Belleville, straddling Dane and Green Counties, is not only a pretty town but apparently a draw for UFOs. Numerous sightings were reported in and around town, particularly in the late 1980s. They celebrate these unidentified flying objects with UFO Day every year.
This year, the 33rd annual UFO Day takes place on Saturday, October 26th with a parade, a craft fair, a Fun Run, kids’ costume contest, games, and the Monster Costume Ball. And check out the Belleville UFO Day Beer Fest, which will feature over 20 breweries offering up over 80 craft beers to sample!
Belleville is in far southern Dane County, brushing the Green County line. Highways 69 and 92 give you access to the town, which features historic buildings in Library Park and beautiful topography in any direction before and after the UFO Day festivities! It’s about 20 minutes from Madison, south of Verona on Highway 69.
Belleville UFO Days & Beer Fest Address:
Library Park
18 S. Vine Street
Belleville, WI 53508
(608) 438-4412 Facebook Page
See the Schedule of Events below!
Belleville UFO Day Schedule of Events
7:30 to 11 :30 am: ATV club pancake breakfast at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
10 am: Color run/walk at Library Park, registration at Senior Center 9 am
9-3 pm: Craft Show at CH Hageman Gym, Intermediate School
11 am: Saucer Toss at The Dam Bar
1 pm: PARADE ON MAIN STREET. Grand Marshall St. Vincent in his restored 1932 Packard Limo
After Parade: Music by Ken Lonnquist at Library Park, sponsored by Belleville Public Library
2 pm: Belleville UFO Day Beer Fest, featuring over 80 craft beers for tasting from over 20 breweries
2-5 pm :Alien Glow and Bowl – $2 Games at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
3 pm: Howl at the Moon Dog Show at Library Park to benefit the Library. Includes a Costume Contest • Stupid Pet Tricks • Dog Races and a Dog/Owner Look-a-Like Contest
3-7 pm: Music at The Dam Bar
8 pm: Monster Costume Ball, with music at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
Coffee & hot chocolate by McFarland House Cafe Mobile at Library Park and other various non-profit food vendors such as the Dayton Dairylander’s famous cheese curds
Zombie Days takes place in the Bayfield County seat of Washburn, and on the last full weekend of October, the town officially gets taken over by Zombies! Come join the fun and mayhem, because there will be plenty to see and do. Activities include a haunted house, dance, parade and various Zombie performances that range from Zombie Zumba to belly dancing. There will also be a Zombie pub crawl at night. Most of the activities will take place on Saturday. There will also be contests including pumpkin carving contests, spooky yard contest, undead tread scavenger hunt, Lions’ Club kids carnival, bike obstacle course, Library chili feed, bake-off & the zombie ball.
To reach Washburn, just head up Highway 13 from U.S. 2 near Ashland. Washburn is the seat of Bayfield County and hugs Chequamegon Bay. It’s a beautiful drive!
Zombie Days Schedule:
Friday, October 25th:
Blood Drive: Give it up to Dracula. 1PM-5PM. Chamber office.
Carved Pumpkin Contest. 5PM. Drop off your pumpkin Wed.-Fri. at Washburn Hardware & Sport. Categories: cutest, funniest, scariest & most complex.
Saturday, October 26th:
Undead Tread: Amazing Race. 11AM-1PM. $20.00 fee. Start and end at Washburn Chamber office. Amazing Race-like, teams of 2-6. Dress up, cash prizes. No transportation of any kind to be used.
Cyclo-Corpse Maze 1:00PM Test your pedal, mettle through a maze of goriness. All ages & bikes welcome. Front lawn of the Bayfield Co. Courthouse: 117 E 5th St. Co-sponsored by North Coast Cycling Association.
Zombie Day Parade. 2PM. Goes down Washington Avenue. Register at Chamber. Zombie Days Parade Entry Form
Kid’s Carnival by the Lion’s Club. 2:30PM-4PM. Washburn High School.
Haunted Hallway. 2:30PM-4PM. Washburn High School Basement.
Family Fun, Halloween Style. 4PM-7PM at Harbor View Event Center.
Arts & Crafts. 4PM-6PM. Arts & Crafts w/ Betty Sitbon (sm. fee). Face painting w/ Markie Anderson (sm. fee). Cupcake Decorating w/Malorie Peterson & Sponsored by Hansen’s IGA.
Chili Feed & Fixins. 4PM. Sponsored by Friends of the Washburn Public Library. A fundraiser for necessary Brownstone restoration of the Library.
Halloween Treats Bake Off Judging. 4:30PM Community wide baked entries for Fall & Halloween wanted. Washburn Zombie Days Bakeoff Registration Form After the judging the treats will be for sale as a fundraiser for Homecoming 2020. Sponsored by Hansen’s IGA.
Kids Costume Contest. 5PM Categories: Best Group & Best Individual: Girl & Boy.
Kids Games. 6PM. Wrap the mummy, Cake Walk (Spons. by Hansen’s IGA), Bubble wrap, Freeze, Limbo, Musical Chairs.
Tim Burton Themed Ball & Masquerade. 7-10PM. Live music by NIGHTFLYER.
Haunted Mansion: Zombie Wedding. 7PM-9PM at the Cultural Center. Murder mystery theater meets escape rooms. Ages: PG 13-Adult. Limit: 30 people
Zombie Days Address in Washburn:
Various locations through town
Washburn, WI 54891
(715) 373-5017 Website
Click below for a larger schedule of everything happening at Zombie Days!
Spooner celebrates fall with a full day and evening of fun at the annual Jack O’ Lantern Festival, happening Saturday, October 19th, 2019. Enjoy this fun family festival with tons of kids’ games, a pumpkin roll down Siegner Hill, pumpkin painting, inflatable bounce houses and much more. There’s also a Pumpkin Recipe Contest and a Pumpkin Carving Contest.
The 5K Zombie Fun Run takes place in the evening through Spooner’s “haunted woods” and promises adventure.
Spooner is easy to get to via U.S. 53, U.S. 63, or Highway 70, about halfway between Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls and Superior. There’s a reason they call Spooner the “Crossroads of the North”!
Jack O’ Lantern Festival Address:
Downtown Spooner
Spooner, WI 54801
(715) 635-2168 Website
Check out the full Schedule of Events below!
Schedule of Events:
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Craft Fair near Main Tent
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Moms Club of Northern Wisconsin Bake Sale
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Pumpkin Recipe contest drop-off presented by the Spooner Memorial Library. Judging at noon.
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Pumpkin Carving Contest drop-off Presented by Spooner Memorial Library. Judging at 2 p.m.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Small pumpkin painting presented by Lakeland Family Resource Center.
9 a.m.—4 p.m.– Face painting presented by Indianhead Credit Union
10 a.m. – Kids’ Pavilion Opens, presented by State Farm Insurance – Tim Reedy Agency, with… Inflatables, Kids Bouncys, food, business booths, Jack O’ Lantern Store, game pavilion & more!
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – $5 wristband gets unlimited “kids rides” on the inflatables.
10 a.m.– 4 p.m.– kids activities and events held in the Main Tent presented by St. Francis de Sales School.
1-3 p.m. – Pumpkin Roll on Siegner Hill presented by the Spooner Fire District Auxiliary.
2:30-4:30 p.m.—5K Zombie Run Check In & Packet Pick up in the Main Tent.
Evening Events
5:30 p.m. 5K Zombie Run presented by Spooner Health
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Bonfires and Brewfest presented by Schmitz’s Economart in the Main Tent
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Live Music featuring SchuStrings – Dan Schullo in Main tent
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Kids’ Halloween Movie presented by the Spooner Civic Center in the event ballroom
With Fall Fair to Remember, Washington County Fair Park near West Bend brims with an arts and crafts show that fills the Pavilion and Ziegler Fair Park buildings Friday and Saturday October 18-19, 2019. Check out all kinds of unique and attractive works of art for your home, garden, or wherever you choose to put ’em!
Parking is free and over 200 exhibitors will be there, offering a huge variety of goodies. They include children’s clothes, “mancave” gifts (probably “she-shed” too), women’s scarves, mittens, and all types of wood, glass, furniture, and fiber. Many items are recycled or “upcycled” products made by these talented artists. You can get your childrens’ faces painted or have a balloon sculpted by Jer Bear, free of charge.
While there, sign up for door prizes ranging from items made by the attending vendors to gift cards to cold, hard cash!
Washington County Fair Park is located just off U.S. 45 and north of Highway 60 just south of West Bend at County PV (which stands for “Paradise Valley”.) Highways 33 and 144 come close too – and the fall colors in Kettle Moraine surrounding the area will be gorgeous!
Hours are 4 pm – 8 pm Friday night, and 9 am – 4 pm Saturday night. Wheelchair access is available.
Fall Fair To Remember Address:
Washington County Fair Park & Convention Center
3000 Highway PV
West Bend, WI 53095
(262) 692-9488 Website
The 19th annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience offers a four-day extravaganza of food, wine and fun. This interactive culinary event features celebrity chefs, libations specialists, wine experts and epicurean enthusiasts from around the world for dynamic culinary seminars, tastings and signature festivities. Unique to Kohler, each Main Stage session provides ticketed guests with samples of the chef-presented recipes prepared on stage. The presenting chef and audience members alike appreciate this interactive platform that encourages conversation, feedback, commentary and questions. Additionally, guests have the opportunity for casual interactions with celebrity and regional presenters during book signings, wine dinners, celebrity chef luncheons and special evening events. Throughout the weekend, guests can enjoy complimentary demonstrations and tastings at various locations throughout the resort such as The American Club, The Shops at Woodlake, Kohler Design Center and Woodlake Market.
Main stage chefsinclude Maneet Chauhan (“Chopped,” “Wedding Cake Championship”), Joe Flamm (Executive Chef of Spiaggia in Chicago), Jet Tila from The Food Network, Geoffrey Zakarain (“The Kitchen”), Jack Bishop, Chief Creative Officer of America’s Test Kitchen, Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davidson, both Executive Editorial Directors of America’s Test Kitchen.
The Wisconsin Book Festival is Wisconsin’s premier literary event, drawing 12,000-15,000 people for four days of author events. As the State Capitol and home to the University of Wisconsin, Madison boasts an engaged and active literary community who have shown a dedication to supporting great author programming.
The Madison Public Library is committed to ensuring that all Wisconsin Book Festival events are free and open to the public and hosts the Wisconsin Book Festival Event Series throughout the year as a way of generating awareness about the festival and solidifying author programming in the community.
Book genres include Art, Poetry, Fiction, Childrens, STEM, Food, Biographies, Performances, Wisconsin Authors, and more.
A year-long series of events leading up to and out of the annual festival keeps the public engaged with book programming, and gives authors an incredible venue in Madison. Since creating the series in 2013, the Wisconsin Book Festival has hosted more than 100 events for 15,000 audience members, including evenings with Atul Gawande, Ruth Reichl, Lois Lowry, Sarah Vowell, and John Scalzi.
Check the busy event schedule here. The Madison Public Library’s Central Library is just off the Capitol Square. I-39, I-90, I-94, U.S. 12, U.S. 14, U.S. 18, U.S. 151, and Highways 30 and 113 all bring you to our capital city. U.S. 151/Washington Avenue brings you closest!
Wisconsin Book Festival Address:
Madison Public Library
201 W. Mifflin Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 772-9565 Website
Applefest is an annual celebration in Two Rivers, filling the town’s Central Park with apple growers, bakers, and apple lovers enjoy this incredible fruit. An arts and crafts fair, apple pie social, and all kinds of entertainment will also take place throughout the day.
Central Park in Two Rivers, home to Applefest. (Photo credit: Lester Public Library’s Flicker.)
This year’s Applefest takes place on Saturday, October 12th from 9 am – 4 pm. You’ll find all the action in Central Park, right along Highway 42. This is also the place where the ice cream sundae was invented, so check out the Washington House and enjoy one in the original location. Explore the East and West Twin Rivers, the fascinating Rogers Street Historic Fishing Village, Neshotah Beach, and the beautiful area around the lakefront and city.
The drive along Lake Michigan on Highway 42/Memorial Drive between Two Rivers and Manitowoc is beautiful too, and there’s plenty more to see in Manitowoc, less than six miles away!
Applefest Address:
1710 W. Park Street
Two Rivers, WI 54241
(920) 755-2775 Website
The 12th annual Flyway Film Festival is held in Pepin and Alma along Highway 35, our gorgeous Great River Road, from Thursday, October 10th through Sunday, October 13th, 2019. Flyway Film Festival’s mission is to bring the best in independent film to the Lake Pepin area of Wisconsin and Minnesota for the purpose of cultural enrichment, community-building, arts education, and to inspire the next generation of filmmakers. The festival venues are on the shores of Lake Pepin, a part of the Mississippi that widens to a 40-square-mile “lake” sixty miles downstream from the Twin Cities. The area is known for its scenic river bluffs as well as for its vibrant art scene, gourmet dining, and sailing. Over 50 national and international independent films will be shown across multiple venues, with many filmmakers and industry professionals in attendance to interact with audiences via Q&A and networking events. It’s three days of films, workshops, music, and parties along the beautiful bluffs of the Mississippi River.
Eagle River Cranberry Fest celebrates this lovely, healthy, and tasty fruit that is one of Wisconsin’s most significant crops. There’s something for everyone, with arts and crafts, cranberry food sales, a bakery, entertainment, fitness events and more. More than 40,000 attend this annually, making it one of the highlights of the fall season in Eagle River.
While you are at Eagle River Cranberry Fest, check out the food tent where you will find soups, cranberry brats, char-broiled chicken sandwiches and much more. Then visit the Information Headquarters tent where you can purchase fresh cranberry bakery goods and event souvenirs. Don’t forget to save room for our famous World’s Largest Cranberry Cheesecake and support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
How about taking home some fresh locally grown cranberries or craisins? Approximately 10,000 pounds of premium select cranberries will be sold during the festival event. Cookbooks are also available to learn new and unique ways to use cranberries.
More Than Just Cranberries
In addition to the marvelous cranberry dishes and cranberry events, there will be over 300 Arts-n-Crafts vendors from all over the country selling all types of handmade arts and crafts on Cranberry Fest’s festival grounds, where are centered on the Vilas County Fairgrounds along Highway 70 West, just west of downtown. Meanwhile, in Downtown Eagle River you’ll find an open air antique market, farmers market, Cranberry Fest luncheon, Lake Country Weaver & Fiber Artists show and sale, food and lots of entertainment.
You can reach Eagle River via U.S. 45 or Highway 17, 32, or 70. It’s the heart of the World’s Largest Chain of Freshwater Lakes, with 28 of these beauties connected by waterways. It’s home to the world-famous World Championship Snowmobile Derby every year and a popular focal point for vacations in the North Woods.
Eagle River Cranberry Fest Address:
Vilas County Fairgrounds
146 Forest Street
Eagle River, WI 54521
(715) 479-6400 Website
A Schedule of Events is below!
Eagle River Cranberry Fest Schedule of Events
Thursday, October 3rd:
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
11:00 am, 11:30 am and Noon. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
Friday, October 4th:
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Leaving every half hour. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
EARLY BIRD BERRY BOG 5K JOG FUN RUN at Riverview Park (located across from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center): 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Saturday, October 5th:
9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Free Shuttle Bus to all the various festival locations: Festival Grounds (Vilas County Fairgrounds-Highway 70 West) and Downtown Eagle River. Shuttle available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. (Shuttles run every 20-30 minutes depending on traffic).
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Leaving every twenty minutes. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center – 201 N. Railroad St. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations. Reservations are recommended.
FRESH CRANBERRY AND CRAISIN SALES
Cranberry Fest Festival Grounds (Hwy 70 West), Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center (201 N. Railroad St.), Corner of Hwy 70 West & Railroad St. and Downtown Eagle River.
CRANBERRY FESTIVAL GROUNDS ACTIVITIES
Vilas County Fairgrounds on Highway 70 West. Free Shuttle Bus available to all other activities available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Arts & Crafts Fair – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Cranberry Fest Pancake Breakfast 7:00 am to 10:00 am
Cranberry Bake Sale
Cranberry Food Products and Souvenirs
Cranberry Beer
Make A Wish Foundation’s World’s Largest Cranberry Cheesecake
Family Entertainment
A variety of foods with and without Cranberries
DOWNTOWN EAGLE RIVER ACTIVITIES
Free Shuttle Bus available to all other activities. Available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Open Air Antique and Farmers Market 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
First Congregational Church Luncheon, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Lake Country Weaver and Fiber Artists Show and Sale
Entertainment
Mini Cranberry Bog Display – Northwoods Childrens Museum
Berry Bog 5K Jog – Fun Run/Walk 8:30 am – Riverview Park
Sunday, October 6th
9:00 am to 3:00 pm (No shuttle bus on Sunday)
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Leaving every hour. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
FRESH CRANBERRY AND CRAISIN SALES
Cranberry Fest Festival Grounds (Hwy 70 West), Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center (201 N. Railroad St.) and Downtown Eagle River.
CRANBERRY FESTIVAL GROUNDS ACTIVITIES
Arts & Crafts Fair – 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cranberry Fest Crafter Items Auction, 11:30 am at the Make A Wish Foundation Tent
Cranberry Bake Sale
Cranberry Food Products and Souvenirs
Cranberry Beer
Family Entertainment
A variety of foods with or without Cranberries
DOWNTOWN EAGLE RIVER ACTIVITIES
Farmers Market , 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Appleton Octoberfest is called “A Mile of Fun” in downtown Appleton and kicks off with License to Cruise, a classic car show featuring over 400 cars, plenty of live entertainment, and over 100 food vendors along College and nearby streets.
On Saturday, it’s Appleton’s largest block party! 100 food booths, 6 stages of music, 180 arts & crafts booths, family fun area.
Music starts as early as 9 a.m. (the full band line up is available on the website). Arts and Crafts and Family Fun for all ages! Octoberfest is a community-driven festival benefiting local non-profit organizations. Bring your ID if you plan to purchase beer tickets; beer ticket sales are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beer sales end at 5:30 p.m. and the event ends at 6 p.m.
Downtown Appleton is reached via U.S. 10, I-41, or Highways 47, 96, and 125.
