Packers Tailgate Tour Stops in Sturgeon Bay

For most Packer fans, a chance to see some of their favorite players in-person is a near irresistible draw. But when you couple that chance with the chance to support a worthy cause, well, Wisconsinites should be lining up in droves.

That’s what Rick Nelson, executive director for Door County Habitat for Humanity, is hoping will happen on the evening of May 19, when Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay serves as the last stop on the 2012 Green Bay Packers Tailgate Tour.

“Everybody in northeastern Wisconsin loves the Packers,” he says, “and we think putting that good image with the positive image that Habitat has will get people excited.”

The Tailgate Tour is an annual thank-you trip that the Packers take to both meet with their fans and benefit local charities. This year’s tour begins in LaCrosse and will then swing through Madison, Kenosha, and Cedarburg/Grafton before winding up in Door County.

Nelson isn’t sure why the Packers selected Sturgeon Bay and Door County Habitat for Humanity to benefit from the last stop on their trip, but he’s glad they did.

“It’s not something we applied for,” he says. “They evidently thought enough of our organization to want to partner with us, and we’re honored to have them.”

The line-up of players that will be swinging hammers in Sturgeon Bay come Saturday includes both current Packers and former greats. Mason Crosby, Jordy Nelson, William Henderson, Larry McCarren, Marco Rivera, and Charlie Peprah are all expected to spend their morning working on Door Habitat’s 34th building site.

And in the evening, the players will put down their hammers, pick up some pens, and head to Sunset Park to get down to the real work: signing autographs.

For $30, fans can purchase a ticket which includes a poster of all the Packers on the Tour, food, and a chance to get each player’s signature. For those who want a less expensive option a $5 ticket, which doesn’t include any autographs, souvenirs or food but does include access to the question and answer session with the players, is available.

The event, which starts at 4:30 pm, will also feature face painting, a petting zoo sponsored by The Farm, music by Andy’s Automatics, and a silent auction full of Packers memorabilia. All of the proceeds from the event, including ticket sales, food sales, the silent auction, and everything else, will go straight to Door County Habitat for Humanity.

Those wishing to purchase tickets in advance can visit the Door Habitat office in Sturgeon Bay, Pick ‘n Save in Sturgeon Bay, Marchant’s Foods in Brussels, or Main Street Market in Egg Harbor.