In The News

Parading Their Talents

Local kids busy preparing for Day in May event

LAKE GENEVA - Stop by the Badger High School set department any Monday night through May 14, and you'll catch a behind-the-scenes look at the work that goes into a parade.

Kids are creating costumes, floats and props of their own for the A Day in May parade, which will be held on May 20 at Library Park in Lake Geneva.

Co-founders of the event Liz Haseley and Terri Robert came up with the idea after seeing a parade held in Minneapolis by Heart of the Beast Puppet Co. The two wanted to create an outlet for artistic kids to use and display their talent. This year, Kathy Culp joined the two after being a spectator at the 2005 parade.

"Sometimes, artistic kids are different form, say, athletic kids," culp said. "They don't always have opportunities to show off what they're good at."

The first two parades were on May 1 in 2004 and 2005. There were workshops in 2006, but no parade.

"By 2006 it was just growing too big, too fast," Haseley said.

In past years, the parade went through downtown Lake Geneva. This year, because of the size, and to avoid disrupting traffic, the parade will be contained to Library park.

"We chose to move the date to May 20 because, in years past, we've experienced bad weather, even snow, up to the first week in May," Culp said. "And we thought it would be a nice local celebration before the travel season."

The organization Healthy Community, Healthy Youth, has helped fund the event with its art budget, but the parade also is focused on recycling and reusing materials.

"Old paper cups that might otherwise end up in the trash can be cut in half and put next to one another, and it turns into the roof of a house, " Haseley said.

The kids also are encouraged to reuse materials and projects form last year. Seventh-grader Allison conway is making a dear out of one of last year's bird costumes.

"It's my favorite animal," she said. "And it's something from Wisconsin."

Although each year has a different theme, all the kids are encouraged to come up with ideas that reflect the southeastern Wisconsin ares. This year's theme is Pan-Asian.

"The different themes give the kids a chance to learn while they're creating," Culp said. "This year, they get to learn about cultures from the Asian continent."

The group's goal this year is to get more people involved.

"This is not a typical parade," Haseley said. "We want to include entertainment, and incorporate all aspects of the arts. We are really looking for anyone in the community - group or individual - to participate. Anyone who wants a creative outlet."

Said Culp, "We're thinking street theater."

The parade is looking to include adult contributions, such as performances from the Spirit of the Lakes Chorus and the Dance Factory in Delavan.

"Another thing we are encouraging is to attract and involve home-schooled children," Culp said.

Children are allowed to attend the workshops for 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every Monday as often or as little as they choose. They also can choose their level of involvement in the event itself.

A Day in May Parade
Ready for Spring Fun?

Is your family looking for a creative outlet? Does you child, friend or group want to laugh and learn more about art expression, other cultures and the community we live in? The 2007 'A Day in May' Parade and Spring Festival is the perfect opportunity! This year's event will take place on Sunday, May 20th in Library Park in Lake Geneva.

Event planners are looking for talented artists, musicians, and dancers of all ages to participate. Groups as well as individuals are encouraged to attend a weekly workshop to find out how to be included in this festive event. Workshops are held every Monday evening from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Badger High School Set Department. Attendance is not mandatory at every workshop to participate in the event.

'A Day in May' Parade will be better than ever this year with some new and exciting changes. The Pan-Asian theme will include professional entertainment as well as a surprise or two for spectators. Lake Geneva's Library Park will be the sight of the Spring revelry as the parade of performers and floats encircle the park creating an artistic festival of fun and entertainment for the entire family.

The cofounders of the event, Liz Haseley and Terri Robert, describe 'A Day in May 2007' as a cross between street theatre and Cirque du Soleil. Floats, costumes, musicians, singers and dancers will use color and movement within their respective arts to create this delightful and unique experience.

'A Day in May 2007' is sponsored by the Healthy Community/Healthy Youth coalition. Interested participants are welcome to join a Monday workshop at the Badger High School Set Department and see the process first hand.

Lake Geneva Regional News
January 18, 2007

Parade event needs participation

The national school group Healthy Community/Healthy Youth Coalition along with the Cultural Arts Foundation has set the date of its spring festival titled "A Day in May Parade".

This year's event will be held Sunday, May 20, starting at 2 p.m. in Lake Geneva's Library Park. The 2007 event will have a Pan-Asian theme.

Currently, work is underway and the group is seeking talented artists, musicians and dancers of all ages to participate. Groups as well as individuals are encouraged to attend the weekly workshops to find out how to be included in the event.

Workshops are now forming for the event. They will be held every Monday from 5 to 7:30 p,m, starting Jan. 22, at the Badger High School set department. Attendance at each workshop is not mandatory in order to participate in the event.

Lake Geneva Times
May 5, 2005
Photos by Carrie Dampier

Here Comes May! Despite the gloomy skies - that just half an hour before had let loose pea-size hail - the second annual May Day Parade went off without a hitch. A homage to spring and rebirth, and with a special nod toward our feathered friends, the May Day Parade featured larger-than-life puppets and enormous masks symbolizing the richness of the season. The parade was mad possible by coordinator Liz haseley and a small army of local students and volunteers, and was sponsored by Healthy Communities Healthy Youth

The Week
April 24, 2005
Donna Lenz Wright

Street theater marks whimsical welcome

One week from today. Lake Geneva will be alive with celebration of spring, the arts and community spirit. But don't think for a minute that it will be your run-of-the-mill parade, not that there's anything wrong with that.

The May Day Masquerade and Theatrics Parade will be more of a moving theatrical performance. There will be no fire engines, marching bands and horses. Instead, there will be larger-than-life puppets, enormous masks symbolizing the richness of the season and more than 100 revelers donned in brightly colored ornate costumes.

"It;s sort of like street theater incorporating dance, music, the kids from the jazz band at Badger, two different dance groups, Rain Water, a choir group from Williams Bay, actors, a juggler and a presentation at Riviera at the end," said Terri Robert, parade coordinator.

The event was made possible by the Arts Board of Wisconsin, Healthy Communities Healthy Youth and the hard work of Robert, Liz Haseley and Judy Haselhoef, among many others.

"It will be a mix between a circus, Mardi Gras and street theater."

There are many layers to this second annual event: community, nature, creativity and even government and promotion.

"our emphasis is on community and nature indigenous to this ares," Robert said. "There are birds, animals, fish and water and how they all come together to symbolize our growth and how we live within each other.

"It will be more of a street performance than a parade," she said.

The students of the Alternative High School in Elkhorn are familiar with feeling that they sometimes don't fit in. For that reason, they chose to make nearly a dozen gigantic costumes tat depict a sometimes looked-down-upon segment of indigenous animals - the crow.

"They took on the crows because they wanted to be a little menacing, so they built all the crow masks. They made 13 and they are beautiful."

And they all have different personalities, too.

"They made a lot of creative additions with wings and zippers. They enjoyed it a lot .

Students from all around the county have been working on their masks and costumes for the big May Day celebration.

"They're bringing their personalities to the parade with the characters, and also with their movements and expressions," Robert said,

"We wanted to engage the youth of our community to feel empowered and use their resources to help within their community, " Robert said of the political layer of the learning curve.

"The kids learned the process of getting things done in a community. They had to go to the city council and promote it ... they learned how hard it is."

The fun starts at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 on Broad Street in downtown Lake Geneva. More fun and theatrics are planned at the Riviera following the parade. The rain date is May 15.

"It's something like Lake Geneva's never seen," Robert said. "There's lots of parades but this is different."

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