presented by C.D. Smith Foundation @ Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts
THE ACE ACADEMY SHANTY RAFFLE IS A MAJOR FUNDRAISER FOR THE ACE ACADEMY. SINCERE APPRECIATION FOR ALL THE BUSINESS PARTNERS THAT SUPPORT THE ACADEMY AND THIS PROJECT
More info on the project below:
The ACE Shanties Project was spearheaded by C.D. Smith Construction’s Foundation Committee with material donations provided by a variety of local businesses. The project began in May of 2019 with blueprints, construction began in September of the same year, and the project was completed in early 2020.
To raise funds for the A.C.E. Academy and raffle supporters, Foot of the Lake Fishing Club, one of the shanties has been raffled off during the Sturgeon Spectacular festivities 6 out of the last 7 years.
$10 raffle tickets will be available at the following locations, while supplies last. Tickets will be available in late December. (Maximum of 1,000 tickets sold):
- Hopper’s Silk Screening & All Star Trophy – 77 N. Main Street, Fond du Lac, WI
- Blue Line Tavern – 90 S. Main Street, Fond du Lac, WI
- Eden Corner Express (next to Eden Meat Market) – 301 W. Main Street, Eden, WI
- Ripp’n Lips Outdoor (2 locations)
- 258 N. Main St., Fond du Lac, WI
- 106 S. Military Rd., Stockbridge, WI
1st Place: ACE ACADEMY SHANTY
Bowe Metal Fabrication + Repair Frame with Leaf Springs, 6.5′ x 12′ Center Hole, Finished Interior
Value: $7,000+
2nd Place: Sturgeon Spear & Spearing Equipment
Bowe Metal Fabrication + Repair Sturgeon Spear & Spearing Equipment
Value: $335
Donated by Badgerland Connections
3rd Place: Sturgeon Spear
Bowe Metal Fabrication + Repair Sturgeon Spear
Value: $235
Donated by Badgerland Connections
Official Shanty Raffle Drawing will take place live at Sturgeon Spectacular at 2 pm on Saturday, February 8th at the Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts.
See photos from the 2023 ACE Academy Shanty below!
Join us in celebrating the Sturgeon Spectacular, the beauty of winter, and more importantly SNOW! Sunburst Ski Hill believes that the best memories are made with snow, and we agree! Get your family, friends, or go outside solo and find your best winter backdrop.
Contest Rules:
All ages are eligible to participate. Submit a photo to Facebook using #SunburstBestMemories or send an email to info@fdlfest.com with subject line “Sunburst Best Memories” before midnight on Monday, February 10th and you’ll be entered to win four Sunburst ski or tubing passes and some really cool Sturgeon Spectacular gear. Judges will select the winner from all entrants on Thursday, February 13th and the winner will be posted on the Fond du Lac Festivals and Destination Lake Winnebago Facebook pages.
To qualify, photos must include snow and capture “The Best Memories”.
PRESENTED BY:
Explore Downtown Fond du Lac in 2025 through the Downtown Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt! Join the Hunt for your chance to win a $250 Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership Gift Certificate to spend at businesses in Downtown Fond du Lac or a pair of Oakley Sunglasses from Bird’s Eye Optical (prizes determined by the order the winners are drawn.)
To join, you can pick up a entry at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts or any one of the participating locations. Participating locations will be marked by an official Sturgeon Scavenger Hunt Sign with instructions. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RETURNED TO THELMA AT THE INFO TABLE BY SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9TH AT 3PM.
Rules:
Pick up an entry at THELMA or any one of the participating locations and navigate to each of the businesses listed to find the sturgeon and the corresponding letter hidden in their front windows. Match this letter with the number next to the business on the entry and write in the letter to decode a secret message. Once the secret message is decoded, you can turn in your entry at THELMA for your chance to win the prizes above!
Participating Locations:
- Fond du Lac Cyclery – 209 S Main St
- Jack’s Team Sports – 179 S Main St
- The Goldsmith – 177 S Main St
- Argentum et Aurum – 111 S Main St
- Craft City Bottleshop & Tap Room – 103 S Main St
- Gallery & Frame Shop – 94 S Main St
- Blue Line Tavern – 90 S Main St
- Lunar & Lake – 74 N Main St
- Knight & Barry – 69 S Main St
- Destination Lake Winnebago Region – 23 S Main St
- Bird’s Eye Optical – 19 S Main St
- Edith’s Bridal – 9 S Main St
- 18 Hands Ale Haus – 18 E Division St
- Wonder Play Café – 15 N Main St
- Cujak’s – 41 N Main St
- PS Beauty Lounge – 61 N Main St
- CC’s Chocolate Café – 57 N Main St
- Beauty Republic – 131 S Main St
- Downtown Fond du Lac Partnership – 131 S Main St
- Lillian’s – 27 S Main St
Prize Sponsors:
presented by Fleet Farm @ Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts
Are you a spearer? Do you know a spearer? If you or someone you know is lucky enough to spear a sturgeon during the 2025 sturgeon spearing season, enter to win the Biggest Sturgeon Contest presented by Fleet Farm. There are 3 ways to enter:
- Bring your harvest to Downtown Fond du Lac on Opening Day (Saturday, February 8th) between 12 pm – 4 pm and check in at the Fleet Farm tent.
