May 24, 2009 Ah, the glorious season that is summer.
The calendar tells us summer doesn’t truly begin for a few more weeks, but we all know Memorial Day weekend is the unofficial kickoff. And summer doesn’t end just because the kids go back to school in early September. We keep the party going right into October. With that said, today we take a look at 50 of our favorite summertime events here in the Fox Valley (and one outside the Fox Valley that is a must-do road trip). Use it as a guide to help get you from here to there, one festival at a time. Memorial Day weekend is a great time for grilling out, hitting the water or otherwise enjoying a three-day weekend outdoors. But don’t forget what the holiday is really about &mdash remembering and honoring those who gave their lives to preserve our freedom. To that end, check out Appleton’s Memorial Day Parade at 9 a.m. May 25. It begins at College Avenue and Appleton Street and ends at the entrance to Riverside Cemetery. You’ll also find a 9 a.m. parade that begins in Menasha and ends in Neenah, and a 6:30 p.m. parade in downtown Little Chute. The weekly Waterfest concert series in Oshkosh gets rolling this Thursday. The Thursday night concert series runs from 5:45 to 11 p.m. at the Leach Amphitheater at Riverside Park. Look for a steady dose of music, mostly classic rock. Admission is $5 before 6 p.m. $8 before 7 p.m. and $15 after 7 p.m. It kicks off with an Irish Night on May 28 (free admission from 5 to 6 p.m. or for anyone wearing green). The night will feature The Tossers, BROTHER and Belfast Cowboys. Other highlights on the summer lineup include: June 4, Vic Ferrari, IX Lives and Tim Schweiger and the Middlemen June 18, Gin Blossoms, Three Beers ’til Dubuque and Common Time July 16, The BoDeans July 23, Rusted Root, Benjy Davis Project and Green Tea July 30, The Buckinghams, Herman’s Hermits featuring Barry Whitwam and the Britins: The Beatles Tribute Aug. 13, Night Ranger and ASIA featuring John Payne Aug. 20, Three Dog Night Aug. 27, Dennis DeYoung. For a full lineup, see .
Rev those engines. Racing season is upon us. The Fox River Racing Club opens its popular Thursday night series at 7 p.m. May 28 at Wisconsin International Raceway near Kaukauna. The series runs through Sept. 3.