Wisconsin Ice Fishing Expo moves to Experimental Aircraft Association grounds for Dec. 13-15 show – Outdoor News
Oshkosh, Wis. — The Wisconsin Ice Fishing Expo will run Dec. 13-15 in a new location – the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) grounds, in Oshkosh.
Now in its second year, the expo venue change was needed because the show outgrew the previous facility its first year and is now nearly twice the size at more than 65,000 square feet indoors while also gaining more parking area with easier access.
This year’s show has many new vendors and free shuttles to ferry visitors from the parking areas.
“We were hoping for about 5,000 visitors in our first year and were amazed that we put around 12,000 people through the doors,” said Jeff Bast, one of the owners of the expo. “It’s been several years since Wisconsin has had its own dedicated ice expo and it’s clear that having one in Oshkosh right next to Lake Winnebago was a great area to produce it. Many vendors told us they sold more product at our show than any other ice expo in the country.”
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The show will have a speaker lineup with experts like Larry Smith, Tom Boley, Greg Karch, Eric Haatja, Cody Solberg, and many others. There will also be a trout pond, an entire kids’ zone put on by the Ice Junkies, and daily giveaways from several vendors.
“We also have an amazing raffle from the Wounded Warriors United of Wisconsin (WWUW) where they are raffling off an Ice Castle Scout Fish house and prize package valued at over $14,000,” said Bast.
Otto Reetz, founder of the non-profit WWUW group, is excited to hold the drawing at the Wisconsin Ice Fishing Expo. Tickets sales will fuel their mission to get more veterans out on the ice, in the woods, and on the open water.
“Attendance was phenomenal last year,” Reetz said. “Our group keeps the funds raised for vets right here in Wisconsin. We’re entirely volunteer driven and have many events throughout the year to help support our vets. No one here gets paid. For 10 years we have done all we can to help bring some joy to their lives.”
Ticket will be sold at the event, with the winner being picked on Sunday, Dec. 15. Anyone interested in tickets may also call (920) 470-1845.
Four food trucks will be on hand with subs, gyros, tacos, coffee, and more, to handle any kind of appetite.
For more information and a complete vendor list go to icefishexpo.com.
