Alma’s Lock and Dam 4 open house draws 862 visitors as community event grows

Lock and Dam 4’s annual open house drew 862 visitors to Alma on July 25, giving the city’s riverfront attraction and downtown businesses a larger community event than the previous year.

The open house was held at Lock and Dam 4 on the Mississippi River from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers hosted the dam tour, while the Alma Chamber of Commerce held its concurrent community celebration, Best Dam Day.

A larger day for Alma

WEAU reported that 862 people toured the dam during the open house. The news outlet also reported stronger participation by local businesses than in the prior year, although the available reporting does not provide a dollar figure for business revenue or event sponsorships.

For businesses and visitors, the event combined access to the dam with activities in the surrounding community. Best Dam Day included food, children’s activities, raffles and live music.

The expanded programming was attributed by organizers to improved sponsorship support and a stronger planning committee. The event’s attendance cannot be attributed solely to either the Chamber or the Corps: the open house and the Chamber’s community programming took place together.

What was confirmed

The Alma Chamber’s official event page listed the Lock and Dam 4 open house and tour for Saturday, July 25, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and identified the event location as Lock and Dam 4 in Alma, Wisconsin. The Chamber promoted the open house alongside its local programming.

The 862-person attendance figure was reported by WEAU. The Chamber’s event page confirms the date, hours, location and its role in promoting the event, but it does not independently publish the attendance count.

The result gives Alma a measurable visitor count for a signature riverfront event and shows increased community support for programming around Lock and Dam 4. It also provides local businesses with a larger event audience than the previous year, while leaving the precise financial effect unreported.

No later event date or additional deadline was identified in the approved information. The July 25 open house and Best Dam Day were the documented 2026 community event.