Events · A one-time 250th anniversary afternoon
Special Event
Fun Afternoon in Freistadt
An afternoon of old-fashioned games and contests — beards, pie baking, Hammerschlagen, a scavenger hunt, and a 50-50 raffle — with every historic building open to tour.
For America’s 250th anniversary, the society is throwing an afternoon of old-fashioned games and contests on the historic grounds — the kind of contests a Freistadt farm family would have recognized, played by neighbors who mostly haven’t tried them since childhood. Grown-ups do most of the competing, children are welcome, and a few contests are theirs alone. Every historical building is open to tour and enjoy all afternoon.
The afternoon, hour by hour
- Ongoing — Hammerschlagen. One nail, one block of wood, one swing at a time.
- 12:15 — Mom calling contest, for kids ages 4 to 14. The loudest, most convincing call home wins.
- 12:30 — Beard contests: best looking, longest, and scruffiest. The judging is friendly but serious.
- 12:30 — Pie contest entries due. Enter any homemade pie.
- 1:00 — Scavenger hunt, turning the historic grounds into the hunting ground.
- 1:45 — Rolling pin throw, for distance and for the story afterward. Pie baking awards follow the throw.
- 2:30 — 50-50 raffle drawing.
Tickets, food, and prizes
The games on the grounds are free. Tickets are required to enter the contests, and all proceeds go toward the new Exhibition Barn fund. Prizes are donated by the Freistadt community.
Hamburgers and hot dogs are for sale on the grounds, so plan to stay for the afternoon.
While you’re here
The historic buildings are open to wander, the same as on any event day — the log cabin, the school, the blacksmith shop, and the rest of the village. It’s a good chance to see the site at an easy pace between games.