This upcoming weekend is the annual Bayfield Winter Festival, and we still have a few rooms available if you’d like to visit during this amazing event! Here are some of the things going on this weekend:
Festival Friday
Downtown bayfield kicks-off bayfield winter festival friday march 1st. Businesses are open till 8, so you can shop late! Big water coffee offers treats before a candlelight walk on the brownstone trail sponsored by the Bayfield regional conservancy. Or head to the freeze your glass off party at the Bayfield inn where you’ll find music, drinks specials, prizes and more!
Bayfield Winter Dash
It’s time for the bayfield winterdash sponsored by canal park brewing. Complete a 5k winter obstacle course at mt ashwabay on Saturday, March 2nd. Climb, crawl, and scramble over obstacles on your way to the finish. No equipment needed. Register here. No guts, no glory at the winterdash!
Winter Bash
It’s back…bigger and better than ever: Bayfield Winter-Bash at Mt. Ashwabay. Live music 5 to 9pm Saturday, March 2nd. Featuring Barnby Daniel Walkner, the Ringtones, and Lords of Baltimore with sound by JD Bass. Local beer, sleigh rides, luminary lit cross country trails, food, tubing, giant bonfire and fun.
Run on Water
It’s time for Bayfield Winter Festival’s Run on Water…on Sunday, March 3rd, prepare to run, ski, snowshoe or skate this 4 mile race across the Lake Superior ice from Bayfield to Madeline Island and back! Prizes given for the fastest runner and finishers in other categories. Register here. Note: Race is weather & ice dependent, so entrants are welcome on race day.
Bayfield Polar Plunge
Get your tutu’s and floaties ready! It’s time for the 8th annual Bayfield Polar Plunge. On Saturday, March 2nd, 100 costumed locals plunge into lake superior to raise money for the Bayfield Recreation Center. Spectators gather at the Bayfield Inn and Pier Plaza or warm up with Rittenhouse Inn fish chowder. Sponsor a plunger today, or Register here.
Ah, the “Quiet Season.” It’s always one of our favorite times of the year. For the Bayfield visitor, this is a time when you can find everything, or nothing, to keep you busy! Here are 21 suggestions for things to do while you’re here, but the list goes on! You’re sure to discover a few things on your own as well!
Snowshoeing: you can bring your own, or rent them at Sweet Sailing. There are several amazing trails within walking distance of the Rittenhouse Inn.
XC Skiing: the Jerry Jolly trail is amazing, and can be accessed from Mt. Ashwabay or Star Route. Or, you can ski across frozen Lake Superior to Madeline Island!
Downhill Skiing:Mt. Ashwabay features a chair lift and rope tow servicing 11 runs. This is family skiing at its best, with both gentle runs and more challenging terrain.
Hiking: Several great trails are within blocks of the Inn, including the Brownstone Trail and the Nature Trail.
Snowmobiling: while there aren’t many trail IN Bayfield, there are many miles of trails all around us, and snowmobilers are always welcome at the Rittenhouse Inn!
Take the Ice Road to Madeline Island: drive to the City Beach and you’ll find the start of Wisconsin’s only temporary County Road! The path is well-marked with recycled Christmas trees, and at the end of the road you’ll find beautiful Madeline Island, ready to show her winter splendor!
Visit the Frozen Sea Caves: just 19 miles north of town lies one of the most mystical splendors of Lake Superior: the Sea Caves. Carved into the native brownstone by 10,000 years of wave action, these caves can by kayaked by summer and (when it’s cold enough) hiked by winter. Take the trail from the Apostle Islands Meyers Beach parking lot, but be sure to check conditions!
Snuggle up with a good book: Bring your own, borrow one of ours, visit the Carnegie Library, or one of Bayfield’s bookstores.
Enjoy a warm, bubbly whirlpool: we provide the bath salts, robes, and snuggly oversized towels!
Have some coffee: at Big Water Coffee Roasters, you’ll find a professional coffee house and bakery plus something more: a quintessential small-town hangout!
