TOURISM MATTERS
IN
E L B I D E R C
H S O K H S O
THIS IS WISCONSIN’S
EVENT CITY!
So you want to know what makes Oshkosh Wisconsin’s Event City...
LET’S START with the music.
Oshkosh is home to Country USA, Rock USA and Lifest - three of the largest music and camping festivals in the Midwest. You can enjoy weekly summer concerts on the Fox River during Waterfest at the Leach Amphitheater or check out downtown Oshkosh for great music at events like Live at Lunch and the Main Street Music Festival. Are you into sports? The Waupaca Boatride Volleyball Tournament is one of the largest grass volleyball tournaments in the country with more than 1,500 participating teams. Lake Winnebago hosts numerous fishing tournaments each year including the winter edition of Battle on Bago, the largest ice fishing tournament in the country.
You can’t talk about Oshkosh events without mentioning the granddaddy of them all, EAA AirVenture. This week-long event brought in nearly 600,000 attendees from all over the world last year – it’s the greatest aviation gathering in the world! The all new Menominee Nation Arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks G-League affiliate the Wisconsin Herd, hosts basketball games along with many other musical and entertainment acts. Wisconsin’s oldest operating theater, The Grand Oshkosh, has brandnew suite seats making it the perfect place to catch live entertainment. Are you a museum or history buff? Do you love the arts? The EAA Aviation Museum, Paine Art Center and Gardens, Oshkosh Public Museum and Military Veterans Museum offer an array of world-class exhibits and events throughout the year.
DID YOU KNOW?... EAA AIRVENTURE,
COUNTRY USA, ROCK USA & LIFEST
had an economic impact of
190.31 million
$
on the Oshkosh area in 2017.
T O U R I S M M AT T E R S
TRAVEL THEN + NOW IN OSHKOSH
The World Comes to Oshkosh … in Airplanes Written by Dick Knapinski, EAA
IN 1969, the 16-year-old Experimental Aircraft Association faced a
dilemma. The Rockford, Illinois, airport where the EAA fly-in convention had spent the previous 11 years, had become too small for the growing summer event and city leaders there were either unable or unwilling to provide more space. So EAA founder Paul Poberezny hunted for a new Midwest site and encountered an old friend, longtime EAA member Steve Wittman, who had managed the Oshkosh airport for decades (it now carries his name as Wittman Regional Airport). Along with some Oshkosh business leaders with foresight, they convinced Winnebago County officials to welcome the EAA fly-in in 1970.
This is
Wisconsin’s Event City!
After a spring filled with preparing a site, including picking thousands of rocks out of the farm fields on the west side of the airport, the 1970 EAA convention welcomed its first aircraft. Some of the figures from that first year at Oshkosh: • 280 homebuilt aircraft • 217 vintage aircraft • 110 warbirds • 5,800 campers
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has also become one of the crown jewels of Wisconsin tourism, accounting for
$170 MILLION of economic impact in the five Fox Valley counties alone.
IN 2017, the 65th annual gathering
– the 48th consecutive one in Oshkosh – had the following totals: • 590,000 total attendance • 80 nations represented • 10,000-plus aircraft to the region • 1,107 homebuilt aircraft • 1,162 vintage aircraft • 351 warbirds • More than 40,000 campers in 11,600 campsites • 881 commercial exhibitors
Among the aircraft welcomed to Oshkosh during the event, now named EAA AirVenture Oshkosh: • British Airways’ Concorde • Airbus A380, the world’s largest passenger aircraft • SpaceShipOne, the first successful civilian spacecraft • Blue Origin rocket booster and capsule • Nearly every active American military aircraft since 1970 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh has also become one of the crown jewels of Wisconsin tourism, accounting for $170 million of economic impact in the five Fox Valley counties alone, according to a 2017 University of Wisconsin Oshkosh study. More than 70 percent of AirVenture visitors come from outside Wisconsin. The weeklong event creates more than 2,000 jobs for local residents.
2017
The EAA Fly-In Convention at its peak in 1970. Except for a small amount of auto parking seen in the lower right of the photo, all activities were in a small section of the Winnebago County Airport northeast of Waukau Avenue and Knapp Street Road. (EAA photo/Dick Stouffer)
1970
Along with that, EAA’s year-round presence that started in 1983 with completion of its headquarters and museum brings additional tourism benefit. More than 100,000 people tour the museum each year, making it one of northeast Wisconsin’s most visited attractions.