Appleton Octoberfest Address:
100 College Avenue
Appleton, WI 54912
(920) 734-7101 Website
FRIDAY, 9/27/2019 Houdini Plaza (WVBO – 103.9 AND WNAM – 1280)
6:00 PM – 9:30 PM Doo Wop Daddies
6:00 PM – 9:30 PM Street Corner Entertainment
Corner of College & State WPKR (NASH FM)
Corner of College & Oneida Appleton Rock School w/their own stage & sound
Corner of College & Division 484th Army Band (6:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
Corner of College & Superior Joe Sly
Corner of College & Walnut Anna Little
Corner of College & Morrison The Polar Project
Corner of College & Durkee Lilie
Roaming Entertainment Jukebox Barbershop Quartet
SATURDAY, 9/28/2019 West End of College Avenue (105.7 WAPL)
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Appleton Rock School
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Coyote Kid
12:15 PM – 2:15 PM Road Trip N/A
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Vic Ferrari
Corner of College Avenue & Division Street (KZ 104.3 AND WGBA-NBC26)
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Twisted Chords
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Ill Genesi
11:45 AM – 2:15 PM The Boy Band Night
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Too White Crew
Corner of College Avenue & Superior Street (RAZOR 94.7 | 104.7)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Stricken
12:15 PM – 3:15 PM Sir Real
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Leading the Blind
Houdini Plaza (95.9 KISS FM)
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Newtonburg Oktoberfest Band
10:15 AM – 12:15 PM The Lately
12:30 PM – 2:45 PM Unity The Band
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM Kyle Megna & The Monsoons
Corner of College Avenue & Durkee Street (WHBY AND 95.3 | 99.1 THE SCORE)
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Doo Wop Daddies
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Zeroed In (484th Army Variety Band)
12:30 PM – 2:15 PM Copper Box
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM The Glam Band
Corner of College Avenue & Morrison Street
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM FBI & The Untouchable Horns
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM The Polar Project
Corner of College Avenue & Drew Street
9:00 AM – 10:45 AM Happy Wanderers
11:00 AM – 3:45 PM 484th Army Band Ensembles
Family Fun Stage
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Karate America Appleton East/Darboy
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Dan Kirk (Juggler)
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Randy Peterson (Children’s Singer)
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Cirq-Attude
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Dan Kirk (Juggler)
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Miller & Mike (Family Variety Act)
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Randy Peterson (Children’s Singer)
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Miller & Mike (Family Variety Act)
The delightful Swiss-esque (if that’s a word) enclave of New Glarus comes alive with New Glarus Oktoberfest September 26-29, 2019!
Sponsored by the New Glarus Brewery, there’s plenty of lederhosen, live music, and a ceremonial keg tapping of New Glarus Brewery’s Staghorn Oktoberfest beer. You can also enjoy chainsaw wood carving, an antique tractor pull, wagon rides, activities for the kids, food stands, plus a fondue demonstration and tasting on Sunday afternoon. Admission to New Glarus Oktoberfest is FREE!
New Glarus is reached via Highways 39 and 69, just 30 minutes south of Madison.
Get the full lineup and updates at Swisstown.com. Also see the schedule below:
New Glarus Oktoberfest Address:
Downtown New Glarus
418 Railroad Street
New Glarus, WI 53574
(608) 527-2095 Website
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New Glarus Oktoberfest Schedule:
Thursday, Sept. 26
7pm – 11pm Polka music by the Steve Meisner Band (wear your lederhosen and dirndls!)
8;30 pm: King and Queen contest. You could be our Oktoberfest royalty for the weekend! Cash prizes, free beer and food for the King & Queen. Dress in your best Oktoberfest attire and let the people be the judges on best costumes.
Friday, Sept. 27
6pm Beer tent opens
6pm Food stands open
6pm Craft vendors and farmers market open
7:00pm Tap the Wooden Keg Annual Oktoberfest Event! New Glarus Brewing Company will be tapping a wooden keg of Staghorn Oktoberfest
8:00pm – Midnight Madison County Band. Hottest Country Band in Wisconsin!
Rhinelander’s first Project North Festival takes place from Thursday, September 26th through Saturday, September 28th throughout the downtown area. Project North is a dynamic festival designed to focus on music, art, and the environment to showcase Rhinelander’s artistic community, appreciation for its captivating Northwoods environment, and its community cultural development efforts.
On the Arts side of the Project North Festival, you can check out interactive art exhibits, artist demonstrations and educational opportunities, movement and dance experiences, and a Downtown Art Walk in participating storefronts. ArtStart’s School Of the Arts Legacy Program classes will be held at UWSP-Treehaven for an add-on experience. Classes include writing, drawing, painting, play writing, collage, fiber art, and more.
Musically, there’s an impressive lineup of artists including:
Shook Twins from Portland
Bad Bad Hats from Minneapolis
Reina Del Cid from Minneapolis
Kind Country from Minneapolis
20 Watt Tombstone from Wausau
McNasty Brass Band from Minneapolis
Armchair Boogie from Stevens Point
Scott Kirby from Rhinelander
Ultrea from Madison
Humbird from Minneapolis
Wardehns from Wausau
Har-Di-Har from St. Paul
The Red Flags from Janesville
Purple Funk Metropolis from Minneapolis
Radiochurch from Minneapolis
Paco Fralick from Rhinelander
The Unnecessary Gunpoint Lecture from Madison
Luke Callen from La Crosse
Wurk from Madison
X Undead from Wausau
Boat Patrol from Rhinelander
As Bullets Baptize from Minocqua
Brett Schwartz from Three Lakes
Carolyn Jo Starling from Eagle River
Purging Paradise from Wausau
Nate Sheppard from Rhinelander
Ave’ Imperator from Madison
Elms from Wausau
Zippnuts from Wausau
Hand-Picked Bluegrass from Tomahawk
Circle of Willis from Rhinelander
Stovepipe Stephens from Rhinelander
Jared Kay from Rhinelander
Stall Black from Milwaukee
Phyl Wickham from Minocqua
Jasmine Zeigelbauer from Wausau
The Rhinelander Community Band from Rhinelander (of course)
The Eco Village at Project North Festival will welcome experts in sustainable practices to share their knowledge through demonstrations, presentations and informational booths. Project North Eco Village runs from 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Friday, September 27th and 10:00am – 5:00pm on Saturday, September 28th.
Project North Festival Address:
68 S. Stevens Street (Historic Highway 17)
Rhinelander, WI 54501
(715) 365-7464 Website
The Driftless area, a unique region that escaped the glaciers of the ice age, is an inspirational setting to many talented artists and artisans. Its hills and valleys are home to painters and potters, woodworkers and weavers, musicians and metalsmiths. To see the breadth and variety of their creations, you usually have to visit studios, stores and galleries across the area. But once a year in September, these artists gather together in Crawford County at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove along Highway 131, right by U.S. 61.
This year, the Driftless Area Art Festival happens Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22, 2019. Admission and parking are free! Enjoy a drive with exceptional scenery, as the Driftless Area of Wisconsin is ridiculously beautiful. You can then stroll through the exhibits, imbibe in some local fare, and sip some local wines. Also, we’re pretty sure if you want to buy some of the art you can do that.
Driftless Area Art Festival Address:
Beauford T Anderson Park
101 Church Street
Soldiers Grove, WI 54655
(608) Website
Ever meet alpacas up close and personal? National Alpaca Farm Days in Beloit offers you the chance to do just that. You can also learn about alpacas, their care, and their fiber, which can be spun into amazing products. It takes place at Pacesetter Alpacas in Beloit Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22 and September 28-29, 2019.
During National Alpaca Farm Days, you will be able to learn about alpacas, their care, and their fiber. There will be local fiber artists on-site to demonstrate fiber preparation techniques (skirting, picking, carding), spinning fiber into yarn, then knitting, weaving, or felting the fiber and yarn into product. The event provides an excellent opportunity to shop early for the holidays! Items for sale include clothing, socks, handmade accessories, dryer balls, raw fleece, roving, yarn, and more! There will also be fun activities for kids, and food will be available from Rosemarie’s Kitchen Table.
The owners of Pacesetters Alpacas, Dennis and Christy Pace, purchased 80 acres of land in 1995 and soon after became interested in Suri alpacas. There are two kinds of alpacas, the Huacaya (pronounced Wuh-kai-ya) and the Suri. Huacaya alpacas are fluffy like teddy bears and Suri alpacas have long shiny locks like very soft, slightly curly hair. Along with their alpacas, the Paces have a store with a variety of items for sale including warm and soft alpaca socks, hats, scarves, sweaters and much more. The store is open on Saturdays 9 am-3 pm and Sundays 12-4 pm between Thanksgiving and Christmas or by appointment. The store will be also open during the event. Saturday hours are 9 am-4 pm and Sunday hours are 12-4 pm. If you are unable to visit us during those times, give us them a call at 608-751-2261.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Friends of Noah Wisconsin—an all-breed animal rescue.
Hours:
Saturday, September 28, 9 am-4 pm
Sunday, September 29, 12-4 pm
National Alpaca Farm Days Address:
LondonDairy Alpacas
6827 State Highway 147
Two Rivers, WI 54241
(920) 793-4165 Website
Hey, all roads lead to Tomah, take one of them (I-90, I-94, US 12, Highway 16, Highway 21, or Highway 131… we weren’t kidding about “all roads”) Saturday, September 14th and check out the Tomah Rotary Kegs Corks & Forks Festival! It was formerly the Tomah Beer & Sausage Festival, but with more food, wine, and more being added, a new name was created. We’re cool with that.
