The 3rd annual Wisconsin Cheese Festival runs May 15-17, 2026 at Lake Geneva House of Music, which is a very cool live music venue located right along County H (the original U.S. 12) in Lake Geneva! Wisconsin Cheese is amazing, and a festival further celebrating it will be a blast, since we know how much you love cheese!
The festival is a gathering of cheese makers and lovers, farmers, artisans and vendors to celebrate what is obviously Wisconsin’s most famous food. You can also enjoy world-class Americana, alt-country, folk and bluegrass music, whiskey, wine and craft beer. Plus fun contests, educational presentations, fantastic music, and then a delicious variety of creative foods including BBQ, locally-made pies, pig bacon candy, curds and more. During the fest, you can even learn about cheese sculpting and participate in a Stein Hoisting Competition Saturday night! It’s a particularly family-friendly weekend at the Lake Geneva House of Music festival grounds. Get the full list of vendors here!
Geneva Cheese Festival has FREE Admission this year! Get Tickets Here
It’s easy to get to Lake Geneva House of Music, just follow County H north from Lake Geneva. If you’d rather, you can certainly head south from U.S. 12 by the I-43 interchange when you reach County NN south of Elkhorn. Similarly, Highway 67 brings you close. Then just follow H until you see all the action! Prior to 1973, this was the original route of U.S. 12 before they built the freeway (some fun trivia for road geeks like us!)
Geneva Cheese Festival Address:
Lake Geneva House of Music
N3241 County Trunk H (formerly U.S. 12)
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
(262) 248-0606 Website
Twice a year, the Door County Lighthouse Festival gives you a closer look at the beautiful lighthouses that mark the shores of the Door Peninsula. The spring edition this year is the weekend of May 22nd-24th and June 5th – 7th; the fall will be October 2nd-4th.
These fundraising Festival weekends include air, land-based, boat, and adventure tours that provide access to all of the treasured lighthouses of Door County and 3 neighbors to the south in Kewaunee and Brown Counties. Many of the tour excursions are unique to the Lighthouse Festival weekends and provide visitors exclusive access to lighthouses not typically open to the public – Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point Lighthouses. There are tours for all levels of activity and accessibility. Some tours involve hiking. Boat tours depart from a variety of locations around the Peninsula, including Sister Bay, Gills Rock and Baileys Harbor. A portion of each Lighthouse Festival tour ticket helps fund the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc.
These are the Participating Locations, with their open hours during Spring and Fall Lighthouse Festivals. *Please note: If you are planning a self-guided experience, there may be an admission fee or requested donation.
*Door County Maritime Museum, Sturgeon Bay: 9am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
*Death’s Door Maritime Museum, Gills Rock: 10am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
*Cana Island Lighthouse, Baileys Harbor: 10am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
Sherwood Point Lighthouse, Sturgeon Bay: 10am-4pm, Saturday/Sunday (S/F)
Marshfield features its 45th annual Dairyfest Friday, May 29th through Sunday, May 31st at venues all across the city. This is Hub City’s annual honor of the agricultural industry and Wisconsin’s hardworking dairy farmers! This community tradition has been providing fun for the whole family, during these “dairy-licious” days.
The Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MACCI) puts on the event, which includes a wide variety of fun activities across the three-day weekend.
Dairyfest Info & Schedule of Events:
What is Dairyfest?
Held annually the weekend after Memorial Day, Dairyfest is a fun community celebration that honors the agriculture industry and local dairy farmers. Dairyfest features a lot of fun events, including the annual Dairyfest Breakfast, a parade, kids’ activities, a Picnic in the Park, and much more. The theme of this year’s celebration is “A Dairy Great Time”!
Friday, May 29th
5:30am-9:30am / Mayor’s Breakfast: Held at the Expo Building at the Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, 513 E. 17th St., this traditional event welcomes nearly 2,000 people every year. $10/ticket, kids 6 and under are FREE!
5:00pm-8:00pm / Picnic in the Park: Food trucks will be at Columbia Park, 201 W. Arnold St., until 5:00pm and a variety of food booths will be available throughout the evening. Join the fun in the Park including a Petting Zoo, Educational displays, Marshfield Fire & Rescue hands-on fun, Face painting, Main Street Conservatory of Dance show, Coin & Candy hunt (ages 2-9), Bingo (ages 10-15), and the Marshfield Civic Band Concert. Bring your lawn chairs for a night of fun!
Saturday, May 30th
Additional activities scheduled for Saturday include:
10:00 am – 3:00 pm North Wood County Historical Society Annual Pie and Ice Cream Social Governor W. H. Upham House, 212 West 3rd Street, Marshfield
19th Annual Dairyfest Fling Disc Golf Tournament
11:00am / Dairyfest Downtown Parade, runs from 2nd street and goes South on Central Ave, turns East on 14th Street and ends at the Fairgrounds parking lot.
1:00pm-4:00pm / Family Fun Day at Wenzel Plaza: a UW Madison Marching Band performance, Inflatable fun, plenty of Food Trucks – come hungry! Also enjoy Enoch the Eccentric Magician, DJ Dan Weis of Music Energy, Face painting, and more!
3:00pm-11pm / Annual Outdoor Dairyfest Beer Garden at Nutz Deep II 809 South Central Avenue
*USA Sanctioned Dairyfest Coed and Women’s Softball Tournaments
Central WI State Fairgrounds, 513 East 17th Street
Central WI State Fairgrounds
8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday, May 31st
USA Sanctioned Dairyfest Coed and Women’s Softball Tournament
Central WI State Fairgrounds
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Marshfield Dairyfest Address:
Various locations around town, including the Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
513 E. 17th Street
Marshfield, WI 54449 Website
Well, THIS is an interestingly-named event: the Roofing of the Goats Parade takes place at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday, June 13th, 2026 at 11:00 am right along Highway 42.
All goats are invited to participate in the 12th annual Roofing of the Goats parade! Don’t have a goat? Then line up and watch the famous Al Johnson’s goats while they head down the streets to climb up onto the sod roof. They will be joined by many of their local Door County goat friends who will also be at the festivities. Goat costumes, goatees, Viking hats, and other creative endeavors are encouraged. The parade begins at the corner of Mill Road and Highway 42 in downtown Sister Bay, and goes a trot, kick and a leap down the road to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant. The parade culminates with the roofing of the first goats of the season at Al Johnson’s (weather permitting – the goats don’t go on the roof in rain or snow). The Goat Parade will be followed by Al Johnson’s annual Goat Fest, located at Stabbur Beer Garden, next to the restaurant. Goat Fest will feature all day festivities including: live music, kid’s games, various beverages, great food, and a Swedish Pancake Eating contest. Other businesses throughout town will also be celebrating with specials.
Returning this year is the Goat Drop Contest. You can help support the Northern Door Food Pantry and have some fun. With a purchase of a goat drop sticker, you will be entered in to win a Trek Fat Tire Cruiser bike from Husby’s and Flanigan’s Distributing, a $100 gift card from Al Johnson’s, or a Lunch and Farm Tour from Door County Creamery. Stickers will be placed on the street along the parade route. To win, a Goat must make a deposit on your sticker during the Goat parade. All proceeds will go to the Northern Door Food Pantry at the Sister Bay Baptist Church. Stickers will be available for purchase at the parade, or if you can’t attend you can still join in on the fun and purchase your stickers online. You do not need to be present to win! Buy your stickers HERE.
Parade line up begins on the southeast corner of Highway 42 (N. Bay Shore Dr.) and Mill Road, and begins at 11:00 a.m. Don’t be late…the goats walk fast!
After the parade, Goat Fest at Al Johnson’s will begin, and includes Live Music, Kids Games and Crafts, a Swedish Pancake Eating Contest and more.
