Things to do in the Lake Geneva Area

Jungle Bells Hayride…

~ bwebster

Safari Lake Geneva is hosting “Jungle Bells Hayrides” at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on Saturdays in December. Enjoy a 45-minute guided hayride through the animal sanctuary where you can view a wide variety of animals from all over the world, all living in free-range conditions.

The animal reserve is currently home to more than 50 animals from 5 continents, including an Arabian camel, American bison, cattle, llama and alpaca. You may also catch glimpses of several species of antelope, a greater rhea, miniature zebu, Tennessee fainting goats and more.

Ticket prices are $14.95 for adults and $12.95 for children 3 and older and include a cup of animal feed, so plan to get up close and personal with some of the residents. Reservations are required, and they ask that you plan to arrive at least 10 minutes prior to your tour time. Safari Lake Geneva is located at W1612 Litchfield Road in Lake Geneva.

So, bundle up, grab the camera and head out for some spectacular winter wildlife watching.

Santa, Elves and Reindeer…

~ bwebster

Don’t miss an opportunity to take the kids to see Santa in downtown Lake Geneva, complete with elves and live reindeer.  Geneva Java will be hosting Santa and his helpers (both 2 legged and 4) this Saturday, December 9th from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and next Saturday, December 16th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Geneva Java is located at 252 Center Street in Lake Geneva.

Edible Holiday Houses…

~ bwebster

The Aram Public Library in Delavan will be hosting 2 nights of Edible Holiday House building next week. Don’t miss an opportunity to let your creativity shine and test your construction skills by creating an edible house from graham crackers, frosting and candy.

All materials will be provided, and space is limited so registration for the 45 minute time slot is required. Contact the library at (262) 728-3111 x117 or stop by and talk to the clerk at the Children’s Desk.

House building will take place at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 12th and Wednesday, December 13th, so don’t delay in getting your reservation request in.

Aram Public Library is located at 404 E. Walworth Avenue in Delavan.

Lunch with Santa…

~ bwebster

The Williams Bay Fire Department is hosting Lunch with Santa this Saturday, December 9th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Enjoy a visit and photo op with Santa, plus a free hot dog lunch with refreshments.

So gather the kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews along with their wish lists and head to Williams Bay on Saturday for a fun filled, family friendly event courtesy of the Williams Bay Fire Department.

The Williams Bay Fire Department is located at 5 E. Geneva Street in Williams Bay.

Children’s Live Nativity…

~ bwebster

Bradley’s Department Store in Delavan will be hosting a Children’s Live Nativity this Saturday, December 9th beginning at 2:00 p.m. so gather the family and your camera and head to Delavan for the special event.

Bradley’s Department Store has been [art of the Delavan community since 1852. While you’re there, take advantage of their wide selection of men’s and women’s clothing. You can see the Nativity and get some of your Christmas shopping done all in one trip.

Bradley’s Department Store is located at 222 East Walworth in Delavan.

A Victorian Christmas at Geneva Lake Museum…

~ bwebster

The Geneva Lake Museum will be hosting “A Victorian Christmas” this Saturday, December 2nd from Noon to 3:00 p.m. Enjoy a walk through the museum, a visit with Santa, cookies and juice, live entertainment, crafts and more.

Lots of family fun and a visit to the museum, all free of charge. The museum is asking that you please consider bringing a donation for either the Walworth County Food Pantry, the Lakeland Animal Shelter or Toys for Tots.

The Geneva Lake Museum is located at 255 Mill Street in Lake Geneva.

Freezin’ for a Reason…

~ bwebster


Raising funds for local charities is a great Reason for Freezin’…

With the weather finally turning, chances are the only watercraft you’ll find on Geneva Lake are an occasional die-hard fisherman or the barges that are removing the piers for the season, but this Saturday, December 2nd, there will be all kinds of activity at the Williams Bay end the lake when the Gage Marine boats take to the water for Freezin’ for a Reason.

