Enlarge

Prairie du Chien, WI – The Wisconsin Historical Society is excited to announce that the 41^st Annual Villa Louis Carriage Classic will take place on Friday, September 9, through Sunday, September 11, 2022. The weekend event highlights Villa Louis’ history as an Artesian Stock Farm, once home to one of the Midwest’s finest racehorse farms, and is the region’s most elegant and lavishly appointed equine sport driving event. The 41^st Annual Carriage Classic will feature some of the Midwest’s top horses and more than 100 new and restored carriages competing in a variety of arena and cross-county events.

“Carriage Classic has been an annual tradition for more than four decades and we are thrilled to welcome visitors back for another exciting weekend the whole family will enjoy,” said Susan Caya-Slusser, Southwest Sites Regional Director for the Wisconsin Historical Society. “The event is fun for all ages and brings the site’s equine history into focus.”

The event will take place rain or shine and a food tent provided by the Villa Louis Inc. hospitality teamwill have breakfast and lunch offerings available for purchase each day of the event. Single day general admission tickets as well as weekend passes are available for purchase online and on site. A tour of the mansion is included in the cost. Time View will be offering carriage rides on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. for an additional fee. Tickets for carriage rides are available at the Villa Louis gift shop.

About Villa Louis

A National Historic Landmark, Villa Louis mansion is the centerpiece of a grand Victorian estate built by the family of Hercules Dousman, a frontier entrepreneur who amassed a fortune in the fur trade and other frontier investments. The mansion underwent a top-to-bottom restoration to return the Dousman home to the splendor of its 1890s heyday, with interior designs inspired by famed designer William Morris. Visit villalouis.wisconsinhistory.org for more information or call 608-264-4848.

About the Wisconsin Historical Society

The Wisconsin Historical Society, founded in 1846, ranks as one of the largest, most active and most diversified state historical societies in the nation. As both a state agency and a private membership organization, its mission is to help people connect to the past by collecting, preserving and sharing stories. The Wisconsin Historical Society serves millions of people every year through a wide range of sites, programs and services. For more information, visit www.wisconsinhistory.org.