Manitowoc’s out of this world celebration of Sputnikfest is scheduled for Saturday, September 9th.
Greg Vadney, Executive Director of the Rahr West Art Museum, tells Seehafer News that the city’s unlikely entry into space history came courtesy of a large piece of a Russian satellite.
“If you’re going by the mansion on the hill, you’re driving over the spot right dead center on North 8th Street where in 1962 the Sputnik 4 spacecraft crash landed,” he explained. “I always tell the Maritime Museum you know with NOAA having the marine sanctuary and all the shipwrecks, we got the most famous shipwreck. It’s right on the street, a spaceship wreck.”
Vadney goes on to explain, “When you’re at Sputnikfest you can see some photos of the people digging it up out of the street, the two police officers who found it and then when they were doing the analysis with the museum right there.”
Sputnikfest kicks off at noon outside the Rahr West at North 8th and Park Streets with its 3rd annual Art Walk and Run that takes participants down to the lakefront to the Badger sculpture and, as Vadney notes “you finish up right over the site. Our friends at the Masquers will have people dressed up as the two officers who found Sputnik. They’ll be right there welcoming people.”
The full list of activities can be seen by going to rahrwestartmuseum.org and clicking on the Sputnikfest page.
Community First Credit Union is the title sponsor and seehafernews.com is a major sponsor.
Vadney said proceeds from Sputnikfest go to Rahr West Art Museum’s educational programming.
