Parkwood Lodge on a Scenic Byway!

Parkwood Lodge is located on the new scenic byway!!

Door County’s Coastal Byway (state trunk highway 42/57), stretching over 66 miles, is the latest route to be designated a Wisconsin Scenic Byway. State DOT Secretary Frank Busalacchi recently approved the route that begins just north of Sturgeon Bay, travels north to the town of Northport, and then south to Bailey’s Harbor and Jacksonport.

The Door County Coastal Byway Committee, which nominated the route, plans to use the new Scenic Byway designation to help promote Door County as a four-season tourist destination. The designation offers a number of benefits, such as allowing the use of unique scenic byway logo signs to mark the route, and promoting preservation of an area’s scenic, historical and recreational treasures. It also allows the scenic byway to compete for federal grants to enhance the route for visitors.

The new route in Door County was chosen because it offers a range of scenic resources and activities all along the way. There are dozens of scenic vistas of Lake Michigan, the Bay of Green Bay and the Niagara Escarpment bluffs, as well as areas of dense forest, agricultural lands, orchards and quaint shore-side towns and villages.

The route also provides access to three state parks, ten county parks and several lighthouses. Towns and villages along the way offer retail stores, art galleries, live music and theatre, cherry and apple orchards, boating, fishing, hiking, golfing and other recreational activities.

Wisconsin’s Scenic Byway program was established in 2005, allowing communities to nominate a numbered state or federal (non-interstate) highway segment 30 miles long or longer that would provide travelers an enjoyable visual, educational and recreational experience. The Wisconsin 42/57 route in Door County is the third to receive the official Scenic Byway designation. The others are the Lower Wisconsin River Road (state trunk highway 60) and the Great River Road (state trunk highway 35).

They will be serving Door County Cherry Stuffed French Toast, Fluffy Pancakes with Warm Maple Syrup, Strata Egg Bake, Homemade Corned Beef Hash, Fontanini Sausage, Crisp Bacon, Assorted Breakfast Muffins, Cider Glazed Pit Ham, Slow Roasted USDA Prime Rib of Beef, Oven Roasted Leg of Lamb, Fresh Salmon with Cucumber Dill Sauce, Whipped Potatoes, Potatoes au Gratin, Assorted Fresh Salads and Garden Vegetables, Freshly Baked Breads and, of course, our Incredibly Decadent Homemade Dessert Selection!  Plus much more!

Serving from 10 am until 3 pm.  Reservations encouraged - 920-839-9999.

Steeped in Scandinavian tradition, Fyr Bal, pronounced fear ball, is Norwegian for bonfire. The festival re-creates customs of early Norwegians celebrating Midsummer’s Eve. Evening bonfires on Saturday represent the burning of the “winter witch” and welcome in the long days of summer. Join the village for this goodbye to winter, running from Friday, June 19 through Sunday, June 21 – the 45th Annual Fyr Bal Festival.

The festival kicks off Friday night with the Ephraim Historical Foundation’s Peninsula State Park exhibit reception, and then later that evening with a Midsummer’s Music Festival concert at the historic Hardy Gallery on Ephraim’s Anderson Dock.

Evening bonfires on Saturday represent the burning of the “winter witch” and welcome in the long days of summer. The weekend is fun for the entire family along the shoreline of Eagle Harbor.

Saturday boasts the majority of Fyr Bal festivities. Music begins at 9 am with acoustic musician Tim Byers, with a myriad of music options throughout the day. The Ephraim Library will also hold its annual Used Book Sale, and the annual Arts & Crafts Show will showcase treasures from artisans all over the state.

Fyr Bal prides itself in being kid-friendly, and doesn’t fall short this year. Magician Jim Lenz will be strolling through the village on Saturday, along with numerous children’s activities and crafts at the Ephraim Village Hall and on the Ephraim Shore Motel lawn. Families will love the fun, family folk music of Tim Byers & Music outside the Village Hall from 5 – 7 pm.

Festivalgoers may park at designated trolley pick-ups, Fine Line Designs Gallery at Ephraim’s north end or the Ephraim Wetlands Preserve on the south end, and enjoy a free ride along Water Street to downtown Ephraim and back again between 10 am and 5 pm Saturday. Riders will take pleasure in a short historical tour from the docent onboard, courtesy of the Ephraim Historical Foundation.

The Ephraim Business Council’s raffle and silent action will be going on throughout the day Saturday, with over 100 great prize donations from Ephraim businesses. Raffle tickets may be purchased at the Ephraim Visitor Information Center, at participating Ephraim businesses or in the Village Hall area on Saturday.

Saturday evening brings authentic flavor to the festival with a traditional Door County Fish Boil, Scandinavian Dancers and the annual Fyr Bal Chieftain Ceremony. “Chieftain” is an honorary titled bestowed upon an Ephraim resident by the Ephraim Business Council to honor their service to the community. The newly crowned Chieftain will make his or her way into Eagle Harbor by boat, flanked with young Vikings for the ceremony. Following the Chieftain Ceremony, sunset fireworks over Eagle Harbor wrap up the day.

The festivities continue into Sunday with more art, food, animals and music.

For more information about Fyr Bal, visit
www.ephraim-doorcounty.org or call the Ephraim Visitor’s Center at 920.854.4989.

Parkwood Lodge is located on the north end of Fish Creek.  It is a short drive to the next village, Ephraim, to enjoy all of the Fyr Ball festivites.  Make a reservation today to enjoy this summer festival.  Call 1-800-433-7592 or check online today!

After a very busy spring, the restaurant building is now complete with a few final touches going on this week. 

When they open Thursday, they will be serving lunch and dinner daily. Ther lunch menu will have many of your favorite sandwiches like the turkey, cream cheese and cherry chutney sandwich, and of course, whitefish chowder! The dinner menu has some new items that we are very excited about. For example, a ribeye (locally raised in Kewaunee County) with a balsamic caper vinaigrette. They also have a lamb kebob that will be marinated in our house dry rub.

On Saturday and Sunday they will be open for brunch. Brunch will consist of our breakfast menu that is prepared to order. This menu includes the majority of your favorite Cookery breakfast items such as our omelettes, buttermilk pancakes and granola french toast with cherry sauce. They are coining this meal as “brunch” because they are now offering the brunch menu from 8 am until 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Plus, they will have brunch cocktails, like mimosas, to enjoy with your brunch, perfect for the new outdoor porch.

The restaurant’s hours will be:
Monday - Friday, 11 am - 9 pm
Saturday & Sunday, 8 am - 9 pm

AND … They are introducing a new wine bar. The wine bar is located on the second level of the restaurant. It consists of a bar with nine seats, tables in the lounge area as well as a deck with a water view.

The wine bar will be a great place to have a glass of wine or beer before dinner, a light dinner from our bar menu or dessert after the theater!

The bar menu consists of appetizers and small plates such as brie with caramelized onions and four berry jam baked in puffed pastry, our whitefish chowder, bacon wrapped dates, and bison sliders with cabernet onions. We will also offer our dessert menu in the wine bar.

The wine list will consist of a nice selection of both red and white wines by the glass as well as reserve bottles.

On Saturdays and Sundays, the wine bar will also be open for espresso and bakery.

The hours in the wine bar will be the following:
Monday - Friday, 11 am - 11 pm
Saturday & Sunday, 8 am - 11 pm

Blossom Festival in May

Stay In Fish Creek at Parkwood Lodge and its just a short drive to Sister Bay’ Waterfront park where there will be plenty of Festival of Blossom activities to enjoy … 

11:30 AM Blossom Parade

12-2 PM Taste of Sister Bay

2 PM Maypole & Norweigan Dancers

7:30 - 9:30 PM Bonfire & Ben Larson on Guitar

More information is available at www.sisterbaytourism.com or just give us a call at Parkwood Lodge 920-868-2046 or 800-433-7592 and we’ll help you plan your getaway. Affordable rates, indoor pool and lots of blossoms!

Hope to see you soon!

 The sandwich ladies return ! Mike and Jeane Hyde (and daughter Alison) will re-open the doors to the Fish Creek Market Friday April 24th at 9 am. Their annual March/April respite has come to an end, shelves are being stocked as you read this, and the deli will be open to satisfy sandwich cravings!

Downtown Fish Creek

Runners in Peninsula State Park

The 2nd Door County Half Marathon and Nicolet Bay 5K returns to Peninsula State Park Saturday, kicking off a year of celebration for the park’s 100th birthdayThe course winds its way thru the beautiful Peninsula State Park, its a  closed course, and it’s smaller race  under 2,500 runners.  We know it’s not going to be overcrowded and we don’t have to worry about cars and traffic.