The 28th Annual Spud Bowl football game is scheduled for Saturday September 6, 2014 as UWSP takes on non-conference foe Albion College (Michigan) at Community Stadium in Goerke Park. The second annual Spud Run 5K race will also take place two hours prior to the game.
A special feature at this year’s event will be Wisconsin’s traveling billboard, the Spudmobile mobile education unit. Featuring eight interactive exhibits, Spud Bowl visitors will get a glimpse into the world of America’s favorite vegetable in a creative way. Each exhibit displays colorful graphics along with an image of a Wisconsin potato field. The exhibits focus on different aspects of the industry that show how farmers are stewards of the environment and where various varieties are grown in Wisconsin along with creative and unique ways of preparing them. And with a game station for kids, the Spudmobile is an experience that will have everyone talking spuds and eating them too.
The Spud Bowl will once again feature free baked potatoes and French fries available inside the football stadium. Game time is 6 p.m. Gates to the stadium open at 4 p.m. and the event is expected to end around 9 p.m. The game marks the home opener for the Pointer football team.
The Spud Run 5K will take place at 4 p.m. with the race starting and ending on the track inside the stadium. Cost to enter this family-oriented race is just $20, and all participants receive a T-shirt, a ticket to the Spud Bowl game and a serving of potatoes. Medals are awarded to the top three runners in a number of different age and gender categories.
The Spud Bowl celebrates the harvest of one of the most important agricultural products of the Portage County area: potatoes. The event brings together area agri-businesses, agricultural producers, and the entire Central Wisconsin community, while supporting UW-Stevens Point student scholarships and the UW-Stevens Point Athletic Department. Scholarships are provided by the proceeds received from the annual Spud Bowl event. Multiple scholarships ranging from $500-$750 will be awarded.
Through the years over $100,000 has been awarded in Spud Bowl scholarships to over 90 students. This year’s Spud Bowl scholarship winners will be introduced at halftime of the football game. The Pointer football team has enjoyed great success in the Spud Bowl games, with a record of 23-4.
For more information, contact Ann Ninnemann, event coordinator, at 715-346-2180.
Source: Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association