History of the Good Neighbor Fest

by Kristi Warriner

At the end of August, Middleton will celebrate its Good Neighbors for the 60th time. The festival itself is the reason Middleton adopted the motto “The Good Neighbor City”. As it happened, it was actual next-door neighbors who started the whole thing.

What follows is an excerpt from Keith Hinsman’s personal recollection of the start of the Middleton Good Neighbor Festival, originally published in the Middleton Times Tribune on August 20th, 1981.

“The Fest was founded in 1964. It started with a phone call to me [Keith Hinsman]. Amos Colby, Middleton pharmacist and my next-door neighbor, was on the line. ‘Come on down for a beer,’ he enticed. Since it was a frigid February evening, I thought hot, buttered rum would be more appropriate. But I went, and got cold beer.

Colby was president of the Middleton Chamber of Commerce that year and wanted to polish its personality. (There had been some grumblings in town).

His idea: create a summer festival, one big event that people could rally round, have a good time and think positively about Middleton. The Chamber would hire my public relations firm to help produce the show. The fee: a magnanimous $300, [about $3000 in 2023 dollars] and the cautious Colby spread the payments over seven months!

The basic elements for a successful festival were already there. Each summer almost every volunteer group in the city put on something to raise funds. The Optimists had a chicken fry, the VFW and American Legion combined for a dinky little carnival and beer tent, the Jaycees had something else. None made much money because each did his own thing on his own weekend in his own indepen- dent way. They lacked organization, drive, planning, and most vital of all, unity.

Our thought was quite simple: convince all groups to continue to run their own operation, but all on the same weekend. ‘And we’ll all make more money for community causes than ever before,’ claimed Colby. He proved right.

We talked long about a catchy name for the festival. Quite casually, Amos mentioned that ‘all we want to do is show we’re good neighbors.’

I jumped right in. ‘That’s it,’ I stated, ‘the Good Neighbor Festival. More than that, we’ll beam it to Madison, Sun Prairie, Black Earth and all the communities around us. We’ll tell them that as a gesture of good will, Middleton is inviting them for a fun weekend.’

Days later Colby called a dinner meeting at the New Pines restaurant for president, chairmen and commanders of the various organizations in the city. We went over the concept in detail. Generally, they were sold, though there were some rough spots. A star was born…

Led by Mayor A.M. McDermid, DVM, the City of Middleton cooper- ated handsomely. They appropriated $300, and all divisions, from police to park to fire department and other city staffers gave us generous aid. The Fest achieved semi-official status.

Sponsors of that first year were: American Legion, Middleton Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis, Middleton Development Corporation, Middleton Volunteer Fire Department, Optimists, Sertoma, Veterans of Foreign Wars.

The first time round went well enough. There was heavy emphasis on free entertainment. Scheduled were a queen’s contest, a horse show, a firemen’s water fight, a Zor Shrine Chanters concert, a “pops” band performance, a community bonfire, rides in an ox cart, the yearling parade---all free. There were even free watermelon slices.”

2023 update: Keith Hinsman remained active with the festival for many years, serving as festival president in 1983, parade marshal in 1981 and again in 1988 along with all other past-presidents, and won the Good Neighbor Award in 1988 with his wife Betty. Hinsman passed away in July of 1989.

Amos Colby was the festival president for the first two years. He was parade marshal along with Hinsman in 1981 and in 1988 (as past president), and received the Good Neighbor award with Hinsman in 1988. Colby passed away in 2003.

The Keith Hinsman Award was created in 1989 to recognize a Festival Trustee who goes above and beyond each year in service of the festival.

The structure of the festival remains the same as Colby and Hinsman created it. Each member organization provides at least two Trustees to the festival board. Member organizations have their own concession. A concession is a contractual agreement between the member organization and the festival to provide a part of the festival and to keep most of the profits earned by that concession. The food booths, and now food trucks, are operated under a member organization’s concession.

Entertainment is still free.

The festival is now supported through generous donations by sponsors, particularly Willy Street Co-op, who has been the presenting sponsor of the festival since 2019.

While the festival no longer receives financial support from the City of Middleton, it does enjoy incredible support from the Middleton Police

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, June 7

3-4:45 Stroll -N Tell

5-8 pm Pie & Ice Cream Social Lakeview Park

Music from 6:30 - 7:30 pm

Wednesday, June 21

Make Music Middleton

Saturday, August 5

Mustard Day Scavenger Hunt

Department, Fire Department and EMS. An invitation-only Mayor’s Breakfast has continued the tradition of welcoming dignitaries from around the area to the festival.

The Middleton Chamber of Commerce ended its partnership with the festival in 2022.

Current festival trustee organizations are Kiwanis and Optimists (original members), Middleton Youth Hockey, BSA Troops 40 and 140, Lions Club, VFW Auxiliary, and the Rotary Club of Madison West Middleton.

The 60th Good Neighbor Festival, with the theme “Diamond Jubilee” will take place as always on the last full weekend in August, which is the 25th through 27th this year. It will be in its original, though much changed location, at Firemen’s Memorial Park on Lee Street next to Middleton High School.

The word is out!

Friday, August 25

Middleton History Stroll ‘n Tell 3 pm

Saturday, October 14

Museum closes for the season

October 27

Spooky Stroll

Middleton History Stroll ‘n Tell 1 pm

December 9

Annual Meeting

The Stroll & Tell is a great way to learn about Middleton. Meet at the Rowley Museum, 7410 Hubbard Ave. The museum is open a half hour before the walk. The walks are about an hour 45 minutes.

Be sure to join us at June 7 3 pm. August 27 3 pm October 27 1 pm (note new time)

Additional Stroll & Tell walks and a Sit ‘N Tell may be added.