Get ready to enjoy one of Minocqua’s best summer traditions—for more than 70 years, the Min-Aqua Bats Water Ski Club has been entertaining visitors and locals alike with dazzling displays of aquatic acrobatics. Here’s the inside scoop on their history and what you can expect to see at their shows.
Who are the Min-Aqua Bats?
The Min-Aqua Bats Water Ski Club is the oldest continually running amateur water ski show in the United States. The team consists of more than two dozen skiers from across the state and the Midwest (though team members have come from as far away as Hawaii and Canada). In addition to weekly shows in Minocqua during the summer, the Min-Aqua Bats compete in tournaments throughout the Midwest.
When did they get started?
In 1950, a group of Minocqua Area locals started waterskiing on Sunday afternoons, and before long, they noticed they were attracting a crowd. By 1952, the group had drafted a charter for the water ski club, purchased a boat, and started performing on a regular basis for locals and visitors to the Minocqua Area.
Bleachers, lighting, and a clubhouse were added to the Min-Aqua Bats’ performance venue on Lake Minocqua in 1956, and a concession stand was added in 1982.
When do the Min-Aqua Bats perform?
Ski shows are held at 7 pm on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays throughout the summer at the Aqua Bowl, located along West Park Avenue in downtown Minocqua.
The shows feature a mix of skiing styles and acts (some of which date back to the earliest days of the Min-Aqua Bats) including barefooting, stunts, jumping, and more.
Shows are free, but the group relies on donations and concession sales to help defray costs for equipment, maintenance, and travel throughout the summer.
Where can I learn more about the Min-Aqua Bats?
Find more information about the Min-Aqua Bats here. You can also find up-to-date information on their Facebook page.