Today’s EAA AirVenture grounds, which encompass 1,500 acres including Wittman Regional Airport. (EAA photo/Jim Raeder)
Tourism Benefits Oshkosh Oshkosh and Winnebago County had the pleasure of welcoming more than one million visitors in 2017. Travelers continue to come to Oshkosh in record numbers, which is a main reason why visitor spending in Winnebago County remained strong in 2017. This spending brings tremendous value to our community. Here are a few reasons why tourism benefits Oshkosh. JOBS: Tourism creates significant employment in the Oshkosh area. According to research commissioned by the Wisconsin Department of Tourism, visitor spending totaled more than $240.7 million in Winnebago County last year. This spending supported 4,806 jobs in the Oshkosh area. Workers supported by tourism earned more than $131.8 million. TAXES: Visitor spending generates tax revenue that supports this area. According to the state, visitors to Winnebago County generated $30.6 million in state and local taxes in 2017. The revenue helps fund things like our police and fire departments and our roads and parks.
COMMUNITY PRIDE: It feels good when people want to visit your community. It’s a reminder that you live in a special place and have assets that don’t exist elsewhere. People come from around the world to experience what we have in Oshkosh. When you meet a visitor from Florida, California, Japan or Germany, it’s a reminder that the community we call home truly is world class. QUALITY OF LIFE: Visitors support the events, attractions and businesses that make Oshkosh special. For example, visitors help fill seats at our concert venues, allowing promoters to bring in national headliners that residents can enjoy right in their city. Visitors spend money at our restaurants and retail businesses, helping keep our establishments vibrant. Visitors also give us incentive to continue improving and adding to our community’s assets. Travelers benefit Oshkosh in so many ways. That’s why we continually welcome visitors so enthusiastically and why we work so hard to ensure they return.
OSHKOSH
TOURISM VISITOR SPENDING in Winnebago County was
VISITOR SPENDING
TOTAL
BUSINESS SALES
in Winnebago County were
240.7 million 469.4 million $
$
4,806
personal income of $131.8 million were supported by visitors to Winnebago WITH A TOTAL County last year.
JOBS
Tourism directly and indirectly
supports 195,255 jobs in Wisconsin. Without these tourismsupported jobs, the unemployment rate would more than double.
JOBS The tourism industry provides work across the spectrum of employment from entry level and part-time jobs to management, executive and entrepreneurial positions.
Largely comprised of small businesses, TRAVEL + HOSPITALITY JOBS CAN’T BE OUTSOURCED OR EXPORTED.
TAX REVENUE Visitors to Winnebago County generated
$30.6 million in
state & local taxes during 2017.
Each year, more than
1 million
visitors come to Oshkosh to attend our events and explore attractions.
NEED MORE INFO? VisitOshkosh.com · (920) 303-9200 · info@visitoshkosh.com
Power of Tourism in Wisconsin of n o i t a l u op of the Vacation p n a The Power b r U
0 0 0 , 95
T O U R I S M M AT T E R S
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Can’t Miss Events
Tourism Then and Now in Wisconsin’s Event City
This summer fill your calendar with your bucket list, not your to-do list! It’s proven that travel is valuable and necessary for strengthening personal relationships, inspiring creative thinking, improving professional performance and promoting better health. Here are four reasons why you need to take a vacation this year.
n o i l l i m 3 1. a n i sin h t i w Relationships with family 1. Improved iscoandnfriends. ttheW s a e h t On n vacation, you’re away from stressors ofn everyday life r o o i t a l u p with what is most important. and able to tune inp ando connect
It’s about making memories that last a lifetime with the people you love. Did you know that 2 out of 3 adults ages 55 and older remember family vacations from as early as five years old? 2. Health and Wellness. A new health study reveals that POPULATION vacation has a strong impact on stress and can provide short66,653 residents term improvements in overall well-being. People who take their vacations are healthier, happier, more mentally alert and physMILEAGE FROM: ically fit. A variety of studies show that vacations cut the risk of Chicago (ORD): heart attack, cancer and other health conditions.