Sister Bay Roofing of the Goats Parade Address:
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik
10698 N. Bay Shore Road (Highway 42)
Sister Bay, WI 54234
(920) 854-2626 Website
Hayward hosts Musky Fest Friday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th with a huge celebration that offers over 120 handmade art and crafts booths, sidewalk sales, live music on Friday and Saturday nights, kids’ games and entertainment including a carnival, a 5k and 10k run/walk, parade, Musky Queen Scholarship program and the Hayward Lions Club fishing contest. The theme in 2026 is “The Reel Up North!”
As you may know (and if you don’t, now you will), Hayward is home to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and includes the World’s Largest Musky that you can explore and even climb up into. Musky Fest is fun for the whole family as it celebrates the musky, fishing, the North Woods, and so much more. U.S. 63 and Highways 27 and 77 bring you to this beautiful town!
11am – 3pm
Face Painting and Balloon Animals on Second Street sponsored by Frandsen Bank
10am – 5pm
Caricatures by Rachel near the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
10am – 5pm
Speed Ball Throw on Third Street presented by the Knights of Columbus
10am – 5pm Fishing Contest Booth Open for Registrations near the Food Court on Main Street – Presented by Muskies Inc. – Hayward Lakes Chapter & Hayward Bass Club
10am – 10pm
Hayward Lions Club and Hayward Rotary Club’s Beer and Brat Tents Open
11am – 3pm
Meet & Greet with Hall of Fame Fisherman Babe Winkelman
11am – 10pm
Carnival Open at the Fuller Building Lot Courtesy of St. Joe’s Catholic Church
12pm – 4pm
Carnival Wrist Band Hours, all ages $25 each
12pm – 4pm
Learn to Fish Event at Shue’s Pond – Courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR
Noon
Mini, Little Miss, & Junior Musky Queen Presentation Presented by the Hayward Dairy Queen on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
4pm Fishing Contest Raffle & Prize Ceremony at the Fishing Contest Booth on Main Street Presented by Muskies Inc. – Hayward Lakes Chapter & Hayward Bass Club
The Northern Wisconsin State Fair is always a fun-filled, family event that brings folks back year after year to Chippewa Falls, right along Historic U.S. 53 and today’s Highway 124. In 2026, it runs Wednesday July 8th through Sunday, July 12th!
The five days of the fair feature midway carnival excitement, numerous exhibits, animal judging, contests for milk drinking, pie eating, karaoke, animal shows including a draft horse show, a pedal tractor pull, and much more that you would expect from a fair like this. Furthermore, you can check out or participate in the Lego Pre-Build Contest, talent competitions, and of course, the food is always a highlight. A Schedule of Events is below!
The fairgrounds are indicated by this formation of stones right along Highway 124.
Adult 5 Day Admission: $25 (covers all five days)
One Day Admission: $10
Children 5 and Under: FREE
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Active/Retired Military and Veterans: Free with Active/Retired Military ID Card, DD214
The Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds are right along Highway 124 in Chippewa Falls, just a hop, skip, and a jump north of the Leinenkugel Brewery and across from beautiful Irvine Park and the Irvine Park Zoo. Highways 29 and U.S. 53 bring you close by.
Northern Wisconsin State Fair Schedule of Events coming soon!
Northern Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
225 Edward Street (just off Highway 124)
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
(715) 723-2861 Website
It’s Milwaukee’s annual French festival, one of the largest French celebrations in the United States, and it’s tres magnifique! This FREE four-day bash attracts over 250,000 visitors each year. In 2026, Bastille Days runs Thursday, July 9th through Sunday, July 12th. Set around Cathedral Square on the east side of downtown, Bastille Days begins with a 5K “Storm the Bastille” run on Thursday night and then plenty of live music, an international marketplace, chef and wine demos, French and Cajun cuisine, roaming busker entertainment and a signature 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica offering hourly light shows.
The event is known for the impromptu street performers, roaming minstrels, and a variety of interactive and musical entertainment. Bastille Days also boasts a wide variety of some of the best restaurant vendors in Milwaukee!
Check out Bastille Days wine tastings where you can let your taste buds explore and compare delicious wines from around the world! A wine specialist will guide you through the taste test with selected wines from 5 countries. A separate ticket is needed for each tasting, and seating is limited to 76 per tasting. You’ll find all these tastings at the NE corner of Cathedral Square Park along Jackson Street – look for the tent!
The festival covers the blocks around Cathedral Square, including along Wells, Kilbourn, Jefferson, and Jackson Streets. U.S. 18 and Highway 32 actually detour around the festival, which is one of the largest French festivals in the nation. I-43/94, I-794, and Highways 38, 59, and 145 all bring you close. Grab your beret and check it out!
Thousands line up for the “Storm the Bastille” 5K Run & Walk at Bastille Days in Milwaukee
Bastille Days Hours:
Thursday July 9- 11am-11:30pm
Friday July 10- 11am-11:30pm
Saturday July 11- 10am-11:30pm
(Kid’s Day Activities 10am – 3pm)
Sunday July 12- 11am-8pm
Bastille Days Address:
825 N. Jefferson Street/Cathedral Square
Milwaukee, WI 53202 Website
Along the Wisconsin-Illinois border you can go back to the 16th century at the Bristol Renaissance Faire. A plethora of entertainment, great food, performances, and a marketplace filled with crafts, art, musical instruments, clothes, jewelry, and more await. You’ll find plenty of colorful characters in period costumery, performers twirling fire, people mashing their mouths into giant turkey legs, wandering minstrels, swordfights, jousting… the list goes on and on. It’s a great summer weekend activity just west of Kenosha on the Illinois border!
Bristol Renaissance Faire runs Saturdays and Sundays July 5th though Labor Day, September 1st (yes, it runs that Monday and that’s the only Monday.)
The Kid’s Kingdom features the Castle Stage where children can get knighted, a face-painting area (don’t worry, it washes off eventually), hobbit houses, an entrance area with five huge thrones that provide great photo opportunities, and an air-conditioned rest area.
A giant turkey leg slathered in barbecue sauce is an essential part of the Bristol Renaissance Faire experience, but they also offer everything from Cornish pasties and bakery goods to vegan items and gelato. The number of entertainment stages now totals sixteen. Comedic sword-fighting, ropewalking, juggling, fire-whipping, acrobatics, chalk art, a variety of musicians, and more. The Marketplace offers the work of nearly 175 artisans and crafters; you can find Scottish kilts, leather masks, bamboo flutes, jester socks, stage-combat-approved swords, steampunkery, and much more. Glass blowing and blacksmithing activities frequently happen in the Marketplace as well as a variety of other crafting.
Tickets range from $40 for adults to $15 for children ages 5-12. Seniors (62+) and Military with ID are $38. Kids 4 and under are free. Season passes can be purchased for $225. You can also get discounted tickets at Menard’s and if you join Friends of the Faire you can also get discounts. U.S. 41, I-41/94, Highway 165, and the state line border the “Fairegrounds,” with U.S. 45 and Highway 50 also getting you close!
Bristol Renaissance Faire Location:
12550 120th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53142
(877) 395-7773 Website
Marshfield is known as “Hub City” and its 20th annual Hub City Days celebrates the city’s heritage, present, and future. Check out a weekend of fun July 23-25, 2026, including a big screen movie shown right on Central Avenue and Wenzel Family Plaza!
The massive Car & Bike Show, Family Zone with bounce houses and kids’ games, the Craft Show, the Brew Fest and Beer Garden, tons of live music and more are all ready!
The Hub City Brew Fest will feature craft beers from all over Wisconsin and the Midwest! The Car Show will be right on Central Avenue (Historic Highway 13).
You can reach Marshfield via U.S. 10 or Highways 13, 80, and 97. It’s right in the center of Wisconsin, hence the name “Hub City”!
Hub City Days Schedule:
Thursday, July 23rd
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AFTER 5
5 – 7 PM | Elk’s Club
Main Street welcomes MACCI’s monthly business networking event downtown to kick off Hub City Days! Enjoy live music with Curtis Samuel, appetizers, and drinks.
