Exploring Rhinelander: Food, Events, Nature and the Historical Hodag

Ana, Eric, and Josh head to Rhinelander in this Bonus episode where we welcome Lauren Sackett intoour mobile Cabin – which set up in her offices at the Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce – to talk aboutwhat Eric calls the “James Brown of the Northwoods – the hardest-working town up here.” Rhinelanderdoes have quite a history of manufacturing prowess that has gone with the city’s lumber processinghistory, a nod to its location along the Wisconsin River. Murals salute this history, and you canincreasingly find such references in the downtown area. One of the main topics is Rhinelander’slegendary Hodag, which celebrates 130 years in existence in 2023. The legend has received nationalattention since its inception, getting mentions on Scooby Doo episodes and a shout-out in one of J.K.Rowling’s books. The Hodag still looms large, having just been named the best high school mascot in thecountry. We discuss how the Hodag has changed over years, the small statues of hodags around town(and by the way, you can pose with the World’s Largest Hodag statue at the Rhinelander Chamber), andhow you can go around and visit the hodag statues and win prizes. There’s a large and relatively uniquecountry fest every July in Rhinelander called the Hodag Country Festival; we discuss that and the firstHodag Heritage Festival that just took place in May. We also cover other places to visit in Rhinelander,from historic locales to emerging restaurants and shops that showcase the increasing diversity in cuisineand recreation options in town. It’s all capped off under the beautiful green dome atop the OneidaCounty Courthouse. Check out all the details in this fun Bonus episode! Find out more about Rhinelander’s Hodag Country and its many sights to see and enjoy here:Instagram: @explorerhinelanderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhinelanderWisconsin/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjW5uZ1y6Vge9eNsimpyBAQPinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rhinelanderwi/https://www.explorerhinelander.com/