Downtown Shawano will be jumpin’ Saturday

The 11th annual Jumpin’ June Jamboree will kick-start the summer festival season in Shawano with a car show, music and some new attractions Saturday.

Sponsored by the Shawano Business Improvement District, the event promotes Main Street area businesses.

“All of the businesses downtown will have their doors open, and we have a variety of music this year, including traditional folk,” said Marisa Rycroft, BID coordinator.

The car show will feature classic, antique and muscle vehicles; trophies will be presented in each class. Visitors will select the People’s Choice winner.

Live music at the jamboree will include a performance by local folk musician Skip Jones.

One of the new attractions this year is The Great Sturgeon Search, coordinated by the Leadership Shawano County Class of 2015. People searching for the 10 brass sturgeon hidden throughout the downtown area can pick up clue cards at the group’s booth at the jamboree.

Shuffles Dance Studio will again be among the performers.

“We will also have belly dancing this year, which is different from what we usually see,” Rycroft said.

Rycroft also invited Bear Creek-based Kruzickis Kemo Kritters to bring their alpacas, which resemble llamas, to the festival’s petting zoo.

“They have therapeutic alpacas,” Rycroft said. “We always heard about (horses) being therapeutic, but never the alpaca.”

Chris Marcks of Shawano Big Brothers Big Sisters is organizing the children’s activities, which will include a bounce house and a variety of games starting at $1. Children can get unlimited access to the bounce house for $10. Proceeds from the activities will benefit Shawano Big Brothers Big Sisters.

“We have a variety of kids games, about six to nine, and there will be prizes,” Marcks said. “Kids will have plenty of opportunities to win prizes.”

Local business are sponsoring a bike raffle; children must be present to win.

Jumpin’ June Jamboree is held in conjunction with the seventh annual Rhubarb Festival at Heritage Park. Horse-drawn carriages and buses will be available to transport people between the events.