Kegs Corks & Forks takes place from 5-8pm at Tomah Recreational Park’s Ice Hockey Rink, although partying will continue well past that. There will be a Smoked Meat Competition where the competitors are the Tomah Police Department vs. the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, craft beer sampling, wine tasting, plenty of area food vendors offering samples and food for sale, along with prizes, raffles, drawings, and a post-event concert featuring Lassos and Lace followed by Jay Allen.
Tickets range from $40 for general admission, which starts at 6pm; $60 for VIP admission, which begins at 5pm; you can also get concert-only tickets for $20 ahead of time or $25 the day of the show. You can buy tickets ahead of time here.
Tomah is the seat of Monroe County and the place where all the major roads meet and split. I-90 & I-94 converge here, as do their pre-Interstate compatriots, U.S. 12 and Highway 16. Highway 21 skims Tomah to the north and Highway 131 comes in from the Driftless Area south.
This is the start of “Cranberry Country” too, so check out the nearby bogs, sample fresh cranberries and all kinds of tasty foods made with this remarkable little fruit, and explore the town while you’re there!
Tomah Kegs Corks & Forks Address:
Recreation Park (just off Highway 16)
1625 Butts Avenue
Tomah, WI 54660 Website
You’ll find Recreation Park in Tomah just off Highway 16, once the main highway to La Crosse before I-90 was built. Best exit from I-90 to access Recreation Park is via Exit 41 (Highway 131), then west on Highway 16 to Butts Avenue and the Park.
Great Lakes Brew Fest takes place Saturday, September 14th in Racine. The 2019 Festival Theme is Woodstock’s 50 years! The Fest features unlimited sampling of more than 450 craft beers and sodas from over 100 brewers, plus many food trucks with a variety of food offerings, all on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan at the Racine Zoological Gardens just north of downtown.
All paid attendees will receive a souvenir tasting glass, and local restaurants will have plenty of menu items available for purchase. Doors open at 3pm; VIP members begin at 2 (they get first crack at everything, you see.) The festival also features live music including performances by the world renowned Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps, the internationally-acclaimed group for whom the Great Lakes Brew Fest helps raise money for. There will be more music from Duosonic.
The Great Lakes Brew Fest also serves as the host of the Schooner Home Brew Championship. Home Brew Island will also welcome groups like the Beer Barons of Milwaukee, the Brain Roasters Guild of Pleasant Prairie, Central Wisconsin Vintners & Brewers from Fond du Lac, Society of Oshkosh Brewers, Chicago Home Brewers Group, Square Kegs Homebrewers from Chicago, Forest City Brewers from Rockford, North Shore Brewers Club from Milwaukee, Dells Unified Frequent Fermenters (D.U.F.F.) from Reedsburg, Racine’s own Belle City Home Brewers, and more.
You must be at least 21 to attend. This is an adult event and all attendees must be of legal drinking age to participate. Children, toddlers, babies or pets are not permitted. However, at other times they are welcome to enjoy the Racine Zoological Gardens, because it’s a terrific zoo!
General Admission tickets are $50; a Basic Designated Driver Fest Pass is $20, which includes admission, a fest pint glass, and complimentary soda and water. A VIP Fest Pass runs $90 and includes early admission (2pm instead of 3pm), a commemorative stein and a pint glass, sausage and cheese sampling, a VIP Lounge area, and secure article check-in, and a $10 voucher off “festival swag.” Get all the ticket details here!
To reach Great Lakes Brew Fest, access Racine via Highways 11, 20, 32, or 38. Downtown Racine is about 8 miles east of I-41/94 and about 4 miles east of Highway 31. The Racine Zoological Gardens is just north of downtown along Lake Michigan via Highway 32, just follow the signs.
The 31st annual International Fall Festival takes place in downtown Eau Claire Saturday, September 14th!
The International Fall Festival celebrates the diverse cultural makeup of Eau Claire through food, music, and fun. Enjoy a wide variety of food, vendors, and entertainment along South Barstow Street and throughout the South Barstow District in Downtown Eau Claire throughout the day. The Parade begins at 3 pm, and admission is free. This is a great event to bring the whole family so they can experience the culture and all Eau Claire has to do – which is quite a bit!
International Fall Festival Address:
Downtown Eau Claire
203 S. Farwell Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 839-4914 Website
Eau Claire is easily reached via I-94, U.S. 12, U.S. 53, or Highways 37, 93, and 124. Downtown Eau Claire has a ton of great restaurants, shops, music venues, and more. The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire is right downtown, so you can add that to the list with the kids. Nearby, Carson Park offers plenty to do from visiting Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox to canoeing and kayaking in Braun’s Bay in the Chippewa River. You can also ride the miniature train, explore the trails, or grab an ice cream soda at the Chippewa Valley Museum & Ice Cream Parlor. The city will definitely be buzzing with activity from students returning to UW-Eau Claire, too! Phoenix Park will be busy and it’s a great launching point for a nice tube float down the Chippewa River. You can also check out The Oxbow, a boutique hotel on Galloway Street on the north side of downtown and The Lakely, a great restaurant offering unique culinary combinations, inside the hotel. And right across the street you’ll find the Volume One Local Store, one of our favorite Eau Claire (and Wisconsin) shops!
“COWabunga!” as they say. Hit Platteville not only for the natural beauty surrounding it, the World’s Largest M, the Rollo Jamison Museum, a cool downtown and college campus, and museums, but for the 71st Annual Dairy Days at Legion Field the weekend of September 6-8th. This fun packed weekend starts friday with a flea market, amusement rides and beer tent. The parade down Main Street on Saturday morning is followed by a dairy cattle show at Legion Field Park. While at Legion Field Park, enjoy the arts and crafts fair and plenty of fair food. Evenings are filled with truck and tractor pulls, live music and so much more. Heavy on 4-H exhibits, arts, crafts, a market, and dairy show, you can also enjoy Midway rides, family entertainment and more. The Dairy Days Parade will take place on Main Street Saturday, with a car show on Sunday. There’s also a Talent Show and much more. Get the full schedule on theirwebsite here!
Admission is FREE, and unlimited rides can be enjoyed for $20 all weekend long.
Platteville Dairy Days Address:
Legion Field (off Highway 80/Water Street)
Platteville, WI 53818
(608) 348-8888 Website
Platteville is easily accessible via U.S. 151 and Highways 80 and 81.
On Sunday of Labor Day weekend, the Big Gig BBQ will take place on the Summerfest Grounds to coincide with the Harley-Davidson annual Rally! Enjoy the best BBQ in town on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park from Noon – 7pm, rain or shine. The Big Pig BBQ will be serving up smoky ribs, savory brisket and signature BBQ from 14 of the best local and national cookers.
An officially sanctioned event of the Milwaukee Rally, the Big Gig BBQ will feature two stages of live entertainment, including a national headliner, and the finest beer. Some of the BBQ participants include:
The cooker voted “fan favorite” wins the Big Gig Pig Award!
As they say, the fun goes beyond the food (which also includes the Corn Man, kettle corn, ice cream and more.) There will be plenty of live music on two stages, Cooking Demonstrations, Family Fun Picnic Games (including Giant Jenga, Kerplunk, and the legendary “Mechanical Pig” you can ride), even a Celebrity Bacon-Eating Contest. The grounds have plenty of room for partying, parking, and the smells alone will direct you to this tasty event. The Big Gig BBQ website has the full schedule and all the details!
The Big Pig BBQ takes place on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park, which many simply call the Summerfest Grounds. It’s along Milwaukee’s lakefront bordered by downtown, I-794, U.S. 18 and Discovery World, and the Milwaukee River as it meets Lake Michigan. Highways 32, 38, 59, and 145 also bring you with blocks. It will be a fun part of the Milwaukee Rally Labor Day weekend!
Big Pig BBQ Address:
639 E. Summerfest Place
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 273-2680 Website
The skirl of the pipes… the mighty strength of the athletes… the leaping grace of the dancers… the Wisconsin Highland Games are back at the Waukesha Expo Center August 30 – September 1, 2019!
It’s a weekend of affordable Celtic fun for the entire family, with a convenient location right near the interstate, plenty of easy parking, and kids 12 and under get in free. Explore your family history, hurl a battle axe, check out the kilts, play with the dogs, or have a pint at the pub with some authentic Celtic music!
The event covers more than just Scotland — the Wisconsin Highland Games celebrate all the cultures of the British isles and the Celtic nations, including Britain, Wales, Ireland and more!
Friday night: Opening Ceremonies – free admission and parking! Ceremonies and party afterward.
Saturday and Sunday parking is $5 in the Waukesha County Expo Center parking lot.
You’ll find the Waukesha Expo Center just south of I-94 where Highway 16 ends; U.S. 18 is just to the south and Highways 59 and 164 are just to the east.
Wisconsin Highland Games Address:
1000 Northview Road
Waukesha, WI 53188
(262) 548-7200 Website
Start:
August 30, 2019
End:
September 1, 2019
Venue:
Waukesha Expo Center
Phone:
262-548-7200
Address:
1000 Northview Road, Waukesha, WI, 53188, United States
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events › Festival
October 26, 2019
UFO Day
Belleville, straddling Dane and Green Counties, is not only a pretty town but apparently a draw for UFOs. Numerous sightings were reported in and around town, particularly in the late 1980s. They celebrate these unidentified flying objects with UFO Day every year.
