This summer, Oconto County is the place to be for three events that range from genuinely wild to legitimately world-class.
Dirt City Motorplex, about 30 miles north of Green Bay, is one of the most unique motorsports venues in the Midwest. The natural viewing area wraps around a purpose-built short-course track designed so that vehicles fly high directly in front of the crowd. This year’s Off-Road Nationals fills the track with everything from full-size race trucks to side-by-sides, competing across two days of dirt-slinging, wheel-to-wheel action.
The weekend kicks off July 24 with Thunder on Main from 5:30-8 p.m. The village of Lena hosts a free street party on Main Street featuring hundreds of racers and fans, food trucks, live music, autographs, and photos with the actual race vehicles. The parade of trucks rolls from Dirt City to Main Street at 5:30 p.m.
On-site camping is available right outside the pit area, along with a gas station, race fuel, a parts store and the Dairy Barn Restaurant on the complex.
One of the most competitive fishing circuits in the country is making its only Wisconsin stop July 30-31 in Oconto.
Launching from Oconto’s Breakwater Park, the Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s National Walleye Tour draws elite pro and co-anglers competing for serious payouts on one of the finest walleye fisheries in the Midwest.
Pro and co-anglers hit the water at 7 a.m. each day before returning for the afternoon weigh-in at Breakwater Park, 1301 Harbor Road, Oconto, where the real spectator action is. Admission is free. The weigh-in takes place around 3-4 p.m. daily.
Every August, the tiny block-long community of Breed becomes the most talked-about spot in Oconto County. The Arrowhead Saloon’s annual Testicle Festival on Aug. 8 is a no-frills, high-energy community party that’s part cookout, part concert with deep-fried Rocky Mountain oysters as the specialty of the house.
The Arrowhead Saloon, 13486 County Road AA, Suring, sits right on the ATV trail, making it a natural stop for riders. This year’s live music comes from 18 Days, playing 2-6 p.m., rounded with a mechanical bull and corn roast.
