Hay Daze to offer new activities along with traditional favorites

Festival season is underway, as Janesville kicks off its famous celebration that offers fun to all ages.

Hay Daze kicked off with some events Monday, June 10, but the main thrust of happenings takes places from Thursday, June 13 to Sunday, June 16 this year. The celebration includes a couple new offerings and some familiar favorites.

The familiar favorites include the Simply Saved Fashion Show which took place Monday, Moonlight Colored Pin Bowling on Tuesday, the Hay Daze Fun Run/Walk on Wednesday, the Miss Janesville and Little Miss Janesville Pageant on Thursday, the golf tournament at Prairie Ridge Golf Course on Friday, the medallion hunt on Saturday, the parade on Sunday, and various musical performances throughout the week.

Paradise City Wrestling will also be returning to Hay Daze this year for Main Street Mayhem 2 after a successful turn out last year.

Becky Borneke, fresh off of being inducted to the JWP Academic & Fine Arts Hall of Fame, will perform on Sunday with various JWP students showcasing their musical talent from 3-5 p.m. on the Guardian Energy Stage on Main Street.

The busiest day of the week for the celebration will be Saturday, with Hay Daze attendees having 8 events to choose from throughout the day on top of the Crescent City Amusements Carnival taking place all weekend long.

The Hay Daze Fun Run/Walk will take place on a Wednesday for the second year, as it has taken place on Saturday mornings in years prior to last year. The change in days was due to Hay Daze not having any events on Wednesday nights and the hope that more people could participate in the event.

This will be the 23rd year for the fun run and will include a 5K and a kids race. All the profits will go toward the JWP Track and Field team and Troop 89 Scouts.

The 5k course will have some minor alterations this year due to the Safe Route to Schools’ construction, but the alternative route will give spectators more opportunities to cheer on the runners.

“The Hay Daze Fun Run is a great event for runners and walkers of all abilities,” said organizer Katie Cahill. “We welcome anyone to join us by either signing up for the 5K or kids race or by showing their support for those participating!”

Something new to celebration this year will be the first annual JWP versus WEM Hay Daze Challenge at Lakeview Park on Saturday. The new event is organized by Scott Weber.

“Scott reached out to me about the challenge in replace of the kickball tournament,” Hay Daze organizer and Janesville Chamber of Commerce President Laura Seys said.

The challenge will see graduates from the year 2005 or years prior from each school face off in four events: softball, volleyball, bean bags, and a golf shot.

“Depending on the weather, I hope it’s a nice turnout so we can make this an annual thing,” Weber said.

The celebration will have another new event taking place on Saturday with a fundraiser for ALD. The fundraiser will coincide with the bean bag tournament, a mainstay of Hay Daze for over 20 years. The adult bean bag doubles tournament will cost $40 a team to register.

“Half of the money from the tournament will go towards the benefit while the other half will go towards the tournament winner payout,” said Dan Seys, who is the organizer for the tournament fundraiser.

Sunday will have the annual parade take place on Main Street at 1:00 p.m. with Harlan “Harley” Erdman being the grand marshal. Erdman is a veteran of the Korean War and is a lifelong Janesville resident. Erdman will also be presenting the American flag before the wrestling match on Thursday night.

See a full listing of events at janesvillemnhaydaze.weebly.com .