City of Altoona

Mark your calendars!! Who's excited for the 2025 River Prairie Ginormous Pumpkin Festival presented by Group Health Cooperative of Eau Claire and Oakleaf Surgical Hospital?!?! This exciting annual event is packed with family fun! This year's festival will take place on Saturday, September 27, 2025 from 8AM - 3:30PM in River Prairie Park!

For all the festival details check out the website at:

https://www.rpgiantpumpkinfest.com/

Salsa at the Yard

Join us for a festive evening of outdoor music, dancing, and community connection!

FREE EVENT - all ages welcome!

Mini salsa lessons
Open dancing
Food & drinks available for purchase

Sad about summer music in River Prairie coming to an end? Don't be! The Altoona Fall Concert Series is bringing live music and autumn vibes to River Prairie this season. https://bit.ly/3JuBu9E

sunday_container_park_concert_series_flyer image

Altoona Rail Readers Silent Book Club

Presented by: Altoona Public Library

The Altoona Public Library is pleased to introduce a new community initiative: Altoona Rail Readers Silent Book Club, a welcoming, low-pressure reading gathering designed to foster connection, literacy, and well-being among residents of all ages. This program will be held weekly at Yard Park, Altoona’s newest green space, from 6:30 to 7:30 PM, on the Third Tuesday of each month, offering participants a peaceful hour to read in quiet companionship.

Initial Rail Readers meeting times for 2025 are scheduled for September 16th, October 21st, and November 18th. Anyone interested in joining the Rail Readers is welcome to visit The Yard Container Park (211 Division Street, Altoona, Wi 54720) from 6:30-7:30pm. No formal registration is necessary to participate in the Rail Readers.

Unlike traditional book clubs, the Rail Readers has no assigned reading or structured discussion. Attendees simply bring a book of their choice—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or even a magazine—and enjoy uninterrupted reading time in a shared public space. Participants are welcome to purchase food and beverages from The Yard’s featured restaurants and tap house. Optional socializing before or after the reading hour allows for organic conversation and community building, while preserving the introvert-friendly nature of the event.

This initiative aligns with the city’s goals of promoting literacy, creative use of park space, and partnerships between city and private businesses. It encourages residents to enjoy literature in a variety of public venues around Altoona.

Downtown Traffic Pattern Changes

⚠️ Downtown Altoona drivers, take note! Beginning Wednesday, August 27 at 10:00 a.m., new traffic patterns will take effect as part of the City’s efforts to improve safety, reduce speeding, and add parking downtown. 🚗➡️ Spooner Avenue will become a one-way from 1st Street West around the corner on Division Street to Lynn Avenue, and turning north onto Division from Lynn will no longer be allowed. ➡️ 1st Street East will also shift to a one-way, allowing exits only from The Yard parking lot. 🛑 Plus, a new four-way stop is coming to Lynn Avenue and Division Street. Extra signage and barricades will help drivers adjust, and the City will continue monitoring for safety and effectiveness while adding more parking downtown. Thank you for your patience as we work together to make Altoona’s downtown safer and more accessible for everyone!

It's true. There's no place like home.

If your home was built before 1984, there's a good chance it may need repairs. That's why Wisconsin's governing body has committed $50 million to help revive our communities.

With the More Like Home Repair and Renew Loan, homeowners will get the repairs needed to renew their living spaces for years to come. Here, our support is more than just monetary--it's a commitment to helping your house feel more like home.

What repairs qualify? Repairing or replacing key structural areas

Roof
Windows
Exterior doors
Heating, electrical, or plumbing systems

Eligibility Quiz

Is your home located in Wisconsin?
Is the home at least 40 years old?
Is your home a single-family residence, manufactured, condo, or 2-unit?
Is the home your primary residence?

If you answered yes to the questions above, you may qualify for a More Like Home Loan!

Visit WHEDA Repair & Renew Loan website for more information >>

Storm Damage and Building Permits

Our region experienced a significant storm on May 15, 2025. It caused substantial property damage resulting in a need for property owners to make repairs. In Altoona, a building permit is required to re-roof and/or re-side your home or business. The benefits of obtaining a building permit are:

Safety
Compliance
Property Value
Project Review and Inspections
Future Sale

From West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission:

Visit our Economic Development District page to preview the draft Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy for West Central Wisconsin: https://www.wcwrpc.org/economic-development-district

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

SEASON

Typically from mid-April to the second week of November

dependent upon weather

HOURS

Wednesdays | 12:30 pm - 3 pm

Third Saturday of each month | 10 am - 2 pm

LOCATION

800 block of Garfield Avenue

north side of the road

This service is FREE and is available to Altoona residents only.

Eau Claire Health Alliance

Eau Claire Health Alliance has compiled resources based on our health priorities, some are created by our coalition and others are from trusted sources.