This Saturday marks Wausau’s third year participating in the annual Downtown Open House, a statewide event showcasing socially, historically, and architecturally significant buildings in and around downtown Wausau. This Saturday marks Wausau’s third year participating in the annual Downtown Open House, a statewide event showcasing socially, historically, and architecturally significant buildings in and around downtown Wausau.

Downtown Open House has nearly doubled in size since its beginning in 2016. Wausau hosts 13 of those sites, with various tours and activities including:

•Andrew Warren Historic District, self-guided tours starting from the Marathon County Historical Society•Center for Visual Arts, tour provided by Friends of Wausau Historic Landmarks

•Downtown Grocery, self-guided tour of the re-built building after the fire•First Universalist Unitarian Church, talks about the building’s history•Marathon County Historical Society, displays related to the 150th anniversary of the fair with History Speaks talk on that topic at 2 p.m. and the garden club is hosting their plant sale in the Carriage House in the morning

•St. John’s Episcopal Church, tours

•St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, tours

•St. Stephen’s Church, tours

•Stewart Inn, tours

•Wausau Center Mall, exhibit on the Mall’s opening day in 1983 and tour provided by Wausau Paranormal Research Society

•Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, tour provided by Wausau Paranormal Research Society

•Yawkey House Museum, tours available for purchase

•YWCA, tours provided by Friends of Wausau Historic Landmarks

Friends of Wausau Historic Landmarks, Wausau Paranormal Research Society and Marathon County Historical Society are key partners in putting the event together and providing some of the tours. Maps of all locations can be picked up at the Marathon County Historical Society.

The event is designed to be a family-friendly event, suitable for all ages. It also coincides both with National History Month and Wisconsin’s Creative Economy Week, highlighting the diverse historic and creative heritage in the state.

Whether visitors are looking to explore new parts of their own community or discover something new, this event offers something for everyone. An interactive map of participating communities, sites and events can be found at https://wedc.org/openhouse/, and the list of participating local sites and activates can be found at our Downtown Open House Facebook Event Page (https://www.facebook.com/events/576318362748675)and on Wausau River District’s website: http://www.wausauriverdistrict.org/downtown-open-house.