Photos: Cranberry Fest

Attendees sip and stroll with tasting flights from the cranberry beer and wine garden.

Children and adults alike admire the whimsical fish made out of coconuts at the Coconut Fish Camp booth.

Cranberry Fest relies on volunteers each year. Here, Northland Pines High School student Otto Bramstadt fulfills community service hours by helping fill bags of fresh cranberries and craisins for sale.

The endless array of cranberry-filled baked goods kept mouths watering.

A large vat of meat for gyros and chicken pitas fed hungry fest-goers, courtesy of the Northland Pines High School boys and girls soccer teams.

DOWNTOWN DELIGHTS — While the main Cranberry Fest took place at the Vilas County Fairgrounds, downtown Eagle River got in on the fun Saturday as several vendors lined Wall Street offering everything from food and crafts to clothing — and, of course, cranberries. Here, two brave souls taste-test hot sauce from Chef Heatley’s Hot Pepper Farm.

Nearby at First Congregational United Church, the Lake Country Weavers and Fiber Artists hosted an exhibit and sale featuring live demonstrations of spinning wool roving into yarn, knitting, and crocheting.

Early October felt like July as attendees strolled in shorts, skirts, and shades.

HARVEST TIME — Lake Nokomis Cranberries Inc., located on Highway D near Sugar Camp, hosted informative tours throughout late last week and over the weekend to teach visitors about Wisconsin's number one fruit crop, the cranberry. Here, the little red berries are floated and wrangled by staff to be picked up by the harvest machine.

ON THE VINE – One of the popular attractions during the heavily-attended Cranberry Fest event in Eagle River is the cranberry marsh tours where visitors can learn about how these little red berries are grown and harvested. Many people think cranberries grow in water which is incorrect — they are grown on dry land on vines that can produce for up to 100 years. Once they mature in the fall, the berry beds are then flooded with water to gently remove the berry from the vine and transported to warehouses to be cleaned and readied for sale. Here, Lake Nokomis Owner Dave Zawistowski answers questions about the cranberry harvest during one of the marsh tours offered last week. While Zawistoski has been in the cranberry business for 50 years, he is starting to step back from the family operation. His son, Mike, is taking a larger role in operating the three marshes in the North Woods.

Sue McPartlin, left, has been leading cranberry marsh tours for the Eagle River Chamber of Commerce for 17 years. She is seen here displaying what the cranberry vines look like to a tour participant.

Guests on the cranberry marsh tours were able to sample cranberry-flavored wines and cocktails on the grounds at Lake Nokomis, including this brandy old-fashioned cocktail.

NO SMALL TASK — Leading the nation in cranberry production is no small task, as any of the 240 growers in the state can attest. Here, crews at Lake Nokomis Cranberries, Inc. by Sugar Camp are mid-harvest in the season that peaks in October.

OVERVIEW — Cars lined the grounds by 10:45 Saturday morning when this drone shot of Cranberry Fest at the Vilas County fairgrounds was taken. The fall festival draws thousands of people to the Eagle River area each year. —Photo By JC Media (715-617-2230)