On September 5, 1962, a piece of the Soviet spacecraft Sputnik crash-landed in Manitowoc, Wisconsin - right on 8th Street in front of a mansion that's now the Rahr-West Art Museum, on the north edge of the city's downtown. Two policemen closed the street and stood in front of it, creating an iconic photo for the local paper. Once it cooled, it was taken, examined, and eventually returned to the Russians. Its legacy lives on in Manitowoc with Sputnikfest, an annual celebration of space, spacecraft, and other out-of-this-world. It happens this Friday night and Saturday in Manitowoc.
Sputnikfest describes itself as both "out of this world!" and "wacky tacky." You can stand on the very spot that 20-pound piece of Sputnik landed, meet with space fans, scientists and engineers, party with the locals, and even possibly win the Ms. Space Debris Contest... and this year, one of the hosts is Charlie Berens, da "Manitowoc Minute" guy himself! Check out the details on 5 Reasons Why You Should Go To Sputnikfest from my road trip website StateTrunkTour.com.
And have a great Wisconsin Weekend!