175 miles Milwaukee (MKE): 85 miles Attractions Minneapolis (MSP): 270 miles for Your Detroit (DTW): 470 miles Bucket List
20
JUNE 1-3 Dairyfest, Marshfield JUNE 8-10 Walleye Weekend, Fond du Lac JUNE 14-17 Prairie Villa Rendezvous, Prairie du Chien
3. Business Productivity and Creativity. When a person How a trading post, a tavern and an inn started Oshkosh JUNE 22-23 Ellsworth Cheese Curdtourism. Festival, Ellsworth
takes a walk on the beach or hikes a trail, the ideas start flowing. 27-JULY Summerfest, Milwaukee The areadonow known Oshkosh wasdiscoveredBytheir 1873, shingle mills 8and come to Oshkosh to attend our events When you ever hear as someone say they best24 sawmills, 15JUNE first settled by the Menominee nation seven sash and door companies were in and explore attractions. JULY 6-7 Eaux Claires Music Festival, Eau Claire idea or found inspiration from sitting in their cubicle? But send a of Native Americans, including the operation and Oshkosh became known By starting his ferryboat operation and person on vacation and see whatOshkosh, happens. namesake of the city, Chief as “Sawdust City.” JULY 14-15 Art Fair on the Square, Madison
establishing a trading post, a tavern who ceded the area to the United States Oshkosh experienced its own fires in and an inn, Webster Stanley, perhaps JULY 19-21 Lumberjack World Championships, Hayward 4. Education.inWhen You learn government 1836.you travel, you get an education.1874 and 1875 that destroyed much of unknowingly, can be said to be the father
geography,tohistory culture, you first meet new people. When downtown.JULY 23-29 EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh tourism. As visitors came to According localand lore, the and area’s the original Many of the of Oshkosh non-Indian ride Stanley’s ferryboat and shop at the this happens,settler, it usuallyWebster makes youStanley, more curious aboutbuildings the world erected in the reconstruction AUGUST 2-12 Wisconsin State Fair, West Allis arrived shortly after, migrating from are still standing today. Following the fires, trading post, they also spent their money around you. You’ve heard of the 3 R’s, but here’s one more to Ohio to start a ferryboat operation. growth in Oshkosh continued rapidlyNational Championship at the tavern and stayed the inn. AUGUST 17-19 Musky Open, EagleatRiver consider: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Roaming. Don’t let Within several months, he built his home as the railroad and other industries Although our city has significantly more AUGUST Dragon Boat Festival, Superior worldestablished pass you by. a trading post, a andthesoon expanded to take the place of 24-25 lumber.Lake Superior to offer, the core of Oshkosh’s current tavern and an inn – thus starting the The firm that made Oshkosh famous, industry is much SEPTEMBER 1-3 Ho-Chunktourism Pow-Wow, Black River Falls the same as it Oshkosh tourism industry. Oshkosh B’Gosh, was established in was back then. Events and attractions Only three years later, as tourism continued to grow, the area had become home to over 100 people. The towns of Brooklyn, located on the south side of the Fox River, and Athens on the north merged and officially adopted the name “Oskosh” and added an ‘h’ sometime later.
1903, but its iconic name would not appear until 1910. Today, Oshkosh B’Gosh is still widely known; however, Oshkosh is just as recognizable in the aviation community as the home of EAA AirVenture, the greatest aviation gathering in the world.
like the AirVenture and Lake Winnebago entice people to visit year round. The visitors coming to enjoy these, and many other events and attractions are also spending money at our local restaurants and hotels, just like they did almost 200 years ago.
In the late nineteenth and early twentieth None of this would be possible without In 1847, Morris Firman began operating Oshkosh’s greatest asset – its people. centuries, Oshkosh was second in the first sawmill in Oshkosh and it didn’t They make our city a desirable place to population only to Milwaukee. Oshkosh 1. Big Manitou Falls, Superior take long before live, work, play and visit. Oshkosh’s past at this time was also the largest city in 2. Circus World Museum, Baraboo sawmills lined the Fox River Valley and the construction and present is filled with citizens and the entire Fox leaders who understand traditional of the Grand Opera House in 1883 is 3. Elroy-Sparta State Trail, Kendall River. The arrival rumored to be the beginning of the values, but also recognize the importance 4. Dane County Farmers Market, Madison of the railroad, the Wisconsin’s Event City moniker, drawing of change and have the courage to see 5. Discovery World, Milwaukee VisitOshkosh.com Civil War, and later, the nation’s biggest stars in the theater, it through. the great Chicago vaudeville, opera and lecture circuits. 6. Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame, Hayward (920) 303-9200 · info@visitoshkosh.com As we look to the future, Oshkosh will fire of 1871, further Today, Oshkosh and the surrounding continue to grow and thrive. If 2017 was 7. House on the Rock, Spring Green created a boom in area have a population of 95,000 people any indication of what our city is capable 8. Lambeau Field & Packers Hall of Fame, Green Bay Oshkosh’s lumber trade, and an abundance of sights and sounds future is indeed bright. to the Devil’s Lake State Park and Antigo Calling to the explorer in all of us, the Apostle Islands Morraine State Forest,of, 9. La Crosse Queen Cruises, La Crosse as much of the lumber for visitors to discover and enjoy. Each National Lakeshore is known worldwide for its breathtaking Falls and ending at Interstate State Park. used to rebuild Chicago was produced 10. Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau year, more than visitors sandstone cliffs and accessible sea caves. This chain ofone 21 million Don’t put away those hiking boots – try the North Country by Oshkosh sawmills. 11. Lumberjack Steam Train & Camp Five Museum, Laona islands off the shores of Bayfield is ideal for exploring historic
NEED MORE INFO?
