April 26, 2024 (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) – Fond du Lac Festivals is excited to kick off the start of summer with Walleye Weekend (June 7th – 9th, 2024). 2024 marks Walleye Weekend’s 45th year as the largest free family-friendly festival in Fond du Lac and the surrounding region. To celebrate, Fond du Lac Festivals (FFI) is planning the most entertaining Walleye Weekend yet! In 2023, J.J. Raflik (Fond du Lac Family YMCA) and Pam Sippel (Boys & Girls Club of Fond du Lac) were selected as Junior Co-Chairs. This year, they will serve as Senior Co-chairs imparting their experience and knowledge of the event on our newest members of the Walleye Weekend family. To help us celebrate 45 years of tradition and family fun, we welcome Junior Co-Chairs, Joe Venhuizen (Envision Greater Fond du Lac) and Amber Bodart (Verve, a Credit Union) to join J.J. and Pam. “We are excited to have so much support in this community and be surrounded by these great individuals each and every year,” shares Executive Director, Pete Wilke. In addition to the awesome music line-up and long-standing traditions at Walleye Weekend like the SSM Health Walleye Run/Walk and Mercury Marine National Walleye Tournament, we are adding some fun new elements.” Wilke continues. “All new in 2024, Walleye Weekend gets a prehistoric twist. Dino Encounters is visiting Lakeside Park on June 8th and 9th in FamilyLand at Walleye Weekend. This attraction will give Fond du Lac the chance to meet, learn about, and interact with dinosaurs. Featuring meet and greets with a T-rex, dinosaur puppets, stationary dinosaur rides, an inflatable T-rex skeleton obstacle course, fossil digs, and themed puzzles and games, this event creates a destination sure to entertain everyone. We also have a full slate of Hispanic entertainment on Sunday, June 9 th on one of the stages and a brand-new Basketball Skills Competition among a few other surprises.” When patrons purchase food and drinks at Walleye Weekend, they are also supporting the festival itself and giving back to the community. The Fond du Lac Festivals’ mission is to raise money for other non-profit organizations in the community through the festivals that they host. In recent years, an average of over $200,000 a year has been raised and poured back into the Fond du Lac community through Walleye Weekend alone thanks to the multitudes of sponsors, volunteers, and anyone who attends the event.
