May festivals in Door County: Here's what you need to know about five special events

DOOR COUNTY - Parading pooches, a community festival of fun and games, a celebration of nature and two straight weekends of all the art one could want to see (and perhaps buy).

That's what the last couple weeks of May brings to Door County, leading into the summer tourism season filled with even more festivals, parades and art fairs for residents and visitors alike. And even though these traditional, long-running events take place just a couple weeks before tourism season starts in earnest, it's not like it's spring training − they still draw hundreds, even thousands of visitors to the Peninsula.

Here's what you need to know about these five festivals and special events happening in Door County, two of them celebrating significant anniversaries, between now and Memorial Day.

Door County Scottie Rally Parade of Scots, May 20, Baileys Harbor

Begun in 2001, the weekend-long Door County Scottie Rally is a gathering of Scottish terriers and their owners from across the country and around the world for training sessions and seminars about their unique breed of dogs, as well as the chance to mingle with other Scottie owners and exchange ideas and advice. It's become one of the largest Scottie rallies in the country as well as a major fundraiser to support national Scottish terrier health research and Scottie rescue programs, generating about $500,000 over the years.

The rally seminars and gatherings require advance registration and are closed to the public, but that doesn't mean members of the public can't enjoy the Scotties' presence in Baileys Harbor.

That's because of the Parade of Scots, the ever-popular event at 11 a.m. on the Saturday of the rally that has the dogs and their owners, who are encouraged to dress for the event appropriately, often in their best tartans, march along County F/EE in Baileys Harbor. Leading out the canine crew is the Clan Donald Pipe and Drum Corps from the Fox Valley area.

For more information, call 920-493-5664 or visit doorcountyscottierally.com or facebook.com/scottierally.

Spring Art Crawl, May 20-21, Ellison Bay

Just as the Peninsula's many seasonal art galleries begin to open for the summer, members of the Ellison Bay Arts group jumpstart the Door County art season with their annual Spring Art Crawl.

Five art galleries and studios, a cider house, coffeehouse and adult folk school, all in or around Ellison Bay in Northern Door County, welcome guests from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day to see new art and demonstrations and sample refreshments.

The featured locations taking part in this year's crawl are Clay Bay Pottery, Turtle Ridge Gallery/Boutique, Gills Rock Pottery, Ellison Bay Pottery, Rob Williams Studio/Gallery, The Clearing Folk School, Island Orchard Cider House and Kick Ash Coffee/Door County Love Artisan Granola. Information and maps to the locations are available at each gallery.

• Entering its 47th year, Clay Bay Pottery, 11650 State 42 and Old Stage Road, just south of Ellison Bay, features hand-thrown, functional and decorative pottery and tiles by gallery owners/operators Jeanne and David Aurelius, including jewelry and Jeanne's whimsical lady figures. The gallery also carries paintings and woodcuts by other artists.

• Turtle Ridge Gallery, 11737 Mink River Road, features mixed-media paintings, encaustics and etchings by owner Mary Ellen Sisulak in the gallery, while the boutique offers unique handmade leather bags and art to wear made on site along with artisan jewelry and designer clothing.

• Gills Rock Pottery, Wisconsin 42 and Lakeview Road, features original hand-thrown pottery for home and garden by Thor and Judy Thoreson along with wooden utensils and table linens.

• Ellison Bay Pottery, 12156 Garrett Bay Road, opens its 49th season with stoneware pottery and unique Raku pottery created by owners/artists John Dietrich and Diane McNeil and inspired by the beauty and history of Door County. The gallery also carries paintings by Thomas Dietrich and Margaret Dietrich.

• Rob Williams Studio/Gallery, 753 Isle View Road, will show Williams' latest colorful watercolor and oil Door County landscape paintings and his wife Shirley's black-and-white photography and gardens.

• The Clearing, 12171 Garrett Bay Road, enters its 88th year of offering classes in the arts, humanities and natural sciences in a secluded setting. The 128-acre property will be open for hiking, and docents will give guided tours departing from the Jens Jensen Visitor Center at 1 p.m. both days. Its bookstore and gift shop will be open both days.

• Island Orchard Cider House, 12040 Garrett Bay Road, specializes in Normandy-style and New World hard ciders made from apples grown in their orchards on Washington Island. Visitors can try a flight of samples in the tasting room or on the dog-friendly outdoor patio.

• Kick Ash Coffee/Door County Love Artisan Granola, 12001 Mink River Road at State 42, is an artisan small-batch coffee roaster and granola maker also serving other treats from its gluten-free kitchen.

For more information, visit facebook.com/EllisonBayArts.

Maifest, May 27-28, Jacksonport

The first big community festival of the season takes place for a 50th time over the Memorial Day weekend when the Jacksonport Area Business Association sponsors its annual family-fun bash that traditionally draws several thousand people to the Lake Michigan side of the Peninsula.

