DE PERE (NBC 26) — For Memorial Day weekend, the city of De Pere is hosting "Celebrate De Pere" — an annual festival that's become a 33-year-long tradition.
Celebrate De Pere brought people together out in the sun for a combination of reasons.
"It started with celebrating De Pere — their 100th year," explained volunteer Vice President Brandon Beard. "It started that way, and then being Memorial Day, it just seems fitting to pay tribute to our fallen soldiers. A lot of the funds that we raise goes towards veteran groups, so it's very veterans-focused."
The event hosts a car show with over 200 entries, live music, sugary foods, rides and games— even free beard trimming.
A Wahl Clipper Corporation truck — which normally attends larger events like football games — came to De Pere for the event because their 2022 Benevolent Beards Contest first-place beard champion Ryan Baudhuin is from Northeast Wisconsin, and he's also a veteran.
Attendees gave answers of all varieties when asked about their favorite part of the day. The tilt-a-whirl, ferris wheel, fried oreos, and live music all got shout-outs. But the event's vice president said his favorite thing was a little more sentimental.
"My favorite part is definitely watching the veterans get together. I mean, that is — definitely makes it all worthwhile," Beard said.