- Post a photo of this year’s harvest to Facebook using #FDLBigFish and include name of the spearer and date harvested*
- Email your photo to info@fdlfest.com with “Biggest Sturgeon 2025” in the subject line and include the name of the spearer and date harvested*
*Only 2025 harvested sturgeon will be eligible for the $500 Fleet Farm Gift Card
That’s it, it’s that easy. Open to all ages and legal harvest rules apply.
Entries must be received by midnight on Sunday, February 23rd to qualify. All entries will be collected and a random drawing will occur on Monday, February 24th. Winners will be announced through Facebook or contacted through the email submitted.
Please be aware of all DNR guidelines when you register your fish at one of the official DNR fish registration stations.
Reminder – No ice is safe ice, and this year that is very important to understand as ice conditions have been deemed unsafe.
More helpful info can be found on the Wisconsin DNR webpage here.
#FDLBigFish
#SSFDL
Special thanks to Fleet Farm for their partnership!
presented by Busch Light @ Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts
Come Downtown in Fond du Lac and join us for some Spearing & Beering. Party inside in the warmth or take it outside. Busch Light, the official beer sponsors of Sturgeon Spectacular will be joining us for some fun in the snow! Sturgeon Spectacular Commemorative Steins will also be available – while supplies last.
The Biggest Sturgeon Contest will be hosted at this location this year with the Sturgeon Show-off Station. We’ll be doing live sturgeon reports as well on Facebook. Live feeds will be occurring throughout the day. Special prizes given to anyone that brings their registered sturgeon to the celebration!
Presented by:
With support from:
The best snow sculptors in the state travel to Fond du Lac to compete in the 2025 Wisconsin Snow Sculpting Competition in hopes of winning a trip to the 2026 US Championship and a $1,000 1st Prize. Sculpting all weekend long.
Daily Schedule:
*Some teams compete well into the early morning hours. Hours vary by day/team.
Friday, February 7, 2025*
1:00 PM – Teams arrive onsite and begin sculpting
Saturday, February 8, 2025*
8:00 AM – 10:00 PM – Competition Site Open for Viewing
Sunday, February 9, 2025*
Teams Compete
People’s Choice Ballots must be turned in at Info Table inside THELMA by 11:00am
Tools Down/ Official Judging begins at 1pm
Awards Ceremony & Spectacular Finale starts at 1:30pm
Presenting Sponsor: Grande Cheese Company
Official Snow Provider: Sunburst Ski Hill
Transportation provided by: Baumhardt Trucking of Eden
2025 Meals & Hotels covered by Destination Lake Winnebago Region
Horse-drawn wagon will be offering free rides through downtown Fond du Lac. The horses will take you past all the festivities and downtown happenings. Each trip will be approximately 15 minutes. Young children can ride on parent/guardian’s lap.
Pick-up/Drop-off Location – 33 Sheboygan Street (Downtown Event Hub)
Running from 10am – 2pm (First come, first served)
Presented by:
Horses and carriage provided by Cooper Carriages of Mt. Calvary
Presented by:
Learn to curl Saturday, February 8th at Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts. Curl with tips from experts!
Many more family-fun activities are happening inside, outside, and around Thelma Sadoff Center for the Arts until 3 pm Sunday, February 9th!
Presented By:
Raise a toast to Sturgeon Spectacular 2025 with a one-of-a-kind Bloody Mary at THELMA on Sunday! The Art of the Bloody Mary contest will take place on the 1st Floor with bartenders going head-to-head to build the Ultimate Bloody Mary, Sunday morning before a panel of world-renowned Bloody Mary experts..
Sampling begins: 10:30 am
Drink Building: 11 am
Judging for People’s Choice and Most Creative/ Awards to immediately follow: 11:30 am
Live Music – 5 Card Studs: 12 pm – 3 pm
Presented by Destination Lake Winnebago Region:
Join us in celebrating all those that make Sturgeon Spectacular a weekend for all to enjoy. Enjoy great hot & cold drinks and live music inside the THELMA Fountain City Room, or grab a drink and bring it outside to see the state snow sculptors put their finishing touches on some beautiful sculptures.
We will be announcing the winners of events throughout the weekend during the live music intermission inside Fountain City.
Live Music – Five Card Studs : 12pm – 3pm
Awards/Announcements: 1:30 – 2pm
- Downtown Chili Crawl – “Best” Awards
- Downtown Sweet Stroll – “Best” Awards
- Downtown Ice Sculpting Competition – 1st & 2nd place sculptures
- Art of the Bloody Mary – Top Competitors
- Outdoor Curling Funspiel – 1st, 2nd, 3rd place teams
- Wisconsin Snow Sculpting Championships will be announced at 2:00 pm
- People’s Choice Winners
- Artist’s Choice Winners
- 1st, 2nd, 3rd place team finishers
Presented by: