New Glarus to Celebrate Wilhelm Tell and Art in the Park This Weekend
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This weekend is the annual Wilhelm Tell Festival and Art in the Park in New Glarus. After a two-year hiatus, everyone is excited to have them back.
Inspired by the vision of Edwin Barlow, a world traveler of the early 1900′s with New Glarus roots, the Wilhelm Tell Play has been presented annually on Labor Day Weekend since 1938. For the first three years, the play was performed in German only. The English production was staged for the first time in 1941.
For the first years of production, the performances were held at Elmer’s Grove, immediately to the east of the village of New Glarus in the area currently known as Valle Tell. Since 1953, performances have been staged at the current site, a wooded valley on Highway W, just to the east of New Glarus. In 1974, after years of renting the performance grounds from the neighboring Kubly farm, the Wilhelm Tell Community Guild purchased the land.
Some of the actors in the current performance were in the original 1938 production. Much has changed between that day and the current performance. The script has been edited somewhat and for the first time in 2010 the German performances were not held, though a special presentation of the original German version was held in 2012 in honor of the 75th year of Tell in New Glarus. However, the actors still, are and have always been, volunteer performers, and bring to their roles a special enthusiasm.
Performances of Tell will be held on Saturday, September 3, 2022, and on Sunday, September 4, at 1:00 p.m., at the Tell Grounds at W5199 County Road W, just east of New Glarus. Follow the big apple to the grounds. Tickets are available at the ticket booth on the Tell Grounds or you may order them online at https://wilhelmtellfestival.org/tickets. All online purchase tickets will be waiting for you at the ticket booth when you arrive at the Tell Grounds. Concessions will be available on-site.
On Friday, September 2nd, enjoy the Alpine Showcase at Fest Haus, 106 3rd Avenue in New Glarus. Starting at 6:00 p.m., the Alpine Showcase features Kinderchor, Alphorns and other musical guests. The annual Lanternenzug Parade will take place following the conclusion of the musical events.
After the Tell play on Saturday, September 3rd, head over to Tofflers, at 200 5th Avenue in New Glarus, for performances by the Jodlerklub, the Edelweiss Tribute Chorli and the Schwyzer Music Gruppe, starting at 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday, September 4th, Art in the Park will take place at the village park downtown, from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. 2022 marks the 60th Anniversary of Art in the Park. Admission to Art in the Park is free. There will be many vendors with their art, which in the past has included photography, jewelry, paintings, pottery and much more. This year there will be food trucks, live music by the New Glarus Alphorns at 9:30 a.m., at 10:00 a.m., the Wilhelm Tell Dancers will perform at 10:00 a.m., and Gin, Chocolate and Bottle Rockets will play from 12:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m. There will also be a children’s art class (subject to availability and entrance fee, seats are limited).
The Tell Play will be performed at the Tell Grounds at 1:00 p.m., on Sunday, September 4th.
For more information on the Wilhelm Tell Festival, please visit https://wilhelmtellfestival.org. For more information on Art in the Park, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NGartinthepark.
