Following their noses and bringing their appetites, Williams Bay residents and visitors made their way to scenic lakefront Edgewater Park in downtown Williams Bay on Saturday, July 15 as the Williams Bay Fire Department hosted its popular annual Chicken Roast fundraiser, now in its 57th year. The 23-member volunteer fire, rescue and EMS department, founded in 1936, is marking its 87th anniversary in 2023. The station is located in downtown Lake Geneva adjacent to Edgewater Park at 5 E. Geneva St., at the T-intersection of Geneva Street and Elkhorn Road (State Hwy. 67). Proceeds from the Chicken Road benefitted the Williams Bay Fire Department’s small equipment, maintenance and building funds. As in past years, department members charcoal-grilled 1,200 chicken halves for the noon to 7 p.m. fundraiser, with the chicken halves served up with a baked potato, cole slaw, dinner roll, cake and lemonade. Adult beverages and soda were available for purchase for an additional fee.
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Emergency apparatus on display outside the Williams Bay Fire Department station in downtown Williams Bay on July 15 during the department's 57th annual fundraising Chicken Roast. Event proceeds benefitted the department's small equipment, maintenance and building funds. Shown is the department's circa-1936 fire station. The 23-member volunteer fire, rescue and EMS department, founded in 1936, is marking its 87th anniversary in 2023.
Lt. Alex Robinson (left) and Assistant Fire Chief Paul Nicholson flip a rack of chicken halves for even cooking at the barbecue pit at the Williams Bay Fire Department's 57th annual Chicken Roast fundraiser on July 15 at Edgewater Park in downtown Williams Bay. Event proceeds benefitted the department's small equipment, maintenance and building funds.
Williams Bay Fire Department firefighter/EMT Thom Maclay keeps a watchful eye on grilling chicken halves at the department's July 15 fundraising chicken roast at Edgewater Park in downtown Williams Bay. Department members grilled up 1,200 chicken halves for the 57th annual fundraiser, which benefitted the Williams Bay Fire Department's small equipment, maintenance and building funds.
Working the Williams Bay Fire Department's popular annual fundraising Chicken Roast is a family tradition for firefighter and EMS Capt. Rich Gluth (center), who worked the serving line at Edgewater Park on July 15 alongside grandsons Patrick (11. left) and Finn (13, right) Wagner, both of Williams Bay.
Williams Bay Fire Department Lt. Alex Robinson dusts grilling chicken halves with a secret seasoning mix at the department's July 15 fundraising Chicken Roast at Edgewater Park in downtown Williams Bay, where the 23-member department served up 1,200 chicken dinners to hungry local residents and visitors. The 57th annual event benefitted the Williams Bay Fire Department's small equipment, maintenance and building funds.
IN 18 PHOTOS AND 2 VIDEOS: Opening day of the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair
2023 Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies food competition champion Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake
Taking top honors in the Wisconsin State Fair's juried 2023 Sporkies food competition was the Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake served up by WürstBar Executive Chef Curtis Peterson — salted Milwaukee Pretzel Co. slider buns injected with house-made beer cheese soup, topped with butter and pretzel salt, and drizzled with hot honey and red pepper flakes. An initial 9,000 orders were prepped for the fair. The Sporkies championship saw Peterson and his crew lay plans to prep an additional 6,000 orders to meet expected demand by hungry fairgoers.
2023 Wisconsin State Fair Drinkies Contest winner The Ferris Mule
Taking first place in the Wisconsin State Fair's trailblazing inaugural Drinkies non-alcoholic beverage competition was the Ferris Mule served up by Old Fashioned Sipper Club — a non-alcoholic mule crafted with fresh blackberries, ginger beer, freshly squeezed lime juice and agave nectar, all of which is hand-shaken and poured over ice, garnished with fresh blackberries, a rosemary sprig and lime wheel.
WurstBar Executive Chef Curtis Peterson and his Sporkies champion Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake
Taking top honors in the Wisconsin State Fair's judged 2023 Sporkies dood competition was the Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake served up by WürstBar Executive Chef Curtis Peterson — salted Milwaukee Pretzel Co. slider buns injected with house-made beer cheese soup, topped with butter and pretzel salt, and drizzled with hot honey and red pepper flakes. In advance of the State Fair, Peterson said 9,000 orders of Beer Cheese Wisconsin Lava Cake were prepped. With the first place win in the 2023 Sporkies celebrity judging, another 6,000 order were slated to be prepped to meet the expected fairgoer demand.
Gov. Tony Evers presents Wisconsin State Fair Days proclamation
Opening the 11-day run of the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair on Aug. 3, Gov. Tony Evers (right) presented Wisconsin State Fair Board Chairman John Yingling (left) and State Fair Executive Director and CEO Shari Black (center) with a framed proclamation naming Aug. 3-13 as Wisconsin State Fair Days. The presentation came during opening ceremonies at the Bank Five Amphitheater at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis.
76th Alice in Dairyland Ashley Hagenow chats with young fans at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair
Poynette resident Ashley Hagenow, Wisconsin’s 76th Alice in Dairyland, chats with young fans while signing autographs following her Aug. 3, 2023 “Back to School with Wisconsin Dairy” presentation in the Wisconsin Products Pavilion during the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair at State Fair Park in West Allis.
Second Place 2023 Wisconsin State Fair Sporkies food contest winner - The Porkie sundae
Placing second in the Wisconsin State Fair's jurried 2023 Sporkies food competition was The Porkie sundae served up by Camp Bar — vanilla custard layered with cheesecake bites and hot fudge, topped with crumbled graham cracker crust, more hot fudge, warm caramel, a graham cracker cookie, a cherry, and candied bacon dipped in chocolate and rolled in sprinkles.
