2026 Events Calendar
Fund Raisers will highlight current excavations, recent discoveries and research.
2026 Events Schedule will be filled in with details as they become available.
2026 Friends of Aztalan State Park Membership Meeting and Dinner
What: After several years hiatus, we are once again holding the Friends of Aztalan Annual Meeting at the Hoard Museum. A dinner will be held to kick off the meeting prior to Dr. Amy Rosebrough’s much anticipated presentation on the indigenous canoes found in the Madison lakes.
Please note that the Friends of Aztalan Annual meeting will be conducted at this meeting. The agenda for the meeting will be sent a week before the meeting. We do have opening on the board, and for Secretary and Treasurer.
If you are not a member, you can easily become one and attend this annual membership meeting: Become a member
When: Saturday May 9, 2026. Dinner will be served starting at 6:00pm
Where: Hoard Museum,. 401 Whitewater Avenue, Fort Atkinson WI
Dinner Details:
Entrées (Choose one.): Creamy Braised Chicken or Vegetarian Lasagna
Sides (all three included):
Mashed potatoes & Gravy
Buttered Corn
Side salad (upgrade included)
Dinner also includes dinner rolls.
Cost: $25.50 per person
How to Pay: Via PayPal on the Friends of Aztalan Web site: https://www.aztalanfriends.org/annual-dinner
RSVP and Payment due by Saturday, April 30, 2026
You can attend the meeting without the dinner, but please let us know you’re coming.
Please contact Daniel Seurer if you have any questions. Email: daniel.seurer@me.com or phone: 608.695.0269
Special Program
The Canoes of De Jope—New Perspectives on Old Canoes
Presented by Dr. Amy Rosebrough, Wisconsin State Archaeologist
Program Abstract: In 2021 and 2022, ancient dugout canoes were raised from Lake Mendota. Since then, 16 canoes have been identified at the same site, including a 5,200‑year‑old dugout, the oldest known canoe in the Great Lakes region and the third oldest in the United States. These discoveries highlight thousands of years of Indigenous use of the waterways of De Jope (the Four Lakes of Dane County) and offer a powerful connection between past and present. Ongoing research at the site is reshaping our understanding of the lake that sits at Madison’s doorstep. Join us to hear the latest findings about Lake Mendota’s extraordinary ancient canoes.
The events and tours are free, but visitors will have to pay a State Park admission fee or have an annual State Park admission sticker for their vehicle. Fees can be paid at the park or online at https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/topic/parks/admission.
Return to this page for updated information on events and tours.
Group tours can be arranged for adults and schools. Call Bob Birmingham at (608) 516-3421 or email robertbirmi@gmail.com for more information.