Questions? Contact MACCI: (715) 384-3454
MOVIE IN THE PLAZA
Dusk | Wenzel Family Plaza
Grab some fundraiser concessions alfresco in the Wenzel Family Plaza. Don’t forget your lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and your fam! Movie hint: “Smile, Smile,”, Rated PG
Books will be given to kids in attendance thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Marshfield Public Library. (One per household while supplies last.)
Friday, July 24th
SHOP HOP
5 – 7 PM | Downtown Marshfield
Streets will be closed to traffic Central Ave – Veteran’s to 4th St. for pedestrians to enjoy evening shopping and dining downtown.
+ Wander the streets to discover more!
Win Hub City Brew Fest tickets! *Shop downtown this evening and bring your receipt to the Main Street Marshfield tent at Wenzel Family Plaza between 7-9 p.m. You’ll receive an entry for each receipt you show with your 21+ ID. Winners will be announced at 9 p.m. Tickets will be held at Hub City Brew Fest for those not present for the announcement.*
BIKE CRUISE & BIKE ACTIVITIES
5:30-7 PM | Downtown Marshfield
Enjoy a group bicycle ride into downtown from a predetermined Marshfield trail location (TBD). Once downtown, park your bike to shop & dine or enjoy a variety of bike activities set up on Central Ave, including a safety station, local trail updates, summer community ride info, and the bikeshare program. All group ride participants earn a free ice cream at Hiller’s Ice Cream Bike, located near Northside Cycle.
HUB CITY CONCERT SERIES FEATURING ADAM GRUEL AND THE SPACE BURRITOS
7 – 10 PM | Wenzel Family Plaza
Grab your picnic blanket or lawn chairs for a leisurely night out on the grass. Main Street Marshfield will be selling beer, seltzer, and soft drinks to raise funds for downtown events and programming!
Saturday, July 25th
CAR SHOW
10 AM – 3 PM | Downtown Marshfield
The Hub City Days Car Show spans over 10 city blocks, features 500+ car/bike entries, a live DJ, kids games, tons of door prizes, free t-shirts for veterans, veteran appreciation raffle (2 PM), and kids-only raffle (2 PM). It’s the car show you can’t miss! Car show vehicle awards are presented at 3 PM. Car show vehicle registration is free with a suggested donation of a non-perishable food item.
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT & BEER GARDEN
11 AM – 11 PM | Wenzel Family Plaza
Enjoy live music with no cover charge! Bands will play 11 AM to 11 PM thanks to our day stage sponsor, Prevail Bank, and main stage sponsors, Marshfield Insurance & West Bend.
11 AM – 3 PM Live Music: Modern Throwback
3 – 7 PM Live Music: Tim Dorsey
7 – 11 PM Live Music: Shirts and Skins
Rain location: Central WI Fairgrounds Expo Building
HUB CITY BREW FEST
12 – 3 PM | Wenzel Family Plaza
Participants receive a souvenir pint glass. Enjoy seating and beer tasting exclusive to Brew Fest attendees. $30/ticket. Tickets on sale here: eventbrite.com
Rain location: Central WI Fairgrounds Expo Building
HORSE POWER SHOW
10 AM – 3 PM | Upham Mansion
Visit the Governor Upham House and walk through an exhibit of horse-drawn carriages dating from the early 1900s.
FAMILY ZONE
10 AM – 3 PM | Veteran’s Park
Find family fun at the Family Zone! Kiddie Cars, Marshfield Fire Dept, Hiller’s Bounce Houses, face painting, and more all in the relaxing shade of Veteran’s Park. Reis Martial Arts’ demonstrations will begin at 11AM. Performances by Main Street Conservatory of Dance will begin at 12PM and 1PM.
NEW: HUB CITY DAYS CRAFT SHOW
10 AM – 3 PM | 100 Block of South Central Avenue Peruse local craft vendors conveniently located near live music and the start of the car show. Wander through the sidewalks to see what local shops have in store for the day and take something home to commemorate the event.
You can easily reach Marshfield via U.S. 10 or Highways 13, 80, and 97. Head to the Hub!
Check out our State Trunk Tour Marshfield Podcast with Matt McLean from VISIT Marshfield, where we talk Hub City Days, the city and all the things to do and see in it, here or stream it below!
All over Kenosha’s beautiful harbor area, you’ll find the Taste of Wisconsin July 24th-26th this year. There’s plenty to eat, drink, and do with over 40 food vendors, four beverage gardens, 75+ musical artists playing across four different stages, and a Kid Zone. The Demonstration Center offers a look at all kinds of foods and products for making awesome culinary delights – or just quick, tasty meals – from a number of chefs and others who show you how to make magic in the kitchen… or on the grill, at the campsite – wherever you want to prepare food.
Admission is FREE for everybody! And while you can enjoy great food, music, and more, you can also explore the HarborPark area, the Kenosha Public Museum, the Civil War Museum, the Dinosaur Discovery Museum, the Southport Light Station & Museum, take rides on the Kenosha Trolley, and more! Taste of Wisconsin happens in Kenosha’s HarborPark area on the edge of downtown. You’ll find it just east of Highway 32 between the east ends of Highways 50 and 158. Enjoy!
Taste of Wisconsin covers a lot of ground in Kenosha’s HarborPark area, right downtown. They need a lot of room for all that food and music! Photo courtesy of the Kenosha News.
Taste of Wisconsin Address:
HarborPark
5400 6th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53140
(262) 496-9400 Website
Get Your Deutsch On! Celebrating over 45 years, German Fest returns to Milwaukee’s lakefront the weekend of July 24th-26th. Plenty of great German food and live music, bier (of course) and a lot of fun events. The 19th annual Dachshund Derby runs – literally – at 1pm Saturday.
Dachshunds get competitive in their races.
Check out United for Kids, where you can visit with The MACC Fund, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Make-A-Wish® Wisconsin and Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. on Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th inside of the Sports Area. They’ll have games, prizes, information and fun for the whole family! A portion of Sunday’s ticket sales will benefit these four charities.
You can also check out Carousel Organ Association of America’s providing some of the “happy” instrumentation as you dance to music. Children can participate in the Fairy Tale Parade Sunday at 3:30pm and Dance Showcase at 4pm on the Sprecher Oktoberfest Stage. Fireworks will fill the sky Friday and Saturday night starting around 10:30pm.
TICKETS for German Fest are only $3 Friday! General Admission Saturday & Sunday run tickets run $12 in advance and $15 at the gate; children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. Find out more admission specials here.
German Fest takes place on the Summerfest Grounds in Milwaukee – also known as Henry Maier Festival Park. The grounds are in close proximity to U.S. 18, I-43/94, and Highways 32, 38, 57, 59, 145, and 190.
Prosit!
Milwaukee German Fest Address:
Henry Maier Festival Grounds
200 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 464-9444 Website
Start:
July 24, 2026 3:00 pm
End:
July 26, 2026 11:00 pm
Venue:
Henry Maier Festival Park
Phone:
414-464-9444
Address:
200 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee, WI, 53202, United States
Appleton’s “Mile of Music” Festival (X/Twitter: @MileofMusicFest) serves up original singer-songwriters, combos and multi-piece bands showcasing Americana music at both its most colorful and its very best. Genres include roots and indie rock, country, gospel, soul, R&B, jazz and folk. This year’s Mile of Music 11 takes place July 30 – August 2, 2026.
This grassroots festival was co-founded by Appleton marketing executive Dave Willems and Appleton/Nashville-based national recording artist and Grammy nominee Cory Chisel in 2013. Willems Marketing & Events continues to run Mile of Music, with the support of over 100 community organizations and sponsors. Presenting sponsor Fox Communities Credit Union and other major sponsors have allowed this event to be FREE.
