By Devon Welsh

Winter Brew Fest
Friday, 1/26 | Jefferson Street Inn, Wausau

Wausau Events is organizing a winter weekend with activities for the whole family. The first event of the weekend is the Winter Brew Fest. This is an opportunity to sample beers from seven different local breweries, chow down on some bratwurst and listen to live music. For this writer, beer is an important winter companion. But for those who don’t drink, Wausau’s own Forward Beverage Co. will be offering unique and delicious non-alcoholic cocktails. 7-9 pm. $35 in advance, $45 at the door. 21+. More at wausauevents.org

Winter Fest
Saturday, 1/27 | 400 Block & Washington Square, Wausau

The annual tradition is back again this winter, once again organized by Wausau Events. Though typical activities on 400 Block would ordinarily include ice skating, sled dog demonstrations, ice castle building for kids, those activities have been canceled because of the warmer weather.  Instead there will be crafting activities inside the CVA and inside Washington Square there will be a number of kid’s activities put on by the businesses, in addition to free pizza slices and cookies provided by The Clay House Pizza Kiln. The whole day promises to be a great time for adults and kids alike! 11am – 1pm. Free. More at wausauevents.org

Exhibition Opening: A Civic Wilderness

Saturday, 1/27 | Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau

This new exhibition, featuring over forty artworks from the Woodson Art Museum collection, asks viewers to consider the relationship between the human-made and the natural environment. While we often think of urban landscapes and nature as opposites, these artworks depict the many ways in which the two are integrated – as well as pointing to how we might preserve their delicate and dynamic balance. If you’ve ever stopped to look at a plant growing in the middle of a concrete sidewalk or a bird’s nest on the roof of an office building,  you might know what I’m talking about. The exhibition opens on Saturday and runs until June 16th. Free. For hours, see lywam.org

Learn To Curl

Sunday, 1/28 | Wausau Curling Center, Wausau

The stone is carefully pushed across the ice as a couple of people with brooms frantically sweep just ahead. The players shout, the stone comes to rest right inside a bullseye. Curling! Many of us have seen it on TV during the Winter Olympics and wondered how to play the game, and now the Wausau Curling Club is opening its doors and offering us a chance to learn! During this session, participants will be introduced to all the fundamentals of the game: how to slide on the ice, deliver the stone, sweep, call shots and think about curling strategy. The Curling Club advises participants to wear layers, flexible pants, and bring a clean pair of sneakers to wear on the ice. 8:30 am – noon. $10. Pre-register at wausaucurling.org

Making Movies

Tuesday 1/30; Wednesday, 1/31 | Grand Theater, Wausau

Making Movies is a band from Kansas City whose music draws inspiration from across the Americas and from deep into the members’ cultural histories – Panamanian music, mambo, cumbia, salsa, and much more – resulting in a rich and interesting style. Their show will be free, courtesy of the Bridge Clinic Lift Every Voice concert series. The night before this show, Making Movies will also be leading a free interactive workshop called “AMERI’KANA and Musical Migrations”, which explores the origins of American music. Workshop is on Tuesday at 6 pm; show is on Wednesday at 7:30 pm. Free. More info at grandtheater.org

International Fly-Fishing Film Festival

Wednesday, 2/7 | UWSP-Wausau Center for Civic Engagement, Wausau

I’ve heard of fly-fishing, and I’ve heard of film festivals, but a fly-fishing film festival was something new for me. The International Fly-Fishing Film Festival, IF4 for short, describes itself as “the world’s leading fly-fishing film event”. Come to see selected short films about fly-fishing in locations across the globe, from the Amazon rainforest to northern Quebec and beyond. The Wausau screening is being put on by Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving America’s coldwater fisheries. All proceeds raised from this event will be put toward trout stream restoration, support for legislation, and conservation education. If you are interested in either fishing or filmmaking, this could be a worthwhile event. 7 pm. $15. More info at flyfilmfest.com