselves. The enjoying part should be easy — all that’s really left is to set aside some time and make your way to lakefront Park — we don’t think anyone will be disappointed!

Tags: opinion, hudson, editorial, spirit_of_stcroix, pwt