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Great Stay: Iola Pines Campground

It’s camping season again, and if you’re looking for a relaxing trip with a perfect blend of nature and civilization, Iola Pines Campground is one you shouldn’t overlook. Iola Pines is situated in serene forestland in close proximity to a number of Iola and Waupaca County nature destinations including Hartman Creek State Park, the Ice Age Trail and River Ridge Trail, among several others. On-site, there’s a playground, game room with arcades and themed weekend events. On Friday nights, the campground plays animated films on a projection screen – just bring a camping chair and enjoy a movie under the stars. For event schedules and COVID-19 updates, visit iolapines.com. 

Hot Events

As public health concerns evolve, please check in with event organizers before making plans

Rally for Iola

July 11

If you’re from out of town and have heard of Iola, there’s a good chance it might be because of the annual Iola Car Show. More than 100,000 people make the drive annually to Iola’s 1,300-member community to admire the 2,500 show cars on display and shop for 1,000 more for sale. This year, the car show team canceled the 2020 event due to public health concerns, but if you still want to see a vast array of pristinely maintained hobby cars, the replacement event, Rally for Iola, is not only worth the drive, but also contact-free. On July 11, hundreds of cars will be on display in a 75-mile round trip through Waupaca County. Register ahead and drive your car through the rally, or find a place six feet away from other onlookers and enjoy watching the cars go by. 10am. 100 Oak Ridge Rd, Iola. iolaoldcarshow.com

Taste of Norway and Lost Arts Fest

October 10

The first Saturday in October rolls the fun of two combined events into one eventful day in Iola. Whether you’re a true Norway fanatic or just have always wanted to try Norwegian food, Taste of Norway is a great way to experience Norwegian culture and the legacy of Norwegian migration to Wisconsin communities such as Iola. Each year, community members and local businesses make and sell a range of Norwegian delicacies along with Iola favorites such as Crystal Café’s award-winning pie and Trout Bum Bakery’s pastries. After enjoying a rosette, which is a pinwheel- or rose-shaped Norwegian dessert, or lefse, a potato-based flatbread resembling a tortilla, check out the Lost Arts Festival to experience art forms you might not have seen in action. The festival commemorates once-popular art forms that have fallen out of popularity or have been lost to time, having featured artisan jewelry makers, rug-weavers, rose-mullers (people who paint floral decorations on wood or fabric) and even a blacksmith. 10am-2pm. Iola Historical Society. iolahistoricalsociety.org

Iola Winter Carnival

February 5-7, 2021

Iola’s annual three-day celebration of winter is known primarily for its series of high-intensity sporting activities and competitions. Come 2021, it might be wintertime, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up biking – thanks to the Iola Snow Bully Fat Bike Race on day one, you can train year-round. Fat-tire biking is designed for rough terrains like snow, and it’s steadily grown in popularity over the past half-decade. Day two has skijoring, which is what you get when cross-country skiing meets dog-walking, and an evening snowshoe race. Day three has the main attraction – the Central Ski Jumping Championships. With Iola Winter Sports Club being five ski jumping facilities in the state, the competition is a way for avid ski jumpers across the Midwest to test their skills against other ski jumping pros. If you’re not a ski jumper, watching skiers accelerate off jumps and fly through the air is an exciting experience you can’t miss. Friday, 6pm; Saturday, 8am-6pm; Sunday, 12pm. facebook.com/pg/iolawintercarnival

On the Horizon

Tastes & Tunes of Iola-Scandinavia

Third Friday and Saturday of July

Ostensibly best described as the Mile of Music of Iola/Scandinavia, Tastes & Tunes brings musicians within and outside the Iola/Scandinavia community into local businesses to perform for the community, but even for the avid Mile of Music fan, Tastes & Tunes is worth the weekend trip. In addition to cover bands and acoustic singer-songwriters, the event has brought in an eclectic mix of musicians and genres you wouldn’t expect including an accordionist duo (showing off the community’s Norwegian roots), a barbershop group, a violinist, a ukulele ensemble and a violinist. Like Mile of Music, Tastes & Tunes has been canceled this year, but next year when it’s 10 days before Mile of Music and you just can’t wait, give Tastes & Tunes a shot – there’s sure to be a musician you didn’t expect, and they might just be the hit of the weekend. ischamber.com

Scandinavia Corn Roast

First weekend of August

This three-day event is Scandinavia’s take on the county fair, complete with carnival rides and live music, but unlike other fairs, Scandinavia’s is dedicated to celebrating all things corn, which you can get for $1 on day 2 and free on day 3. In addition to $20 for unlimited rides, which include the Tilt-A-Whirl, Ferris wheel, Gravitron and more, there’s a 5K run, softball tournament and tractor pulls with musicians performing through the event, which in the past have included Copper Box, Whiskey & Lace and the Central Wisconsin Ukulele Troupe. This year’s Corn Roast has been cancelled, but visit the Corn Roast’s webpage for updates on next year’s event. scandinaviacornroast.com