The Picks: Big Turn Music Festival, Pearl Street Brewery’s 24th Annual Masquerade Winter Ball & More Event Picks!

February 17 – February 23, 2023

New local picks every Thursday evening to get your weekend started! Check back each week to see La Crosse Local’s picks and to make sure not to miss out on events throughout the year.

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Photo by Big Turn Music Fest

All Weekend

Big Turn Music Fest – Hit the road to Red Wing, Minnesota for the 2 day, city wide festival, Big Turn Music Fest. Top musicians from the region will be playing all weekend on Friday, February 17th and Saturday the 18th. That means 2 days of unique sounds, 20+ venues, and 200+ bands, purchase your tickets soon!

The Vagina Monologues – The La Crosse Community Theatre is welcoming back The Vagina Monologues after a successful first run last season. The Black Box show will run from February 17th to February 26th, with shows on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and on Sunday afternoons. Both witty and irreverent and compassionate and wise, audiences are in for a wonderfully wild and eye-opening performance.

Photo by Downtown Mainstreet La Crosse

All Week

Winter Days in Downtown La Crosse – Head downtown all week long to celebrate the snowy season with Winter Days. Starting Monday, February 20 and running through Saturday, February 25, enjoy family activities, shop specials, a cocktail trail, photo contest, and more! The Cabin Fever Cocktail Trail is a great event happening every day, and there will also be live musical performances at various venues across town.

Photo by Mark Joseph

Saturday 2/18

24th Annual “Masquerade” Winter Ball – Don’t miss Pearl Street Brewery’s 24th Annual Masquerade Winter Ball on Saturday, February 18th! The festivities run from 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm and include special releases of new, one-off beers, wine spritzers, sparkling wines, and hard cider mixers along with a lineup of award-winning Pearl Street Brewery beers. Food will be available for purchase and Porky’s Groove Machine, Nicholas David and Mark Joseph & The American Soul will be providing live entertainment.

LaX Gurls Drag Dinner at Java Vino – Join the La Crosse Gurls for another Drag Dinner at Java Vino this Saturday night at 6:30 pm. Online tickets are available through Friday at 11:30 pm and in person tickets are available at the door the day of the event. A ticket is required for entrance to the dinner, but Drag Bingo is free for anyone to join starting at 9:00 pm after the dinner.

Photo by Malek’s Fishermen Band

Sunday 2/19

Malek’s Fishermen Band at the Concordia Ballroom – Come and see Malek’s Fishermen Band at the Concordia for dancing and entertainment on Sunday afternoon. Starting at 1:00 pm the public is welcome to join in for polka, waltz, swing, fox trot and other dances accompanied by one of the finest polka bands in the Midwest. Tickets are $10 at the door.

Photo by People’s Food Co-op

Tuesday 2/21

Winter Open House at La Crosse People’s Food Co-op – Head down to the People’s Food Co-op on Tuesday, February 21st from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm for their Winter Open House. Sample products from local farmers, taste and vote for the next Co-op’s Own™ brat, sample beverages, enjoy live music and more!

A Night with an Adventurer – Be encouraged and inspired by the Pump House Regional Arts Center’s event, A Night with an Adventurer, featuring Climbing Mt. Everest: Dr. Julio Bird. The event is free to the public, but donations are welcomed and will go towards the chosen cause of the evening’s “adventurer.”

Photo by People’s Food Co-op

Coming Up (2/24 – 3/2)

UWL Theatre Department Presents The Secret in the Wings – Be sure to catch a performance of Mary Zimmerman’s The Secret in the Wings presented by the UWL Theatre Department. Filled with dark mystery, fairy tales, and Zimmerman’s signature wit and humor, audiences are sure to be captivated by the story and the acting. There will be shows on February 24-25 & March 2-4, 2023 at 7:30 p.m. and February 26 & March 5, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. Purchase your tickets now.

University of Wisconsin – La Crosse ArtsFest – The annual ArtsFest event is back at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse on Monday, February 27 and Tuesday, February 28th. Festival goers can look forward to performances, exhibits, presentations, workshops, and open studios. Visit the Facebook page for more information on specific events, dates, and times.

Photo by Katherine Weber

Willy Porter Band Live at the Pump House – The Pump House Regional Arts Center presents the Willy Porter Band live on Friday, February 24 at 7:30 pm. With over two decades and 11 albums, guitarist, singer and songwriter Willy Porter is known for guitar-driven and soulful live performances that range from folk and bluesy Americana to alt and progressive rock. The doors open at 7:00 pm, and tickets can be purchased online.

Pearl Street Brewery BEER SHOP Tap Takeover – Make your way to the Beer Shop in Sparta for a special Beer Shop Tap Takeover with Pearl Street Brewery on Saturday, February 25. The event will feature specials from the 24th Annual Winter Ball, plus Dub’s Sausage will be onsite offering tasty food for purchase throughout the day. The event starts at 2:00 pm and runs until 6:00 pm.

Cappella Performing Arts Center Recital: Katherine Weber & Anna Betka – Stop by the Cappella Performing Arts Center on Friday, February 24 to see the musical duo Katherine+Anna. Consisting of soprano Katherine Weber and pianist Anna Betka, the pair performs works by women composers paired with pieces on the fringe of standard repertoire. The recital starts at 7:30 pm and tickets can be purchased online.

Photo by Tim Eddy

On the Road (2/17 – 2/23)

3 Rivers Songwriters Summit – Saxon Hall, Barista’s Coffee House and Broken Wrist Records present 3 Rivers Songwriters Summit, a free community concert at Saxon Hall. The concert will feature Johnsmith, Mary Cortesi, Guess Pre, Andy Hughes and Tim Eddy for an incredible night of live music. Free to the public, the show starts at 6:00 pm on Saturday, February 18.

The Picks: Big Turn Music Festival, Pearl Street Brewery’s 24th Annual Masquerade Winter Ball & More Event Picks!