Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org
Surnames: Koehn, Yurkovich, Hauser, Gennerman, Lee
----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 6/28/2017
Willard Polka Fest is a Hoot (43rd Annual – 2017)
The “Julie Lee & White Rose Band” of Fargo, NC, pleases the many dancers and observers as they play a variety of polkas, waltzes, fox-trots, and country western numbers Sunday afternoon at the Willard Polka fest. (Contributed photo)
By Dee Zimmerman
The 43rd annual Willard Polka fest, held June 16, 17, and 18, was well attended once again with dancers coming from Oregon, Las Vegas, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, North Dakota, as well as many from around Wisconsin.
The Polka Fest started off Friday evening with the “Scott Koehn Band” from Merrill playing, A local band, “Richie Yurkovich: of Willard, began playing Saturday, alternating with “Hauser’s Hotshots” of New London, and the “Keith Gennerman Band” of Menomonee Falls.
Finalizing the event Sunday afternoon were “Music Connection of Wausau,” and the “Julie Lee and White Rose Band” of Fargo, ND.
There were several motor homes parked near the festival grounds. Visiting with one couple originally from the Twin Cities area, I was told upon retiring, they sold their house, and purchased a motorhome, in which they travel from polka fest to polka fest throughout the Midwest during the summer.
Late in the fall, they travel to Arizona, where they set up in an area near a recreational center that features a large facility that has weekly dances.
In other words, “they don’t miss a polka-beat!”
