☃️ Wisconsin's Winter Sports Capitol

Game on

Wausau, WI: From wood to winter sports glory

For most 'Scons (or as we at Wiscampsin say, 'Scamps), winter heralds in a whole slew of new activities to enjoy outdoors.

Nordic skiing, figure skating, pelting your neighbor's car with snowballs because he's a Bears fan... The opportunities are as endless as the depths of our snowbanks.

And when someone wishes to compete in one of these disciplines, they scrape off that windshield and drive up to once-logging town Wausau, WI - AKA Wisconsin's Winter Sports Capital.

Wausau's woodland woes

Before anyone even dreamed of any sort of winter competition, Wausau was chosen as the site of what would become a major logging town in the 1830's.

Its roaring Big Bull Falls, one of the most powerful waterfalls along the Wisconsin River, was perfect for powering the heavy machinery required to strip trees down into usable lumber.

Not long after, German immigrants flocked to the town, and by the 1870's Wausau's economy was built solely upon this booming trade.

But, in a tale as old as time, the natural resources were depleted, and Wausau let out one big proverbial "TIMBER!" as their lumber-reliant economy fell with the last of the trees. Cripes, this is heavy reading...

Which led the businessmen of the town to put their heads together and reinvent Wausau's economy, and more importantly, its identity.

The Winter Frolic

After the collapse of the lumber economy at the turn of the century, the people of Wausau invested their time into a more sustainable and, admittedly, fun business venture - the outdoors.

Recognizing the rising popularity in winter sports and their own ties to a rugged, outdoor lifestyle, the community went to work on creating a festival celebrating its bounty of natural beauty, calling it The Winter Frolic. And it's NOT running out to start your car in the middle of February.

By the 1920's, schoolchildren across the state raved about this outdoor celebration, which not only included horse racing, curling, archery, pistol shooting, barrel jumping, snowshoe racing, ice skating, tobogganing, and skiing, but also a fireworks show and parade to show off the elected Frolic King and Queen through downtown Wausau.

Winter Frolic of today

The Winter Frolic, as much as a spectacle as it was (especially with its famed ski jump), eventually lost funding and popularity through the trials of the mid 1900's (read: WWII, Great Depression, etc).

But just like Bucks in the NBA Finals, Wausau made a comeback when the city purchased the rights to the Badger State Games, which started in Madison, WI in 1987. Moving to Wausau in 2012, the BSG, much like the Frolic, once again gained a raving popularity and reestablished Wausau as a winter sports hub.

Spread over a period of months instead of one day, the games include archery, skiing, ski jumping, bag toss, handball, hockey, youth snowmobiling, and more. Competitors from all ages and abilities compete olympic-style for a chance at a spot on the podium. Cripes, sounds like fun!

Looking to get involved in Wausau's outdoor community and the Badger State Games? Sign up for a spot on a team, dive deeper into its history, or follow the action on their Facebook page!

Now get out 'der!