Wausau Labor Day Parade
Monday 9/3 | Wausau Labor Temple, Wausau
Celebrate Labor Day by heading over to the Wausau Labor Temple for its annual Labor Day Parade and celebration. Parade starts at 4 pm. Watch the floats as they move along 3rd Ave starting at West Wausau Ave and ending right at the Labor Temple parking lot. After the parade, enjoy an awards ceremony, and eat brats, hot dogs, hamburgers, cheese curds, and walking tacos while having a great time with friends and family. Details on Facebook.
Movie in the Park: The Super Mario Brothers Movie
Thursday, Aug. 31 | The 400 Block, Wausau
It’s-a-me, Mario! Yup, the plucky plumber from gaming consoles dating back to the 1980s is coming to the 400 Block this Thursday. This is the last entry in the summer movie series in which the Parks Department projects movies on a big screen for you and the family to watch. The latest is the Super Mario Brothers Movie, which got rave reviews with Chris Pratt as the voice of Mario, Charlie Day (of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fam) as Luigi and Anya Taylor-Joy as Princess Peach. Bring a blanket, chairs and your own snacks to enjoy during the film. 7 pm. Check out the Wausau and Marathon County Parks Department Facebook page for more info.
No-Brand Con
Fri-Sun, Sept. 1-3 | Holiday Inn, Stevens Point
Like Anime? Then No-Brand Con is where you need to be. The three-day event features panels of experts on various topics, guests that include notable voice actors and actresses, famous YouTubers and cosplay artists, and plenty of vendors to browse. Also included are table top game rooms, video game rooms, and a “No Mercy” room where you will be invited to mercilessly mock bad TV shows, movies and other media. No Brand Con is unique – they have a whole back story complete with evil corporations detailed in episodes on YouTube. It’s pretty wild. If one thing is certain, it’s that you won’t be bored. Check out nobrandcon.org for more details.
Copper Box
Thursday, Aug. 31 | Normal Park, Merrill
They’re not a central Wisconsin band, but they might as well be. Everyone around town knows who Copper Box is. Bringing that zydeco style with horns, an accordion and a whole lot of energy, Copper Box really is a party in a box. This Oshkosh band has been around since 2002, bringing more than two decades of entertaining people. They’ve played accordion festivals, been on national TV and have received several WAMI awards. And now they’re headed to Normal Park (maybe my favorite park name ever) for this free outdoor show as part of Merrill’s Gazebo Night series. Arrive a little early and take a walk down the new river walk area that Merrill created recently, and or grab a slice at Polka-Dotted Pie. 6 pm.
Vintage Tractor Pull
Sunday, Sept. 3 | Willow Springs Garden, Maine
Tractor pulls seem very rustic Wisconsin, but a vintage tractor pull seems even more so! Come check out this vintage tractor pull this weekend as part of your Labor Day celebrations. The pull includes multiple heats and divisions, and the folks at Willow Springs thought ahead, including plenty of games and other activities for your kiddos to enjoy while you take in those classic tractors pulling things. All parking is on the south side of the road for this event. Bring your own lawnchairs, food and beverages will be available all day. Tractor pulls start at 11 am.
Paddygrass
Saturday, Sept. 2 | Sawmill Brewing Company, Merrill
What would happen if you combined gospel, bluegrass and Celtic music all into one band? Well, you’d basically have Paddygrass, a five-piece band with a 15-year history of delighting audiences around the state and beyond. The brainchild of Derek Byrne, who started Paddygrass after meeting his wife Carrie backstage in Milwaukee while touring with Riverdance, the band has continued to evolve since then. Come check them out under the tent at Sawmill while trying one of their beers brewed on site or one of the many Wisconsin beers they keep on tap. And, Yummi Thai will be serving food from their food truck as well. 6 pm.
