Door County - The Official Visitor Guide 2008 - (Page 11) Southern Door Events little sturgeon Days belgian Days southern Door Firemen’s picnic southern Door Arts & Crafts show Rural Beauty & Belgian Heritage S outhern Door is the gateway into Door County and retains a rural, small-town charm that lets visitors know they are leaving their urban stress behind them. The bayside shoreline features some of the best spring and summer smallmouth bass fishing in the Midwest, and superb ice fishing in the winter. Southern Door includes the village of Forestville, the towns of Brussels and Maplewood, the town of Union and Gardner, and a portion of the city of Sturgeon Bay. Throughout the countryside you can find rolling fields that are dotted with distinctive red brick Belgian farmhouses. The Brussels and Namur communities host the country’s largest concentration of Belgians, earning Southern Door a listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Because of this heritage, you will find the famous “Chicken Booyah” at local restaurants, and glorious Belgian Pies fresh from the bakery at the local grocer. Visit the Annual Belgian Days in July and experience the long standing history and heritage of food, music and family fun. Southern Door has miles of shoreline hosting public beaches, county parks, and the 1,225 acre state park Potawatomi State Park, which provides many recreational activities including camping, hiking, swimming, biking, boating, fishing TOWEr AT pOTAWATOmI sTATE pArK along the shoreline, and picnicking in the park. Belgian Days Learn about “The Ice Age Trail” which begins at the parks observation tower, 225 ft. above the water. Winter activities include cross-country skiing on four different trails, ice fishing, sledding on some of the best hills in the county, and winter camping! Call 920-746-2890 for more details about Potawatomi State Park. Southern Door includes part of with the Ahnapee State Trail, once a busy railroad, now an 8 to 10 ft. path, spanning about 30 miles between Casco, Algoma, and Sturgeon Bay. During spring, summer, and fall hikers, bikers, horseback riders, horse-drawn carts and wagons share the trail. In winter, cross country skiers and snowmobilers whisk across its frosty surface. Southern Door has some of the largest tree farms in the area where you can start a family tradition by chopping down your own Christmas tree, snuggle with your loved ones in the back of a horse drawn wagon, and stop to sip some hot cocoa or hot cider oh what fun it is! Sturgeon Bay Events “Fire & Ice” Icescapes and Dinner Dance st. patrick’s Day parade Groovin sisterhood Weekend Open bass Tournament sturgeon bay Fine Art Fair July 4th – sturgeon bay Celebrates Jefferson street Festival sail Through The Avenues Citywide sidewalk sales Classic Wooden boat show & Festival beacons Around The bay Auction harvest Fest & harvest moon Dance Christmas by The bay All the Reasons, All the Seasons uch has changed in the Sturgeon Bay area since Increase Claflin settled here in 1835. But chances are he’d enjoy some familiar sights on a walking tour or carriage ride through the historic downtown area, with its landmark buildings dating back to the 19th century. Sturgeon Bay is proud of its history and has done much to preserve and build on it. The Door County Historical Museum, open seasonally, displays artifacts left by the first known humans on the peninsula, in addition to a spectacular wildlife diorama. The Door County Maritime Museum brings the county’s long shipbuilding history to life even as new ships and boats are built and repaired within its gaze. In recent years, the waterfront district and historic downtown have undergone a renaissance as modern resorts, restaurants, shops and galleries have joined Victorian-era inns to create an attractive mix of new and old. The Miller Art Museum, Fairfield Center for Contemporary Art and Third Avenue Playhouse, provide art lovers with a variety of cultural experiences. Straddling the ship canal that connects Lake M © JEFF DAvIs WOODEN bOAT shOW Michigan with the waters of Green Bay means that Stur- Steel Bridge Song Fest in Sturgeon Bay geon Bay is perfectly positioned for water activities. Some of the best fishing to be found anywhere has lead to a boom in charter fishing. And of course sailing, swimming, and other warm-weather water sports abound. There are a number of excellent marinas and boat ramps in the area as well as public beaches and scenic parks. You can even take a narrated shoreline cruise. Within minutes of the city limits, three golf courses feature a variety of challenges from spring through fall. Cherryland Airport offers scenic plane rides and charter flights to major hubs. Potawatomi State Park, west of the city, has miles of trails, excellent campsites, and an observation tower with an eagle-eye view of the shoreline and woods. Sturgeon Bay is Door County’s year-round community and is recognized for its city conveniences and small-town friendliness. CONTACT INFO: sturgeon bay visitor bureau, (920) 743-6246 or (800) 301-6695, www.sturgeonbay.net D o o r C o u n t y. c o m 11 http://www.sturgeonbay.net http://www.doorcounty.com
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