It was another successful weekend of entertainment, community bonding, and enough headbanging to strain a neck during the 2026 Hay Daze festival. Janesville prides itself by turning its usually quiet Main Street into a lively haven of small town hijinks.
Monday kicked off the recurring theme of community-led events and hilarity with the 13th annual Simply Saved Fashion Show. Janesville locals like Pastor Wolter, the Trinity Ladies from the Basement, and even the soon-to-be Miss Janesville court strutted their best runway walk in a variety of thrifted outfits.
Tuesday kept the momentum going with an evening on brightly colored lanes as Janesville Bowl hosted Moonlight Pin night. The atmosphere mirrored a starlit evening while the crashing of pins and howling in celebration delivered an exciting time.
Wednesday challenged one of Hay Daze’s most anticipated events–the 5K Fun Run. Scattered showers soaked the JWP track and caused several delays; however, an elegant rainbow appeared on the horizon to serve as a reminder that beauty often follows disaster.
For many, Thursday felt like the true kickoff to Hay Daze with the crowning of the 2026 royal court. The Little Miss and Miss Janesville pageants featured stunning gowns, incredible talents, and adorable antics as Kendra Ewert and MaKenzie Westphal received top honors as Little Miss and Miss Janesville, respectively. A little further down the street, Paradise City Wrestling put on a pageant of their own making–one of pain and punishment with Main Street Mayhem 4. It seems with each year of this new tradition, more and more fans crowd around the ring in anticipation for an evening of high-flying acrobatics, brutal body slams, and a chance to taunt the loathsome heel Aaron Corbin.
As the weekend approached, Hay Daze shifted to more heartpounding endeavors with live music by Azby, Family Tradition, GenX Jukebox, and IV Play that echoed throughout the town. While neighbors lamented a few nights of little to no sleep due to the entertainment, each band drew massive crowds ready to cheer, dance, and belt out their favorite tunes. Saturday introduced a full day of events from the Turtle Races and Kiddie Carnival at Whispering Creek to bean bag tournaments and amusement park rides. Lastly, Sunday served as the exciting conclusion with the Hay Daze parade. Businesses, organizations, State-bound sports teams, and even your friendly neighborhood newspaper lined up to share heartfelt moments of triumph, togetherness, and, of course, buckets full of candy.
The sun sets on 2026 Hay Daze, but memories made throughout the week will last lifetimes. It remains to be seen how next year’s celebration will top this year’s, but the committee will no doubt strive to achieve that lofty goal no matter what.