This year, the 33rd annual UFO Day takes place on Saturday, October 26th with a parade, a craft fair, a Fun Run, kids’ costume contest, games, and the Monster Costume Ball. And check out the Belleville UFO Day Beer Fest, which will feature over 20 breweries offering up over 80 craft beers to sample!
Belleville is in far southern Dane County, brushing the Green County line. Highways 69 and 92 give you access to the town, which features historic buildings in Library Park and beautiful topography in any direction before and after the UFO Day festivities! It’s about 20 minutes from Madison, south of Verona on Highway 69.
Library Park
18 S. Vine Street
Belleville, WI 53508
(608) 438-4412
Facebook Page
See the Schedule of Events below!
Belleville UFO Day Schedule of Events
7:30 to 11 :30 am: ATV club pancake breakfast at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
10 am: Color run/walk at Library Park, registration at Senior Center 9 am
9-3 pm: Craft Show at CH Hageman Gym, Intermediate School
11 am: Saucer Toss at The Dam Bar
1 pm: PARADE ON MAIN STREET. Grand Marshall St. Vincent in his restored 1932 Packard Limo
After Parade: Music by Ken Lonnquist at Library Park, sponsored by Belleville Public Library
2 pm: Belleville UFO Day Beer Fest, featuring over 80 craft beers for tasting from over 20 breweries
2-5 pm :Alien Glow and Bowl – $2 Games at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
3 pm: Howl at the Moon Dog Show at Library Park to benefit the Library. Includes a Costume Contest • Stupid Pet Tricks • Dog Races and a Dog/Owner Look-a-Like Contest
3-7 pm: Music at The Dam Bar
8 pm: Monster Costume Ball, with music at Schwoegler’s Sugar River Lanes
Coffee & hot chocolate by McFarland House Cafe Mobile at Library Park and other various non-profit food vendors such as the Dayton Dairylander’s famous cheese curds
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October 25, 2019 – October 26, 2019
Zombie Days, Washburn
Zombie Days takes place in the Bayfield County seat of Washburn, and on the last full weekend of October, the town officially gets taken over by Zombies! Come join the fun and mayhem, because there will be plenty to see and do. Activities include a haunted house, dance, parade and various Zombie performances that range from Zombie Zumba to belly dancing. There will also be a Zombie pub crawl at night. Most of the activities will take place on Saturday. There will also be contests including pumpkin carving contests, spooky yard contest, undead tread scavenger hunt, Lions’ Club kids carnival, bike obstacle course, Library chili feed, bake-off & the zombie ball.
To reach Washburn, just head up Highway 13 from U.S. 2 near Ashland. Washburn is the seat of Bayfield County and hugs Chequamegon Bay. It’s a beautiful drive!
Friday, October 25th:
Blood Drive: Give it up to Dracula. 1PM-5PM. Chamber office.
Carved Pumpkin Contest. 5PM. Drop off your pumpkin Wed.-Fri. at Washburn Hardware & Sport. Categories: cutest, funniest, scariest & most complex.
Saturday, October 26th:
Undead Tread: Amazing Race. 11AM-1PM. $20.00 fee. Start and end at Washburn Chamber office. Amazing Race-like, teams of 2-6. Dress up, cash prizes. No transportation of any kind to be used.
Cyclo-Corpse Maze 1:00PM Test your pedal, mettle through a maze of goriness. All ages & bikes welcome. Front lawn of the Bayfield Co. Courthouse: 117 E 5th St. Co-sponsored by North Coast Cycling Association.
Zombie Day Parade. 2PM. Goes down Washington Avenue. Register at Chamber. Zombie Days Parade Entry Form
Kid’s Carnival by the Lion’s Club. 2:30PM-4PM. Washburn High School.
Haunted Hallway. 2:30PM-4PM. Washburn High School Basement.
Family Fun, Halloween Style. 4PM-7PM at Harbor View Event Center.
Arts & Crafts. 4PM-6PM. Arts & Crafts w/ Betty Sitbon (sm. fee). Face painting w/ Markie Anderson (sm. fee). Cupcake Decorating w/Malorie Peterson & Sponsored by Hansen’s IGA.
Chili Feed & Fixins. 4PM. Sponsored by Friends of the Washburn Public Library. A fundraiser for necessary Brownstone restoration of the Library.
Halloween Treats Bake Off Judging. 4:30PM Community wide baked entries for Fall & Halloween wanted. Washburn Zombie Days Bakeoff Registration Form After the judging the treats will be for sale as a fundraiser for Homecoming 2020. Sponsored by Hansen’s IGA.
Kids Costume Contest. 5PM Categories: Best Group & Best Individual: Girl & Boy.
Kids Games. 6PM. Wrap the mummy, Cake Walk (Spons. by Hansen’s IGA), Bubble wrap, Freeze, Limbo, Musical Chairs.
Tim Burton Themed Ball & Masquerade. 7-10PM. Live music by NIGHTFLYER.
Haunted Mansion: Zombie Wedding. 7PM-9PM at the Cultural Center. Murder mystery theater meets escape rooms. Ages: PG 13-Adult. Limit: 30 people
Various locations through town
Washburn, WI 54891
(715) 373-5017
Website
Click below for a larger schedule of everything happening at Zombie Days!
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October 19, 2019
Jack O’ Lantern Festival and 5K Zombie Run
Spooner celebrates fall with a full day and evening of fun at the annual Jack O’ Lantern Festival, happening Saturday, October 19th, 2019. Enjoy this fun family festival with tons of kids’ games, a pumpkin roll down Siegner Hill, pumpkin painting, inflatable bounce houses and much more. There’s also a Pumpkin Recipe Contest and a Pumpkin Carving Contest.
The 5K Zombie Fun Run takes place in the evening through Spooner’s “haunted woods” and promises adventure.
Spooner is easy to get to via U.S. 53, U.S. 63, or Highway 70, about halfway between Eau Claire/Chippewa Falls and Superior. There’s a reason they call Spooner the “Crossroads of the North”!
Jack O’ Lantern Festival Address:
Downtown Spooner
Spooner, WI 54801
(715) 635-2168
Website
Check out the full Schedule of Events below!
Schedule of Events:
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Craft Fair near Main Tent
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Moms Club of Northern Wisconsin Bake Sale
9 a.m. – 11 a.m. – Pumpkin Recipe contest drop-off presented by the Spooner Memorial Library. Judging at noon.
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Pumpkin Carving Contest drop-off Presented by Spooner Memorial Library. Judging at 2 p.m.
10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Small pumpkin painting presented by Lakeland Family Resource Center.
9 a.m.—4 p.m.– Face painting presented by Indianhead Credit Union
10 a.m. – Kids’ Pavilion Opens, presented by State Farm Insurance – Tim Reedy Agency, with… Inflatables, Kids Bouncys, food, business booths, Jack O’ Lantern Store, game pavilion & more!
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – $5 wristband gets unlimited “kids rides” on the inflatables.
10 a.m.– 4 p.m.– kids activities and events held in the Main Tent presented by St. Francis de Sales School.
1-3 p.m. – Pumpkin Roll on Siegner Hill presented by the Spooner Fire District Auxiliary.
2:30-4:30 p.m.—5K Zombie Run Check In & Packet Pick up in the Main Tent.
Evening Events
5:30 p.m. 5K Zombie Run presented by Spooner Health
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Bonfires and Brewfest presented by Schmitz’s Economart in the Main Tent
6 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Live Music featuring SchuStrings – Dan Schullo in Main tent
7 p.m. – 9 p.m. – Kids’ Halloween Movie presented by the Spooner Civic Center in the event ballroom
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October 18, 2019 – October 19, 2019
Fall Fair to Remember
With Fall Fair to Remember, Washington County Fair Park near West Bend brims with an arts and crafts show that fills the Pavilion and Ziegler Fair Park buildings Friday and Saturday October 18-19, 2019. Check out all kinds of unique and attractive works of art for your home, garden, or wherever you choose to put ’em!
Parking is free and over 200 exhibitors will be there, offering a huge variety of goodies. They include children’s clothes, “mancave” gifts (probably “she-shed” too), women’s scarves, mittens, and all types of wood, glass, furniture, and fiber. Many items are recycled or “upcycled” products made by these talented artists. You can get your childrens’ faces painted or have a balloon sculpted by Jer Bear, free of charge.
While there, sign up for door prizes ranging from items made by the attending vendors to gift cards to cold, hard cash!
Washington County Fair Park is located just off U.S. 45 and north of Highway 60 just south of West Bend at County PV (which stands for “Paradise Valley”.) Highways 33 and 144 come close too – and the fall colors in Kettle Moraine surrounding the area will be gorgeous!
Hours are 4 pm – 8 pm Friday night, and 9 am – 4 pm Saturday night. Wheelchair access is available.
Fall Fair To Remember Address:
Washington County Fair Park & Convention Center
3000 Highway PV
West Bend, WI 53095
(262) 692-9488
Website
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October 17, 2019 – October 20, 2019
Kohler Food & Wine Experience
The 19th annual Kohler Food & Wine Experience offers a four-day extravaganza of food, wine and fun. This interactive culinary event features celebrity chefs, libations specialists, wine experts and epicurean enthusiasts from around the world for dynamic culinary seminars, tastings and signature festivities. Unique to Kohler, each Main Stage session provides ticketed guests with samples of the chef-presented recipes prepared on stage. The presenting chef and audience members alike appreciate this interactive platform that encourages conversation, feedback, commentary and questions. Additionally, guests have the opportunity for casual interactions with celebrity and regional presenters during book signings, wine dinners, celebrity chef luncheons and special evening events. Throughout the weekend, guests can enjoy complimentary demonstrations and tastings at various locations throughout the resort such as The American Club, The Shops at Woodlake, Kohler Design Center and Woodlake Market.
Main stage chefs include Maneet Chauhan (“Chopped,” “Wedding Cake Championship”), Joe Flamm (Executive Chef of Spiaggia in Chicago), Jet Tila from The Food Network, Geoffrey Zakarain (“The Kitchen”), Jack Bishop, Chief Creative Officer of America’s Test Kitchen, Bridget Lancaster and Julia Collin Davidson, both Executive Editorial Directors of America’s Test Kitchen.
The extensive list of Wine, Spirits, and Beer representatives from all over the country at the Kohler Food & Wine Experience includes the following:
You’ll find the awesomeness just south of Highway 23 along County Y in Kohler, about a mile west of I-43. Highways 28 and 42 also bring you close!
Kohler Food & Wine Experience Address:
Kohler Design Center and the American Club (plus adjacent venues)
419 Highland Drive
Kohler, WI 53044
(920) 457-8000 x55687
Website
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October 17, 2019 – October 20, 2019
Wisconsin Book Festival
The Madison Public Library is committed to ensuring that all Wisconsin Book Festival events are free and open to the public and hosts the Wisconsin Book Festival Event Series throughout the year as a way of generating awareness about the festival and solidifying author programming in the community.
Book genres include Art, Poetry, Fiction, Childrens, STEM, Food, Biographies, Performances, Wisconsin Authors, and more.
A year-long series of events leading up to and out of the annual festival keeps the public engaged with book programming, and gives authors an incredible venue in Madison. Since creating the series in 2013, the Wisconsin Book Festival has hosted more than 100 events for 15,000 audience members, including evenings with Atul Gawande, Ruth Reichl, Lois Lowry, Sarah Vowell, and John Scalzi.
Check the busy event schedule here. The Madison Public Library’s Central Library is just off the Capitol Square. I-39, I-90, I-94, U.S. 12, U.S. 14, U.S. 18, U.S. 151, and Highways 30 and 113 all bring you to our capital city. U.S. 151/Washington Avenue brings you closest!
Wisconsin Book Festival Address:
Madison Public Library
201 W. Mifflin Street
Madison, WI 53703
(608) 772-9565
Website
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October 12, 2019
Applefest, Two Rivers
Applefest is an annual celebration in Two Rivers, filling the town’s Central Park with apple growers, bakers, and apple lovers enjoy this incredible fruit. An arts and crafts fair, apple pie social, and all kinds of entertainment will also take place throughout the day.
This year’s Applefest takes place on Saturday, October 12th from 9 am – 4 pm. You’ll find all the action in Central Park, right along Highway 42. This is also the place where the ice cream sundae was invented, so check out the Washington House and enjoy one in the original location. Explore the East and West Twin Rivers, the fascinating Rogers Street Historic Fishing Village, Neshotah Beach, and the beautiful area around the lakefront and city.
The drive along Lake Michigan on Highway 42/Memorial Drive between Two Rivers and Manitowoc is beautiful too, and there’s plenty more to see in Manitowoc, less than six miles away!
Applefest Address:
1710 W. Park Street
Two Rivers, WI 54241
(920) 755-2775
Website
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October 10, 2019 – October 13, 2019
Flyway Film Festival
Check their website for films, times, and more!
Follow them on Twitter at @flywayfilmfest for updates, too.
Flyway Minema (that’s spelled right, it’s named for a “mini cinema”)
408 2nd Street
Pepin, WI 54759
(855) 800-8008
Website
Big River Theatre
121 S. Main Street (Highway 35)
Alma, WI 54610
(608) 685-4002
Website
Broadway Theatre
611 Broadway Avenue
Wabasha, MN 55981
(651) 564-0569
Website
Pepin Village Hall Community Room
508 2nd Street
Pepin, WI 54759
WideSpot Performing Arts Center
N2030 Spring Street, 2nd floor
Stockholm, WI 54769
(715) 307-8941
Website
Click HERE for more schedule details!
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October 5, 2019 – October 6, 2019
Eagle River Cranberry Fest
Eagle River Cranberry Fest celebrates this lovely, healthy, and tasty fruit that is one of Wisconsin’s most significant crops. There’s something for everyone, with arts and crafts, cranberry food sales, a bakery, entertainment, fitness events and more. More than 40,000 attend this annually, making it one of the highlights of the fall season in Eagle River.
While you are at Eagle River Cranberry Fest, check out the food tent where you will find soups, cranberry brats, char-broiled chicken sandwiches and much more. Then visit the Information Headquarters tent where you can purchase fresh cranberry bakery goods and event souvenirs. Don’t forget to save room for our famous World’s Largest Cranberry Cheesecake and support the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
How about taking home some fresh locally grown cranberries or craisins? Approximately 10,000 pounds of premium select cranberries will be sold during the festival event. Cookbooks are also available to learn new and unique ways to use cranberries.
More Than Just Cranberries
In addition to the marvelous cranberry dishes and cranberry events, there will be over 300 Arts-n-Crafts vendors from all over the country selling all types of handmade arts and crafts on Cranberry Fest’s festival grounds, where are centered on the Vilas County Fairgrounds along Highway 70 West, just west of downtown. Meanwhile, in Downtown Eagle River you’ll find an open air antique market, farmers market, Cranberry Fest luncheon, Lake Country Weaver & Fiber Artists show and sale, food and lots of entertainment.
You can reach Eagle River via U.S. 45 or Highway 17, 32, or 70. It’s the heart of the World’s Largest Chain of Freshwater Lakes, with 28 of these beauties connected by waterways. It’s home to the world-famous World Championship Snowmobile Derby every year and a popular focal point for vacations in the North Woods.
Eagle River Cranberry Fest Address:
Vilas County Fairgrounds
146 Forest Street
Eagle River, WI 54521
(715) 479-6400
Website
A Schedule of Events is below!
Eagle River Cranberry Fest Schedule of Events
Thursday, October 3rd:
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
11:00 am, 11:30 am and Noon. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
Friday, October 4th:
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Leaving every half hour. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
EARLY BIRD BERRY BOG 5K JOG FUN RUN at Riverview Park (located across from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center): 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.
Saturday, October 5th:
9:00 am to 4:00 pm, Free Shuttle Bus to all the various festival locations: Festival Grounds (Vilas County Fairgrounds-Highway 70 West) and Downtown Eagle River. Shuttle available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. (Shuttles run every 20-30 minutes depending on traffic).
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Leaving every twenty minutes. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center – 201 N. Railroad St. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations. Reservations are recommended.
FRESH CRANBERRY AND CRAISIN SALES
Cranberry Fest Festival Grounds (Hwy 70 West), Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center (201 N. Railroad St.), Corner of Hwy 70 West & Railroad St. and Downtown Eagle River.
CRANBERRY FESTIVAL GROUNDS ACTIVITIES
Vilas County Fairgrounds on Highway 70 West. Free Shuttle Bus available to all other activities available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Arts & Crafts Fair – 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Cranberry Fest Pancake Breakfast 7:00 am to 10:00 am
Cranberry Bake Sale
Cranberry Food Products and Souvenirs
Cranberry Beer
Make A Wish Foundation’s World’s Largest Cranberry Cheesecake
Family Entertainment
A variety of foods with and without Cranberries
DOWNTOWN EAGLE RIVER ACTIVITIES
Free Shuttle Bus available to all other activities. Available from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Open Air Antique and Farmers Market 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
First Congregational Church Luncheon, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm
Lake Country Weaver and Fiber Artists Show and Sale
Entertainment
Mini Cranberry Bog Display – Northwoods Childrens Museum
Berry Bog 5K Jog – Fun Run/Walk 8:30 am – Riverview Park
Sunday, October 6th
9:00 am to 3:00 pm (No shuttle bus on Sunday)
CRANBERRY MARSH TOURS
10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Leaving every hour. Tours leave from the Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center. Call 800-359-6315 for reservations.
FRESH CRANBERRY AND CRAISIN SALES
Cranberry Fest Festival Grounds (Hwy 70 West), Eagle River Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center (201 N. Railroad St.) and Downtown Eagle River.
CRANBERRY FESTIVAL GROUNDS ACTIVITIES
Arts & Crafts Fair – 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cranberry Fest Crafter Items Auction, 11:30 am at the Make A Wish Foundation Tent
Cranberry Bake Sale
Cranberry Food Products and Souvenirs
Cranberry Beer
Family Entertainment
A variety of foods with or without Cranberries
DOWNTOWN EAGLE RIVER ACTIVITIES
Farmers Market , 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
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September 27, 2019 – September 28, 2019
Appleton Octoberfest
On Saturday, it’s Appleton’s largest block party! 100 food booths, 6 stages of music, 180 arts & crafts booths, family fun area.
Music starts as early as 9 a.m. (the full band line up is available on the website). Arts and Crafts and Family Fun for all ages! Octoberfest is a community-driven festival benefiting local non-profit organizations. Bring your ID if you plan to purchase beer tickets; beer ticket sales are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Beer sales end at 5:30 p.m. and the event ends at 6 p.m.
