The Story Behind Sovereign State Days...

In 1967, a printing salesman from Milwaukee came to town about the middle of January.  He was complaining about having a hard time finding Winneconne. He said we weren’t on the new highway map…

What on earth? That gave C.O. Rogers, publisher of the Winneconne News, a good lead to write about in his next weekly column. “Look Out Below.” He wrote, “Guess what? Would you believe that the village of Winneconne is no more?”

That did it! When the Chamber of Commerce got hold of it, the fun began. There we were- a fishing paradise, reduced to an unidentified dot on the map. Butte des Morts was there. Omro was there. But where was Winneconne?

Vera Kitchen, then president of the Chamber and owner of the Arrowhead Restaurant, fired off a letter of protest to the Governor. She formed a “Kitchen Cabinet” creating a government for the new Sovereign State of Winneconne and the ball kept rolling.  The village had great cooperation from Madison as our secession and Sovereign Sate Days celebration took shape.

The first celebration of Winneconne’s sovereignty in 1967 was a smashing success and has remained so for 58 years and counting.

Dive Into Fun at the 2025 Winneconne Sovereign State Days: The Lost City Under the Sea!

Get ready to make a splash at this year’s Winneconne Sovereign State Days, taking place July 17-20, 2025 — a magical weekend full of music, food, games, and more for the whole family!

This year’s theme is “The Lost City of Winneconne Sovereign State Under the Sea”, and there’s something for everyone to explore — from giant bounce houses and trained minnow races to glitter face painting, balloon animals, and a real petting zoo!

Here’s a peek at what’s happening:

Thursday kicks off with American Legion Family Fun Night at Waterfront Park — kids 17 & under get a free meal voucher (while supplies last), and there’s archery, golf games, face painting, and more.

Friday brings the party to the waterfront with live music from Band O’Barley and Smart Mouth, and don’t miss the dazzling fireworks over the Wolf River at 9:45pm!

Saturday is packed with fun: the Sovereign State Parade, Minnow Racing, a Petting Zoo, a 5k Run, Artisan Fair, bounce houses, live bands, and yummy eats from food trucks and the famous Masonic Corn Roast!

Sunday brings even more fun with a Kids Fishing Contest, pancake breakfast, meat raffle, and the chill vibes of live acoustic music. Wrap it all up with the peaceful Sunset Ecumenical Service by the lake.

And the best part? Food trucks are available all weekend, so bring your appetite!

A huge thank you to all the volunteers, sponsors, and the amazing Winneconne community for making this magical weekend happen.

So gather your crew, and dive into the fun at Winneconne Sovereign State Days. We can’t wait to sea you there!

Visit SovereignStateofWinneconne.com or check out their Facebook page for full details.