More than one million Wisconsin State Fair visitors will be greeted by a Department of Natural Resources showcase celebrating the state park system’s 125th birthday during the fair’s run July 31-August 10. For campground and RV-park operators, the massive crowd offers a front-row view of how public-sector marketing can spark private-sector business.
The year-long anniversary campaign puts Wisconsin’s 50-plus state parks—and the more than 6 million acres of public land available for recreation—squarely on travelers’ radar, giving outdoor-hospitality businesses a timely hook for cross-promotion and itinerary building.
The DNR exhibit will sit in the north building at Exploratory Park, a quieter green space on the fairgrounds’ south side of Main Street opposite the Original Cream Puff Pavilion, according to the agency’s announcement.
Staff will demonstrate trip-planning apps, answer recreation questions and sell commemorative merchandise that funds future park upgrades.
Fairgoers can also study muskellunge, walleye and lake sturgeon in live tanks that spotlight Wisconsin fisheries work. “Wisconsin is known for its incredible natural resources, wildlife and endless opportunities for outdoor recreation,” DNR Secretary Karen Hyun said.
For operators watching from afar, those merchandising and wildlife displays offer ready-made ideas: branded apparel doubles as a revenue stream and conversation starter, and low-maintenance aquariums or touch tables can keep kids engaged long enough for parents to consider an extended stay.
Exploratory Park itself supplies more cues. The quiet enclave features a sandbox, oversized chess board, hopscotch lanes, bag toss and a tree-lined playground, the fair’s website notes.
New this year, Tom’s Trail provides shaded benches amid rustic artwork, while Birdhouse Boulevard lines the main path with one-of-a-kind avian sculptures.
Operators can replicate that hands-on vibe by adding portable discovery zones, inviting master gardeners for short clinics, posting QR-code nature trails or rolling out giant yard games.
A modest wellness nook—benches, subtle lighting and recorded nature sounds—can convert a back corner of any property into a high-value respite area. Rotating displays from local artisans keep returning guests curious.
The fair’s seven-figure foot traffic also opens low-cost co-marketing doors.
Simple tactics include co-branded rack cards handed out at the DNR booth, bundling a state-park pass into select campsite or cabin rates, publishing two- and three-day itineraries that start and end on-site, and scheduling shuttles or discounted bike rentals to the nearest trailhead. Staff fluent in DNR mapping tools project insider credibility.
“Fairgoers are invited to stop by during the fair to learn about Wisconsin’s fabulous state park system and other outdoor offerings for all to enjoy,” Hyun said. The secretary, confirmed in 2024, has made outreach and equitable access signature priorities.
With the Wisconsin State Fair set for July 31–Aug. 10, campground owners still have time to weave the quasquicentennial into their late-summer calendar. Public-private partnerships built around the milestone promise bigger guest lists, longer stays and healthier bottom lines across Wisconsin’s outdoor-hospitality sector.