Temps are predicted to be in the 50s for Saturday, so the “Freezin’” part will have to be left up to the water temperatures this year. Probably don’t need to “bundle up”, when you head out for lots of fun and a few shivers as summer watersport enthusiasts gather to raise funds for the Santa Cause Super Charity aka the “Reason” part. Water skiers, wake boarders, tubers, and wake surfers will be taking to the chilly waters of Geneva Lake to wow the crowds and hopefully raise some money. The minimum donation to participate in the event is $60, so contact your friends and get them to sponsor you. Their goal this year is $35,000, with proceeds from the event being used to support several local charities in Walworth County, so if you can help them out with that, please donate.

Gage Marine will be supplying and manning the boats and there will be certified safety personnel on site during the duration of the event. Dry suits will be available for all athletes that need one and there will be a hot tub available for warming up after your time on and/or in the water.

The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 2nd. Plan to watch from any of the neighboring piers that are still in the water, the enclosed outside deck at Pier 290 or you can watch from Gage Marine’s Grand Belle. There will be raffles and an auction, plus Pier 290 will have a cash bar and hot food for purchase. The “Freezin’ for a Reason” event is fun, family friendly and affordable, how can you pass that up?

Christmas Cookie Walk…

~ bwebster

365 Things To Do in Lake Geneva, WI has found a great way to take the stress right out of your holiday baking!

The First Congregational United Church of Christ at 715 Wisconsin Street in Lake Geneva is hosting their annual “Cookie Walk” on Saturday, December 2nd beginning at 9:00 a.m. and running through 1:00 p.m., or until the cookies are gone.

To ensure that you will have comfortable browsing room, numbers will be handed out as you arrive. The sanctuary will be open during the cookie walk so you will have a warm place to wait for your number to be called, so plan to sit and enjoy some beautiful Christmas music before and even after you shop.

Bakery boxes are supplied to package and transport your selections and all cookies are $9.00/lb. In addition to the cookies, there will be other holiday treats for sale. 50% of the profits will be donated to Side by Side, a local charity that helps families in crisis.

Homemade cookies and no mess, sounds like a perfect way to start enjoying the holidays and support our community at the same time!

Electric Children’s Christmas Parade…

~ bwebster

One of Lake Geneva’s most cherished community events starts at 5:00 p.m. this Saturday, December 2nd when local businesses, organizations and schools light up the streets of downtown Lake Geneva for the 42nd Annual “Electric Children’s Christmas Parade”.

This year’s theme is “Christmas in the Stars” which encourages everyone to find their inner Jedi and look for the positive things in life, including being a little kinder and smiling more often. In other words, be joyful and pass it along to others.

The parade route starts at Williams and Marshall Streets and runs south on Broad Street to Main Street and west on Main to Cook Street. You’ll find that there are lights on all the floats, many of the band instruments, and that even the local fire trucks are illuminated for the event.

The Electric Children’s Christmas Parade is a treasured holiday tradition for not only the residents that live in and around the Lake Geneva area, but also for the thousands who visit the area during the year. After the parade, we suggest you stop in at one of the many places downtown for a cup of hot chocolate or a bite to eat, then head back out to check out some of the retailers in town. It’s the perfect night to do a little Holiday shopping or just enjoy everything that the beautiful downtown area offers.

Shop Small Business Saturday…

~ bwebster

Support our local merchants and get your gifts wrapped for free…

This Saturday, November 25th is Shop Small Business Saturday, so get your holiday shopping lists organized and head out in support of local business owners everywhere.

Shop Small Business Saturday is a nationwide program launched by American Express on November 27, 2010, encouraging consumers to shop locally.  The program gained momentum in 2011 when the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of Small Business Saturday, and it has continued to grow with an estimated 95 million people supporting the “Shop Small” event last year.

If you plan to shop in downtown Lake Geneva this Saturday, make sure you stop into the Keefe Real Estate office at 703 W. Main Street from 11:00AM to 3:00 PM where Keefe Kares volunteers will be providing free gift wrapping for purchases made from a local merchant.