GREEN LAKE CITY NEWS

September 2025

Golden Days

Harvest Festival

This Weekend!

Thank you businesses and residents for supporting this fabulous event that brings 10,000-15,000 attendees to our charming community.

Click here for the schedule of activities and more info.

(Photo credit: Jim Koepnik)

Community Clean Up This Morning - Join Us!

Today, September 26 – Grab a bottle of water, your gloves, and a container for weeds, and join us in sprucing up downtown. Meet at the Chamber at 8 am or come when you can to spend an hour or two helping make our city clean and impressive for both residents and visitors. Your time and effort are truly appreciated!

Playground Park Built by the Community

Playground Park’s new equipment is fully installed with final cleanup by Egbert Excavating and BJ Construction underway. If work stays on schedule, the playground should be open for use by today, September 26 - just in time for Harvest Fest. Generous community support has raised $536,000 of the $640,000 goal. Fundraising continues for the final $100,000 to ensure the playground's long-term maintenance and resurfacing. Come celebrate this major accomplishment on Saturday, October 4 from 10 am to noon with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live music, and family-friendly festivities as we welcome this exciting new addition to our community.

Honoring the Last Green Lake Area Chief

As a gift to the community, the late George King commissioned a statue of Green Lake’s last Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) chief, Henaga “Highknocker.” The statue is installed just west of Hattie Sherwood Park and Campground's parking lot. Born in 1820 on Green Lake's east shore, Chief Highknocker earned his nickname from the top hat he often wore and he remained tied to his homeland, returning each summer to engage with people in the community. He lived to 91, tragically drowning in the Fox River in 1911, and is buried in Dartford Cemetery. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 at 11:00 am

City of Green Lake/Town of Brooklyn Ad Hoc

People around Big Green proudly call themselves Green Lakers, but the lake is actually bordered by five municipalities. The City of Green Lake and Town of Brooklyn share services, history, and most homes the same ZIP code, yet remain separate in boundaries and government. Click here to learn how a new cooperative effort is highlighting their shared past and future.

CITY NEWS

The 2026 budget process is underway, though some figures are still pending. A preliminary budget will be presented to the City Council on October 13, with the final public hearing scheduled for November. While staffing reductions are challenging, we remain committed to balancing the City's budget and identifying ways to grow our city and expand our tax base. The City is also preparing for upcoming retirements and evaluating potential service reductions including less frequent snow plowing and limited compost site hours.

QUICK LINKS



Caestecker Public Library Newsletter

Green Lake Area Chamber of Commerce