Summer Fun in West Bend w/Noelle Braun
We’re heading into summer and there are a ton of great things happening in Downtown West Bend. This week, Noelle Braun, Executive Director of the Downtown West Bend Association, joins me to talk about some of the great events, including the ArtWalk Banner Project, Music on Main, and the West Bend Farmers Market.
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Transcript
And just like that.
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:It's another week.
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:Hello, my friend.
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:Thank you for listening to Fifteen
Minutes with Fuzz, a show about the
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:positive things happening in and
around Washington County, Wisconsin.
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:My name is Fuzz Martin, and
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:end of the episode, I'm going to
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:If you have an idea for the show,
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:com, spell out the word
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:com, or go to fuzz.
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:cc slash guest, that is fuzz.
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:cc slash guest.
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:And, there's a little easy form right
there when you go there to fill out
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:this week, I am joined by Noelle Braun
of the Downtown West Bend Association.
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:There are tons of great things
happening in West Bend, including
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:music on Main, the Art Walk banner
project, the farmer's market.
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:And a whole bunch of other cool things.
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:And with that, here are 15 minutes on
the cool things happening in downtown
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:West Bend this summer with Noelle Braun
of the Downtown West Bend Association,
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:right here on Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
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:Noelle, glad to see you again.
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:Thanks so much for coming
back in the studio.
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:You just had spring fling.
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:You just had the wine hop, but the
Downtown West Bend Association has so
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:many things happening this spring and
in the summer, and I'm glad to have
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:you in here to talk about those today.
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:Noelle Braun: Yeah, thank you so much.
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:There is a lot to let you know.
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:Yeah,
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:Fuzz Martin: I've seen a ton of like
your posters and things around, and
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:I'm like, well, we should probably
connect again and talk about, Some
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:of the things that are going on.
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:So, first of all, we've got the downtown
Art Walk banner project happening.
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:It is You guys have the grand
opening gallery coming up, right?
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:Noelle Braun: Yes, that is coming
up on Saturday, May 4th, 3:30 to
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:6:30 at the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
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:Fuzz Martin: All right, very good.
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:So Tell us a little bit about what
Art Walk is for maybe people who
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:haven't experienced it before What
is the downtown West Bend Art Walk?
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:Noelle Braun: Yeah, so the Art Walk
banner project You I'm learning to, and
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:it's still in my first year of being
with the Downtown West Bend Association.
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:But if people are, you know, from
the area, you've been downtown in the
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:summer, you'll see these beautiful
banners that are painted hanging
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:on Main Street and on 6th Avenue.
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:And that is from local artists who
paint these banners every year.
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:So it's a great way to celebrate local
arts, to celebrate our community, to
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:create a beautiful, vibrant outdoor
gallery, and yeah, just add some
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:color and vibrancy to our downtown.
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:Fuzz Martin: And so the, these banners,
obviously, like you said, they're
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:very colorful, and they're painted
by local artists, and And that's why
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:you kick things off at MOWA, right?
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:Noelle Braun: Yes, it's a great
partnership, collaboration
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:that we have with them.
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:They allow us to use their space
for this Grand Gallery opening.
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:So what people can expect this
year is on May 4th, we are
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:inviting people to this free event.
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:I really want to emphasize that.
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:It is a great way to see this
beautiful art museum, this gem
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:that we have in our community.
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:Their exhibits will be open
during the Grand Gallery open.
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:But when people come, they'll be
able to see all of the banners from
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:2024 that the artists have painted.
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:And then the banners from 2022 were
recently hanging up in City Hall.
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:There's a bit of a rotation every year.
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:Sure.
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:And those banners will be up
for bid, like for auction.
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:Okay.
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:At this event.
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:So all of the art lovers out there, if
you want a piece of local art, they are,
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:you know, banners that get hung up on the.
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:light poles.
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:But they could certainly hang up
easily on a wall, you know, add to
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:your collection of art that you have.
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:So we're looking forward to that too.
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:And there's also, desserts and appetizers
that have been donated by local
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:businesses and restaurants in town.
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:There'll be some jazz music
playing, a cash bar provided
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:by the Museum of Wisconsin Art.
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:So it's just a great event.
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:And this year for the first time
ever, we're doing a fun We're going
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:to be doing a Kentucky Derby theme
because the event falls on the
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:same day as the Kentucky Derby.
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:So like, let's have fun with this.
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:People are invited to wear, you know,
hats with the big flowers and feathers
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:or dress up colorfully and just enjoy
that atmosphere too at the event.
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:Fuzz Martin: Excellent.
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:Will there be mint juleps at the cash bar?
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:Noelle Braun: I have asked.
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:That's so funny.
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:That's funny.
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:You mentioned that.
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:I'm like, wouldn't that be
a great way to tie that in?
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:For what I understand at Moa, they
can only have beer and wine there,
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:but we're looking into a fun,
possibly a non alcoholic version.
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:Okay.
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:We just got to see if the mints going to
be available, but we're looking into it.
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:Fuzz Martin: Yeah.
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:Stay tuned.
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:Gotcha.
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:Yes.
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:When it comes to liquor licenses
for events like that, it's
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:usually just beer and wine.
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:Yes.
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:Unless I don't even know
how you get the other ones.
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:Noelle Braun: Right.
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:Fuzz Martin: It's
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:Noelle Braun: beyond me.
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:Awesome.
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:Yes, beyond us.
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:Fuzz Martin: And I work
in government sometimes.
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:So this is the 12th year of the Art Walk
Banner Project, and I know this is only
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:your first full year as the Executive
Director for the Downtown West Bend
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:Association, but how has that Art Walk
Banner Project evolved over the years?
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:Noelle Braun: From what I understand, it
was started by one of our board members,
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:Chris Porter, who is an artist and a
local resident, and just was thinking of
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:different ways to beautify our downtown.
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:So that continues, absolutely.
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:This year too, the banners are
going to be hung up again on Main
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:Street and also on 6th Avenue.
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:With the new light poles on Main Street
since the reconstruction of the road
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:there will also be some beautiful
flowering baskets, like hanging flower
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:baskets that will be on every other pole.
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:So just giving everyone a
preview for what's to come.
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:There's more beautification
coming to downtown.
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:Sure.
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:But I believe from what I understand
over the years it's Become more and
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:more of a celebration at the Museum
of Wisconsin Art, the addition of
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:the food, the addition of, you know,
auctioning off all the beautiful
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:artwork that was in the past.
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:You know, adding in the music,
just like more of the atmosphere.
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:I think we're just trying to
elevate that more every year.
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:Fuzz Martin: Sure.
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:And this, you know, the mission
that you have with the Downtown West
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:Bend Association is to help support.
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:Businesses and get more foot
traffic downtown so that
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:people go to these businesses.
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:So by, you know, giving you a reason to
come and tour downtown, hopefully you'll
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:stop at some area businesses and stop in
and, and buy and support local, right?
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:That
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:Noelle Braun: is always with
everything we do, our mission at
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:Mine, our mission is to enhance
and preserve the heart of downtown.
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:All of these banners too are, are,
sponsored by different businesses.
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:So we have some great businesses,
some great returning sponsors
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:who love this art project.
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:They want to support, they'll get
their name on the banner or multiple
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:banners that they decide to sponsor.
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:And so it's a great recognition
for them to downtown.
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:The banners are hung up all summer and
into the fall, basically like our farmer's
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:market season till end of October.
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:Fuzz Martin: Great.
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:And we'll talk about the farmer's
market coming up right now.
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:So it's obviously the farmer's market.
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:A beloved community event.
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:Last year, it was up around
the we're right here.
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:I'm pointing outside the window,
6th Avenue and 5th Avenue and Tower
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:Noelle Braun: Heritage
Center around that square.
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:Yep.
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:Fuzz Martin: Because of the road
construction that was happening and it.
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:Then I think there was some
there was a survey or something
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:and now you're going to move it
back down to Main Street, right?
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:Noelle Braun: Yes, that is it.
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:That is where it is going to be.
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:We're bringing it back
to its original location.
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:You know, definitely heard loud
and clear majority of, you know,
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:the downtown businesses and the
attendees the vendors themselves.
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:We wanted to hear from everyone Last
year was a great temporary location, but
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:we're really excited to be back downtown.
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:It truly does bring a lot of
business to these downtown
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:businesses lining up and down Main
Street and even like Sixth Avenue.
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:It's just a great place to walk through,
see all of these amazing vendors and then.
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:You know, grab a little bit of brunch
or a drink or stop into the shop
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:and it's just has a great community
feel and we're excited to have it
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:on the new road and celebrate that.
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:Fuzz Martin: Exactly.
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:It'll be nice and smooth while
you walk your you know, take
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:the stroller with your kids.
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:Yeah,
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:Noelle Braun: take the wagon, take
the stroller, whatever you need to do.
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:Fuzz Martin: A little bit wider in
some spots, a little bit, you know,
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:so so Westman Farmer's Market is, An
award winning farmer's market, right?
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:So there you have lots of different
artisans and farmers with produce
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:and different local shops anything
new that we can expect this year
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:Noelle Braun: So we are getting all
of our applications in right now.
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:We have the majority of everyone
Confirmed sending in everything that
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:they need you know this The farmer's
market has been voted number one for
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:the last two years in a row in the
state of Wisconsin through the survey
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:through the American Farmland Trust.
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:So we're going to continue to ask
people to vote this year, but we
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:do have a really beautiful market.
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:We're really blessed and
fortunate in our community.
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:We have well over 90 vendors on any given
Saturday that does continue to grow.
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:Our farmers, you know, they're the ones
who really started like at least like four
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:decades ago, learning so much about this.
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:But.
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:They're the, you know, big reason that
people come and now we're fortunate to
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:add a lot of different variety too in
businesses that are able to be there.
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:Some of the newer things this year
we have a newer bakery that's gonna
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:be here called Daisy's Sweet Treats.
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:The new owner of the Barton
Cafe, she's gonna be coming down.
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:Seasonally, which means like for the full
season expect to see them most Saturdays.
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:You know, one of the different
businesses that we have that's coming.
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:He is an artisan that
makes items out of copper.
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:So it's just like really neat to
see like these really talented small
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:business owners that are able to showcase
the beautiful things that they make
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:on this type of at this big event.
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:So he makes more like bowls,
trays, jewelry, things like that.
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:And then we are.
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:In talks right now with another
possible food truck that would be
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:hopefully serving some authentic tacos.
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:I know that's been kind of lacking
for a little bit at the market.
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:We have some great food at the market.
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:Just another wonderful addition.
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:But yeah, that's that's
in the works right now.
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:So.
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:Fuzz Martin: Excellent.
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:So when does the farmers
market start this year?
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:Noelle Braun: Farmer's Market
starts on Saturday, May 18th.
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:Fuzz Martin: Okay.
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:Noelle Braun: And it's every
Saturday until October 26th,
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:the last Saturday in October.
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:And it's from 7.
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:a.
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:m.
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:Fuzz Martin: All right.
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:Very good.
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:And again, back to its original location.
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:on Main Street and 6th.
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:Downtown, downtown.
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:Noelle Braun: This is
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:Fuzz Martin: still downtown where
we're sitting right now at Epic, but
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:it is you know, the true downtown.
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:Not the outskirts downtown.
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:Noelle Braun: And I do want to
mention, we're back downtown.
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:We are making some slight
updates to the mapping of it.
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:We are extending the market for Further
down to Hickory, where the Pearl of
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:Canton and the West Bend Music Academy is.
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:It's with the new road as people
remember the old road, there were
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:these roundabouts in the street and
that people could more easily turn
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:around and because the new road doesn't
have those anymore it's making better
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:sense for safety and security that
we blocked the street off at Hickory.
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:So people have a way to turn a lot easier.
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:There's still, you know, some
like beautiful parking that they
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:have like behind the downtown
businesses by the river walk.
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:There's yeah, there's parking like it's,
it's worth it to walk a little further
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:to get to this market if you need to.
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:But yeah, so that is changing and we're
also going to be trying out some parking
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:on 6th Avenue for those that have limited
mobility or need handicap parking.
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:We're going to give that
a try for this year too.
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:So yeah, again, it's going to start at
the top where it normally has at the very
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:top of Main Street and you're just going
to be heading a little further south
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:Fuzz Martin: this year.
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:And my hack for parking is to park
over by the MOA parking lot to the
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:east of the Aspen trees or whatever
they have, the birch Aspen trees.
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:Yeah,
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:Noelle Braun: those quaking Aspen trees.
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:Yeah,
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:Fuzz Martin: yeah.
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:So that's where we park.
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:Noelle Braun: That's a good idea
because then you can walk across the
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:bridges and it's really beautiful.
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:So, another great parking area.
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:And
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:Fuzz Martin: it's, West Bend
has become so walkable and such.
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:So so that's fun.
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:And then.
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:One other event that everybody looks
forward to every year is Music on Main.
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:So when is that starting up again?
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:Noelle Braun: Yes, we are so
excited to bring Music on Main back
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:downtown as well on Main Street.
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:It's going to have a big
kickoff on Thursday, May 30th.
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:Fuzz Martin: Okay.
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:Noelle Braun: And we have
a press release out now.