Appleton Octoberfest Address:
100 College Avenue
Appleton, WI 54912
(920) 734-7101
Website
You can download their Octoberfest app here. See their website for complete schedules and details or check the music lineup below!
Schedule of Appleton Octoberfest Events:
FRIDAY, 9/27/2019
Houdini Plaza (WVBO – 103.9 AND WNAM – 1280)
6:00 PM – 9:30 PM Doo Wop Daddies
6:00 PM – 9:30 PM Street Corner Entertainment
Corner of College & State WPKR (NASH FM)
Corner of College & Oneida Appleton Rock School w/their own stage & sound
Corner of College & Division 484th Army Band (6:00 PM – 7:30 PM)
Corner of College & Superior Joe Sly
Corner of College & Walnut Anna Little
Corner of College & Morrison The Polar Project
Corner of College & Durkee Lilie
Roaming Entertainment Jukebox Barbershop Quartet
SATURDAY, 9/28/2019
West End of College Avenue (105.7 WAPL)
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Appleton Rock School
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM Coyote Kid
12:15 PM – 2:15 PM Road Trip N/A
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Vic Ferrari
Corner of College Avenue & Division Street (KZ 104.3 AND WGBA-NBC26)
9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Twisted Chords
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM Ill Genesi
11:45 AM – 2:15 PM The Boy Band Night
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM Too White Crew
Corner of College Avenue & Superior Street (RAZOR 94.7 | 104.7)
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Stricken
12:15 PM – 3:15 PM Sir Real
3:30 PM – 5:30 PM Leading the Blind
Houdini Plaza (95.9 KISS FM)
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM Newtonburg Oktoberfest Band
10:15 AM – 12:15 PM The Lately
12:30 PM – 2:45 PM Unity The Band
3:00 PM – 5:30 PM Kyle Megna & The Monsoons
Corner of College Avenue & Durkee Street (WHBY AND 95.3 | 99.1 THE SCORE)
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Doo Wop Daddies
11:15 AM – 12:15 PM Zeroed In (484th Army Variety Band)
12:30 PM – 2:15 PM Copper Box
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM The Glam Band
Corner of College Avenue & Morrison Street
9:00 AM – 1:00 PM FBI & The Untouchable Horns
1:30 PM – 5:30 PM The Polar Project
Corner of College Avenue & Drew Street
9:00 AM – 10:45 AM Happy Wanderers
11:00 AM – 3:45 PM 484th Army Band Ensembles
Family Fun Stage
9:15 AM – 9:45 AM Karate America Appleton East/Darboy
10:00 AM – 10:30 AM Dan Kirk (Juggler)
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM Randy Peterson (Children’s Singer)
11:00 AM – 2:00 PM Cirq-Attude
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM Dan Kirk (Juggler)
1:00 PM – 1:30 PM Miller & Mike (Family Variety Act)
2:00 PM – 2:30 PM Randy Peterson (Children’s Singer)
3:00 PM – 3:30 PM Miller & Mike (Family Variety Act)
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September 26, 2019 – September 29, 2019
New Glarus Oktoberfest
The delightful Swiss-esque (if that’s a word) enclave of New Glarus comes alive with New Glarus Oktoberfest September 26-29, 2019!
Sponsored by the New Glarus Brewery, there’s plenty of lederhosen, live music, and a ceremonial keg tapping of New Glarus Brewery’s Staghorn Oktoberfest beer. You can also enjoy chainsaw wood carving, an antique tractor pull, wagon rides, activities for the kids, food stands, plus a fondue demonstration and tasting on Sunday afternoon. Admission to New Glarus Oktoberfest is FREE!
New Glarus is reached via Highways 39 and 69, just 30 minutes south of Madison.
Get the full lineup and updates at Swisstown.com. Also see the schedule below:
New Glarus Oktoberfest Address:
Downtown New Glarus
418 Railroad Street
New Glarus, WI 53574
(608) 527-2095
Website
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New Glarus Oktoberfest Schedule:
Thursday, Sept. 26
7pm – 11pm Polka music by the Steve Meisner Band (wear your lederhosen and dirndls!)
8;30 pm: King and Queen contest. You could be our Oktoberfest royalty for the weekend! Cash prizes, free beer and food for the King & Queen. Dress in your best Oktoberfest attire and let the people be the judges on best costumes.
Friday, Sept. 27
6pm Beer tent opens
6pm Food stands open
6pm Craft vendors and farmers market open
7:00pm Tap the Wooden Keg Annual Oktoberfest Event! New Glarus Brewing Company will be tapping a wooden keg of Staghorn Oktoberfest
8:00pm – Midnight Madison County Band. Hottest Country Band in Wisconsin!
Saturday, Sept. 28
8am 5K/10K Run & 2 Mile Walk
11am Beer tent opens
11am Craft vendors and farmers market opens
11am Food stands open
Noon – 6pm Antique Tractor Pul
Noon – 3:00pm Mex Drexler Bavarian Brass Band
1pm – 4pm Chainsaw wood carver
4pm – 7pm Wheelhouse Band
7:00pm Tap the Wooden Keg Annual Oktoberfest Event! New Glarus Brewing Company will be tapping a wooden keg of Staghorn Oktoberfest
8pm – Midnight Music by Boogie & the Yo-Yo’z
Sunday, Sept. 29
7am Chili Cook-off starts
11am Beer tent opens
11am Food stands open
11am Craft vendors and farmers market opens
11am – 2pm DJ music
3pm – 6pm The Jimmys wrap up our Oktoberfest celebration!
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September 26, 2019 – September 28, 2019
Project North Festival
Rhinelander’s first Project North Festival takes place from Thursday, September 26th through Saturday, September 28th throughout the downtown area. Project North is a dynamic festival designed to focus on music, art, and the environment to showcase Rhinelander’s artistic community, appreciation for its captivating Northwoods environment, and its community cultural development efforts.
On the Arts side of the Project North Festival, you can check out interactive art exhibits, artist demonstrations and educational opportunities, movement and dance experiences, and a Downtown Art Walk in participating storefronts. ArtStart’s School Of the Arts Legacy Program classes will be held at UWSP-Treehaven for an add-on experience. Classes include writing, drawing, painting, play writing, collage, fiber art, and more.
Musically, there’s an impressive lineup of artists including:
Get details on each band and schedules, stages and more HERE!
The Eco Village at Project North Festival will welcome experts in sustainable practices to share their knowledge through demonstrations, presentations and informational booths. Project North Eco Village runs from 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Friday, September 27th and 10:00am – 5:00pm on Saturday, September 28th.
Project North Festival Address:
68 S. Stevens Street (Historic Highway 17)
Rhinelander, WI 54501
(715) 365-7464
Website
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September 21, 2019 – September 22, 2019
Driftless Area Art Festival
The Driftless area, a unique region that escaped the glaciers of the ice age, is an inspirational setting to many talented artists and artisans. Its hills and valleys are home to painters and potters, woodworkers and weavers, musicians and metalsmiths. To see the breadth and variety of their creations, you usually have to visit studios, stores and galleries across the area. But once a year in September, these artists gather together in Crawford County at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove along Highway 131, right by U.S. 61.
This year, the Driftless Area Art Festival happens Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22, 2019. Admission and parking are free! Enjoy a drive with exceptional scenery, as the Driftless Area of Wisconsin is ridiculously beautiful. You can then stroll through the exhibits, imbibe in some local fare, and sip some local wines. Also, we’re pretty sure if you want to buy some of the art you can do that.
Driftless Area Art Festival Address:
Beauford T Anderson Park
101 Church Street
Soldiers Grove, WI 54655
(608)
Website
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September 21, 2019 – September 29, 2019
National Alpaca Farm Days
Ever meet alpacas up close and personal? National Alpaca Farm Days in Beloit offers you the chance to do just that. You can also learn about alpacas, their care, and their fiber, which can be spun into amazing products. It takes place at Pacesetter Alpacas in Beloit Saturday and Sunday, September 21-22 and September 28-29, 2019.
During National Alpaca Farm Days, you will be able to learn about alpacas, their care, and their fiber. There will be local fiber artists on-site to demonstrate fiber preparation techniques (skirting, picking, carding), spinning fiber into yarn, then knitting, weaving, or felting the fiber and yarn into product. The event provides an excellent opportunity to shop early for the holidays! Items for sale include clothing, socks, handmade accessories, dryer balls, raw fleece, roving, yarn, and more! There will also be fun activities for kids, and food will be available from Rosemarie’s Kitchen Table.
The owners of Pacesetters Alpacas, Dennis and Christy Pace, purchased 80 acres of land in 1995 and soon after became interested in Suri alpacas. There are two kinds of alpacas, the Huacaya (pronounced Wuh-kai-ya) and the Suri. Huacaya alpacas are fluffy like teddy bears and Suri alpacas have long shiny locks like very soft, slightly curly hair. Along with their alpacas, the Paces have a store with a variety of items for sale including warm and soft alpaca socks, hats, scarves, sweaters and much more. The store is open on Saturdays 9 am-3 pm and Sundays 12-4 pm between Thanksgiving and Christmas or by appointment. The store will be also open during the event. Saturday hours are 9 am-4 pm and Sunday hours are 12-4 pm. If you are unable to visit us during those times, give us them a call at 608-751-2261.
