Doin' it again in 2010!

Thanks again for your support!

photo by Camile Bacos

The 2009 Kickapoo Country Fair was better than ever!

photo by Amanda Watkins

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasure!

photo by Brenda Burmeister

photo by Camile Bacos

More will be added in the days to come!

photo by Alesha Schandelmeier

And don't forget...

We're doin' it again in 2010!

Save the dates!

July 24 & 25, 2010

.

2009 Feedback

We would love to hear about your experiences at the 2009 Kickapoo Country Fair!

Click Here to take survey

THANK YOU!

2009 was FANTASTIC!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the 6th annual Kickapoo Country Fair!

Here are some great pics from another GREAT blogger:
Chewed Up & Spit Out

And commentary from the Trib:
Chicago Tribune On-line

We will continue to keep the info coming...

and save the date.... JULY 24th & 25th 2010!!!!!

:)

THIS WEEKEND!!!

The 6th annual Kickapoo Country Fair takes place THIS weekend!

Saturday 7/25 ~ 9am - midnight
Sunday 7/26 ~ 9am - 5pm

$10.00 weekend passes are available at the gate


Don't miss the fun!!!

Music & Entertainment ~
BRETT DENNEN
Nanda!
Bryan Cherry Band
Eric Nofsinger Band
Patchouli
Josh's Strange Show
5-WATT
Stiltwalkers
Drifless Drama
even RURAL RAPPERS!

For a full schedule and more details - please visit www.kickapoocountryfair.org!

Volunteer!

We have just a few spots open for Kickapoo Country Fair volunteers!

* Volunteer 2 1/2 + hours of your time at the KCF
* Earn $7.00 for a nonprofit/community organization
* Get a weekend pass to the fair for FREE
* Wear a commerative 2009 KCF t-shirt
* and get a $5.00 food voucher.



What could be better?
Help the community and have a great time!

For more details:
visit www.kickapoocountryfair.org or
email kcf@organicvalley.coop

Take care and I hope to see YOU at the fair!

Yum! Do NOT miss!

I am thinking... it would be so nice to have an Iced Maple Latte from Kickapoo Coffee right about now!
They are artisan roasters who believe coffee should be both delicious and socially transformative! A family-scale enterprise situated near the scenic Kickapoo River in the driftless region of southwest Wisconsin. The foundation of their business is shared values: connection to the land, consideration for our local and global community, and commitment to families and those of their trading partners.

You can visit Kickapoo Coffee's booth during the Kickapoo Country Fair and try one of the best drinks on earth!

Iced Maple Latte ~ YUM!

Pack the Fair! Sunday 7/26 ~ Noon-2:00pm!

LIVE and IN PERSON!

Green Bay Packers:

Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson

& William Henderson

will be here raising funds for

the Gilbert Brown Foundation

Sunday 7/26 ~ Noon-2:00pm

Broadcasting live from....

The Kickapoo Country Fair!!!

We are pleased to announce that LaCrosse, WI radio stations 95.7 the Rock , Z93 and WIZM AM will be broadcasting live from the fair on Saturday 7/25!


Make sure you check it out and listen in the weeks up to the fair... they will be giving away 4-packs of tickets!

25!!!

There are only 25 days left...

Here are 25 reasons to attend the Kickapoo Country Fair...
some are obvious... some are new... some may have previously been a secret...
in no particular order...

25. Food, food, lots of food... did I mention food?
24. Nature Detectives - Kids activity tent
23. You can pet cute, fuzzy animals
22. Crazy Ice-creams - Kickapoo Kitchen
21. Crazy kung-fu acrobatics -> NANDA
20. The Strange Thing
19. Tour the Paradise Garden
18. Solar Power
17. Recycle with a Green Bay Packer
16. Fresh fruit!
15. Paint Empty Bowls for hunger!
14. Antique tractors
13. Pulled pork sandwiches
12. Volunteer!
11. Mary's Berries, Strawberry Shortcake with Organic Valley Whip-cream!
10. Squeezettes ~ All girl polka band
9. Organic Heroes
8. Blacksmith demos
7. Beeswax Candles
6. Maple Cotton Candy - it's Organic!
5. Patchouli - both the band and the fragrance!
4. Kickapoo Coffee's Maple Lattes
3. F-U-N for the whole family
2. BEER!
1. BRETT DENNEN!

AND... all of this for a $10.00 weekend pass?
YES! There is something for everyone!

Get yours today...
www.kickapoocountryfair.com

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY!

ONE month from today...

Imagine...

Blue skies...

Singer / songwriter - BRETT DENNEN...

Authors Ernest Callenback, David Rhodes and more...

