Founded in 1969, the Mount Horeb Summer Frolic is a community festival that raises money for nine community service organizations, with the remaining profits issued in grants for local park, recreation and other worthy projects. Over the years, dollars raised at the Frolic have gone toward the Aquatic Center expansion, Summer Frolic Sunrise Park, the free Wednesday Night Live community concert series, new park playground equipment, and efforts of the American Legion, Mount Horeb Area Historical Society and other local organizations. Organized completely by a committee of volunteers representing local service organizations, the Summer Frolic is dedicated to making the Mount Horeb area a great place to live and raise a family.
Nine local service organizations and clubs provide volunteers for all Summer Frolic activities, and two representatives from each organization serve on the board of directors. These nine groups are: MHB Gridiron Club; Mount Horeb American Legion; Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce; Mount Horeb Baseball Club; Mount Horeb Lions Club; Mount Horeb Optimists; Mount Horeb Soccer Club; Rotary Club of Mount Horeb; and Knights of Columbus Council #10559.
The Frolic features games, rides, food, live music, a beer tent, bingo, volleyball and softball tournaments, a run/walk, a parade and more. The 2025 festival will be June 12-15 at Grundahl Park.
What We Fund
Over the past 30 years, the Summer Frolic has generated nearly $1.5 million in net income, and many community organizations and projects have received grants over the years. Forty percent of festival profits are returned in equal shares to the nine member organizations represented on the board; 60 percent of the profits are retained by the Summer Frolic, which issues annual grants for efforts that improve the quality of life in our community.
Notable projects include $235,000 to Mount Horeb Summer Frolic Sunrise Park; $100,000 to the Aquatic Center; $125,000 to the Mount Horeb High School Dream Gym, the Mount Horeb Public Library and the Welcome Center; and $125,000 to Liberty, Waltz and Grundahl parks, and the Military Ridge State Trail shelters. Other funding recipients include the Stewart County Park handicapped-accessible fishing pier, the Driftless Historium, the Community Garden, the Fire Department of Mount Horeb, the Mount Horeb High School weight room, the Wednesday Night Live summer concert series, and the village welcome sign project. In the past few years, the Summer Frolic has focused its grants on the Mount Horeb Parks Department, the Mount Horeb Recreation Department, MOHOP (Mount Horeb Pickeball) and Wednesday Night Live.
The Frolic is currently investing in improvements to Grundahl Park, including new playground equipment and a potential new concessions stand and storage building next to the ball field.