Mile of Music is noted as a “handcrafted artisan festival” with over 200 artists and acts across 40 venues spanning a mile… of music (hence the name!)
Brett Newski performs at Mile of Music in Appleton.
Venues vary and include coffee shops, bars, parks, restaurants, museums and other public spaces. with more of them outdoors in the wake of the pandemic we all had to deal with. Some of Mile 13’s biggest artists will perform at the Main Stage in Houdini Plaza, one of the festival’s most popular venues. Remember, Harry Houdini spent time in Appleton and claimed it as his hometown!
Local brewpub Stone Arch will offer up its artisan Mile of Music Americana Pale Ale to add to the flavor of the festival. Music fans who love bicycling can work off those beer calories and indulge their music passions with Bike to the Beat. Added fun includes the Tub of Tunes giveaway, where one lucky attendee will win a bathtub full of CDs and vinyl from Mile 10 artists.
Check it out all weekend in Appleton. Their website has the complete lineup, and you can also download their special app for updates, details on all the events, and more. You can also get the full schedule here – it’s a busy one!
Appleton is easily accessible via I-41, U.S. 10, Highways 15, 47, 96, or, of course 125 – because if you’re on Highway 125, you’re in Appleton already. Highway 441 provides a bypass around the city that allows you to enter from points east and south.
One of the nation’s great fairs, the Wisconsin State Fair runs August 6-16, 2026 on the Wisconsin State Fair Park grounds in West Allis. Everything from the animals to rides, concerts, exhibits, and tasty food and beverages are yours for the taking!
Updates to the Central Mall area include with a new look and ample seating. The rides and games at SpinCity are in full swing, and they include a super assortment of over 40 rides and 25 games with chances to win plenty of prizes!
The Fairgrounds will have plenty of street performers and entertainers, but of course the excellent live music is a huge draw. There are two primary performance stages at Wisconsin State Fair: the Main Stage, which uses the Milwaukee Mile track and bleachers for seating, and the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater, which is near the Central Mall.
Thursday, Aug. 6: Sixteen Candles, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Here Come the Mummies, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8: Here Come the Mummies, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9: So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience with Claire Sardina, 8 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 10: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12: Hairbangers Ball, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13: Too Hype Crew, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 14: The Gufs, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15: Let’s Sing Taylor — An Unofficial Live Tribute Show, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 16: Pat McCurdy, 5:30 p.m.
As always, the State Fair will feature a huge variety of animals from farms all across the state, letting you learn more about and even interact with some – from cows to chickens and rabbits to llamas, ostrich, goats, and more! Check out prize-winning exhibits, including art competitions, farming competitions, even one for the best alcohol-infused pie. Other exhibits include those for barn quilts, horticulture, textile, craft, and culinary exhibits, and even the Young People’s Art Exhibit.
ALL. THE. FOOD.
You will not go hungry: favorite foods at the Fair include the roasted corn, corn dogs, flavored milks, all kinds of creative deep-fried foods, sausages, as much as you can imagine on a stick, and the legendary Wisconsin cream puffs that become a “must have” for attendees needing their true dairy (and carb) fix! They get more eclectic with things like deep-fried bull testicles (listed as “Rocky Mountain Oysters” on the menu at Big Sky Country Bar & Grill), ants on a stick (literally), and earthworm and cricket jerky. But hey, it’s up to you. Last year’s “Sporkies” winner was the Deep Fried Lemonade Bites from Saz’s BBQ.
OTHER FOODS at State Fair include an Apple Crunch Cheesecake Quesadilla from the Mexican Grill, BBQ Mac Tater Tots from Jayme’s Chipstix, the Caramel Turtle Pretzel at Gertrude’s Fresh Pretzels, Loaded Baked Potato with Bacon Pizza from Pistol Pete’s, Prime Rib Sliders at Leadfoots Race Bar & Grill, the Unicorn Beer Float at Slim McGinn’s Irish Pub, and about 60 other choices!
The Milwaukee Mile race track, which hosts races, auto testing, and more throughout the year is just one of the places you can park – which is cool, since you can walk on and check out this legendary oval, the oldest continuously operating raceway in the world.
Get more details here. This is definitely one of the best State Fairs in the nation!
Check out this map of Wisconsin State Fair… you can enlarge it by clicking on it or get a printable .pdf HERE.
Wisconsin State Fair Park is in West Allis, less than ten minutes from downtown Milwaukee. Bordered on the south by Highway 59/Greenfield Ave., on the west by Highway 181/84th Street, on the north by I-94, and on the east by 76th Street. U.S. 18/Bluemound Road comes close to the north, I-41/U.S. 45 and then Highway 100 skim by 2 miles to the west, and Highway 175 is about 2 miles east as it passes Miller Park. There are a lot of great ways to get to the Park!
Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park
640 S. 84th Street (Highway 181 at Highway 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(414) 266-7000 Website
One of three “State Fairs” in Wisconsin, the Central Wisconsin State Fair takes place in Marshfield August 25-30, 2026 on the grounds that also feature the “World’s Largest Round Barn.” The Central Wisconsin State Fair has also been refreshing its equipment with new rides and games to enhance the experience!
Headliners include:
TBA Wednesday night, August 26th
TBA Thursday night, August 27th
TBA Friday night, August 28th
TBA Saturday night, August 29th
Rice Rodeo, Sunday, August 30th at 3pm
This Fair also features 4-H and open class exhibits, free grandstand entertainment with gate admission, the Round Barn Express train, Junior Fair Market Animal Sale, 13th annual Kiss a Critter Contest, the Dress-A-Cow Contest, midway carnival rides, commercial exhibits and special programs, food and beer gardens, and more. This six-day extravaganza is definitely worth checking out if you want to hit the lovely city of Marshfield in the central part of the state (hence, the event’s name).
Central Wisconsin State Fair’s Round Barn Express Train
U.S. 10 and Highways 13, 80, and 97 all hit Marshfield, Wisconsin (“Hub City”) and the Central Wisconsin State Fair grounds are on the south side of town, a few blocks east of Central Avenue (Bus. Hwy 13) and the Wildwood Zoo. Also check out Central Avenue and the downtown district, the Blue Heron Brewpub, and a plenty of other things and to see and do around Hub City. Get more ideas from Visit Marshfield here!
Check their website for the complete entertainment lineup, ticket specials, and more!
Central Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Wood County Fairgrounds
513 E. 17th Street
Marshfield, WI 54449
(715) 387-1261 Website
Warrens is “Wisconsin’s Cranberry Capital,” so it’s only fitting they host the World’s Largest Cranberry Festival! Held annually since 1973 (with, of course, the exception of 2020), the Warrens Cranberry Festival welcomes over 110,000 visitors each year from places all over the world. Seriously, when we went we met people from Australia and other countries throughout Europe and South America!
Taking place the last full weekend of every September, activities a’plenty abound. Enjoy a guided bus tours of cranberry marshes (brilliant red colors mean you should have your camera ready!) and bogs that show you the harvesting of these tasty, nutritious, UTI-fighting berries.
In town – and the festival truly takes over the whole town – enjoy block after block of vendors, food stands, and beverage stops. Over 1,300 booths of arts & crafts, antique & flea markets, and farm market items can be explored and enjoyed. Plenty of fall produce is available with of course plenty of cranberry-based items including Cranberry Cream Puffs, barbecue sauces with cranberry, cranberry-inspired hot sauces, and more. On Sunday, September 27th at noon the largest band parade in Wisconsin will be featured.
Warrens Cranberry Festival includes contests such as “Crazy for Cranfest”, where guests can win special prizes for crazy or creative costumes. They also have prizes for the Biggest Berry Contest, a Button Design Contest, a Cranberry Chiffon Pie-Eating Contest, a Flower Contest, Marsh Medallion Hunt, a Photography Contest, Quilt & Needlework Contest, Scarecrow Contest, and more.
