Harry Whitehorse International Wood Carving Festival

Come to Monona in June for the Harry Whitehorse International Wood Carving Festival – an incredible international event featuring artists from Turkey, France, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, the Yukon Territory, Switzerland, Peru, Ukraine and the Diné Nation.

Watch the incredible process as artists transform huge trees collected by Monona Parks & Recreation and local tree companies into handsome works of art under the shade of hand-built wigwams.

This week-long festival will also feature Ho-Chunk Color Guard, Thundercloud Singers and Wisconsin Dells Dancers in the opening ceremony, a customary Peruvian-style Pachamanca dinner buried and cooked underground with Mundo Esperanza, Chicago blues musicians Cash Box Kings, a day of local musicians with Make Music Monona with the Monona East Side Business Alliance, demonstrations by Ho-Chunk artists and craftsmen, and many other events throughout the week.

This event was conceived by Gene Delcourt and passionately created by a group of dedicated volunteers. The festival is held in honor of Ho-Chunk artist Harry Whitehorse, Gene’s mentor and world-renowned sculptor and painter Monona.

This is the first ever international invitational festival dedicated to indigenous peoples. It brings global culture to our neighborhood and creates connections with the community, indigenous and international artists in a way that has never been done before.

The festival will take place in San Damiano Monona, where guests will be able to admire the natural beauty of the site’s tiny tree arboretum, the diversity of native and migratory fauna, and the natural spring, all on the shores of Lake Monona. San Damiano is also culturally significant, with a luxurious history and close ties to the Ho-Chunk Nation.

Mark the date June 14-22 on your calendar. This is an event you cannot miss!