Earth Day this year held a very special meaning for Bob and Barb MacDonald who manage Bayside Tavern in Fish Creek. Alongside celebrating the environment, they pledged to plant 50 trees in honor of their upcoming 50th anniversary to continue supporting nature’s beauty and sustainability in Door County. 

On April 22nd, patrons were invited out to Bayside Tavern for lunch, where they were gifted a complimentary tree during the tavern’s micro-event. Partnered with the Climate Change Coalition of Door County, a total of 150 trees were available to the community, including established two-year-old Balsam Firs and three to four different varieties of Spruce. 

The inspiration for the event stemmed from the MacDonalds’ desire to give back to the community that they grew to love over the last several decades. The family had many memories together in Door County, which continued when MacDonald’s parents purchased the business. The tavern, which originally started as an 1870’s schoolhouse, was quickly turned into the iconic eatery on Main street that it is today.

“We’ve done a lot to the business over the years without changing its’ heart and soul,” said Bayside Tavern General Manager Bob MacDonald, “my whole family loves historical preservation and that’s what gave us the idea to plant the 50 trees but we wanted to make them available to the community to plant, too.”

Over the years, Bob and his wife, Barb, have both managed the business with a goal to serve its customers with unwavering hospitality. While time has brought along physical upgrades to the building itself and included three generations of family working there, its roots have remained grounded in tradition, which Bob says started with his parents and really embraces the true essence of Fish Creek.

“Community means togetherness, it means relationships - people helping one another and family,” he said, “I think it also means ‘Fish Creek’ and I just love being here.”

While Bayside Tavern’s anniversary is formally on August 16th, Bob said the tree giveaway was an early start to celebrations. The anniversary milestone had MacDonald recalling how much joy Bayside customers have brought his family, specifically his mother, Elaine, 91, over the years.

“There hasn’t been a day that she doesn’t say how much she loves living in Fish Creek and she often talks about the days of boating, spending time with friends, and all the employees that she treated like family throughout the years,” he said, “to me that means something, too, it’s very personable and that’s a rare thing.”

Whether it’s serving guests a bowl of his dad’s world-famous chili or seeing others come together to create new memories for the first time, Bob hopes to continue to extend his appreciation for his customers.

“We want to give back to the community that has given us so much and to hold onto some of the charm that Door County is known for,” he said.

The pledged trees will be planted on the property at Bayside Tavern and in other areas in Fish Creek.

Photo credit: Bayside Tavern