Browse the wares at Apostle Islands Booksellers: they have a great selection of local and regional authors, plus best sellers and popular titles.
Go Dogsledding: For one of the most exciting adventures of your life, call Wolfsong Adventures in Mushing. Not only will you fly through the woods like a cannon ball (the dogs know the way!) but you’ll also get the full experience of feeding and harnessing the dogs. A true winter rush!
Visit Wolfsong Wear: and shop for the ultimate in cold weather comfort and style. Located across from the Bayfield Inn.
Ice Fishing: Lake Superior is full of massive trout, salmon, pike, and smallmouth bass, plus panfish, perch, and walleye.
Try your luck: at Legendary Waters Casino, just north of town, you’ll find a wide variety of slots and table games, plus great entertainment.
Have lunch at Maggies: Here are some of our favorites: flamingo tenders, black ‘n’ blue burger, chicken fajitas, Late Night Special pizza.
Explore the Great Lakes Visitor Center: located where highways 2 and 13 meet, this visitor center offers great information and events year round.
Have a pint o’ Guinness: at the area’s only Irish Pub, the Snug. Located in Washburn, this cozy little pub features great beer on tap, your favorite spirits, and some great fish and pub chips!
Take in a show at Stagenorth: this theater, located in Washburn, features a full bar and almost always has something going on: plays, bands, lectures, open mic nights, etc.
Drop in for a Yoga class at Humblebee: this yoga studio also offers classes ranging from African drumming to Ninjitsu!
Go sledding at Valhalla (Hell Hill): only for the brave! Up Hwy C between Washburn and Cornucopia is a great spot for sledding if you dare… there are actually two hills. The first is a somewhat mild bowl with a fun jump at the bottom. The other is a former ski jump, and is basically straight down! There’s also great snowmobiling and xc ski trails at Valhalla.
Enjoy a 5-Course Dinner at Rittenhouse Inn’s Landmark Restaurant: we don’t like to brag, but Chef Matt Chingo is special! If you are looking for a fantastic meal in a romantic atmosphere, look no further. During the quiet season, we are open for dinner on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.
Get Married: Innkeepers Jerry and Mark Phillips are licensed ministers, and the Inn offers special wedding and elopement packages. Contact Events Director Wendy Phillips
Wassail! This old English word was a greeting or salutation on festive occasions such as the holidays and Christmas Eve. It was also a toast, wishing good health and prosperity to a friend or neighbor. “Wassailing” usually involved spirits: spiced ale carried in a “Wassail Bowl,” (especially spiced ale), singing carols and making merry.
At Old Rittenhouse Inn, the word takes on a life of its own: Wassail Holiday Dinner Concerts, held each year in December, are 3-Course Luncheons or 5-Course Dinners paired with a concert of holiday music performed by the Rittenhouse Singers, a professional vocal choir backed by local musicians and directed by Innkeeper, Jerry Phillips.
The Inn is fully decorated for the season: her pillars are wrapped in ribbons, evergreen boughs and twinkling lights. A massive Christmas tree greets visitors in the front hall, and the holiday decorations continue inside the dining room, which seats up to 64 concert-goers.
The meals are described verbally by the maitre ‘d, and include tasty soups and salads, entrée favorites like Roast Pork Loin with Apple Cider Glaze or Champagne Chicken, and desserts like decadent Turtle Sundaes, fresh baked pies, and the classic Figgy Pudding with Crème Anglaise (laced with bourbon). There’s also the famous Rittenhouse Wassail Punch, made with Cider and cranberry juice, bourbon and spices.
Leading the show is the exuberant Jerry Phillips, who conducts his choir with seemingly limitless energy, often keeping time on tambourine, wood blocks, or bells as the singers perform throughout the Inn’s dining room and hallways.
Asked where he finds the energy, Jerry claims it comes from the audience. “They give us so much and we connect with them as well. For me, it’s a total rush. It usually takes me a week or so to come back to Earth afterwards. The singers have a lot of fun performing too. For many, it makes the holiday season. It wouldn’t be Christmas without Wassail.”
