Hayward Musky Fest Returns for 75th Year

HAYWARD, Wis. — The Musky Fest returned to Hayward, Wisconsin this past weekend, for its 75th year.

The festival was started 75 years ago as a way to celebrate the town of Hayward’s fishing history, which includes the world record musky that inspired the name of the event.

The multi-day festival draws in people from across the region.

“I mean, we have visitors that come into town just for the festival. I’ve talked to people from Superior Ashland, Rice Lake this morning, also people from Illinois,” Cathy Helm, with Tremblay’s Sweet Shop said.

There’s fun for all ages, from watermelon eating contests, live music and of course a line of vendors that fill up Main Street, the fest also draws in customers for local businesses.

“What musky festival means for us is the kickoff to a great summer. It just gets our visitors coming into town and coming into the store and with all the vendors and businesses downtown, we appreciate everybody’s business,” Helm said.

At Tremblay’s Sweet Shop, many customers stop by during the fest every year, making it an annual tradition to grab some sweet treats.

“We love seeing our repeat customers, and they’re really, really nice about referring new people. So we do get a handful of new people, but most people are return customers, ” Helm said.

It wouldn’t be a Musky Fest without fishing, as there was a fishing contest and a learn to fish event for kids, co-hosted by an organization that honors the memory of local angler Terry Peterson.

“He had been nominated to the fishing Hall of Fame here in the Hayward area, in my dad’s honor, because he was a fishing guide for 40 something years, we decided to start the Terry Peterson fishing foundation for water and fishing conservation in the local Hayward area and surrounding,” Heidi Peterson-Donovan, President of Terry Peterson Foundation Board said.

The learn to fish event was even held at a pond that the foundation helped restore.

“It warms my heart, and it would just make my dad so satisfied and so happy, just to keep kids encouraged, wanting to fish, and it also gets them outside too,” Peterson-Donovan said.