Kade Hoffman at Showboat Saloon

Country singer Kade Hoffman takes the stage at Showboat Saloon, bringing modern country energy to this downtown bar that’s served as Wisconsin Dells’ live music anchor for years. The Showboat’s intimate setup (think bar stools, standing room, and a stage you can almost touch) makes it ideal for artists like Hoffman who thrive on direct connection with their audience.

Most shows start around 9:00 PM with affordable or no cover charges, making this an easy add-on to any Dells weekend. The Showboat opens weekdays at 3:00 PM (weekends at 11:00 AM) and runs happy hour Monday through Friday from 3-6 PM with half-price taps from their 24-beer selection. Saturdays and Sundays offer $3 taps all day. Grab food from Tug’s Kitchen before 9:00 PM; their menu runs from wings to flatbreads to full dinners.

Stay in a Lake.com rental on the Wisconsin River and spend your pre-show hours on the water. Rent kayaks or paddleboards and explore the quieter channels where sandstone cliffs rise above slow-moving water and you might spot herons fishing in the shallows. For dinner before the show, try Paul Bunyan’s Northwoods Cook Shanty (founded 1958), an all-you-can-eat lumberjack-style restaurant where fried chicken, beef, and ribs arrive family-style at long wooden tables. The combination of daytime paddling, hearty Wisconsin dining, and late-night country music captures what makes Dells weekends work.