Sunny Loon Day

MERCER, Wis. - Wednesday's Loon Day in Mercer was a huge success, with dozens of tented stalls lining Railroad Street, Lakeview Avenue and neighboring locales.

The shopping extravaganza lured a constant flow of wandering adults, skipping kids and lolling dogs, all captivated by aromatic snacks and hundreds of items for sale.

The temporary market offered items as small as key rings and as large as furniture.

Welcome vendor staples such as pretty clothes and yard signs were available in abundance, but sellers also offered unexpected, unique and fun items such as recycled yard art or organic canned goods.

A number of specialty items stood out, such as a large display devoted solely to ankle bracelets or dog collars in multiple patterns.

There was not just homemade soap, but stalls with soy soap, scented soap or felted soap.

Maple syrup products included cotton candy, root beer, suckers, butter, cream and - of course - syrups in various infused flavors.

Hurley High School students also offered serving trays, cutting boards, cribbage boards, signs and wooden pens they had crafted in Northwoods Manufacturing, the school's student-run business.

"We sold a lot today," said Lynnea Kivi, 15, who explained that students attend multiple events and also process work orders from individuals and companies.

Finally, it wouldn't be Loon Day without shirts to commemorate the day or merely to offer apt "loony" phrases. There also were loon designs in relation to many items, including paintings, pillows, appliqués and figurines.

"Everything is going great" said Betty Hamilton, one of several volunteers at an information booth for the Mercer Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the event.

"Every vendor that's come has had probably their best year ever," said Patrick Wiedower, another chamber volunteer who attributed the high attendance to post-pandemic relief and related easing on COVID-19 restrictions.

Moreover, he joked that the fabulous weather also had been special-ordered.

Two Iron County ladies told the Daily Globe that they were taking their time in taking it all in.

"This is our second trip around, " said Terri Messerschmidt of Oma. She and Carol Livingston of Montreal had walked the circuit and then enjoyed lunch before making another round of the stalls.

They had stopped to admire bird houses made from gourds in a booth run by Mary Lu Johnson of Omro.

"We dry them out and clean them, drill them and empty the guts out," said Johnson. "I paint them with acrylics, and I cover them with a two-part varnish."

The results were lovely orbs that looked like finely designed ceramics.

Activities for kids and adults also were available.

Stella Sauter, 12, of Forest Lake, Minnesota, was creating large bubbles by dipping a stick with a rope loop into a bucket of frothy water.

"Every year they do something different," said Denese Oderman, Stella's grandma and an employee of the Wampum Shop, which offered the activity. "Last year, the kids colored rocks."

The Mercer Science Club also sold cold treats such as popsicles and offered face painting and glitter tattoos.

The annual loon-calling contest, which is heralded as a "world-famous event," resulted in Maxwell Westegard, 16, of Minocqua being the grand prize winner. He also won the age 13-17 division.

Members of a large, appreciative crowd surrounding the contest stage were wowed by Max's talent for "wailing," "yodeling" and prolonging his calls like a trained operatic singer.

Emcee Kelly Kohegyi was dressed as a loon for that event.

As the loon-calling contest came to an end, a grinning Melissa Biszak told the audience, "Thank you all for attending our 2022 Loon Day." She is the executive director of the Mercer Chamber of Commerce.

Loon Day, at large, included arts and crafts exhibits, sidewalk sales, bake sales, raffles, and all manner of cold beverages and tasty treats, with kettle corn appearing to be the crowd favorite.