Getting to Warrens Cranberry Festival (aka Cranfest):
Warrens is a small, pleasant town north of Tomah in Monroe County. To access Warrens, follow I-94 to Exit 135 (County EW) by the Three Bears Resort. U.S. 12, which runs basically parallel to I-94 in this area, also comes close to Warrens. Highways 21 and 173 are just a few miles away, closer to Tomah but they still bring you close. Follow County O or EW into town – there will be plenty of signs!
Get the latest updates from their website, CranFest.com!
Calendar of Events
Upcoming Events › Family
May 15, 2026 – May 17, 2026
Wisconsin Cheese Festival
The 3rd annual Wisconsin Cheese Festival runs May 15-17, 2026 at Lake Geneva House of Music, which is a very cool live music venue located right along County H (the original U.S. 12) in Lake Geneva! Wisconsin Cheese is amazing, and a festival further celebrating it will be a blast, since we know how much you love cheese!
The festival is a gathering of cheese makers and lovers, farmers, artisans and vendors to celebrate what is obviously Wisconsin’s most famous food. You can also enjoy world-class Americana, alt-country, folk and bluegrass music, whiskey, wine and craft beer. Plus fun contests, educational presentations, fantastic music, and then a delicious variety of creative foods including BBQ, locally-made pies, pig bacon candy, curds and more. During the fest, you can even learn about cheese sculpting and participate in a Stein Hoisting Competition Saturday night! It’s a particularly family-friendly weekend at the Lake Geneva House of Music festival grounds. Get the full list of vendors here!
Geneva Cheese Festival has FREE Admission this year! Get Tickets Here
It’s easy to get to Lake Geneva House of Music, just follow County H north from Lake Geneva. If you’d rather, you can certainly head south from U.S. 12 by the I-43 interchange when you reach County NN south of Elkhorn. Similarly, Highway 67 brings you close. Then just follow H until you see all the action! Prior to 1973, this was the original route of U.S. 12 before they built the freeway (some fun trivia for road geeks like us!)
Geneva Cheese Festival Address:
Lake Geneva House of Music
N3241 County Trunk H (formerly U.S. 12)
Lake Geneva, WI 53147
(262) 248-0606
Website
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May 22, 2026 – May 24, 2026
Door County Lighthouse Festival
Twice a year, the Door County Lighthouse Festival gives you a closer look at the beautiful lighthouses that mark the shores of the Door Peninsula. The spring edition this year is the weekend of May 22nd-24th and June 5th – 7th; the fall will be October 2nd-4th.
These fundraising Festival weekends include air, land-based, boat, and adventure tours that provide access to all of the treasured lighthouses of Door County and 3 neighbors to the south in Kewaunee and Brown Counties. Many of the tour excursions are unique to the Lighthouse Festival weekends and provide visitors exclusive access to lighthouses not typically open to the public – Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point Lighthouses. There are tours for all levels of activity and accessibility. Some tours involve hiking. Boat tours depart from a variety of locations around the Peninsula, including Sister Bay, Gills Rock and Baileys Harbor. A portion of each Lighthouse Festival tour ticket helps fund the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc.
These are the Participating Locations, with their open hours during Spring and Fall Lighthouse Festivals. *Please note: If you are planning a self-guided experience, there may be an admission fee or requested donation.
Learn details and prices of the tours, and purchase tour tickets at: DoorCountyTickets.com
Door County Lighthouse Festival Website
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May 29, 2026 – May 31, 2026
Dairyfest 2026, Marshfield
Marshfield features its 45th annual Dairyfest Friday, May 29th through Sunday, May 31st at venues all across the city. This is Hub City’s annual honor of the agricultural industry and Wisconsin’s hardworking dairy farmers! This community tradition has been providing fun for the whole family, during these “dairy-licious” days.
The Marshfield Area Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MACCI) puts on the event, which includes a wide variety of fun activities across the three-day weekend.
What is Dairyfest?
Held annually the weekend after Memorial Day, Dairyfest is a fun community celebration that honors the agriculture industry and local dairy farmers. Dairyfest features a lot of fun events, including the annual Dairyfest Breakfast, a parade, kids’ activities, a Picnic in the Park, and much more. The theme of this year’s celebration is “A Dairy Great Time”!
Friday, May 29th
5:30am-9:30am / Mayor’s Breakfast: Held at the Expo Building at the Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, 513 E. 17th St., this traditional event welcomes nearly 2,000 people every year. $10/ticket, kids 6 and under are FREE!
5:00pm-8:00pm / Picnic in the Park: Food trucks will be at Columbia Park, 201 W. Arnold St., until 5:00pm and a variety of food booths will be available throughout the evening. Join the fun in the Park including a Petting Zoo, Educational displays, Marshfield Fire & Rescue hands-on fun, Face painting, Main Street Conservatory of Dance show, Coin & Candy hunt (ages 2-9), Bingo (ages 10-15), and the Marshfield Civic Band Concert. Bring your lawn chairs for a night of fun!
Saturday, May 30th
Additional activities scheduled for Saturday include:
Governor W. H. Upham House, 212 West 3rd Street, Marshfield
Central WI State Fairgrounds, 513 East 17th Street
Central WI State Fairgrounds
8:00 am to 10:00 pm
Saturday, May 31st
USA Sanctioned Dairyfest Coed and Women’s Softball Tournament
Central WI State Fairgrounds
9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Marshfield Dairyfest Address:
Various locations around town, including the Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
513 E. 17th Street
Marshfield, WI 54449
Website
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June 13, 2026
Sister Bay Roofing of the Goats Parade
Well, THIS is an interestingly-named event: the Roofing of the Goats Parade takes place at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay, Wisconsin on Saturday, June 13th, 2026 at 11:00 am right along Highway 42.
All goats are invited to participate in the 12th annual Roofing of the Goats parade! Don’t have a goat? Then line up and watch the famous Al Johnson’s goats while they head down the streets to climb up onto the sod roof. They will be joined by many of their local Door County goat friends who will also be at the festivities. Goat costumes, goatees, Viking hats, and other creative endeavors are encouraged. The parade begins at the corner of Mill Road and Highway 42 in downtown Sister Bay, and goes a trot, kick and a leap down the road to Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant. The parade culminates with the roofing of the first goats of the season at Al Johnson’s (weather permitting – the goats don’t go on the roof in rain or snow). The Goat Parade will be followed by Al Johnson’s annual Goat Fest, located at Stabbur Beer Garden, next to the restaurant. Goat Fest will feature all day festivities including: live music, kid’s games, various beverages, great food, and a Swedish Pancake Eating contest. Other businesses throughout town will also be celebrating with specials.
Returning this year is the Goat Drop Contest. You can help support the Northern Door Food Pantry and have some fun. With a purchase of a goat drop sticker, you will be entered in to win a Trek Fat Tire Cruiser bike from Husby’s and Flanigan’s Distributing, a $100 gift card from Al Johnson’s, or a Lunch and Farm Tour from Door County Creamery. Stickers will be placed on the street along the parade route. To win, a Goat must make a deposit on your sticker during the Goat parade. All proceeds will go to the Northern Door Food Pantry at the Sister Bay Baptist Church. Stickers will be available for purchase at the parade, or if you can’t attend you can still join in on the fun and purchase your stickers online. You do not need to be present to win! Buy your stickers HERE.
Parade line up begins on the southeast corner of Highway 42 (N. Bay Shore Dr.) and Mill Road, and begins at 11:00 a.m. Don’t be late…the goats walk fast!
After the parade, Goat Fest at Al Johnson’s will begin, and includes Live Music, Kids Games and Crafts, a Swedish Pancake Eating Contest and more.
