LAKE GENEVA — Venetian Fest is known as Lake Geneva's yearly send-off to summer. However, the money raised during the five-day festival will benefit Lake Geneva long after the seasons change.
The 64th annual Lake Geneva Venetian Festival started Wednesday evening and will end with a fireworks show over Geneva Lake on Sunday night.
The yearly event is put on by the Lake Geneva Jaycees and is the organization's largest fundraiser of the year.
"This funds our Christmas generosity, our Thanksgiving generosity, Lake Geneva Youth Football, and others," said Venetian Fest lead organizer Andrew Glass, a Lake Geneva native and a member of the Jaycees. "I used to come to the festival as a kid and now I get to be the chairman and run it. Just to see the impact we can make is just tremendous."
The Jaycees started Venetian Fest by handing a check worth $3,550 to Special Olympics Wisconsin.
Lake Geneva Jaycees president Rob Schmidt said that generosity is the true meaning behind Venetian Fest and his organization.
"We're always trying to get younger guys to become part of the Jaycees so they can realize that giving back to your community is so important," Schmidt said.
The event at Flatiron Park is free to enter but features paid attractions and rides.
Renee Rowe spent her youth in Lake Geneva and said Venetian Fest holds a special place in her upbringing.
"It represented freedom," Rowe said. "I got to be away from my parents for the night to come and hang out with my friends."
Rowe is now enjoying the festival with her boyfriend and reminiscing on why they both find joy on the midway.
"It's our anniversary; we started out at Venetian Fest," Rowe said. "Tons of fun, tons of stuff going on, tons of pretty lights."
The full schedule for Venetian Fest events and hours can be found at this link.
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