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:We're getting more of the word out,
but the biggest changes with Music on
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:Main this year is that the first and
the last Music on Main are going to be
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:in a block party street dance format.
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:Fuzz Martin: Awesome.
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:Noelle Braun: Yes.
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:So we are working very closely with
the Bend Theater to make this happen.
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:The other 12 Thursdays, cause
there's gonna be 14 Thursdays total.
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:So May 30th being the first one,
September 5th being the last one.
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:And the other 12 Thursdays are,
we're going to utilize that Old
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:Settlers Park stage as it has been.
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:It's a great location for music on Maine.
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:But yeah, I thank the Bend Theater
for thinking more outside the box and
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:thinking bigger in regards to this event.
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:So the plan is to shut down a
little bit more of the road.
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:So from the top of Old Settlers Park
by Main and 6, south to Hickory.
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:Fuzz Martin: Okay.
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:Noelle Braun: And we're going to
be putting a stage in the road
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:and getting two bigger bands.
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:On May 30th, our opening band
is Andrea and the Mods and
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:the main act is Johnny Wad.
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:And on September 5th our opening band
will be Jeff Landon's High Country and
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:the main act being the Foo Foo Dolls.
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:Excellent.
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:So yeah, we're really
excited to bring them in.
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:Fuzz Martin: When I was in
radio Jeff Landon would always
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:participate in the radio show.
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:We have the Hodeg
Country Pickoff and such.
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:So I, I know Jeff really well, but I
have not seen him in probably a decade.
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:So
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:Noelle Braun: yes, he's been doing a
lot with his music over all these years
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:and making a good name for himself.
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:So yeah, really excited to bring them in.
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:And I, again, I think the band
for getting some of these acts
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:too, for these big block parties.
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:But we have, we have a great lineup.
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:We have so many different artists.
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:different genres of music.
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:There's something for everyone.
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:If you look at the list and see who
you want to see, hopefully we'll see
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:a majority, if not all of these music.
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:I mean, it's because they're so fun.
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:It's just a great way
to, to celebrate summer.
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:And it's always free to
attend this event too.
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:Fuzz Martin: Perfect.
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:And so again, it kicks off on
May 30th, Thursday, May 30th.
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:And then the other 12,
what time do those start?
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:Noelle Braun: Great question.
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:So on May 30th and September 5th,
those are starting at five o'clock.
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:Fuzz Martin: Okay.
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:Noelle Braun: So that's when that
that opening band will be playing.
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:The other Thursdays, it depends
if there's an opening act
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:or not for any of our music.
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:I mean, if we get an opening band
performing, that'll start at five.
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:Okay.
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:But our main stage acts start at 6
30 and the event goes till nine 30.
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:Fuzz Martin: Excellent.
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:All right.
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:Very good.
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:Well, Noel, I got a lot of great stuff
happening with Downtown West Bend.
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:If people want to learn more about
these events that we've spoken about
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:today the losing my mind here, the
Art Walk, the Farmer's Market, Music
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:on Main, you've got Wheels on Main
after that, you've got another,
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:another Wine Walk in October, right?
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:Yeah, so.
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:Always something awesome going on
town and thanks for all you do.
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:But where can people learn more
about these events and others?
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:Noelle Braun: Absolutely.
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:So people can learn more at
our website, which is www.
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:downtownwestbend.
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:com.
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:All of our events are there.
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:We update them frequently.
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:We also have a really
good presence on Facebook.
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:People are using that
social media platform.
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:We yeah, we do have about
like 10, 000 followers just
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:on our regular Facebook page.
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:Facebook page and then we
have more like in the music on
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:Maine and the farmer's market.
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:We have Facebook pages for all three
of those and we're always updating and
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:letting people know what's happening
downtown and love to promote the
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:businesses that are in the area too.
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:Fuzz Martin: Yeah, it definitely
contributes to the vitality of our
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:downtown and those business owners
whose livelihoods depend on you.
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:Listening, coming, buying dinner, buying
you know, different kinds of items at
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:retail and food and drinks and all that.
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:So get out there and support local.
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:Noelle Braun: Absolutely.
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:Fuzz Martin: All right.
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:Noelle, thanks for coming in.
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:Noelle Braun: Thank you so much.
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:Fuzz Martin: Thank you again to
Noelle Braun of the Downtown West Bend
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:Association for joining me on this week's
episode of Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
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:Again, I said it at the beginning of
the show, but if you ever have an idea
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:for the show, or if you know someone
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