The City of Sun Prairie’s Economic Development’s Community Indicators Report, Volume 2 of the 2019-39 Comprehensive Plan, which provides additional equitable & inclusivity, housing accessibility, workforce development, transportation & mobility, and childcare information; and economic challenges, development strategy, and goals, policies, and actions are also outlined.

Community Overview

Six men sit around a wooden table at a bar, smiling at the camera. Menus and drinks are on the table; a TV with a sports game is visible in the background.

Downtown Sun Prairie

From dining and shopping, to events... there's always something happening in historic Downtown Sun Prairie!

A child holds a translucent piece and interacts with a colorful light peg wall display in an indoor play area.

Explore Children's Museum

The perfect place for families with young children to play!

People swim and relax in a public outdoor pool while a large screen near the pool shows a movie; a lifeguard watches from a chair. Trees and shelters are in the background.

Family Aquatic Center

An outdoor, zero-depth entry pool that is open from mid-June through mid-August.

A stone sign reading "Prairie Lakes" stands by a small pond, with shops and restaurants visible in the background.

Prairie Lakes - Shopping in Sun Prairie

A popular place for locals and visitors! Explore a selection of restaurants, shops, and services including Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shop, Marcus Theaters, Costco, Target, Sugar River Pizza, Gloria’s Mexican Restaurant, Golden Nest Pancake & Café, Hilton Garden Inn, and Twisted Grit Yoga studio.

Exterior view of the Sun Prairie Public Library building, featuring stone walls, large windows, and landscaped greenery in front.

Sun Prairie Public Library

Visit the newly expanded and remodeled public library! The Sun Prairie Library serves the community as an accessible central hub supporting lifelong learning and literacy through educational, cultural, and enjoyable discovery opportunities for all!

A group of performers stand and sing on a stage set resembling an urban loft, dressed in casual, winter clothing with a few props and chairs in the background.

Sun Prairie Civic Theatre

The Sun Prairie Civic Theatre is a great place to get involved or be entertained! For over 50 years, the Civic Theatre has been producing musical, comedies, and dramas! In addition, the theatre stages children’s theater productions, and non-traditional shows in alternative venues.

A group of people stand on a grassy path near tall dry grass and a body of water under a blue sky with wispy clouds.

Patrick Marsh - Groundswell Conservancy

Visit Patrick Marsh, a 340-acre conservation park on the City’s north edge for passive recreational activities, including walking on mowed trails, birdwatching, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.

Children and adults are playing on swings and playground equipment in an outdoor park surrounded by trees on a sunny day.

Sun Prairie Dream Park

Firemen’s Park in the Prairie (affectionately known as the Sun Prairie Dream Park) was built in the summer of 2007 by hundreds of volunteers from the Sun Prairie area in just 5 days and was spearheaded by local residents. This non city-funded playground in Downtown Sun Prairie is open to children and adults of all abilities, and includes a “Little Free Library” and unique artwork by area school children.

An adult and a child slide down a blue water slide together, with the child smiling and the adult holding onto them.

Prairie Athletic Club

Sun Prairie is home to Prairie Athletic Club, Wisconsin’s largest recreational fitness club, with 250,000+ sq ft of facilities! Examples of what Prairie Athletic Club offers, includes group fitness classes, hot yoga, indoor courts for basketball, racquetball, and indoor soccer, dedicated space for Crossfit training, an outdoor waterpark, and more!

A modern brick and glass building with a YMCA logo on the facade, surrounded by trees and a small parking area on a sunny day.

Sun Prairie YMCA

The YMCA of Dane County’s Sun Prairie location is on the south west side of the community, with easy access to Hwy 151. The YMCA is a non-profit organization with a mission to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind, and body for all. Examples of what the Sun Prairie location offers, includes group fitness classes, a variety of child care options, and an indoor pool, and more!

People shop for fresh produce at an outdoor farmers market; a woman with two children, one in a stroller, stands near a vendor's stall with assorted vegetables.

Sun Prairie Farmers’ Market

The Sun Prairie Farmers’ Market is a year-round, full service market held in Downtown Sun Prairie from May through October on Saturdays 7AM – noon, and at the Westside Community Services Building from November through April from 9AM – noon.

A sign for Sun Prairie Community Gardens stands on a grassy lawn, with trees and flowerbeds in the background under a cloudy sky.

Community Garden

The Sun Prairie Community Garden Organization (SPCGO) provides gardening opportunities for those who desire to rent space where they can grow vegetables for home-use, in an open and welcoming community environment.

A sign for Sun Prairie Community Gardens stands on a grassy lawn, with trees and flowerbeds in the background under a cloudy sky.

Community Orchard

The Community Orchard is is located behind the Sun Prairie Community Gardens at 1349 Linnerud Drive and has several kinds of trees, including pears, peaches, plums, cherries, and apples, along with birdhouses and the largest pollinator garden in Sun Prairie

History & Heritage

A man in a black hat holds up a stuffed animal on stage with a woman in a coat, a large groundhog mascot, and pageant titleholders at an outdoor event.

Groundhog Day Prognostication Event

Sun Prairie has been celebrating Groundhog Day for over 75 years! Explore Sun Prairie during the winter during Frozen Fest and on Groundhog Day!

A red brick building with white columns and a triangular pediment, featuring large windows and a central arched doorway with steps leading to the entrance.

Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum

Located in Downtown Sun Prairie, the Historical Library & Museum welcomes visitors from Sun Prairie and beyond through shared knowledge, curated collections and displays.

You can access History Online,  Conduct Historical Research, or visit the museum by appointment by calling: 608-837-3449.

A colorful painting of an elderly person resting their face on their hand, surrounded by abstract flowers with a warm, textured background.

Georgia O’Keeffe

World-renowned artist Georgia Totto O'Keeffe (1887-1986) was born in Sun Prairie and leaned on her Wisconsin upbringing and strength to make her way in a predominately male art world. Known as "The Mother of American Modernism," she is remembered as a daughter of Sun Prairie with a historical marker near City Hall, an avenue with her name and a dedicated room in the Sun Prairie Historical Library & Museum. The Historical Library & Museum is also the first stop on a virtual driving tour of Georgia O'Keeffe's Formative World.

Community Events

Sun Prairie is known for its unique and quirky events! Frozen Fest celebrates Jimmy the Groundhog’s annual prediction of an early spring or long winter, and Sweet Corn Festival kicks off with Colonel Corn leading parade attendees to a Block Party and into the fairgrounds!  In between, Sun Prairie offers something for everyone with a lineup of accessible activities throughout the year!

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