MURALS IN THE MAKING. Community stakeholders and residents alike attended a "Murals in Menomonie" sneak peek event on June 18 in downtown Menomonie, to view progress visuals that will be created during the Menomonie Open Walldogs Festival. (Submitted photo)

A year has gone by since community organizers in the city of Menomonie announced their collaborative efforts to bring large-scale visual art to the city’s urban landscapes.

This public art project, “Murals in Menomonie,” will serve as a “transformative initiative,” Becca Schoenborn, the executive director of Downtown Menomonie said. The effort will bring local artisans, residents of the city, and visitors together to embrace community pride, local creativity, and mental well-being.

“Public art has no socioeconomic barriers and can be experienced by anyone,” Schoenborn said. “Art promotes joy, reduces stress, and creates spaces for reflection and connection.”

The project, which will result in 15 murals, will benefit the larger Menomonie Open Walldogs Festival, slated for June 24-28 of 2026. The festival will feature over 200 Walldogs artists — both regional artists and those from around the world — who will collaborate to bring the history of Menomonie and its surrounding communities to life through art.

Some community members, however, might be wondering: what exactly is a Walldog? Wade Lambrigtsen, the standing mural coordinator for Murals In Menomonie and Vintage Sign Shop owner, said the Walldogs are an international organization where sign painters, illustrators, muralists, artists from around the world get together annually in a small town to paint 15 murals over the course of four to five days.

"The community loved the more unique stories that shaped our history, such as the runaway circus elephant and the human fly who scaled The Marion," -Becca Schoenborn, executive director of Downtown Menomonie

Artist Alicia Rheal, alongside Vintage Sign Shop owner and artist Wade Lambrigtsen, working on a "mini mural" to showcase a glimpse of what Walldogs muralists will bring to Menomonie in 2026. (Photo via Facebook)

They totally transform the town with their artwork,” Lambrigsten shared in a promotional video online.

Over two decades ago, in 2002, the Walldogs made their mark on the Chippewa Valley with a community installation in Chippewa Falls. Their collaborative work brought several notable murals to the city, among them the Linenkugel's mural on Bridge Street.

Since the Menomonie project’s launch in summer of 2024, community organizers and artisans — including Downtown Menomonie — have followed a general timeline to solidify both the fundraising efforts and art-to-be-displayed across the city.

Mural locations and themes were determined in the fall and winter of 2024, with ongoing fundraising campaigns continuing through this year. Downtown Menomonie, Explore Menomonie, the City of Menomonie, the Community Foundation of Dunn County, Dunn County Historical Society, University of Wisconsin-Stout, and Vintage Sign Shop remain pillar organizers to the project.

“This is the first time all of our organizations have pooled our resources to host a large-scale event,” Schoenborn said. “Each individual committee member brings value and experience necessary for the festival to be a success.”

The Community Foundation of Dunn County acts as the current organizer to accept donations; as of July 16, the project has reached 30% of its contributions goal – pushing toward their initial target to raise $200,000 by March 2026.

"This painting mimics a cigar box design from the Anderson Brothers Cigar Company who produced cigars on Main Street starting in the late 19th century," Lambrigsten shared on Facebook.

To bolster fundraising efforts and invite community members to experience the Walldogs' progress updates, Murals In Menomonie hosted a sneak peek event on June 18 in the Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts (205 Main St. E, Menomonie).

During the event, guests had the chance to view one of the murals designs up close, learn more about the project, and vote for their favorite historical nods to include in other mural designs.

Attendees could vote on several historically significant options for murals, including the Anderson Cigar Factory of Menomonie, the Kraft State Bank Robbery of 1931, and a Hmong Story Cloth.

“The community loved the more unique stories that shaped our history, such as the runaway circus elephant and the human fly who scaled The Marion,” Schoenborn said. “They were equally as excited about showcasing the Indigenous and Hmong histories of our region.”

Attendees of the sneak peak event could submit their votes to individualized ballot boxes, pictured above, for historical events they would like to see depicted in the Murals in Menomonie installations. (Submitted photo)

The Community Foundation of Dunn County acts as the current organizer to accept donations; as of July 16, the project has reached 30% of its contributions goal — pushing toward their initial target to raise $200,000 by March 2026.

The Murals in Menomonie project still aims to raise $300,000 from local stakeholders, sponsors, friends and family, and more. Raised funds will support Downtown Menomonie’s priority goals to plan the Menomonie Open Walldogs Festival for 2026, provide accommodations for the traveling artists, and plan additional events throughout the five-days artists are in town, she noted.

Following the festival, Downtown Menomonie has its eyes set to integrate both walking and driving tours across town, to showcase the murals in their completion and encourage new visitors to explore the city’s history and increase foot traffic at the various locations where murals will be displayed.

While there continue to be learning curves in planning a new event — with multiple Menomonie stakeholders involved — Schoenborn believes this year’s planning and community engagement prove that the city can accomplish much more together than they could as individuals.

“This event wouldn’t be possible without each and every organization involved,” Schoenborn said. “We have a passionate group of community leaders involved who have been flexible, creative, and collaborative throughout the planning process.”

To donate toward the Murals in Menomonie project, visit the Community Foundation of Dunn County webpage online (cfdunncounty.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/list). Announcements on future events, community involvement and volunteer opportunities will be shared online on the Murals in Menomonie Facebook page.