BLUEGRASS AFTER SHOW

PHOTO SUBMITTED Good Neighbors above: After 20 years as director of the East Troy Community Band, Jay Huenink led his final Thursday Nights on the Square concert in front of a packed crowd July 28. left: Huenink, pictured directing the Muskego High School Commencement services in 1990, has played an active role in the music community since fifth grade.

VANESSA LENZ Good Neighbors

HUENINK • CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE

many people whose dedication and generosity has enabled the band to continue for two decades, including his wife Heidi who ran the business side of the band.

After weekly performances helped the Hueninks lead East Troy’s music community for the past 20 years, Jay said he knew it was time to retire the director moniker. “When Heidi and I started the band in 2002, we wouldn’t have dreamed the band would become what it is today. Thank you to the East Troy community for supporting us and thank you to the musicians past and present for the honor of making music together,” Jay said.

While Jay stands in a class of his own for the lasting impact he’s made on countless musicians and music fans, part of his legacy will be his early view of East Troy Village Square Park as a crown jewel and the way he saw the park as part of his central vision for

EAST TROY COMMUNITY SCHOOL DISTRICT

Community Partnerships through Community Partnerships through 4K-12 Agriculture Education 4K-12 Agriculture Education

ETCSD values our community partnerships in our 4K-12 agriculture curriculum that provides authentic learning opportunities throughout all grade levels.

Comprehensive Outdoor

Classrooms, featuring our honey bee hives, provide in-depth and hands-on learning experiences. Little Green Thumbs fosters a strong relationship between 4K-1st graders and high school agriculture students. Farm Animal Days, hosted by our FFA students, brings the farm directly to the community. Middle School Library Gardens were created by ETMS students in partnership with local landscaping companies. The ETHS Greenhouse provides authentic learning experiences with plant production and sales. Partnering with local farmers and seed dealers, agriculture students manage over 17 acres of crops at the K&S Test

Plots and Community Garden.

There was a bittersweet symphony July 28 as beloved band director Jay Huenink conducted the East Troy Community Band in his last concert. Huenink said he’s loved directing the band on Thursday Nights on the Square in the summer with early shows being played in the bandstand.

PHOTO SUBMITTED Good Neighbors

the band’s home.

“There wasn’t a lot going on at the park at the time. We picked every Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. so people would get in the habit of knowing there would always be a group there,” Jay said.

As the Hueninks close their Thursday Nights chapter, it appears they have built a tradition so strong it will continue.

“The band will play on,” Jay said.

He explained his departure isn’t the end for the organization as the East Troy Community Band Board of Directors is already working to find a new director with plans to return the Thursday Night concert series in summer of 2023.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing how the band goes in future years and how it will continue to be a part of summers in East Troy,” Jay said.

A Class of Their Own

After a run of two decades, the Hueninks discussed how unforgettable playing with the band has been.

“I love doing it. I couldn’t wait for Thursday Nights,” Jay said.

““The challenge is to choose the best music the musicians can play and that will be loved by our audience,” said Jay of the way he organized each show.”

He said he often picked a few songs that bands love to play such as marches, classics, overtures and show tunes mixed in with popular music and guest bands for the audience.

Some of the biggest highlights for Jay were taking the entire band on a trip to Mackinac Island in 2008, hearing a band member present The Gettysburg Address, as well as getting the chance to perform under the direction of longtime East Troy High School Band Director Ivan TeLindert.

For about a decade, the band got to perform on stage at Alpine Valley Music Theatre.

But the band had to work for its success.

The Hueninks, who fell in love at the UWOshkosh Music Department and later served in an Army Band, planted roots in East Troy in 1996.

Jay, who first started playing his horn in fifth grade and went on to be both a dedicated band member and a college level discus thrower, pursued a career in the IT field. However, Jay held onto fond memories of playing with his community band since he was 15 in Oconomowoc.

“We went all over the country and I played with people of all ages,” Jay said of his inspiration for starting an East Troy group.

Huenink founded the community band with just a handful of musicians, building the program from scratch.

“We had four people show up to the first rehearsal and three people hadn’t played in 15 years,” Jay explained.

Luckily, there was a decent sized audience at the first concert, but the Hueninks still worked hard to grow the series by involving East Troy’s music community, including Rodger and the late Cathy Trader and Tim Hummel from the East Troy Community School District’s music program with support from village officials such as Linnea Loesch and John Alexander.

“It took a village with involvement from all different kinds of people,” Heidi said.

In the early years, Alpine Valley Music Theatre donated money to help the non-profit group buy its first equipment.

By year four, about 40 musicians played in front of a solid crowd on the square

“We were pleasantly surprised at our audience sizes. Kiwanis Manor began bussing in groups, and each year each concert grew more popular,” Heidi explained.

The band remained steady through the years with between 30 and 45 members.

Heidi said she loved how the tight-knit band included all walks of life from doctors to nurses to students to grocery store managers to engineers.

“We’ve met a lot of neat people we never would have met,” said Heidi.

Heidi is currently working to have Jay’s influence be forever marked at East Troy Village Square Park with a commemorative bench.

For details, visit https://gofund. me/115f89c5.

SATURDAY

10 a.m. Open Stage (bands, duos, trios) 11 a.m. Sawdust Symphony 12 p.m. KR Bluegrass 1 p.m. Fox Crossing Stringband 2 p.m. Band Scramble 3 p.m. Piper Road String Band 4 p.m. Deeper Shade of Blue After Show at East Troy Brewery, 2905 Main St., 6 to 9 p.m.: Piper Road String Band

SUNDAY

10 a.m. Gospel Service featuring Anderegg Family 11:30 a.m. Banjo, Guitar, Mandolin and Fiddle Contests 1 p.m. Strings to Roam 2 p.m. The Andereggs 3 p.m. Mark Hembree Band 4 p.m. Joe Mullins & The Radio Ramblers In addition to the musical entertainment, other festival highlights include a popular food court featuring local fare and a Marketplace featuring local crafters, artisans and farmers market vendors. Admission is $10 per person. Children 15 and younger are admitted free. Attendees should bring their own lawn chairs. For more information, visit easttroybluegrass.com.

2. BLUEGRASS

AFTER SHOW

Sept. 10

3b. TROLLEY TRIPS

Saturdays & Sundays Sept. 10-Oct. 30

Keep the party going after the 28th annual East Troy Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 10 at East Troy Brewery, 2905 Main St. on the East Troy Village Square.

Piper Road String Band will perform immediately after the festival from 6 to 9 p.m. at East Troy Brewery, 2905 Main St. on the East Troy Village Square. The brewery will kick off a weekend of bluegrass on Friday, Sept. 9 with live music from 7000apart.

The Hive Taproom, W2463 County Road ES, will host Fox Crossing Band from 6 to 9 p.m.

For details, visit easttroy.org.

3a. AUTUMN

HARVEST FESTIVAL

Saturdays & Sundays Sept. 10-Oct. 23

Take in the changing leaves aboard the East Troy Electric Railroad, Wisconsin’s last original electric line.

The East Troy Electric Railroad continues its 2022 season with trains running every Friday, Saturday and Sunday through Sept. 2.

Friday trains depart on the hour from the East Troy Depot, 2002 Church St., at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m., Saturday trains run on the hour from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Sunday trains are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m.

Fall Harvest Trains run Saturdays and Sundays, Sept. 10-30.

The East Troy Electric Railroad operates the last 7 miles of original track from The Milwaukee Electric Railway & Light Company interurban system, which had 200 miles of track in and around Milwaukee.

Fares are $15 for adults, $12.50 for seniors and $9.50 for youth 3-14. Children younger than 2 ride for free.

For fall schedule information and special events, call (262) 642-3263 or visit easttroyrr. org.

4. FIRST FRIDAYS FAMILY FUN NIGHT

Sept. 2

East Troy’s First Fridays event series will continue with Family Fun Night on Friday, Sept. 2 from 5 to 8 p.m. at East Troy Village Square Park, 2881 Main St.

Join us for a family-friendly night out featuring food, beverages & the East Troy’s First Fridays Beer Tent, East Troy Farmers Market, live music from DJ JC Hanna and kids’ activities, including a Ninja Warrior Course sponsored by The Hive Taproom, Bubbleland, bounce castle and more.

For details, visit easttroy.org.

• CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 top: The East Troy Bluegrass Festival’s Saturday Headliner, Joe Mullins and The Radio Ramblers, are seen by tens of thousands of bluegrass fans every year and since 2013 have become regular guests on the historic Grand Ole Opry. above: Sunday headliner Deeper Shade of Blue, a North Carolinabased powerhouse band, marks its 20th anniversary this year and has just about everything going for it, including four talented lead singers, robust harmonies and a strong in-house supply of original material.

Whether you’re continuing a family tradition or starting a new one this fall, The Elegant Farmer will offer a family fun farm experience with the return of its annual Autumn Harvest Festival weekends Sept. 10 through Oct. 23 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Twelve varieties of apples can be picked right from the tree on the farm’s orchard and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes selected from the patch.

Enjoy beautiful fall colors aboard a tractor-pulled hayride, pony rides or vintage trolley ride. The East Troy Electric Railroad’s turn-of-the-century train makes a stop at The Elegant Farmer Depot.

The Elegant Farmer will also offer a 5-acre

family-friendly farm scene corn maze with easy in and out access for all ages. Adding to the fun, the event features delicious specialty foods, including makeyour-own caramel apples, warm cider donuts, pulled pork, homemade chili and more. The Elegant Farmer, 1545 Main St. (County Roads ES and J), is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Orchard hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call (262) 3636771 or visit elegantfarmer.com.

5. WALK OF TERROR Weekends in October

East Troy’s Walk of Terror will be back weekends this fall for an entire month. The elaborate haunted house will offer experiences for both adults and children and organizers promise that this year’s event will be bigger and better than ever. The spine-chilling haunted house will run Sept. 30, Oct. 1, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, 22, 25, 27, 28 and 29 at Rossmiller Park (Amusement Park), 3072 Graydon Ave., East Troy. Organizers are currently looking for volunteers. To get involved, email Dec 3 - Dec. 31 Ligh East Troy

PHOTO SUBMITTED Good Neighbors

East Troy Brewery will be hosting its annual Oktoberfest event on Saturday, Sept. 17 featuring a special Oktoberfest beer release, German Dancing by D’Oberlandler and more.

VANESSA LENZ Good Neighbors

Control the lights. Watch the show. Make the magic! Celebrating Over 45 Years

Wisconsin Oven Corporation has been an active member of the East Troy Community for over 45 years. Throughout our history we have been involved in the community through volunteer work, charitable contributions, and community renovations.