Proceeds from the event will benefit Friends of Noah Wisconsin—an all-breed animal rescue.
Hours:
Saturday, September 28, 9 am-4 pm
Sunday, September 29, 12-4 pm
National Alpaca Farm Days Address:
LondonDairy Alpacas
6827 State Highway 147
Two Rivers, WI 54241
(920) 793-4165
Website
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September 14, 2019
Tomah Kegs, Corks & Forks
Hey, all roads lead to Tomah, take one of them (I-90, I-94, US 12, Highway 16, Highway 21, or Highway 131… we weren’t kidding about “all roads”) Saturday, September 14th and check out the Tomah Rotary Kegs Corks & Forks Festival! It was formerly the Tomah Beer & Sausage Festival, but with more food, wine, and more being added, a new name was created. We’re cool with that.
Kegs Corks & Forks takes place from 5-8pm at Tomah Recreational Park’s Ice Hockey Rink, although partying will continue well past that. There will be a Smoked Meat Competition where the competitors are the Tomah Police Department vs. the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, craft beer sampling, wine tasting, plenty of area food vendors offering samples and food for sale, along with prizes, raffles, drawings, and a post-event concert featuring Lassos and Lace followed by Jay Allen.
Tickets range from $40 for general admission, which starts at 6pm; $60 for VIP admission, which begins at 5pm; you can also get concert-only tickets for $20 ahead of time or $25 the day of the show. You can buy tickets ahead of time here.
Tomah is the seat of Monroe County and the place where all the major roads meet and split. I-90 & I-94 converge here, as do their pre-Interstate compatriots, U.S. 12 and Highway 16. Highway 21 skims Tomah to the north and Highway 131 comes in from the Driftless Area south.
This is the start of “Cranberry Country” too, so check out the nearby bogs, sample fresh cranberries and all kinds of tasty foods made with this remarkable little fruit, and explore the town while you’re there!
Tomah Kegs Corks & Forks Address:
Recreation Park (just off Highway 16)
1625 Butts Avenue
Tomah, WI 54660
Website
You’ll find Recreation Park in Tomah just off Highway 16, once the main highway to La Crosse before I-90 was built. Best exit from I-90 to access Recreation Park is via Exit 41 (Highway 131), then west on Highway 16 to Butts Avenue and the Park.
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Great Lakes Brew Fest
Great Lakes Brew Fest takes place Saturday, September 14th in Racine. The 2019 Festival Theme is Woodstock’s 50 years! The Fest features unlimited sampling of more than 450 craft beers and sodas from over 100 brewers, plus many food trucks with a variety of food offerings, all on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan at the Racine Zoological Gardens just north of downtown.
All paid attendees will receive a souvenir tasting glass, and local restaurants will have plenty of menu items available for purchase. Doors open at 3pm; VIP members begin at 2 (they get first crack at everything, you see.) The festival also features live music including performances by the world renowned Kilties Drum and Bugle Corps, the internationally-acclaimed group for whom the Great Lakes Brew Fest helps raise money for. There will be more music from Duosonic.
The Great Lakes Brew Fest also serves as the host of the Schooner Home Brew Championship. Home Brew Island will also welcome groups like the Beer Barons of Milwaukee, the Brain Roasters Guild of Pleasant Prairie, Central Wisconsin Vintners & Brewers from Fond du Lac, Society of Oshkosh Brewers, Chicago Home Brewers Group, Square Kegs Homebrewers from Chicago, Forest City Brewers from Rockford, North Shore Brewers Club from Milwaukee, Dells Unified Frequent Fermenters (D.U.F.F.) from Reedsburg, Racine’s own Belle City Home Brewers, and more.
General Admission tickets are $50; a Basic Designated Driver Fest Pass is $20, which includes admission, a fest pint glass, and complimentary soda and water. A VIP Fest Pass runs $90 and includes early admission (2pm instead of 3pm), a commemorative stein and a pint glass, sausage and cheese sampling, a VIP Lounge area, and secure article check-in, and a $10 voucher off “festival swag.” Get all the ticket details here!
To reach Great Lakes Brew Fest, access Racine via Highways 11, 20, 32, or 38. Downtown Racine is about 8 miles east of I-41/94 and about 4 miles east of Highway 31. The Racine Zoological Gardens is just north of downtown along Lake Michigan via Highway 32, just follow the signs.
TICKETS ARE ALMOST GONE – CLICK HERE TO GET YOURS!
Great Lakes Brew Fest Address:
200 Goold Street
Racine, WI 53402
(262) 634-2100
Website
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International Fall Festival, Eau Claire
The 31st annual International Fall Festival takes place in downtown Eau Claire Saturday, September 14th!
International Fall Festival Address:
Downtown Eau Claire
203 S. Farwell Street
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715) 839-4914
Website
Eau Claire is easily reached via I-94, U.S. 12, U.S. 53, or Highways 37, 93, and 124. Downtown Eau Claire has a ton of great restaurants, shops, music venues, and more. The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire is right downtown, so you can add that to the list with the kids. Nearby, Carson Park offers plenty to do from visiting Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox to canoeing and kayaking in Braun’s Bay in the Chippewa River. You can also ride the miniature train, explore the trails, or grab an ice cream soda at the Chippewa Valley Museum & Ice Cream Parlor. The city will definitely be buzzing with activity from students returning to UW-Eau Claire, too! Phoenix Park will be busy and it’s a great launching point for a nice tube float down the Chippewa River. You can also check out The Oxbow, a boutique hotel on Galloway Street on the north side of downtown and The Lakely, a great restaurant offering unique culinary combinations, inside the hotel. And right across the street you’ll find the Volume One Local Store, one of our favorite Eau Claire (and Wisconsin) shops!
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September 6, 2019 – September 8, 2019
Dairy Days Celebration
“COWabunga!” as they say. Hit Platteville not only for the natural beauty surrounding it, the World’s Largest M, the Rollo Jamison Museum, a cool downtown and college campus, and museums, but for the 71st Annual Dairy Days at Legion Field the weekend of September 6-8th. This fun packed weekend starts friday with a flea market, amusement rides and beer tent. The parade down Main Street on Saturday morning is followed by a dairy cattle show at Legion Field Park. While at Legion Field Park, enjoy the arts and crafts fair and plenty of fair food. Evenings are filled with truck and tractor pulls, live music and so much more. Heavy on 4-H exhibits, arts, crafts, a market, and dairy show, you can also enjoy Midway rides, family entertainment and more. The Dairy Days Parade will take place on Main Street Saturday, with a car show on Sunday. There’s also a Talent Show and much more. Get the full schedule on their website here!
Admission is FREE, and unlimited rides can be enjoyed for $20 all weekend long.
Platteville Dairy Days Address:
Legion Field (off Highway 80/Water Street)
Platteville, WI 53818
(608) 348-8888
Website
Platteville is easily accessible via U.S. 151 and Highways 80 and 81.
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September 1, 2019
Big Pig BBQ, Milwaukee
Char’d Milwaukee
Iron Grate BBQ Co.
Pigtailz MKE
Pop’s BBQ
Rollin’ Smoke BBQ
Saucy Swine
Saz’s State House
Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse BBQ
Smoke Shack
Yummy Bones BBQ
The cooker voted “fan favorite” wins the Big Gig Pig Award!
As they say, the fun goes beyond the food (which also includes the Corn Man, kettle corn, ice cream and more.) There will be plenty of live music on two stages, Cooking Demonstrations, Family Fun Picnic Games (including Giant Jenga, Kerplunk, and the legendary “Mechanical Pig” you can ride), even a Celebrity Bacon-Eating Contest. The grounds have plenty of room for partying, parking, and the smells alone will direct you to this tasty event. The Big Gig BBQ website has the full schedule and all the details!
Big Pig BBQ Music Schedule:
11am – 12:30 pm: Listening Party
1:30pm – 3:30pm: Idle Minds
4pm – 6pm: Saving Savannah
The Big Pig BBQ takes place on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park, which many simply call the Summerfest Grounds. It’s along Milwaukee’s lakefront bordered by downtown, I-794, U.S. 18 and Discovery World, and the Milwaukee River as it meets Lake Michigan. Highways 32, 38, 59, and 145 also bring you with blocks. It will be a fun part of the Milwaukee Rally Labor Day weekend!
Big Pig BBQ Address:
639 E. Summerfest Place
Milwaukee, WI 53202
(414) 273-2680
Website
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August 30, 2019 – September 1, 2019
Wisconsin Highland Games
It’s a weekend of affordable Celtic fun for the entire family, with a convenient location right near the interstate, plenty of easy parking, and kids 12 and under get in free. Explore your family history, hurl a battle axe, check out the kilts, play with the dogs, or have a pint at the pub with some authentic Celtic music!
The event covers more than just Scotland — the Wisconsin Highland Games celebrate all the cultures of the British isles and the Celtic nations, including Britain, Wales, Ireland and more!
Friday night: Opening Ceremonies – free admission and parking! Ceremonies and party afterward.
Saturday and Sunday parking is $5 in the Waukesha County Expo Center parking lot.
You’ll find the Waukesha Expo Center just south of I-94 where Highway 16 ends; U.S. 18 is just to the south and Highways 59 and 164 are just to the east.
Wisconsin Highland Games Address:
1000 Northview Road
Waukesha, WI 53188
(262) 548-7200
Website