Tigerton Main Street is going places

The annual Festival of Trees is just one of the events on the calendar for Tigerton Main Street, an organization that is part of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.’s downtown improvement program.

“We are the smallest community in the Main Street program,” said Andrea Graham, Tigerton Main Street manager. “There are 32 communities in all; we compete against places like Fond du lac, Wausau and Milwaukee.”

Tigerton was chosen as a Main Street Community in 1993. One of program’s early projects was refurbishing the old Village Hall, which had fallen into disrepair. Built in 1905, at one time it housed the fire department and the jail. Today, Graham holds office hours there, and the space is available for rent. It’s also the site of the current Festival of Trees and the annual Fourth of July block party.

“We don’t have the money like larger communities for face lifting,” Graham said. “But we just keep pushing. Plus, the volunteers in Tigerton are great.”

Tigerton Main Street named James and Brenda Gauthier as this year’s volunteers of the year, Graham said. Additionally, corporate sponsor of the year went to Kathy Robbins, president at First National Bank.
Another fundraiser for Tigerton Main Street is the soup cook-off, which will be Jan. 26. Due to the space needed for that event, it will be held at the Tigerton Community Center. Soups are judged in different categories.

The community park is the site of the Taste of Tigerton’s Applefest, which has gotten bigger every year and will be held Sept. 26 next year. It features vendors, crafts and an apple pie contest.

Graham is not only the Tigerton Main Street manager. She also serves as village president and on the ambulance board of directors. Soon, she and her family plan to open a new business called Graham’s Sweet Shop. It is located across the street from the old Village Hall and will sell ice cream. The refurbished building at one time held a store called Sweet Shop, which is how the new name was chosen.

“It’s taken a bit longer than we thought it would,” Graham said. “But we are excited to have it open early next year.”