Maifest is headquartered at Lakeside Park, on the Lake Michigan shoreline off State 57, and most events take place there, with some happening at or near the Ball Park on County V, a block west of 57.

The festival features a juried art fair with more than 50 artists, opening at 9 a.m. both days, and a Maifest Family Midway from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days with inflatable games and music by the Sevastopol, Music, Theatre & Art Guild.

The Saturday of the festival, May 27, is highlighted by the annual parade that draws floats and marchers from across Door County. It starts at 10:30 a.m. from Cave Point Road on the south end of Jacksonport and follows State 57 north through the town. Immediately following the parade, at about noon, is a presentation of the flag by VFW Post 3088, a maypole dance at Lakeside Park, and announcements of scholarship and parade winners.

Activities on Sunday, May 28, open with the 38th annual Maifest Lake to Lake 10K and 2-mile fun run/walk at 9 a.m., part of the Run the Door series of running events. The route heads through the woods from the start-finish line at the park; advance registration is recommended.

That Sunday afternoon features some of Maifest's biggest traditional events taking place at Ball Park. Starting at noon is a show by the 4-H Horse and Pony Drill Team, followed by trick roping led by nationally renowned horse handler Jesus "Chewy" Jauregui.

Then comes the Frontier Farmers Horse Pull, where teams of two draft horses from across the Midwest compete in dragging a weighted sled, starting at 2,000 pounds and increasing by 500 pounds at a time after successful pulls. In case you're wondering, the Maifest pull record is 10,000 pounds, set in 1972.

For food and drink, the concession stand opens at 9 a.m. both days with brats, hot dogs, roasted corn, snacks and beverages. The Women's Club stand also opens at 9 to offer fresh cheese curds and baked goods, as well as used books.

Live music also is part of the festival, all in the performance tent at Lakeside Park. It starts with polkas and other dance band music from Jerry Voelker and His Jolly Gents at noon May 27, then with a range of sounds from polkas to pop with the Tally Ho Brass Band at 2 p.m. May 28 will feature country music by Modern Day Drifters from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Funds raised at Maifest have been used over the years for improvements at Lakeside Park, the ballpark and Jacksonport Town Hall; equipment purchases for the local fire department and First Responders; extracurricular activities at Sevastopol School, such as Destination Imagination, the Senior Graduation Party, Reading is Fun, the Music, Art and Theatre Guild and sports programs; college scholarships awarded by the business association; and the community's 4-H program, Little League and community Christmas party.

For more information, visit jacksonport.net/maifest.

Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair, May 27-28

Also celebrating a Memorial Day weekend anniversary is this popular juried art fair, taking place for the 25th time from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 27 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 28 at Martin Park in downtown Sturgeon Bay.

Several thousand visitors are expected to be on hand to check out the work of 70 or more artists from across the Midwest who will showcase and sell original works of art in media including sculpture, glass, painting, jewelry, fiber, print, metal, photography, wood and ceramics.

Besides competing just to get into the juried fair, artists also will compete for cash prizes and ribbons for first through third places for in two-dimensional and three-dimensional work, along with Best of Show and honorable mention recognition in each category. Winners will be announced Saturday afternoon.

A variety of food items and beverages, live entertainment and children's activities will be available all weekend.

The Sturgeon Bay Fine Art Fair is sponsored by Destination Sturgeon Bay. For more information, call 920-743-6246 or visit sturgeonbay.net.

Door County Festival of Nature, May 25 through June 16

This isn't exactly a festival in the usual sense of the word, but it is a celebration that's taken place annually since 2001 of the natural beauty that, like art and community festivals, draws so many visitors to Door County.

The Door County Festival of Nature is a series of events coordinated by The Ridges Sanctuary, the state's first nature preserve, in Baileys Harbor. It includes a number of field trips at various locations throughout the county − 66 this year from May 26 to June 16 − along with a keynote dinner and presentation, an art show and reception, and an open house at The Ridges over the Memorial Day weekend.

Opening the festival is a reception from 4 to 6 p.m. May 25 for an art exhibit featuring "When You Tug on a Leaf," artworks by Rhonda and Rick Nass illustrating connectivity to the natural world, and paintings of orchids of the Chiwaukee-Waukegan Beach-Ridge Plain by internationally known orchid illustrator Kathleen Marie Garness.

A catered keynote dinner will be held May 26, followed by the keynote presentation by renowned local naturalist Charlotte Lukes and others on "The Ridges Sanctuary Legacy." Reservations are required for the keynote events by May 12.

Then, The Ridges will host an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 28 to unveil its 20-year master plan.

Advance registration is required for field trips; some already are sold out and others have limited availability remaining. To register or for more information, visit doorcountyfestivalofnature.org.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: May festivals in Door County include Scottie Rally, art crawl, Maifest