Tim LaSalle - CEO of the Rodale Institute

Goin' Green with Packers;

Gilbert Brown, Santana Dotson & William Henderson

Sweet sounds of Eric Nofsinger, Patchouli, Bryan Cherry...

NANDA, stiltwalkers, Stuart Stotts, Drifless Dreams...

and YOU!

Y

Hurry!

Get your advanced tickets NOW - the discounted 4-packs / $30.00 - while supplies last!

See you at the fair!

ADVANCED TICKETS!!!

ON SALE NOW!

Kickapoo Country Fair Website
Advanced Sales box is in the upper right hand corner once you arrive at the "general store" click on Kickapoo Country Fair!

Organic Valley Retail Store
608.625.3300
507 Main Street
LaFarge, WI 54639

Bramble Bookstore
608.637.8717
117 South Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665

The Root Note
608.782.ROOT

115 South 4th St.

La Crosse, WI 54601

$10.00 ~ Weekend Pass
$30.00 ~ 4-Pack Passes

The weekend pass gets you into everything - including the BRETT DENNEN concert! **

(** The one exception is the Beer & Cheese Pairing - Saturday 7/25, 4:00-6:30. There is an additional $10.00 entry fee - tickets are sold onsite only)

DON'T MISS OUT!

GET YOUR TICKETS TODAY!

`

Music, music and more music!!!!

Love music?

If so...
The Kickapoo Country Fair is the place for you!
July 25-26, 2009 ~ LaFarge, Wisconsin

We have something for everyone:

Our headliner is the amazing singer / songwriter:

BRETT DENNEN !

Some of the other Saturday acts include:

The Bryan Cherry Band ~ The junction where Soul, Pop, and Rock N' Roll meet

The Eric Nofsinger Band ~ A 5 piece band from southwestern Wisconsin who play a mix of new country, classic country hits, some rock tunes and a few originals.

The Squeezettes ~ Milwaukee's only all female accordion group

AND don't miss the "Layin' Down the Flow" workshop:
Jump into the rural rap scene! First, a larger group will learn some tools for writing rhymes and talk about how to keep that creativity flowin'. Then we'll group together and work with other MC's to hook together some tracks! After the groups lay some fly verses on paper, we'll throw down for each other on stage! And if freestyle is your thing, there should be time for you to crash the stage after the group performances and rock the mic!


Sunday will bring even more musical entertainment, including:

The Tercels ~ Gospel Hour

Patchouli ~ A beautiful mix of lyrics, acoustic guitar, with a dash of jazz, and folk. Once coined "Punk Rock Meets Poetry"

Sinister Dane and the Disco Cosmonauts ~ Populist Folk

The Beef Slough Boys~ In their own words: "Sometimes it sounds like the primordial soup of American music, like if Dock Boggs and Charley Patton had formed a bluegrass band..."

5 WATT ~ Their unique sound shimmers with hints of 90's alternative rock , with a dose of 80’s pop sensibilities

For more details visit our website at www.kickapoocountryfair.org

Check him out: JOSH and his STRANGE SHOW!

New in 2009!


OH MY GOSH!

IT'S JOSH B' GOSH!

“The audience was in awe. They couldn't believe their eyes as they watched Josh's unique, amazing and entertaining show.“

With influences including Bugs Bunny, James Bond and Harry Houdini, Josh’s Strange Show includes comedy, suspense and excitement with a musical soundtrack and a focus on audience participation.

http://www.strangeshows.com/

The Dragonfly

CELEBRAITING A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE!

The 2009 Kickapoo Country Fair will be about hope, and a celebration of the simple things that make for a life rich in beauty, culture and connections, whether to the land, our past or the surrounding community.

Each year we make a meaningful and cooperative descision when choosing the symbol that will be attached to our Kickapoo Country Fair logo. This year we have selected the dragonfly. Dragonfly symbolism crosses and combines with that of the butterfly and change. The dragonfly symbolizes going past self-created illusions that limit our growing and changing. Dragonflies are a symbol of the sense of self that comes with maturity.

They are fantastic flyers, darting like light, twisting, turning, changing direction, even going backwards as the need arises. They are inhabitants of two realms - starting with water, and moving to the air with maturity, but staying close to water. Some people who have the dragonfly as their totem have had emotional and passionate early years, but as they get older they achieve balance with mental clarity and control. They gain an expression of the emotional and mental together.

Dragonflies are old and adaptive insects, and are most powerful in the summer under the effects of warmth and sunlight. Their colors are a result of reflecting and refracting the power of light. As a result, they are associated with color magic, illusion in causing others only to see what you wish, and other mysticism.
The are often represented in Japanese paintings, representing new light and joy. To some Native Americans they are the souls of the dead. Faerie stories say that they used to be real dragons.