Sister Bay Roofing of the Goats Parade Address:
Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik
10698 N. Bay Shore Road (Highway 42)
Sister Bay, WI 54234
(920) 854-2626
Website
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June 26, 2026 – June 28, 2026
Hayward Musky Fest
Hayward hosts Musky Fest Friday, June 26th through Sunday, June 28th with a huge celebration that offers over 120 handmade art and crafts booths, sidewalk sales, live music on Friday and Saturday nights, kids’ games and entertainment including a carnival, a 5k and 10k run/walk, parade, Musky Queen Scholarship program and the Hayward Lions Club fishing contest. The theme in 2026 is “The Reel Up North!”
As you may know (and if you don’t, now you will), Hayward is home to the National Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame and includes the World’s Largest Musky that you can explore and even climb up into. Musky Fest is fun for the whole family as it celebrates the musky, fishing, the North Woods, and so much more. U.S. 63 and Highways 27 and 77 bring you to this beautiful town!
Musky Fest Schedule of Events:
Friday, June 26th
Sidewalk Sales @ Downtown Hayward & Area Retail Stores
Handmade Art & Craft Show, Food, Refreshments & Live Entertainment
Hayward Area High School Bass Team Casting Game & Fundraiser on Third Street
Professional Chalk Art on Second Street presented by Deerfoot Lodge & Resort
Hayward Sports Center Hockey Activity Station on Fourth Street
Family Friendly Activity Zone at the Frandsen Bank Green Lot presented by Hayward Wesleyan Church
Woodland Dance Troupe Native American Dancers on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
Family Chalk Art Area on Second Street sponsored by Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center
Face Painting and Balloon Animals on Second Street sponsored by Frandsen Bank
Caricatures by Rachel near the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
Speed Ball Throw on Third Street presented by the Knights of Columbus
Fishing Contest Booth Open for Registrations near the Food Court on Main Street – Presented by Muskies Inc. – Hayward Lakes Chapter & Hayward Bass Club
Hayward Lions Club and Hayward Rotary Club’s Beer and Brat Tents Open
Meet & Greet with Hall of Fame Fisherman Babe Winkelman
Carnival Open at the Fuller Building Lot Courtesy of St. Joe’s Catholic Church
Carnival Wrist Band Hours, all ages $25 each
Learn to Fish Event at Shue’s Pond – Courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR
Mini, Little Miss, & Junior Musky Queen Presentation Presented by the Hayward Dairy Queen on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
Watermelon Eating Contest presented by Marketplace Foods
Live Music by Sean & Ian Okamoto on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward – Sponsored by Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Annual Musky Fest Car Show presented and hosted by Don Johnson’s Hayward Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (3pm Check-In)
Carnival Wrist Band Hours, all ages $25 each
Musky Queen Crowning Ceremony Presented by the Hayward Dairy Queen on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
Hayward Hawks vs. Blue Hills Beasts – Larry Somerville Field
FREE Live Music by Steve Beguhn on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward – Sponsored by Eddy’s on Third
Saturday, June 27th
Sawyer County Dairy Breakfast @ Sawyer County Fairgrounds
Sidewalk Sales @ Downtown Hayward & Area Retail Stores
Handmade Art & Craft Show, Food, Refreshments & Live Entertainment
Professional Chalk Art on Second Street presented by Deerfoot Lodge & Resort
Hayward Sports Center Hockey Activity Station on Fourth Street
Family Chalk Art Area on Second Street sponsored by Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center
Face Painting and Balloon Animals on Second Street sponsored by Frandsen Bank
Sawyer County Wood Chop in the Firehall Municipal Lot on Dakota Avenue
Caricatures by Rachel near the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward
Speed Ball Throw on Third Street presented by the Knights of Columbus
Hayward Lions Club and Hayward Rotary Club’s Beer and Brat Tents Open
Rod Lundberg Games – presented by Northwest Connection Family Resource Center at the Frandsen Bank Green Lot
Carnival Open at the Fuller Building Lot Courtesy of St. Joe’s Catholic Church
Dairy Queen Dilly Bar Eating Contest
Family Friendly Activity Zone at the Frandsen Bank Green Lot presented by Hayward Wesleyan Church
Carnival Wrist Band Hours, all ages $25 each
Shue’s Pond is Open for Fishing – Courtesy of the Wisconsin DNR
Hula Hoop Contest
Live Music by The Sixes on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward – Sponsored by Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe University
Fishing Contest Raffle & Prize Ceremony at the Fishing Contest Booth on Main Street Presented by Muskies Inc. – Hayward Lakes Chapter & Hayward Bass Club
4th Annual Musky Fest Cornhole Tournament Presented by Ignite Dispensary
Carnival Wrist Band Hours, all ages $25 each
Hayward Hawks vs. Haugen Knights – Larry Somerville Field
Get Hooked: Blood Hook Screening Extravaganza at The Park Center
FREE Live Music by Six to Midnight on the Sevenwinds Casino Main Stage in Downtown Hayward – Sponsored by Angler’s Bar & Grill
Sunday, June 28th
Musky Fest 5K Run/Walk and 10K Run– Presented by the Tamarack Health Hayward Medical Center
Minnow Run for kids 12 and under in front of Frandsen Bank and Trust
Sidewalk Sales @ Downtown Hayward & Area Retail Stores
Hayward Lions Club and Hayward Rotary Club’s Beer and Brat Tents Open
Food Concessions on Main Street Open
Carnival Open at the Fuller Building Lot
74th Annual Musky Festival Grand Parade
Presented by: Nelson Lumber & Floor to Ceiling
Parade Route: Main Street to Second Street to Dakota Ave
Hayward Musky Fest Address:
Downtown Hayward
Hayward, WI 54843
(715) 634-8662
Website
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July 8, 2026 – July 12, 2026
Northern Wisconsin State Fair
The Northern Wisconsin State Fair is always a fun-filled, family event that brings folks back year after year to Chippewa Falls, right along Historic U.S. 53 and today’s Highway 124. In 2026, it runs Wednesday July 8th through Sunday, July 12th!
The five days of the fair feature midway carnival excitement, numerous exhibits, animal judging, contests for milk drinking, pie eating, karaoke, animal shows including a draft horse show, a pedal tractor pull, and much more that you would expect from a fair like this. Furthermore, you can check out or participate in the Lego Pre-Build Contest, talent competitions, and of course, the food is always a highlight. A Schedule of Events is below!
Music Headliners on the Leinenkugel Main Stage include:
Wednesday, July 8th: Sawyer Brown
Thursday July 9th: Hairball with guests Rival 5
Friday, July 10th: Sugar Ray with special guest Uncle Kracker, 8pm (gates open at 7)
Saturday, July 11th: .38 Special, 7pm (gates open at 6)
Tickets from VIP to Grandstand levels can be purchased here!
Northern Wisconsin State Fair Admission:
Adult 5 Day Admission: $25 (covers all five days)
One Day Admission: $10
Children 5 and Under: FREE
Parking: $5 per vehicle
Active/Retired Military and Veterans: Free with Active/Retired Military ID Card, DD214
The Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds are right along Highway 124 in Chippewa Falls, just a hop, skip, and a jump north of the Leinenkugel Brewery and across from beautiful Irvine Park and the Irvine Park Zoo. Highways 29 and U.S. 53 bring you close by.
Northern Wisconsin State Fair Schedule of Events coming soon!
Northern Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Northern Wisconsin State Fairgrounds
225 Edward Street (just off Highway 124)
Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
(715) 723-2861
Website
A full Schedule of Events list is coming! For more on Chippewa Falls in general, check out our State Trunk Tour Chippewa Falls Podcast:
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July 9, 2026 – July 12, 2026
Bastille Days
It’s Milwaukee’s annual French festival, one of the largest French celebrations in the United States, and it’s tres magnifique! This FREE four-day bash attracts over 250,000 visitors each year. In 2026, Bastille Days runs Thursday, July 9th through Sunday, July 12th. Set around Cathedral Square on the east side of downtown, Bastille Days begins with a 5K “Storm the Bastille” run on Thursday night and then plenty of live music, an international marketplace, chef and wine demos, French and Cajun cuisine, roaming busker entertainment and a signature 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica offering hourly light shows.
