Thinking Back and Looking Ahead: A Message from the Downtown Baraboo Inc. Downtown Manager
It’s hard to believe that this week we said goodbye to April and welcome in May. The greeting of this new month means a lot for people. For families, it means that the school year is ending, and preparations are underway for planned vacations and other grand adventures. All the while we keep our eyes peeled for the blossoming of colorful flowers and trees display their lovely green leaves.
For me, springtime is a joyful one. It is a reminder that our community is heading into another busy season of fun. This week is our Spring Wine Walk with a “Kentucky Derby” theme. The week after that is the cherished Spring Fair on the Square that serves as a kickoff to an array of activity all summer long (and an extra treat for mothers on Mother’s Day weekend). Additionally, the local businesses have transitioned their storefronts to showcase their featured products, all the while keeping with that traditional “small-town charm.”
I always think fondly during this change of the seasons. It takes me back to when I was a child how every Saturday our family would travel from home to downtown Baraboo to spend time strolling about. The sun would shine over the square as we zigzagged from one small business to the next. I biasedly had my personal favorites as a little boy: Anything with candy, video games, and books. There was just something special of free roaming the historic brick and mortar buildings that are home to a different array of small businesses and restaurants in the warmth of the spring sun.
I convey this little fond moment because I am grateful to see similar memories being made in downtown Baraboo nearly every day. Families explore together, adventuring from one block to the next. Businesses welcoming each face with a warm smile and ready to showcase their hard work with what they built. Delicious meals that makes one feel as though they are dining at the family table. The events that are coming up on the calendar only enhance the quality of the experience. Friends reunite for a night out on the town while taking in some live music. Others stroll the closed streets packed full of crafters and artisans selling their handmade products.
What I’m basically getting at is this: The fondest memories are made in downtown Baraboo. The efforts of all business owners, staff, volunteers during events, all make the magic possible. It’s never been a greater time to “shop and support local.”
We hope you join us this year. Whether it’s your first time or thousandth, you’re always going to feel right at home with us. This is right place where the magic happens with you.