Dragonflies are reminders that we are light and can reflect the light in powerful ways if we choose to do so. "Let there be light" is the divine prompting to use the creative imagination as a force within your life. They help you to see through your illusions and allow your own light to shine in a new vision.

Check Him Out: BRETT DENNEN

HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS – BRETT DENNEN
Saturday July 25th, 8:00 pm
Kickapoo Country Fair
LaFarge, Wisconsin


Five years ago, Brett Dennen was a camp counselor who played guitar, wrote songs and performed fireside. With a self-made album, he began playing coffee shops along the West Coast and a devoted following formed. A modest independent record deal led first to his 2006 break-through album, So Much More, then to the attention of music critics, programmers and established artists. Noting his success, Rolling Stone Magazine named Brett one of the “10 Artists To Watch in 2008.”

With the release of Hope For The Hopeless, the folk and rock influenced singer/songwriter’s authenticity, willingness to weave meaning into his melodies and reputation as one of the best new live performers, Brett calls to mind his influences. Drawing on a deep appreciation of Paul Simon, Joni Mitchell and World artists, Hope For The Hopeless is a narrative-rich album from an artist who was aptly summed up by Grammy winning musician John Mayer, who said, “He’s timeless. He’s probably twenty-five but he seems like he’s twenty-five in 1972.”

In fact, several musicians have given Brett the “nod.” He has toured with Mayer and received praise from Michael Franti and Jason Mraz. Femi Kuti flew in specifically to record with Dennen and the collaboration is the new album’s first single, “Make You Crazy.”

The song is deceptively infectious. Brett explains, “I made the song catchy but it’s about all the injustice in the world – ‘it’s enough to make you go crazy…and I’m amazed I haven’t yet.’ ”

Hope For The Hopeless contains eleven songs narrowed down from forty-three with the help of multi-platinum producer John Alagia (John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band). Themes of frustration buffered by optimism are consistent throughout. “San Francisco” is an uptempo, amusing response to heartbreak. “Heaven,” which Brett describes as “the whole album in one song,” is “about being consumed with day-to-day struggles, wondering if there’s more out there, and trying to remember that things can get better. It takes being present to a bigger picture.”

The album was recorded at the Village Recorder Studios in Los Angeles in 2008 as Brett crisscrossed the country performing to audiences that doubled each time he returned. Denver-based concert promoter Don Strasburg told Billboard, “Brett is a textbook example that great songs, great musicianship and great personality win. His ticket sales increase exponentially on every trip to Colorado. He has gone from the smallest clubs to theaters in short time. We’re absolutely certain this will continue. He’s the real deal.”

“Real” is an apt word to describe the visually captivating performer whose smooth sound is in stark contrast to his persona. With long red hair, trademark headband and guitar held high on his frame, Brett appears an unlikely front man who nonetheless radiates confidence and ease in his own skin.

Raised in Northern California, Brett spent much of his time in the wilderness hiking, camping, learning survival skills and eventually teaching his own students and campers of mixed backgrounds. His thoughts on human rights and environmentalism are apparent in his lyrics and in his life-style. He created an organization called Love Speaks that literally provides local activists and nonprofits with a stage – Brett’s stage – to connect with his audience.

As the audience grows, Brett remains the folky, soulful, witty and insightful artist that first captured hearts in California coffee houses. Having toured with performers such as John Mayer, the John Butler Trio, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Ben Folds, Dennen has become a headliner in his own right and plans a significant headlining tour in early 2009. Stopping in LaFarge, Wisconsin on July 25th!!!

Hope For The Hopeless was be released 10/21/08 by Dualtone Music Group/Downtown Music

Check it out: Butter Churn Bike Tour!

Butter & Bikes?
At the Kickapoo Country Fair?

Yes, you heard correctly...Butter and Bikes are back together, again!

The 3rd annual Butter Churn Bike Tour will take place on Saturday 7/25/09, starting at the gates of the Kickapoo Country Fair!

Fun for the entire family! Come ride the scenic hills and valleys of the Coulee Region.There are four options: 5 mile, 20 mile, 40 mile & 80 mile rides. All come with sag-wagon support and when you finish, you get into the Kickapoo Country Fair for FREE!

This event is a fundraiser for Vernon Trails.
Vernon Trails is a 501 c3 non-profit organization committed to developing and maintaining sustainable roadways and trails, while continuing to create access for human powered users. For more information, you can visit their website at http://www.vernontrails.com/ or call 608-637-2072.

Vernon Trails is the IMBA and WORBA chapter for the Vernon and Crawford county areas.

Renew America TOGETHER!