The event is known for the impromptu street performers, roaming minstrels, and a variety of interactive and musical entertainment. Bastille Days also boasts a wide variety of some of the best restaurant vendors in Milwaukee!
Check out Bastille Days wine tastings where you can let your taste buds explore and compare delicious wines from around the world! A wine specialist will guide you through the taste test with selected wines from 5 countries. A separate ticket is needed for each tasting, and seating is limited to 76 per tasting. You’ll find all these tastings at the NE corner of Cathedral Square Park along Jackson Street – look for the tent!
The festival covers the blocks around Cathedral Square, including along Wells, Kilbourn, Jefferson, and Jackson Streets. U.S. 18 and Highway 32 actually detour around the festival, which is one of the largest French festivals in the nation. I-43/94, I-794, and Highways 38, 59, and 145 all bring you close. Grab your beret and check it out!
Bastille Days Hours:
Thursday July 9- 11am-11:30pm
Friday July 10- 11am-11:30pm
Saturday July 11- 10am-11:30pm
(Kid’s Day Activities 10am – 3pm)
Sunday July 12- 11am-8pm
Bastille Days Address:
825 N. Jefferson Street/Cathedral Square
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Website
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July 11, 2026 – September 6, 2026
Bristol Renaissance Faire
Bristol Renaissance Faire runs Saturdays and Sundays July 5th though Labor Day, September 1st (yes, it runs that Monday and that’s the only Monday.)
The Kid’s Kingdom features the Castle Stage where children can get knighted, a face-painting area (don’t worry, it washes off eventually), hobbit houses, an entrance area with five huge thrones that provide great photo opportunities, and an air-conditioned rest area.
A giant turkey leg slathered in barbecue sauce is an essential part of the Bristol Renaissance Faire experience, but they also offer everything from Cornish pasties and bakery goods to vegan items and gelato. The number of entertainment stages now totals sixteen. Comedic sword-fighting, ropewalking, juggling, fire-whipping, acrobatics, chalk art, a variety of musicians, and more. The Marketplace offers the work of nearly 175 artisans and crafters; you can find Scottish kilts, leather masks, bamboo flutes, jester socks, stage-combat-approved swords, steampunkery, and much more. Glass blowing and blacksmithing activities frequently happen in the Marketplace as well as a variety of other crafting.
Tickets range from $40 for adults to $15 for children ages 5-12. Seniors (62+) and Military with ID are $38. Kids 4 and under are free. Season passes can be purchased for $225. You can also get discounted tickets at Menard’s and if you join Friends of the Faire you can also get discounts. U.S. 41, I-41/94, Highway 165, and the state line border the “Fairegrounds,” with U.S. 45 and Highway 50 also getting you close!
Bristol Renaissance Faire Location:
12550 120th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53142
(877) 395-7773
Website
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July 23, 2026 – July 25, 2026
Hub City Days
The massive Car & Bike Show, Family Zone with bounce houses and kids’ games, the Craft Show, the Brew Fest and Beer Garden, tons of live music and more are all ready!
The Hub City Brew Fest will feature craft beers from all over Wisconsin and the Midwest! The Car Show will be right on Central Avenue (Historic Highway 13).
You can reach Marshfield via U.S. 10 or Highways 13, 80, and 97. It’s right in the center of Wisconsin, hence the name “Hub City”!
Hub City Days Schedule:
Thursday, July 23rd
DOWNTOWN BUSINESS AFTER 5
Friday, July 24th
Saturday, July 25th
Find out more here from Visit Marshfield.
You can easily reach Marshfield via U.S. 10 or Highways 13, 80, and 97. Head to the Hub!
Check out our State Trunk Tour Marshfield Podcast with Matt McLean from VISIT Marshfield, where we talk Hub City Days, the city and all the things to do and see in it, here or stream it below!
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July 24, 2026 – July 26, 2026
Taste of Wisconsin
Admission is FREE for everybody! And while you can enjoy great food, music, and more, you can also explore the HarborPark area, the Kenosha Public Museum, the Civil War Museum, the Dinosaur Discovery Museum, the Southport Light Station & Museum, take rides on the Kenosha Trolley, and more! Taste of Wisconsin happens in Kenosha’s HarborPark area on the edge of downtown. You’ll find it just east of Highway 32 between the east ends of Highways 50 and 158. Enjoy!
Taste of Wisconsin Address:
HarborPark
5400 6th Avenue
Kenosha, WI 53140
(262) 496-9400
Website
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July 24, 2026 – July 26, 2026
German Fest
Check out United for Kids, where you can visit with The MACC Fund, Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, Make-A-Wish® Wisconsin and Ronald McDonald House of Eastern Wisconsin, Inc. on Saturday, July 25th and Sunday, July 26th inside of the Sports Area. They’ll have games, prizes, information and fun for the whole family! A portion of Sunday’s ticket sales will benefit these four charities.
You can also check out Carousel Organ Association of America’s providing some of the “happy” instrumentation as you dance to music. Children can participate in the Fairy Tale Parade Sunday at 3:30pm and Dance Showcase at 4pm on the Sprecher Oktoberfest Stage. Fireworks will fill the sky Friday and Saturday night starting around 10:30pm.
TICKETS for German Fest are only $3 Friday! General Admission Saturday & Sunday run tickets run $12 in advance and $15 at the gate; children under 12 are free when accompanied by an adult. Find out more admission specials here.
German Fest takes place on the Summerfest Grounds in Milwaukee – also known as Henry Maier Festival Park. The grounds are in close proximity to U.S. 18, I-43/94, and Highways 32, 38, 57, 59, 145, and 190.
Prosit!
Milwaukee German Fest Address:
Henry Maier Festival Grounds
200 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 464-9444
Website
July 30, 2026 – August 2, 2026
Mile of Music
Appleton’s “Mile of Music” Festival (X/Twitter: @MileofMusicFest) serves up original singer-songwriters, combos and multi-piece bands showcasing Americana music at both its most colorful and its very best. Genres include roots and indie rock, country, gospel, soul, R&B, jazz and folk. This year’s Mile of Music 11 takes place July 30 – August 2, 2026.
This grassroots festival was co-founded by Appleton marketing executive Dave Willems and Appleton/Nashville-based national recording artist and Grammy nominee Cory Chisel in 2013. Willems Marketing & Events continues to run Mile of Music, with the support of over 100 community organizations and sponsors. Presenting sponsor Fox Communities Credit Union and other major sponsors have allowed this event to be FREE.
Mile of Music is noted as a “handcrafted artisan festival” with over 200 artists and acts across 40 venues spanning a mile… of music (hence the name!)
Venues vary and include coffee shops, bars, parks, restaurants, museums and other public spaces. with more of them outdoors in the wake of the pandemic we all had to deal with. Some of Mile 13’s biggest artists will perform at the Main Stage in Houdini Plaza, one of the festival’s most popular venues. Remember, Harry Houdini spent time in Appleton and claimed it as his hometown!
Local brewpub Stone Arch will offer up its artisan Mile of Music Americana Pale Ale to add to the flavor of the festival. Music fans who love bicycling can work off those beer calories and indulge their music passions with Bike to the Beat. Added fun includes the Tub of Tunes giveaway, where one lucky attendee will win a bathtub full of CDs and vinyl from Mile 10 artists.
They even have their own radio station, Mile of Music Radio. Listen to it here!
Check it out all weekend in Appleton. Their website has the complete lineup, and you can also download their special app for updates, details on all the events, and more. You can also get the full schedule here – it’s a busy one!
Appleton is easily accessible via I-41, U.S. 10, Highways 15, 47, 96, or, of course 125 – because if you’re on Highway 125, you’re in Appleton already. Highway 441 provides a bypass around the city that allows you to enter from points east and south.
