2026 SPECIAL EVENTS

For the latest news on museum events, check out Castlerock Museum on Facebook!

Upcoming Major Events:

Fire in the Shire
Saturday, June 6th from 10am - 4pm

Castlerock Museum’s annual Fire in the Shire event, a citywide celebration of all things medieval. A full schedule of events will be available as the event gets closer.

The highlight of the day will be the various demonstrations taking place on the street in front of the museum. Kazimir the Hungry will be breathing fire and swallowing swords and the Wisconsin Historical Fencing Association will be doing fighting demonstrations. One Eye Dave’s Hotdogs will provide concessions.

Admission wristbands are $8 for adults and $5 for students. Visitors in ancient, medieval, or renaissance era dress get $2 off and children four and under are free.

Visitors interested in searching for the fabled “Holy Grail” in the shops of the shire can enter a drawing to win the treasured artifact along with $100 Alma Dollars. Check out the museum’s Facebook page for the latest event info.

Lectures & Programs:
Most lectures and programs are held in the museum's theater area. Seating is limited. Contact the museum at 608-685-4231 or info@castlerockmuseum.com for reservations. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for students, unless otherwise noted. Museum members receive discounts on most events.


Meet the Vikings
Saturday, April 11th from 10am-4pm
Join us for a daylong celebration of all things “Viking.” Reenactors will be on hand to answer questions about Viking history, culture, technology, clothing, and weapons. There will be programs in the museum theater on Greenland in the Viking Age at 11am, Viking Clothing at 1pm, and Viking Weapons, Armor, and Tactics at 2pm. The latter will be followed by a shield wall demonstration, weather permitting. Ongoing demonstrations include flax weaving and woodworking. Visitors can also see several actual Viking era artifacts on display including a spangenhelm, chieftain’s sword, and Danish axe.

Medicine in Western Wisconsin during the Frontier Days
Saturday, May 16th at 2pm
Join Sara Thielen for a look at Frontier Medicine in Western Wisconsin. The frontier days were dangerous times. Injuries from hunting and farming happened without cell phones to call for an ambulance. Without a pharmacy, there was no way to purchase medicine to bring down a child’s fever or soothe a cough. Doctors were in very short supply, if they existed at all in the area. So, what did the people who lived in the communities along the Mississippi River and the surrounding rural communities do when their lives were in danger?

Sara Thielen is the Public Health nurse with Buffalo County Public Health. In her spare time, she reads and studies history. She has combined her love of nursing, history, and Western Wisconsin in this presentation. She will explore the different diseases and common medical treatments of the past. It might not be a surprise that it wasn’t much different than today. Seating is limited and reservations can be made by contacting the museum.

Dungeons & Dragons Game Night
Saturday, July 17th at 6pm
Join museum volunteers for a special Dungeons & Dragons game night at the castle. Luke Kramer will give a short talk on the game. Afterwards, visitors will have the opportunity to play a short one-shot adventure.

From Forest to Furniture
Saturday, September 26th and 27th from 10am-4pm
Join several area wood workersas they demonstrate woodworking techniques used since the days when woodworkers walked into the woods for their material and began the work on the forest floor. Spectators will be able to visit with the woodworkers as the chips fly.

The Medieval Origins of Halloween Monsterse
Saturday, October 24th at 2pm
Join museum volunteer Luke Kramer as he explores the Medieval origins of classic Halloween monsters including vampires, werewolves, witches, and more.