Wisconsin Valley Fair vendor prep underway

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - The Wisconsin Valley Fair begins Tuesday, Aug. 1, but the fairgrounds have already been full of people getting ready for the big event.

Volunteers from the First English Lutheran Church have been busy getting things ready for the fair all week, like putting up tents and getting the space ready. The food stand is a staple at the Wisconsin Valley Fair. For more than 100 years, the stand has provided a sit-down, home-cooked meal for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The setting up is usually simple, but this year it was a little bit different.

“It takes a lot of meetings, a lot of volunteers. Normally, it’s a two-day {set up}. But now that we’ve added a little bit more changes, that took a little bit longer this year. We’ve been here a whole week,” said Jerome Dahlke, in charge of First English Lutheran Church Food Stand.

The food stand will offer a few new things this year, like ham and meatloaf, and they will also be bringing back their French fries for the first time in a few years.

“I think it’s a staple of our church because we’ve been here over 100 years. And I think it’s important for the history of the church to continue, and it’s getting tougher and tougher. But we’re working hard to try keep going,” said Dahlke.

The profits from the food stand are donated to local charities and organizations. The food stand will open for breakfast starting Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 7:30 a.m.

The Wisconsin Valley Fair is held in Marathon Park at 1201 Stewart Avenue, Wausau, WI 54401.

For more information on the fair. Click Here