What happened in Manitowoc in '62?

On a recent "Millionaire" game show, the $100,000 question asked what happened in Manitowoc in September 1962. The crash of the Sputnik was one of four choices. The contestant didn't know the answer.

The SPUTNIK IV was launched at Balkanur, USSR, May 14, 1960. However, SPUTNIK IV could not be recovered due to the failure of the ship's orientation system and it began a slow plunge to Earth, with a 20 cm by 8 cm piece landing on Manitowoc's North 8th Street in front of the Rahr-West Art Museum

With the success of the first Sputnikfest in Fall of 2008, the event will again be held September 11 & 12, 2009 to commemorate the historic moment that occurred in Manitowoc back in 1962.

Sputnikfest 2009 will include:

• Fine and indie artist craft fairs


• Food and refreshments, including specially brewed Sputnikale


• Live music


• Sputnikfest merchandise


• Dunk a local celebrity in the "Splash Down" dunk tank


• Family Space Walk and prizes for best costume


• Cosmic Slide


• "Alien Operation Game" and more!

Sputnikfest is held outside the Rahr West Art Museum, where a brass ring in the middle of the street marks where the fragment was found imbedded in the pavement. An exact replica of the SPUTNIK IV fragment is on display at the Rahr-West Art Museum and at the Visitor Information Center.