ArtStart's 15th anniversary party kicks off Friday night in Rhinelander -- free admission, live music, food, and drinks from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Sunday, the 32nd Annual Main Street Memories Car Show takes over downtown Tomahawk with classics on the street, a petting zoo, bounce house, and craft vendors. Weather-wise, Friday's the easy one -- partly sunny, dry, a cool 65. Saturday's a genuine coin flip on showers, so keep a backup plan in your pocket. Sunday warms up to 71 but keeps a few scattered showers (and the odd rumble of thunder) on the table for the afternoon.
Friday
Party: Celebrate ArtStart's 15th Anniversary -- ArtStart, Free, 6:30 PM CT
Fifteen years of art and community in Rhinelander, and they're celebrating the right way -- live music, food, drinks, and the people who've kept the place running. Free admission makes this an easy yes. It runs until 8:30 PM, right in downtown Rhinelander.
Northwoods Ukers -- The Warehouse Community Arts Center, 1:30 PM CT
A room full of people who love to play ukulele and sing -- beginners included, no judgment. The Northwoods Ukers are explicitly welcoming to new folks, so if you've got a uke gathering dust, Friday afternoon in Eagle River is a good excuse to dust it off.
iPad 101 Class -- Rhinelander District Library, $20, 10:00 AM CT
Deb from Help Desk Next Door walks you through the basics -- apps, internet browsing, settings -- in a hands-on format. Bring your iPad. It's beginner-friendly and practical, the kind of class that actually saves you from Googling things alone at home for another year.
Saturday
Concert -- Carl Acuff Jr. featuring the Wichita Lineman Glen Campbell Tribute -- Three Lakes Center for the Arts, 7:30 PM CT
Carl Acuff Jr. performs the music of Glen Campbell -- "Wichita Lineman," "Gentle On My Mind," the hits -- at Three Lakes Center for the Arts. Acuff is an Arkansas Arts On Tour artist, so this isn't a local bar cover set; it's a full production. Ticketing is handled directly through the venue, not online.
Minocqua Fire Station II Pancake Breakfast -- Minocqua Fire Station II, 8:00 AM CT
Eggs, sausage, and pancakes at the firehouse, with all proceeds going to the firefighters. Carryouts are welcome if you'd rather eat by the water. A solid way to start a Saturday morning before the rain rolls in.
Tomahawk Farm & Flea Market -- Qualheim's True Value, Free, 8:00 AM CT
Free to browse, with whatever you buy being the only cost. Farm goods, flea market finds -- the kind of Saturday morning errand that turns into an hour of wandering. Worth hitting early if the clouds start building.
Memorial Day Weekend Book Sale -- Demmer Memorial Library, Free, 9:30 AM CT
The Demmer Library's Memorial Day Weekend Book Sale has a reputation for a wide selection at prices that make it hard to leave empty-handed. Free to get in the door; what you spend is on you. Good rainy-day backup if Saturday's 53% chance of showers actually delivers.
Kendells Korner: Small Critters -- Mel's Trading Post, 10:00 AM CT
Kids and families build recycled hummingbird feeders using glass containers, fake flowers, and whatever decorations you bring from home. The event is framed around pollinators and small critters and their role in the local ecosystem -- genuinely good stuff for curious kids. Bring your own beads or extra decorations if you want to get creative.
Texas Hold'em Poker Tournament -- Northern Waters Casino Resort, $45 Buy-in, includes $12,000 start up chips & $15 Free Play, 11:00 PM CT
Late-night Saturday poker at Northern Waters -- $45 gets you in the door with $12,000 in starting chips and $15 in free play. If your evening wraps up early and you're feeling competitive, this is still going when everything else has closed down.
Sunday
Tomahawk Main Street for the 32nd Annual Main Street Memories Car Show -- Main Street, $15, 7:00 AM CT
Vehicle registration runs 7:00 to 11:00 AM -- spectators get in free. This is one of the first car shows of the season in Northern Wisconsin, and it fills out the full downtown stretch with craft and food vendors (9 AM--3 PM), kids' activities including a bounce house, obstacle course, petting zoo, and balloon art (10 AM--2 PM), a DJ, and a 50/50 cash raffle. The $15 entry is for vehicle registration. Rain or shine, per the organizers -- which is good news given Sunday's forecast.
Memorial Day Arts and Crafts Show and Sidewalk Sale -- Wall St. Eagle River, WI 54521, $10
Local crafters and artists line Wall Street in Eagle River, with downtown businesses pulling sale tables out to the sidewalk and live music in the mix. It's the kind of event that makes a slow Memorial Day Sunday feel like an actual occasion. The $10 entry goes to the show.
Minocqua Northwoods Escape Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K -- American Legion building Downtown Minocqua, $30, 7:00 AM CT
One of the Northwoods' signature road races, starting from the American Legion in downtown Minocqua. Three distances -- marathon, half, and 5K -- all on Sunday morning. Registration is $30. If you're running it, the 26% rain chance and high of 71 is actually reasonable racing weather.
The Full Lineup
Find all 14+ events this weekend at northwoodslineup.com/events/.
Got a tip or event we should know about? Email [email protected]
