Rock County’s first Navy Week filled with fun activities

May 24 – 31 will be the area’s very first “Navy Week” celebration. Navy Week activities will help to kick off the 2009 Southern Wisconsin AirFEST, which will be held May 29 – 31 at Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport. Navy week activities will include memorial services, special appearances and performances by the Navy Concert Band, the Navy Rock Band Horizon, the Navy Parachute Team, Leap Frogs, and the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron at AirFEST.

Navy Week activities will include Chief of Navy Reserve, Vice Admiral Dirk J. Debbink, speaking at area civic groups and schools as well as making appearances at community events. He will offer comments at a service recognizing the “Janesville 99” at 7:00 pm on Sunday, May 24^th at the Monuments, on the corner of West Milwaukee and Franklin Streets. 

The Navy Concert Band will hold a free public concert at Janesville Performing Arts Center (JPAC) on May 26th at 7:00 pm. Admission to the JPAC performance is free, but tickets are required. The tickets are available at JPAC and the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (JACVB).  The JACVB is sponsoring this event.

The Navy Parachute Team, the Leap Frogs, will perform at local schools and other venues including the Southern Wisconsin AirFEST. The Leap Frogs are comprised of Navy SEALs, Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen or other naval special operations or naval special warfare team members. Throughout the week, area youths will be participating in the Rock County Area SEAL Fitness Challenge. Finalists will compete in the Southern Wisconsin AirFEST on May 30^th.

Topping off the week will be the Blue Angels’ performances at the Southern Wisconsin AirFEST. "The

Blues" are widely regarded as the world's premier flight demonstration performance team, and are making their first return trip to the area since their 2005 performance.

Navy Week Memorial Day Parade and Activities at Traxler Park

The Janesville Memorial Day Parade will begin at 11:30 am on Monday, May 25^th in downtown Janesville. The parade will include the 40-piece Navy Parade Band, the 65 member Navy Recruit Training Command 50 State Flag and Drill Team, a Navy Desert Patrol Vehicle and the Navy Sea Cadet Color Guard. The parade will conclude at Traxler Park with a memorial ceremony.

The Navy SEAL challenge will begin at 1:00 pm. At 2:00 pm the Navy Rock Band Horizon will perform. Horizon plays musical standards ranging from classic rock, to funk, to contemporary top 40 hits with a touch of showmanship that will leave people pleasantly surprised that the band is comprised of uniformed active-duty Navy Sailors. From 1:00 – 5:00 pm attendees can feel firsthand what it’s like to be an aviator by taking a ride in a flight simulator. All Memorial Day activities at the park are free of charge and open to the public.

Navy Weeks serve to bring a concentration of Navy assets and personnel to Middle America where there is not a significant Navy presence, allowing community members the opportunity to see and experience "their" Navy. Navy Weeks are coordinated through the Navy Office of Community Outreach (NAVCO), and Rock County is one of the 21 locations selected to host a Navy Week this year. For more information about Navy Week visit http://www.navyweek.org/rockcounty/index.html.

The JACVB is a private non-profit Destination Marketing Organization, whose mission is “to lead, support and promote tourism in the area by promoting Janesville as a prime destination for meetings and conventions, motorcoach and leisure travelers, thereby creating a positive economic impact on the community and enhancing the quality of life.” The JACVB is funded by local hotel room tax and receives 37.5% of the room tax collected by the City of Janesville with the remainder going into the city’s general fund. 

Rock County, Beloit and Janesville star Television show airing May 16

The bright lights are on Rock County, as the area stars in an upcoming episode of Discover Wisconsin Television. The show, titled “Welcome to Wisconsin – Rock County, Beloit and Janesville,” is set for broadcast May 16 and 17 in seven states throughout the Midwest.

The portion of the program dedicated to Janesville will highlight the city known as “Wisconsin’s Park Place.” It includes Traxler Park, the award-winning Rock Aqua Jays, Janesville Performing Arts Center, Beloit Janesville Symphony Orchestra, Janesville River Walk, Glen Erin Golf Club, Lincoln-Tallman House, Columbus Circle Area & Historic Walking Tours, Armory Dinner Theatre, the Music and Arts Festival, Southern Wisconsin’s AirFEST, Rotary Botanical Gardens, and the Ice Age Trail. Also highlighted in the 20-minute video are the Equestrian trails, hiking and viewing opportunities within the Rock County area.

The show was a joint project between Visit Beloit, the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Rock County Tourism Council. Discover Wisconsin Television is the longest-running tourism program in the country, and has won numerous awards for broadcast excellence.

Christine Rebout, Executive Director of the Janesville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, saw a preview of the Rock County episode. “I think the video does a terrific job showcasing the unique attractions and events we offer. People unfamiliar with our county will be surprised by what we have, and enticed to come and check it out for themselves.”

The Rock County episode was written by Jim Dick of Madison. Prior to joining Discover Wisconsin, Dick worked for The Today Show in New York City for 11 years. The program is hosted by Stephanie Klett of Beloit. Klett has been host of the Discover Wisconsin Radio and Television Series for 16 years, and is Managing Director of the Discover Wisconsin Media Network. “It’s great to showcase the best in your home county,” Klett said. “I think our viewers are really going to like this show.”

Throughout the television broadcast, viewers will be encouraged to visit www.discoverwisconsin.com to get more information on Rock County and to link to the event or attraction of interest. The show will be broadcast three times over the next two years, and is part of a complete marketing campaign, featuring representation at the state’s largest trade shows, five radio spots, several newscasts, and web presence.

Locally the show will air Saturday, May 16 at 10:00 a.m. on Fox/Comcast Sports Net, and at 6:30 p.m. on WKOW TV-27 Madison (ABC) and WIFR TV 23 Rockford. (CBS.)

The JACVB is a private non-profit Destination Marketing Organization, whose mission is “to lead, support and promote tourism in the area by promoting Janesville as a prime destination for meetings and conventions, motorcoach and leisure travelers, thereby creating a positive economic impact on the community and enhancing the quality of life.” The JACVB is funded by local hotel room tax and receives 37.5% of the room tax collected by the City of Janesville with the remainder going into the city’s general fund.