Next time: How it All Started: the History of Wassail!
Don’t miss this summer’s premier event, Concerts by the Lake, a free concert series in Memorial Park hosted by the Bayfield Chamber of Commerce and Visitor’s Bureau. Concerts run from July 10 to August 28 on Tuesdays, 7-9pm.
Whether you like bluegrass, rock and roll, pop or indie music, Concerts by the Lake features local talents of every genre, offering a relaxing and enjoyable evening for every musical taste. Space is limited, so get to Memorial Park early with a blanket or a few lawn chairs, set up camp, and enjoy the music. After the show, swing by the Bayfield Inn’s rooftop bar for drinks overlooking Lake Superior, or take the family for ice cream at the Candy Shoppe in downtown Bayfield.
Concerts by the Lake Schedule:
July 10: Sean Okamoto (Americana)
July 17: Foreign Object (Alternative/Power Pop)
July 24: Hoff Stevens (Doo-Wop/Punk/Folk)
July 31: Yazmin and Beat Zero, featuring Bruce Bowers (Latin, Indie)
August 7: Alpha City (Alternative/Rock/Dance)
August 14: Andy Noyes and Stevie Matier (Acoustic/Groove)
August 21: Orienta Carwash (Honky Tonk/Country)
August 28: Liz Woodworth Trio (Indie/Power Pop/70s Gold)
For more information, call the Bayfield Chamber at 800-447-4094 or visit www.bayfield.org.
*In case of rain, concerts will be held at the Madeline Island Ferry Terminal.
Come celebrate the 50th Annual Festival of Arts on the weekend of July 28th and July 29th in Bayfield, Wisconsin. The festival is held at Memorial Park in downtown Bayfield and hosts over 90 Midwestern artists and a variety of events, including a live art action, fine art vendors, and local gallery tours and demonstrations.
Whether you’re an art aficionado or a newcomer to the artistic scene, the Festival of Arts is a unique and exciting experience for all. Along with selections of pottery, painting, jewelry, sculpture, glass works, wood carvings, and photography, the Festival of Arts features live music performances by festival artists and local talents, as well as festival food vendors. Enjoy the art, the music, or a snack by the lakefront. The Festival of Arts has something for everyone.
Festival of Arts Outline of Events:
Chequamegon Bay Arts Council‘s (CBAC) Live Auction: Friday, July 27th, 5:30pm to 8:30pm at the Bayfield Lakeside Pavilion
Festival of Arts: Saturday, July 28th, 10:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday, July 29th, 10:00am to 4:00pm at the Memorial Park in downtown Bayfield
Festival of Arts Gallery Tour: Saturday and Sunday at various gallery locations. Contact individual galleries for more information. Participating Galleries: DONALEE DESIGNS Silversmith, Eckels Pottery and Fine Craft Gallery, Orchard’s Edge Quilt Shop, Bates Art Barn, Water Music Jewelry & Art, Stone’s Throw, Kerr Studio & Gallery, Oulu Glass, Bayfield Inn Art Gallery, Washburn Cultural Center, Native Spirit Gifts, and Bayfield Artists’ Guild.
Come join us for a fantastic weekend of arts, music, and local culture! All events are free and open to the public.
Ah, winter. A time to stretch out and relax, and enjoy all there is to do here during the season: skiing, skating, dogsledding, ice-fishing, hiking…. or just curl up with a book! The options are endless once you settle into the laid-back vibe that is Bayfield in winter time.
Here at the Inn, we’re also using this time to catch up on some maintenance of our lovely buildings, and dreaming up more improvements! We recently replaced the tile in several of our bathrooms and whirlpool surrounds, and are very happy with the results. We’re also finding creative ways to add elegant shelf space in our bathrooms, aided by our on-staff woodworking wizard, Don German. For those who have noticed our wonderful new sign that was installed here at the Rittenhouse Inn in summer 2011, that was Don’s work!
