The Village of Pleasant Prairie invites the community to participate in the historic Twelfth Night event that began in 1980, continued through 1993, and resumed in 2020. The ceremony will be held on January 6, 2023, with the traditional holiday tree burning bonfire. Area communities are welcome to attend to help celebrate the Twelfth Night tradition.
“I’m incredibly honored and excited to announce the return of the Twelfth Night Tree Burning Ceremony,” said Interim Village Administrator Kathy Goessl. “Be sure to mark your calendars for this fantastic event and come out to enjoy a tradition that dates back to the 1980s, by celebrating the customary Twelfth Night tradition in a way that is unique to Pleasant Prairie.”
The 2023 Twelfth Night ceremony will take place on Friday, January 6, starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Donald Wruck (Beach) Pavilion, located along Park Drive on the west side of Lake Andrea in Pleasant Prairie. The Pleasant Prairie Convention and Visitors Bureau (PPCVB), Pleasant Prairie Historical Society, and Village of Pleasant Prairie are hosting the event. To name just some of the highlights, guests can enjoy hot chocolate, s’mores, fire pits, cookies, holiday caroling, and a large holiday tree bonfire. Pleasant Prairie Fire & Rescue and Police staff will be at the event with fire truck and police squad tours available.
The Village utilizes the historic Twelfth Night ceremony to dispose of dried holiday trees. If you would like to contribute your holiday tree to the event, the preferred drop-off location is inside the fenced-in area along Park Drive, near the beach, on Lake Andrea’s west side. The holiday tree drop-off site opens for Village residents starting Sunday, December 25.
Public safety at the event is a top priority. The bonfire area will be at least 100 square feet and is subject to the Fire Chief and onsite Public Safety Personnel’s judgment. Community members are encouraged to follow COVID-19 recommendations. Parking along Park Drive will be reserved for Fire & Rescue to keep safety trucks and equipment closest to the fire. Guests may park in lots on either side of the Wruck Pavilion.
The Twelfth Night Celebration is free and open to the public. The Village, Historical Society, and PPCVB look forward to seeing guests attend the event. Festivities will kick off at 5:30 p.m. with a welcome from PPCVB Interim Executive Director Sarah Howard. The holiday tree bonfire will start at 6:15 p.m., followed by hot chocolate outside the Wruck Pavilion. Donations for the Twelfth Night are welcome to support the Historical Society’s efforts to restore a 1935 Peter Pirsch Model 21 Fire Engine, the first fire engine the Fire Department purchased when formed in 1935.