President Barack Obama: Lace’m Up
Sunday, February 15, 2009

In a message to be aired during tonight's NBA All-Star Game, President Barack Obama calls on Americans to take action and get involved in their communities.
Watch the video message here and read an excerpt below:

In this time of so much need in our communities and across our country, we are blessed with endless ways to restore hope and opportunity in places that yearn for both. Prepare a care package for a soldier. Read to a child. Or fix up a local basketball court so the next generation can play and grow. I encourage everyone to join the NBA in the spirit of service to others. Just log on to USAservice.org to find or create a project near you, then gather some friends and lace ‘em up.


You can take action by being part of the Kickapoo Country Fair and earning funds for great community organizations. We pay $7.00 per hour to the community organization of your choice, when you volunteer to staff the Kickapoo Country Fair.
In 2008 we helped raise funds for over 20 local nonprofit and community groups, including Valley Stewardship Network:

"In recent years, Organic Valley has been an amazing supporting entity and primary funding source for our community-based, non-profit organization. In particular, funds raised and allocated to the Valley Stewardship Network from the 2008 Kickapoo Country Fair has provided VSN with general operating support that is so hard to come by in a time when membership donations and outside funding support has decreased due to increased funding competition and fewer funding sources. The Valley Stewardship Network is highly dependent upon community support and donations like those received from Organic Valley. The mission of the Valley Stewardship Network and in particular, our Food & Farm Initiative, is closely alligned with that of Organic Valley. In these tough economic times, it is important to grow collaborative relationships and to support those groups that address economic, social and environmental imperatives. VSN thanks you for your continued support!" --- Jessica Luhning, Projects Coordinator


Get involved today!!!

If you have questions, we can be reached via:
email - kcf@orgnaicvalley.coop
phone - 608.625.3456

Do you Myspace? We do too!

If you are on Myspace, make sure you check out the Kickapoo Country Fair Myspace page, say hello and make us your friend!

We can't wait to meet you!

Check 'em out: Patchouli

Patchouli ~ Punk Rock Meets Poetry
Coming to the Kickapoo Country Fair on Sunday, July 26th!

Famous for that smiling voice that instantly turns a bad day into a good one, Julie Patchouli’s down-to-earth, hopeful, vibrant songwriting is new American folk music, inspired by worldwide folk styles. Coupled with Bruce Hecksel's blazing flamenco style guitar Patchouli performs inspiring power folk mantras.

Tireless touring troubadours, Bruce and Julie have performed over 1700 times covering enough ground on the road to equal over 6 times around the earth. Patchouli's energy and chemistry on stage leaves the audience uniquely uplifted and transformed. They just released their 11th album together Terra Guitarra.

"Phenomenal, heartfelt and sweet in the best sense of the word, excellent instrumentals."--Kathy Stahl, Wisconsin Public Radio

"Angelic vocals. Flawless Guitars"--Independent Songwriter

“Patchouli offers a wonderfully vibrant, uplifting set of songs that despite the acoustic instrumentation has an electric quality. The band creates an elaborate web of acoustic textures laced with compassionate, thought provoking lyrics and sentiments, brotherly love, racial tolerance and ecological issues.” -- Relix Magazine

"Music that moves the mind to think and the heart to feel" --Tallahassee Democrat

"While often compared to such luminaries as Sarah McLachlan, Joni Mitchell and Natalie Merchant Julie Patchouli is an original sound and worthy of her own notoriety" --The Victory Review - Seattle

More info available at:
www.patchouli.net, www.myspace.com/patchoulispace
www.terraguitarra.com, www.myspace.com/terraguitarra

THIS JUST IN:

We are pleased to announce:

Brett Dennen is the 2009 Kickapoo Country Fair's musical headliner!

Brett is a singer songwriter, as well as an advocate for peace, love, and the environment. Rolling Stone Magazine recently listed him on its Top Ten Artists to Watch!

Brett Dennen is a nature-lover and has been involved with the Mosaic Project since its conception. It focuses on empowering children to create peace, helping their communities to bridge differences, and break down stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination. Dennen also invites like-minded non-profit organizations to distribute information and express their messages on stage before his concerts, through Love Speaks ~ The Power of Music to Make Change.

Please make sure to join us on Saturday July 25th, 2009!

For more information, you can visit our website: Kickapoo Country Fair, KCF myspace page or email us directly at kcf@organicvalley.coop

2009!

Happy New Year!

As 2009 brings us much hope and inspiration, I wanted to share this thought:

The West of which I speak is but
another name for the Wild, and what
I have been preparing to say is, that
in Wildness is the preservation of
the World. Every tree sends its
fibers forth in search of the Wild.
The cities import it at any price.
Men plow and sail for it. From the
forest and wilderness come the
tonics and barks which brace
mankind. . . .
~ Henry David Thoreau