12. Mars Cheese Castle, Kenosha 13. The Highground Veterans Memorial Park, Neillsville 14. New Glarus Brewery, New Glarus
lighthouses, old-growth forests, windswept beaches and offers numerous kayaking and hiking opportunities Think rocks, rock? The Niagara Escarpment is a 440-million-year-old cliff that extends from Wisconsin to Niagara Falls. Rich with fossils, forestland, rare plant species, caves and waterfalls, this rock corridor also has petroglyphs, pictographs and effigy mounds.
A CITY ON THE RISE -
15. Original Wisconsin Ducks, Wisconsin Dells 16. Peninsula Players Theater, Fish Creek
WHAT’S NEW IN OSHKOSH…
17. Road America, Elkhart Lake
18. Wisconsin Maritime Museum, Manitowoc
One of just 80 – and our state’s only – national scenic byways, Wisconsin’s Great River Road National Scenic 2017 will go down as one of Oshkosh’s most important years in decades. 20. World’s Largest Penny, Woodruff Byway encompasses 250 miles along the Mississippi. The Oshkosh Corp. made the decision to build its new worldbyway, headquarters named “The Prettiest Drive in America” by readers in Oshkosh. Having a Fortune 500 company in Oshkosh is significant of Huffington Post, offers breathtaking views best enjoyed for a town its size. It will undoubtedly bring new and exciting while meandering through 33 quaint river towns.
19. Wisconsin Canoe Heritage Museum, Spooner
Explore Wisconsin’s National Treasures opportunities to the city.
For even more waterfront views, head to the St. Croix
The Menominee Nation Arena, home of the Milwaukee Bucks National Scenic Riverway, established to preserve the area’s G-League affiliate team the Wisconsin Herd, was completed natural resources. The lush landscape provides the perfect in December 2017. From start to finish, the hard work that went into the new arena was nothing short of amazing. backdrop for camping, biking, fishing and countless other outdoor activities. Along with basketball, the adventure, arena will host numerous Travelers looking for outdoor exploration andother sporting entertainment conventions. discovery needevents, not head any further acts than and Wisconsin. The The Ice Age National Scenic Trail is a 1,200-mile tour of
state Oshkosh is filled with Parkgreat Service, National now National boasts three breweries withForest the Wisconsin’s glacial history. One of only eight scenic trails in Service and other federally designated areas where quiet addition of the Fifth Ward Brewing Company. The new the country, it offers hikers striking vistas along lakes and watersbrewery await paddlers, forests and beckon hikers andBrewing joins Barepeaceful Bones Brewery the Fox River streams, remnant prairies and former lumber camps. The scenicCompany byways show off their splendor. in making Oshkosh a true, craft beer destination. trail ambles from Potawatomi State Park, through the Kettle
The Oshkosh Riverwalk continues to grow as new sections were completed last year. The Riverwalk provides locals and visitors with a great place to walk, bike or explore downtown. It will be the envy of many communities once completed.
Oshkosh gained incredible momentum in53703 2017. It is definitely an 201 W. Washington Avenue, Madison, WI exciting timeTravelWisconsin.com to be a member this amazing community. ı tourinfo of ı travelwisconsin.com ı 1-800-432-8747
National Scenic Trail. The 4,000-mile trail travels through seven northern states, including Wisconsin, where it clips the northwest corner of the state for 200 miles, passing through Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron counties.
Cave of the Mounds is a designated National Natural Landmark, nicknamed the “jewel box” of America’s major caves for its delicate formations. The main cave began forming more than a million years ago and was accidently discovered in 1939 when quarry workers removing limestone blasted into rock, revealing the cavern. Today, the cave is open for tours, where it’s a comfortable 50-degrees year-round. Established in the 1930s, the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest sprawls across an astounding 1.5 million acres, with units across Wisconsin’s northwestern and northeastern regions. The forest comprises most of the federally protected land in Wisconsin with its dense woodlands and sparkling waterways perfect for observe black bears, ruffed grouse and loons in their natural habitat. Speaking of natural habitats, Horicon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the nation. It’s best known as a migratory stop for vast flocks of Canada geese, but it’s more than just geese—upwards of 300 species of birds have been spotted here.
ABOUT THE WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM: Our mission is to market the state as the Midwest’s premier travel destination for fun. By executing industry-leading marketing programs, providing reliable travel information and establishing strategic partnerships, we play a significant role in delivering exceptional customer service and generating greater economic impact and jobs for Wisconsin.