Summer has arrived in full force! This Racine County weekend, you can take in a lighthouse view, meet your friends, enjoy the season’s first ethnic festival and chow down on chicken. Come along with Real Racine.
For your bucket list. Everybody’s bucket list should include a climb up the Wind Point Lighthouse. The 108-foot-tall landmark, 4725 Lighthouse Drive, will be open for the season’s first climb event from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The climb is rigorous but the view is spectacular. The cost is $10 for adults; $5 for children ages 6 through 11. Because of safety considerations, children age 5 and younger may not make the climb. Please wear sturdy shoes (no flip flips) and arrive about 15 minutes early. Advance reservations are recommended. Additional lighthouse climbs are scheduled for the first Sundays of July through October and on select Saturdays (June 30, Aug. 4 , Sept 1.) Visit www.windpointlighthouse.org
Friday fun. First Friday is THIS Friday from 4 to 9 p.m. in Downtown Racine. Shops, galleries and nightspots are all open with specials. There are horse-drawn carriage rides from Monument Square and outdoor live music featuring Dillweeds on Monument Square, Fourcast at Crosswalk Park and Identity Crisis at The Nash on Sixth Street. The Racine Art Museum (RAM) has free admission all day and evening and the Racine Heritage Museum features a new exhibit on Racine’s connection to the circus. Visit www.firstfridaysracine.com
First festival. St. George Serbian Orthodox Church, 826 State St., invites everyone to a picnic with great food (roast pork, lamb, shish-ka-bobs) dancing and family fun. Church tours will also be offered. Picnic hours are 12 to 11 p.m. Saturday. Free admission.
Free fishing. This Saturday and Sunday is Free Fun for Everyone, courtesy of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). There will be free fishing (no license required), free admission to all state parks, free use of all state trails and no registration needed for ATVs on state land. It’s also the Carp Round-up on the Fox River and Tichigan Lake. Fox River CAUSE is paying $1 per carp (6-inch minimum length) from 12 to 5 p.m. Bring the fish to the boat launch near Village Hall, 123 N. River Road.
BBQ time. The Union Grove Lions Club will be serving their famous BBQ chicken from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the Racine County Fairgrounds, 19805 Durand Ave. Dinners are $10 for adults; $6 for youth age 12 and younger. The Lions car, van and motorcycle show runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. There is also a bake sale, quilt raffle, a DJ and cow pie bingo at noon.
A family day. The Waterford Lions invite everyone to Picnic in the Park from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Waterford Town Park, Hwy 164 and Jensen Road. The day includes a hot dog or brat lunch, rock climbing wall, bounce houses, obstacle courses, petting zoo and rescue equipment displays. It’s all free.
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