Rising Star Award: Rick Sense (Calumet County) – Recognized for his "visit and stay" initiative, Sense drove a record $77 million economic impact in Calumet County through innovative digital content and strategic destination branding.
JANESVILLE, WI – The Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association (WATA) is proud to announce that seven key partners and leaders have been nominated for the prestigious 2026 Governor’s Tourism Awards. Representing the fastest-growing segment of the state’s $25.8 billion tourism industry, these nominees exemplify the leadership, innovation, and heritage that make Wisconsin a premier agricultural tourism travel destination.
The Governor’s Tourism Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the state’s hospitality and travel sector. This year’s WATA-affiliated nominees span multiple categories, highlighting the diversity and impact of agricultural tourism from Door County to the Driftless Region.
2026 WATA-Affiliated Nominees:
- Rising Star Award: Rick Sense (Calumet County) – Recognized for his “visit and stay” initiative, Sense drove a record $77 million economic impact in Calumet County through innovative digital content and strategic destination branding.
- Legacy Award: Bob & Mary Ann Pearce (Pearce’s Farm Market) – Honored for a 60-year legacy of pioneering agricultural tourism in Walworth County. Their multi-generational operation attracts thousands visitors annually and serves as a vital model for rural economic stability.
- Bright IDEA Award: Rainbow Ridge Farms (Onalaska) – Recognized for their “Radical Inclusivity” partnership with the North American Squirrel Association (N.a.s.a.) to provide Action Track Chairs, making rugged farm terrain accessible to all visitors.
- Innovation Award: Food + Farm Exploration Center (Plover) – A first-of-its-kind destination that blends STEM education with production agriculture. In its first year, it welcomed over 103,000 visitors and contributed to a 19% tourism growth in the Village of Plover.
- Arts, Culture & Heritage Award: Lautenbach’s Orchard Country (Fish Creek) – A 70-year-old “living museum” of Door County’s farming culture. The orchard gained national fame as the primary filming site for the 2025 holiday movie, A Cherry Pie Christmas, injecting over $600,000 into the local community.
- Service Excellence Award: Sheila Everhart (WATA) – Nominated by the City of West Bend for her servant leadership in coordinating the marketing for the Classic Green Reunion 2025, which generated up to $1.79 million in regional economic activity and attracted visitors from seven countries.
- The Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association (WATA) and the Fort Atkinson Chamber of Commerce is celebrating a landmark achievement as Busy Barn Farm Adventures has been nominated for a Governor’s Tourism Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year (2025 and 2026). This rare back-to-back recognition underscores the farm’s rapid ascent as a premier Midwest destination and a cornerstone of Jefferson County’s tourism economy.
“These nominations represent the heartbeat of rural Wisconsin,” said Sheila Everhart, Executive Director of WATA. “From ensuring accessibility on the farm to driving million-dollar international events, our nominees are proving that agricultural tourism is a powerhouse for economic revitalization and cultural preservation.”
Winners will be announced during the Wisconsin Governor’s Conference Awards Dinner on Tourism March 17 at the Baird Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
About the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association (WATA): WATA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting agricultural tourism as a sustainable economic engine for Wisconsin. By providing policy information, marketing, and education to working farmers, WATA connects travelers with authentic farm-to-table experiences, preserving family farms and revitalizing rural communities.
Learn more about the nominees by checking out this photo gallery!
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