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Prairie Fest 2026
August 1 @ 8:00 am - 12:00 pm UTC-4
Prairie Fest is Moving Indoors—The Fun is Still On!
Mother Nature has decided our prairie needs a good drink of rain this Friday and Saturday, so Prairie Fest is moving INDOORS on August 1st to the Prairie Theater & Event Center!
Same location at 400 University Drive, Fond du Lac!
Celebrate nature with prairie tours, environmental education and art displays, short nature pop-up presentations, and more at this year’s Prairie Fest on Saturday, August 1, from 8:00 AM – Noon overlooking the beautiful Gottfried Prairie and Arboretum in the Prairie Theater and Event Center of the Fond du Lac County Campus.
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION DISPLAYS from 8:00 a.m. – noon
-International Crane Foundation
-Marsh Haven Nature Center
-CSA (Congregation of Sisters of St Agnes)
-Oshkosh/Fond du Lac Citizens’ Climate Education
-InterTribal Lake Winnebago Mayom ~ Wild Rice Revitalization Project
-Fond du Lac County Historical Society
-Prairie Revival (ecological services)
NATURE INSPIRED ART TO PURCHASE 8:00 a.m.-noon
-Hand-carved birds, mystical cottonwood bark houses from Joe Longo
-Hand painted drawings and crafts from Mary’s Crafts
-Nature inspired wood burns from The Wooden Well
GUIDED TOURS (if raining lightly, the tours may still happen or we will make them a pop-up talk instead)
10:00 a.m.: Native Plant ID Walk-Learn about native plants and how to identify them with Amanda Abramovich, Local Legacy LLC
NATURE POP-UP TALKS (20-30 mins):
-9:30 a.m.
Nifty Natives for Your Yard – Margie’s Favorites. Friends of the Gottfried board member, Margie Winter, will share some great native plant choices for your home landscape. Colorful native prairie plants can thrive in your yard and create a pocket of habitat for birds, butterflies and pollinators.
-10:00 a.m.
Marsh Haven Nature Center presentation at booth – Wildlife of Marsh Haven
OTHER FUN KIDS ACTIVITIES from 8:00 a.m.-noon:
-Face/arm painting by Renee
-Kids arts and crafts featuring prairie hats and flower bracelets
**FEATURE ENTERTAINMENT** Join us for Randy Peterson’s high energy concert at 11:15 a.m. His shows are a fast-moving mix of music, humor and storytelling that are geared for kids, but which all ages enjoy! (sponsored by the Fond du Lac Evening Optimists)