Walworth County Junior Dairy Exhibit at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis
Walworth County youth were among the agricultural exhibitors at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair in West Allis. Pictured on opening day, Aug. 3, is the Walworth County Junior Dairy Exhibit in the Upper Cattle Barns complex at Wisconsin State Fair Park.
Aerial view of the opening day crowds at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair
Opening day crowds begin to fill the Wisconsin State Fair's sprawling 200-acre fairgrounds campus in West Allis on Aug. 3, as seen from the park's Skyglider attraction. Seen in the distance is the skyscraping WonderFair Wheel. At 15 stories high, the WonderFair Wheel offers riders a breathtaking view of the Milwaukee area with visibility of more than 10 miles from the top of the wheel.
Sharon 4H Club member Jasmine Davenport at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair
Several members of the Sharon 4-H Club were among those exhibiting at the Walworth County Youth Dairy Exhibit on opening day, including Jasmine Davenport of Sharon, a three-time State Fair exhibitor showing two spring and summer Brown Swiss yearlings. Class of 2023 Badger High School alumnus Davenport is an incoming accounting major at Gateway Technical College in Kenosha and an 11-year Walworth County Fair dairy cattle exhibitor
Kids from Wisconsin entertain fairgoers at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater at Wisconsin State Fair Park
Milwaukee-based Kids from Wisconsin, an award-winning elite Broadway-caliber traveling youth musical troupe, entertains at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheatre at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis on Aug. 3 Nonprofit Kids from Wisconsin draws auditioned talent from across the state and is annually comprised of 36 singers, dancers and band members ages 15-20. Marking its 55th anniversary season in 2023, Kids from Wisconsin is the country’s only pre-professional organization of its kind.
2023 opening day State Fair crowds along Grandstand Avenue at Wisconsin State Fair Park
Grandstand Avenue at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis was filled with opening day crowds on Aug. 3 as the 11-day 2023 Wisconsin State Fair kicked off. The State Fair, which runs through Sunday, Aug. 13, drew more than one million attendees last year.
Sharon 4H Club member Connar Schell exhibits a spring yearling Holstein at the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair
Several members of the Sharon 4-H Club were among those exhibiting at the Walworth County Youth Dairy Exhibit on opening day of the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair at State Fair Park in West Allis, including first-time exhibitor Connar Schell of Clinton, exhibiting a spring yearling Holstein. Said Schell, an incoming junior at Clinton High School, of his first experience exhibiting at, and attending, the Wisconsin State Fai , "It's busy and fun, a good experience. There's a lot of stuff to do and a lot of stuff to see. It's pretty fun. I'm gonna be here for a full week so I can explore the whole week."
Live WTMJ-AM radio remote from Wisconsin State Fair Park
Live radio remotes from the Wisconsin State Fair are a popular fan-favorite attraction at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, giving listeners an inside look at the world of radio broadcasting and the opportunity to put faces to familiar voices. Here, co-hosts Sandy Maxx (left) and Steve Scaffidi chat live from WTMJ's Bank Five Nine Studio at State Fair during the 9 a.m. to noon "WTMJ N.O.W." (News, Opinions, Wisconsin + Why it Matters) show.
Wisconsin Civil Air Patrol Milwaukee 5 Composite Squadron Color Guard
The Wisconsin Civil Air Patrol's Milwaukee 5 Composite Squadron Color Guard provided a patriotic start to the 2023 Wisconsin State Fair's Aug. 3 opening ceremonies at the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Pictured, from left, are Isabella Schleuse, Kaeden Saunders, Ryan Whitney and Alex Schllhamer.
Original Cream Puff Pavilion at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis
The Original Cream Puff Pavilion in the Dairy Building at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis draws a steady procession of visitors during the State Fair's 11-day run. The Wisconsin State Fair's iconic Original Cream Puff. sold since 1924, is the most popular food item at the fair. Sold individually and in 3- and 6-packs at the Cream Puff Pavilion and two remote to-go stands on the fairgrounds, some 400,000 signature WIsconsin State Fair cream puffs are sold annually. The nonprofit, West Allis-based Wisconsin Bakers Association operates the Cream Puff Bakery in the Original Cream Puff Pavilion.
The Jimmy's
The 2023 Wisconsin State Fair offers fairgoers a variety of free music stages across the breadth of the nearly 200-acre Wisconsin State Fair Park campus in West Allis during its ongoing 11-day Aug. 3-13 run. Here, Madison-based blued band The Jimmys perform at the fairground's Central Park on opening day, Aug. 3.
Bartender Brad Yates serves up a first-place Drinkies winner Ferris Mule at the Wisconsin State Fair
Taking first place in the Wisconsin State Fair's trailblazing inaugural Drinkies competition was the Ferris Mule served up bartender Brad Yates at Old Fashioned Sipper Club on the Wisconsin State Fair Park campus in West Allis. The non-alcoholic mule is crafted with fresh blackberries, ginger beer, freshly squeezed lime juice and agave nectar, all of which is hand-shaken and poured over ice, garnished with fresh blackberries, a rosemary sprig and lime wheel. Said Yates of the Drinkies competition, judged by a half-dozen local celebrities, "It's 100% competitive. Everybody had great stuff."
Filling cream puffs at the Original Cream Puff Pavilion at Wisconsin State Fair Park
The nonprofit, West Allis-based Wisconsin Bakers Association sells some 400,000 of the State Fair's signature iconic cream puffs annually during the 11-day run of the Wisconsin State Fair at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. The glass window walls of the Original Cream Puff Bakery in the State Fair's Dairy Building Original Cream Puff Pavilion allows hungry fairgoers a performance art look at the cream puff-making process.