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August 6, 2026 – August 16, 2026
Wisconsin State Fair
One of the nation’s great fairs, the Wisconsin State Fair runs August 6-16, 2026 on the Wisconsin State Fair Park grounds in West Allis. Everything from the animals to rides, concerts, exhibits, and tasty food and beverages are yours for the taking!
Updates to the Central Mall area include with a new look and ample seating. The rides and games at SpinCity are in full swing, and they include a super assortment of over 40 rides and 25 games with chances to win plenty of prizes!
The Fairgrounds will have plenty of street performers and entertainers, but of course the excellent live music is a huge draw. There are two primary performance stages at Wisconsin State Fair: the Main Stage, which uses the Milwaukee Mile track and bleachers for seating, and the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater, which is near the Central Mall.
Bank Five Nine Main Stage headliners at Wisconsin State Fair include:
Thursday, August 6th: Hairball
Friday, August 7th: Nelly
Saturday, August 8th: Bailey Zimmerman with Chandler Walters
Sunday, August 9th: Wynonna Judd & Melissa Etheridge
Monday, August 10th: For King + Country with Rachel Lampa
Tuesday, August 11th: The Isley Brothers & The Commodores
Wednesday, August 12th: John Mulaney
Thursday, August 13th: The All-American Rejects with Joyce Manor
Friday, August 14th: Lindsey Stirling with PVRIS
Saturday, August 15th: AJR with Em Beihold
Sunday, August 16th: The Beach Boys
Bank Five Nine Amphitheater headliners include:
Thursday, Aug. 6: Sixteen Candles, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 7: Here Come the Mummies, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 8: Here Come the Mummies, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 9: So Good: The Neil Diamond Experience with Claire Sardina, 8 p.m.
Monday, Aug. 10: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m.
Tuesday, Aug. 11: Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone, 8 p.m.
Wednesday, Aug. 12: Hairbangers Ball, 8 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 13: Too Hype Crew, 8:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 14: The Gufs, 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 15: Let’s Sing Taylor — An Unofficial Live Tribute Show, 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 16: Pat McCurdy, 5:30 p.m.
You will not go hungry: favorite foods at the Fair include the roasted corn, corn dogs, flavored milks, all kinds of creative deep-fried foods, sausages, as much as you can imagine on a stick, and the legendary Wisconsin cream puffs that become a “must have” for attendees needing their true dairy (and carb) fix! They get more eclectic with things like deep-fried bull testicles (listed as “Rocky Mountain Oysters” on the menu at Big Sky Country Bar & Grill), ants on a stick (literally), and earthworm and cricket jerky. But hey, it’s up to you. Last year’s “Sporkies” winner was the Deep Fried Lemonade Bites from Saz’s BBQ.
SPORKIES AND DRINKIES FINALISTS THIS YEAR
The Sporkies and Drinkies competition finalists are among the best – or most unique – offerings (according to a crack team of judges) each year. In 2025, Sporkies finalists included A Hunk A Hunk Fat Elvis Donut Ice Cream Sandwich, Blueberry Breakfast Bratwurst, Brat Rangoon, the Gochujang Smashburger with Kimchi Bacon Jam, Mexican Street Corn Pizza, Pretzaroni Pizza Brat, S’mores Churro Fries, and the Ube Butter Banana French Toast Lumpia. Drinkies finalists include the Carnival Cooler, Dirty Pancakes, Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Smoothie, and a Purple Rain Refresher.
OTHER FOODS at State Fair include an Apple Crunch Cheesecake Quesadilla from the Mexican Grill, BBQ Mac Tater Tots from Jayme’s Chipstix, the Caramel Turtle Pretzel at Gertrude’s Fresh Pretzels, Loaded Baked Potato with Bacon Pizza from Pistol Pete’s, Prime Rib Sliders at Leadfoots Race Bar & Grill, the Unicorn Beer Float at Slim McGinn’s Irish Pub, and about 60 other choices!
The Milwaukee Mile race track, which hosts races, auto testing, and more throughout the year is just one of the places you can park – which is cool, since you can walk on and check out this legendary oval, the oldest continuously operating raceway in the world.
Get more details here. This is definitely one of the best State Fairs in the nation!
Check out this map of Wisconsin State Fair… you can enlarge it by clicking on it or get a printable .pdf HERE.
Wisconsin State Fair Park is in West Allis, less than ten minutes from downtown Milwaukee. Bordered on the south by Highway 59/Greenfield Ave., on the west by Highway 181/84th Street, on the north by I-94, and on the east by 76th Street. U.S. 18/Bluemound Road comes close to the north, I-41/U.S. 45 and then Highway 100 skim by 2 miles to the west, and Highway 175 is about 2 miles east as it passes Miller Park. There are a lot of great ways to get to the Park!
Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park
640 S. 84th Street (Highway 181 at Highway 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(414) 266-7000
Website
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August 25, 2026 – August 30, 2026
Central Wisconsin State Fair
One of three “State Fairs” in Wisconsin, the Central Wisconsin State Fair takes place in Marshfield August 25-30, 2026 on the grounds that also feature the “World’s Largest Round Barn.” The Central Wisconsin State Fair has also been refreshing its equipment with new rides and games to enhance the experience!
Headliners include:
This Fair also features 4-H and open class exhibits, free grandstand entertainment with gate admission, the Round Barn Express train, Junior Fair Market Animal Sale, 13th annual Kiss a Critter Contest, the Dress-A-Cow Contest, midway carnival rides, commercial exhibits and special programs, food and beer gardens, and more. This six-day extravaganza is definitely worth checking out if you want to hit the lovely city of Marshfield in the central part of the state (hence, the event’s name).
U.S. 10 and Highways 13, 80, and 97 all hit Marshfield, Wisconsin (“Hub City”) and the Central Wisconsin State Fair grounds are on the south side of town, a few blocks east of Central Avenue (Bus. Hwy 13) and the Wildwood Zoo. Also check out Central Avenue and the downtown district, the Blue Heron Brewpub, and a plenty of other things and to see and do around Hub City. Get more ideas from Visit Marshfield here!
Check their website for the complete entertainment lineup, ticket specials, and more!
Central Wisconsin State Fair Address:
Wood County Fairgrounds
513 E. 17th Street
Marshfield, WI 54449
(715) 387-1261
Website
Find out more about Marshfield in this episode of our State Trunk Tour Podcast!
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September 25, 2026 – September 27, 2026
Warrens Cranberry Festival
Warrens is “Wisconsin’s Cranberry Capital,” so it’s only fitting they host the World’s Largest Cranberry Festival! Held annually since 1973 (with, of course, the exception of 2020), the Warrens Cranberry Festival welcomes over 110,000 visitors each year from places all over the world. Seriously, when we went we met people from Australia and other countries throughout Europe and South America!
Taking place the last full weekend of every September, activities a’plenty abound. Enjoy a guided bus tours of cranberry marshes (brilliant red colors mean you should have your camera ready!) and bogs that show you the harvesting of these tasty, nutritious, UTI-fighting berries.
Warrens Cranberry Festival includes contests such as “Crazy for Cranfest”, where guests can win special prizes for crazy or creative costumes. They also have prizes for the Biggest Berry Contest, a Button Design Contest, a Cranberry Chiffon Pie-Eating Contest, a Flower Contest, Marsh Medallion Hunt, a Photography Contest, Quilt & Needlework Contest, Scarecrow Contest, and more.
Getting to Warrens Cranberry Festival (aka Cranfest):
Warrens is a small, pleasant town north of Tomah in Monroe County. To access Warrens, follow I-94 to Exit 135 (County EW) by the Three Bears Resort. U.S. 12, which runs basically parallel to I-94 in this area, also comes close to Warrens. Highways 21 and 173 are just a few miles away, closer to Tomah but they still bring you close. Follow County O or EW into town – there will be plenty of signs!
Get the latest updates from their website, CranFest.com!
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