We’re also using this time to prepare for our upcoming Bayfield, WI events: a Red Wine Tasting on Feb 3-4, and Valentines Dining and Packages from February 10-14. After Valentines Day, we look forward to Book Across the Bay on February 18th, The American Birkebiener xc ski race on February 25, and the Bayfield Winter Carnival on March 2-4. There are so many fun reasons to come to Bayfield this time of year, we hope you’ll join us!
Of course we are offering great winter rates and lodging specials. Give us a call at 715-779-5111 and plan your winter getaway in Bayfield.
We are gearing up for another Bayfield Apple Festival, and this one is special: it’s the 50th Annual celebration of fall, fun, and of course, apples in Bayfield, WI!
Here at the Rittenhouse Inn, we are busily making Caramel Apple Creme Puffs and getting ready to grill brats (with apple sauer kraut!) all weekend. We’re also serving our famous mulled cider (hot apple cider with a variety of mulling spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice) which can be enjoyed plain, or with a shot of rum or bourbon. As always, we’re featuring South Shore Brewery’s Applefest Ale on tap.
Bayfield (population +/-400) will swell up to 60,000 visitors over the weekend coming for all the great food, entertainment, arts and crafts, and carnival rides offered throughout the city. Every hotel room in a 100 mile radius will be full… talk about economic impact! While Rittenhouse Inn is full for lodging, there are still some tables available for dinner: call 715-779-5111.
The fun starts on Thursday October 6, with a Senior Social and Apple Pie Social and the lakeside Pavillion. On Friday through Sunday, here are a few of the events/activities taking place:
Photography and Art Exhibit, Apostle Islands Cruise Service’s Grand Tour, Food and Craft Booths, Pumpkin Picking, Apple Picking, Children’s Activities, Carnival Rides and Games, Orchard Tours, Artists Open House, Book Sales, Big Top Chautauqua artists performing on the big stage, Ojibwe Drum and Dance Troupe at Greunke’s parking lot, Live Entertainment at various bars and at Legendary Waters Casino, Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay, Pony and Hay rides, Fish Boil, Apple Peeling Contest, Apple Festival Royalty Coronation Ceremony, Venitian Boat Parade, Fido and the Lovedogs at the Pavillion Saturday night, Fireman’s Raffle Drawing, and of course, the 50th Annual Apple Festival Parade on Sunday featuring past and present grand marshals and royalty. For more information and times, visit www.bayfield.org
Once the festival is over, Bayfield will slow down a bit, but the fall color will be peaking over the next few weeks and this is a great time to visit beautiful Bayfield. We have some great fall lodging specials available throughout the month, and it’s also a great time to dine with us: all the wonderful fall produce is rolling in!
Here’s to another safe and fun Applefest! We look forward to seeing you.
This is surely one of our most favorite times of year… Wedding Season in Bayfield, Wisconsin! Bayfield is fast becoming known as a Wisconsin Wedding Destination, and for good reason: the beauty of Bayfield and Lake Superior offer numerous locations for your ceremony and reception. The Rittenhouse inn and our historic properties are ideal Bayfield wedding venues offering both indoor and outdoor options.
Our on-site Wedding Planner and Events Director, Wendy Phillips, works closely with couples to help bring their dream wedding to life. Wendy can arrange for a wide array of wedding services including Officiants, Menu Planning, Wine and Bar Service, Professional Event Staffing, Florists, Musicians, Wedding Cakes and Tortes, Hairdressers and Make-Up Artists, Massage and Spa Treatments, Tent Canopy Rental, Banquet Rental Items, Limosine Services or Horse-drawn Carriage, and even Babysitting!
Bayfield wedding receptions at the Rittenhouse Inn or Chateau Boutin are as unique as the couples who are married here. Our on-site wedding planner and helpful staff guide you thorough the planning process to create an event that reflects your individual taste and style. If you can dream it, we’ll do our best to make it a reality. And when it comes to fine dining and catering, no-one in the area can top Rittenhouse Inn’s Landmark Restaurant.
A Bayfield wedding reception at Le Chateau Boutin offers a wealth of options. Butlered appetizers and cocktails on the veranda… or a tapas buffet set-up in the home’s original dining room make a lovely start to your event.
