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Hometown Festival Week starts Friday
Party in the Park to honor tornado volunteers
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Southwest Wisconsin’s largest and longest festival begins Friday.

Hometown Festival Week features nine days of events, beginning with three events Friday and ending with the annual Festival of the Arts July 26.

This year’s highlight is the Party in the Park in City Park Thursday, July 24 from 5 to 8:30 p.m. This year’s honorees will be those who volunteered in cleanup efforts after the June 16 tornadoes.

Hundreds of volunteers, organizations and businesses came to the aid of those hardest hit. “There was tremendous support of the outlying communities as well as many of them sent their emergency service departments to help right after the tornadoes hit,” said Platteville Regional Chamber executive director Kathy Kopp.

Complimentary hot dogs, ice cream and milk will be provided by the Platteville Optimists with support of the Platteville Rotary Club. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. with the awarding of service clubs’ and nonprofit organizations’ Volunteers of the Year, followed by a special recognition for tornado relief volunteers. The Wundo Band will play at 6:30 p.m. as part of Music in the Park.

Hometown Festival Week includes two events Friday — Discover the Arts: Celebration of Education at Community Evangelical Free Church, 300 Pioneer Road East, at 7 p.m., and the Walk in the Vineyard at Bauer–Kearns Winery in the Town of Belmont at 8 p.m.

The fifth annual Hometown Hog Roast will be held at the Pizzeria Uno Annex Back Bar Saturday from 2 to 11 p.m. Winners of the Driftless Summer Ride will be announced at 5 p.m., the same time as the Pig Out Challenge eating contest. Musical entertainment will include Adam Bartels at 2:30 p.m., Takin’ the Fifth at 5:30 p.m., and Chris Utley and Friends at 8:30 p.m. The cost is $15.

The weekly Farmers Market will be held in City Park both Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon. The UW–Platteville Heartland Festival concludes with two performances this weekend at the UWP Center for the Arts — “Give My Regards to Broadway” Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and “Shrek, the Musical” Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Sunday features two food-related events. The annual Kiwanis Vic Pagenkopf Pancake Breakfast will be held at Platteville United Methodist Church, 1265 Lancaster St., from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Those who aren’t full after that can go to the Mitchell–Rountree Stone Cottage Ice Cream Social from 1 to 4 p.m.

Country Kitchen on Business 151 will host a Historic Re-Enactment fundraiser Monday from 5 to 8 p.m. The Historic Re-Enactment is held in Mound View Park as part of Platteville Dairy Days in September.

Southwest Health will host Berry Fest in Legion Field Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m.

A Platteville Regional Chamber Business After Hours will be held at QueenB Radio, 51 Means Dr., Wednesday from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Three events are scheduled Friday, July 25. The Katie’s Garden 10th Anniversary Celebration will be held at the chamber office on West Business 151 from 5 to 8 p.m. The Platteville Public Library will host “Elements of Trivia” Trivia Night at 7 p.m. The Glowing Opportunities Glow Ball Golf Outing will be held at the Platteville Golf & Country Club, with check-in at 7 p.m. and tee-off at 9 p.m.

Hometown Festival Week will conclude Saturday, July 26 with the Festival of the Arts in City Park from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The festival will feature an art fair, kids’ activities, live music and food.

Santa Bucks purchases from participating merchants will be worth double during Hometown Festival Week.

For more information, call 348-8888 or go to www.platteville.com.