Our Signature Five-Course Gourmet Dinner is an ever-popular choice for wedding receptions. This meal, for which the Inn is most noted, allows guests to select a soup, salad, tart fruit sorbet, entrée with side dishes, and dessert.
Other options for your Rittenhouse reception may include a Two-Course Petite Dinner offering your choice of soup or salad, and an entrée; a Three-Course Victorian Luncheon consisting of a salad, choice of entrées, and dessert; or even an up-scale Champagne Brunch served with festive mimosas!
For wedding parties larger than 35 people, a tent canopy is suggested for set-up on the croquet lawn where everyone can take in the panoramic view of Lake Superior. Whether you choose a sit-down or banquet-style meal, we offer a large selection of unique menu items for your reception. Our on-site wedding planner will help you customize a meal that fits your dreams, and your budget.
Over the past 35 years, Innkeeper (and non-denominational minister) Jerry Phillips has married literally hundreds of happy couples. We are always grateful to see these couples return, sometimes many years later, to celebrate their special day.
The Ferry to Madeline Island is Running!
Schedule subject to change due to ice/weather conditions. Monday – Friday
Trips leaving Bayfield: 6:15 am, 7:30am, 9:15am, 1:45pm, 4:00pm, & 5:30pm Saturday – Sunday
Trips leaving Bayfield: 7:30am, 9:15am, 1:45pm, 4:00pm, & 5:30pm.
No Fooling! All Rooms $99 w/Dinner
For prices listed below, $99 refers to the rate for those who wish to dine at Landmark Restaurant one night of their stay. The second rate is the discounted weekend special for those who DO NOT wish to dine with us. For example: Room 9 is $99 w/ dinner; $129 w/out dinner, a great deal either way! All rates based on double occupancy. To reserve call 715-779-5111 and mention the Last Minute Specials email by 5pm, Friday, April 1.
FRIDAY ONLY April 1, 2011*
Rittenhouse Inn
Room 7: King, Whirlpool, Fireplace @ 99/129
Suite 11: King Suite, Whirlpool, Fireplace, Lakeview @ 99/175
SATURDAY ONLY April 2, 2011*
Rittenhouse Inn
Suite 12: King Suite, Whirlpool, Fireplace, Lakeview @ 99/175
The Fine Print
* This Last Minute Internet Special applies only to the weekend of April 1-2, 2011. The prices are per night, based on double occupancy, and include a continental breakfast for two. When space permits, additional guests are welcome at $35/person/night. Rooms are sold on a first come, first serve basis. This week’s offer does not apply to existing reservations, is Not Valid in conjunction with other promotions, and is not available for online. Please CALL 715-779-5111 and mention the last minute emails.
**Additional $50 for Saturday-only stays in suites.
Any questions, please call or email. We look forward to your visit.
Bayfield WI's Rittenhouse Inn on the cover of Midwest Living
There’s nowhere like Bayfield to experience all the colors and flavors of the Fall season, especially with our new Fall Harvest Celebration lodging package: Book three consecutive nights Mon. – Thurs. from Sept. 22 to Nov. 5 to receive 25 percent off your 3rd night plus a free $25 Bayfield Chamber gift certificate to spend at a member business during your stay.
While you enjoy Bayfield’s brilliant fall color, you’ll also find a variety of activities and events if you’re someone who likes to keep busy by shopping, golfing, biking, kayaking, hiking, sailing, fishing, touring the orchards and apple picking.Whether you crave adventure or relaxation, your Bayfield escape awaits you!
LOCAL EVENTS
The Bayfield area hosts popular fall events like the 49th annual Apple Festival, the Scarecrow Workshop, Madeline Island’s Fall Festival, or the Apostle Islands Lighthouse Celebration. Whenever you come, Bayfield offers the opportunity to do so much. Or, if you prefer, simply relax in your guestroom. It’s all up to you!
This upcoming weekend is the annual Bayfield Winter Festival, and we still have a few rooms available if you’d like to visit during this amazing event! Here are some of the things going on this weekend:
