Check out New Richmond’s 10th annual Willow River Blues & Brews Fest, coupled with their 50th annual Park Art Fair, June 2-3, 2017! Enjoy the works of many artists and the art of making handcrafted beer, all of which takes place – not surprisingly – right along the Willow River in Mary Park.
There’s no cover charge for music or the Park Art Fair. Food, soda & beer concessions available all weekend.
For the “Brews” part of the Willow River Blues & Brews Festival, beer sampling from over 125 crafters takes place Saturday from 4-6pm; tickets are $25 advance/$30 at the gate.
Hours:
Friday, June 2: 5-8pm
Saturday, June 3: 10am-9pm
New Richmond is at the junction of Highway 64 and Highway 65, just north of U.S. 12 and I-94 in St. Croix County.
More Willow River Blues & Brews Festival Info, courtesy of the New Richmond Chamber:
Directions:
Both events are held in Mary Park in New Richmond, just a few blocks from downtown New Richmond on Green Avenue.
From the north or south proceed on Highway 65 to downtown New Richmond. Proceed east on First Street to Green Avenue. Locate available on street parking and walk to Mark Park on the very north end of Green Avenue. Watch for signs.
Parking:
There is no parking allowed in Mary Park for the events. There is ample on-street parking throughout the Mary Park neighborhood and in downtown New Richmond. Please wear comfortable shoes as you will probably have a bit of a walk to the festival area of 4 to 8 blocks.
Shuttle Service:
Shuttle Service is provided by North America Central School Bus/New Richmond School Bus. Pick up locations are in the Bosch parking lot on the South end of New Richmond and on the North end by Super America (gravel lot).
Carry-Ins and Alcohol Consumption:
Absolutely no beverage or food carryins of any kind will be allowed into Mary Park. All persons wishing to consume alcohol must obtain an alcohol wrist band. Anyone who appears to be 35 or younger will have ID checked. No one under the age of 21 will be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol even with parent present.
Lodging:
There are a variety of lodging options in New Richmond and nearby for hotels. Camping is available in New Richmond’s Hatfield Park, about two miles from festival area.
Taxi Service:
There will be taxi onsite providing free rides to anywhere in New Richmond if you feel your should not drive. Stop at the beer concession area to receive your taxi voucher. The New Richmond Area Chamber encourages you to drink responsibly.
NO COVER CHARGE/All ages welcome:
There is no cover charge for any portion of the event except the brew sampling. You may listen to all music performances for free. There will be concession food and beverages for sale. All ages are welcome.
Seating:
The festival in a open air festival. There is limited cover in the case of rain. There will be some picnic tables available to sit on. You may bring your own blanket or lawn chair. NO COOLERS.
Restrooms:
There are flush toilets on site. There will also be portapotties in the festival area.
Address:
Mary Park
New Richmond, WI 54017
(715) 246-2900 Website
Start:
June 2, 2017
End:
June 3, 2017
Venue:
Mary Park
Phone:
715-246-2900
Address:
401 N. Green Avenue, New Richmond, WI, 54017, United States
This is one fun beer festival: the annual Kohler Festival of Beer celebrates one of Wisconsin’s top industries with the country’s premier craft brewers and beer fans from around the nation. The Village of Kohler comes alive during a weekend brimming with refreshing brews, delicious food, cooking demonstrations, beer classes and live music by some of the region’s best bands. Signature events include the Hops to the Shops party, 5k Beer Run, the Shorts & Chefs grilling event, the popular Cheers to Beers tasting gala and a Sunday beer-themed breakfast.
Prices vary based on events, although many events are free. You can also select a variety of packages designed for this beer festival, including with overnight accommodations (not a bad choice, given all the imbibing options!)
New this year is Salute to Swine on Friday night with great beer, delectable bites and a Chicago blues band. Returning are fan favorites Shorts and Chefs, Cheers to Beers and the Beer Run (Saturday). Whether you’re an experienced walker/runner or just have a passion for beer, the 9th annual Kohler Festival of Beer Fun Run just might be the perfect race to enjoy.
The Kohler Festival of Beer is the perfect weekend getaway for beer and food aficionados. Kohler is basically bounded by I-43, Highway 23, Highway 28, and Highway 32. Highway 42 also brings you close!
Start:
April 28, 2017
End:
April 30, 2017
Venue:
Horse & Plow Restaurant
Phone:
920-457-8000
Address:
419 Highland Drive, Kohler, WI, 53044, United States
Imagine an Ice Castle Wonderland in the already wondrous Wisconsin Dells, right next to the upside-down White House on the grounds as the World’s Largest Wooden Trojan Horse on the grounds of Mt Olympus Resort.
Well, you don’t need to imagine. Six days a week from January 12th through mid-March (weather permitting), a massive ice castle compound will be in that very spot, ready for exploration by the whole family. The artistic project began in October on the grounds of Mount Olympus Resort, one of five projects in North America by Ice Castles LLC, a Utah-based company with similar projects in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah, and Alberta, Canada. One of the most unique and amazing facts about the Ice Castles is that they are literally built by hand. They grow more than 5,000 icicles each day that we harvest and sculpt together.
Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/TheIceCastles
In the Dells, the Ice Castle Wonderland features two 50-foot-long slides, a 35-foot tower, a fountain, and a domed room with a waterfall. You’ll also find tunnels, towers, trails, and even thrones lined with crushed ice and snow, all of which feature embedded light shows.
Some Tips (from their website) for a Great Experience:
Wear Boots. The walking surface inside of the Ice Castles is made of crushed ice. Walking in boots is definitely best.
Buy Tickets Before You Arrive. When you buy a ticket, you buy an arrival time. We ask that you arrive within your 30 minute time window. Once you are inside the castle you can stay as long as you’d like!
Save some trees. When you buy your tickets online we’ll send you an email with a unique QR code, so there’s no need to print your tickets. We can scan the code right from your phone!
Photos are encouraged (and they want to see them! #icecastles) but they ask that you please leave photography equipment such as tripods and lights at home. For information about commercial or specialized photo sessions please email them at info@icecastles.com.
It is HIGHLY recommended to bring a small sled to pull children instead of a stroller. It is extremely difficult to push the stroller through the castle (think of it like trying to push a stroller through a sandy beach).
To reach Wisconsin Dells, just hit I-90/94, U.S. 12, or Highways 13, 16, or 23. And hope the weather stays cold!
Hours & Tickets:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 3pm – 9pm (closed Tuesday)
Online Tickets: $9.95 ages 12 and up, $6.95 ages 4-11
Tickets at the Door: $15 ages 12 and up, $10 ages 4-11 Child (4-11): $10
Friday, 3pm – 10pm
Saturday, noon – 10pm
Sunday, noon – 9pm
Online Tickets: $12.95 ages 12 and up, $8.95 ages 4-11
Tickets at the Door: $18 ages 12 and up, $10 ages 4-11 Child (4-11): $12
Start:
January 12, 2017
End:
March 18, 2017
Venue:
Mt Olympus Resort
Phone:
800-800-4997
Address:
1701 Wisconsin Dells Parkway, Wisconsin Dells, WI, 53965, United States
Head to Racine, the “Kringle Capital of the World,” and join the famous O&H Bakery for their first ever Racine Fall Festival of Flavors! Located outside their 5910 Washington Avenue store location – right along Highway 20 – they are celebrating the bounty that fall brings to our state. This event – a sweet one for sure – will take place Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 10am-2pm.
Activities include:
* Giveaways and treats from the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association
* Great food like caramel apples, seasonal sandwiches, cupcakes, hand-pies, hot drinks and more. Kringles, too.
* Cookie decorating for a $1 – each child will get 1 cookie and their own little container of icing (two colors) and sprinkles!
* Every child will get one free pumpkin cookie & a fun activity sheet to color with crayons
* A Guess Game Contest with a chance to win. Guess the right number of an item and the winner receives a bakery gift basket and the chance to win Kringle of the Month for 6 months!
* Ohlaf (their mascot) will be available for pictures and interaction with the kids
O&H has six locations total, including one inside the Highway 20 Petro Travel Plaza along I-41/94. The Racine Fall Festival of Flavors takes place at the Racine-West location, about five miles further east along Highway 20, near the junction with Highway 31.
Normal store hours are 5:30am-6:00pm Monday through Friday, 5:30am-5:00pm on Saturday, and 7:00am-2:00pm on Sunday. Along with kringle, this Viking heritage-inspired store also features fair trade coffee, other fresh bakery items, and made-to-order sandwiches. But you’ll definitely want to celebrate Racine’s Danish heritage with kringle at Racine Fall Festival of Flavors – it’s one of the best!
Address:
O&H Bakery
5910 Washington Avenue (Highway 20)
Racine, WI 53406
(262) 504-7000 Website
Start:
October 15, 2016 10:00 am
End:
October 15, 2016 2:00 pm
Venue:
O&H Danish Bakery
Phone:
262-504-7000
Address:
5910 Washington Avenue, Racine, WI, 53406, United States
On this terrific tour of the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, you can meet 45 area artists and watch them at work during this self-guided driving tour through Baraboo, Spring Green, Dodgeville, Reedsburg and Mineral Point. Potters, weavers, glassblowers, woodworkers, painters, jewelers, quilters, photographers & sculptors. Meet the artists, experience our work spaces, watch as we create unique works of art. A wide variety of high-quality artwork is available for purchase in every price range. This is their 22nd Anniversary and it’s one of the most popular art events in the Midwest. Whether this is your first time on the fall art tour, or if you’ve visited their studios every year for the past two decades, you’ll enjoy this October weekend, art-filled drive tour.
Each studio and Gallery Headquarters (in Baraboo) has the full-color brochure, which include a map of the Tour. Pick one up at your first stop! When you get out on the road, watch for signs pointing you in the right direction, and the distinctive blue flags at each studio.
This is a great way to experience the beautiful fall colors in one of the most scenic areas of the Midwest. As you drive, Highways 33, 136, and 23 figure prominently on this tour, as do numerous county and side roads. You’ll be close to Taliesin, House on the Rock, American Players Theater, Governor Dodge State Park, Pendarvis, the Circus World Museum, Ochsner Park Zoo, and many more notable places as you go from studio to studio. Get the printable tour map in .PDF here and more details on the artists at FallArtTour.com. You can also call (608) 356-7805, visit their Facebook page, or e-mail them at info@fallarttour.com.
I-90/94 and Highway 33 brings you to the start in Baraboo (it’s only about seven miles from the Interstate) and the U.S. 18/151 expressway meet you in Dodgeville and Mineral Point, making it easy and fast access regardless of where in the region you’re coming from!
Start:
October 14, 2016 10:00 am
End:
October 16, 2016 6:00 pm
Venue:
Downtown Baraboo
Phone:
608-356-7805
Address:
Downtown Baraboo, Baraboo, WI, 53913, United States
The Annual Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival in Fort Atkinson offers a weekend full of workshops, speakers, open mic poetry readings, round tables, landmark tours, and poetry café. The festival is in honor of local poet Lorine Niedecker (1903-1970), a twentieth-century, second-wave, Modern American poet often identified with the Objectivists. Living most of her life on the shores of the Rock River near Fort Atkinson, she is perhaps best known as a poet of place who wrote about the Blackhawk Island that she loved.
Social events, informal gatherings and workshops will begin Friday evening and continue through Saturday evening.
Get all the event details on the Lorine Niedecker website; the main Schedule of Events is below.
You can reach Fort Atkinson via U.S. 12 or Highways 26, 89, or 106 in the heart of Jefferson County. Get poetic and check it out!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS at the LORINE NIEDECKER WISCONSIN POETRY FESTIVAL Friday, October 14, 2016
8:00 – 6:00 Dwight Foster Library is open, Library
Lorine Niedecker Room opens for reading, writing and quiet reflection
9:30 – 4:30 Hoard Historical Museum is open, Museum
Exhibits include the Lorine Niedecker Room and Native American and regional history.
Gallery Exhibit Along the River
Festival info, maps, information for self-guided tours of LN sites including her cabin on
Blackhawk Island and gravesite will be available at the Museum and Library.
5:00 Café Carpe opens for dinner Café Carpe
6:30 Open mic – Moderator Nick Demske of BONK!
7:30 After Party at Café Carpe coordinated by Dot Kent, group poetry and word games
Saturday, October 15, 2016
8:00 – 12:00 Poetry at the Farmers Market with Paul Wiegel Farmer’s Market
Fox River Poetry Company
8:30 Poetry Cafe and Poetry Store Open Fort Atkinson Club
Registration, freebies, exchanges, free Wi-Fi, light refreshment, Poet’s book shop
9:00 Festival Welcome and Niedecker News – Ann Engelman
9:10 David Wilk; Putting the Poet in Her Place
10:00 Dot Kent; Henry James letter to a friend and Lorine Niedecker’s
“Sorrow Moves in Wide Waves”
11:00 Norma Cole with Ronnie Hess and Paul Smyth; LN: Beyond English, beyond home
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Wisconsin Poetry Festival Open Mic — Moderator Angie Trudell Vasquez
(Sign up in the Poetry Café)
2:30 “Round Tables” These small groups encourage discussion with poets
Group A:
John Walser (Lorine Niedecker Poetry Award winner, 2015)
Brenda Cárdenas (Milwaukee poet laureate 2010-2012)
Group B:
Kathryn Gahl (Wisconsin People and Ideas fiction winner, 2015 and 2011)
Pat Moran (Winner of the Grayson Book Poetry Prize, 2015)
4:00 Oscar Mireles; Diversity of Wisconsin Poetry: Poet Laureate building community,
collaboration and audience through Latino eyes
5:15 Photo at poetry wall- Closing meal at Paddy’s
Heirloom Garden Weekend takes place the weekend of August 20-21, 2016 at Old World Wisconsin, a beautiful place that documents the settlement of 19th- and early 20th-century Wisconsin. It comprises an 1870s crossroads village and 10 ethnic farmsteads located on 576 acres of wooded hills in the Southern Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest in the southwestern corner of Waukesha County.
Throughout Heirloom Garden Weekend you can participate in special programs, walking tours, mini-workshops, family activities and sampling of heirloom plants in and about Old World Wisconsin’s historic gardens. Learn about the gardening practices of early immigrant settlers and get tips for growing and enjoying plants in your garden. Feel free to contact them at 262-594-6301 for more information and times.
Highlights include:
Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall enjoy a talk by Jennifer Jordan, UWM Professor and author of “Edible Memory: The Lure of Heirloom Tomatoes and Other Forgotten Foods.” She will discuss “How Tomotoes Became Heirlooms and Apples became Antiques.” Ms. Jordan will be available to sign books following her talk. Books will be available for sale.
Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall hear Ellen Penwell, former curator of Collections at Old World Wisconsin, talk about “Dig In! The History of Garden Tools.”
Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall Bill Stone of Brightonwoods Orchard will present, “Heirloom Apple Tees in WI” with a tree grafting demo.
For Heirloom Garden Weekend, the cost for adults (18-64) is $19; children (5-17) are $10; children 4 and under are free; Senior citizens (65 and over) are $16. Fees include an all-day tram transportation pass. Parking is free.
You’ll find Old World Wisconsin along Highway 67 on its beautiful drive through Kettle Moraine near Eagle, just south of the junction with Highway 59. U.S. 12 and Highway 20 meet Highway 67 about seven miles to the south.
Address:
Old World Wisconsin
W372 S9727 Wisconsin Highway 67
Eagle, WI 53119
(262) 594-6301 Website
Email: oww@wisconsinhistory.org
Start:
August 20, 2016
End:
August 21, 2016
Venue:
Old World Wisconsin
Phone:
262-594-6301
Address:
W372 S9727 Wisconsin Highway 67, Eagle, WI, 53119, United States
“Where Old West Meets New” is the theme of Viroqua’s Wild West Days, which takes place in town August 19-21 this year in Viroqua. It’s a whole throwback to the frontier days with events happening across the weekend.
Daily Events Include:
* Reenactors
* Main Street Performances
* Old Time Barber
* Childrens Games & Crafts
* Pony Rides
* Stage Coach Rides
* Petting Zoo
* Great Food Vendors
* Saloon To Wet Your Whistle
* Wild Rose Cafe
* Old West & New West Vendors
* Period Displays In An 1800’s Boomtown Setting
Other Special Events include a Western Concert, Rodeo Competitions, Cowboy Church, and – yes – Hog Wraslin’. A Horse-Drawn Parade will klip-klop through downtown Viroqua Friday evening.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday August 19th
6:00 pm Wild West Days All Horse Parade (downtown Viroqua)
7:00 pm Horse Pull
7:00 pm K.G. and The Ranger Concert (Temple Theater)
7:30 pm Maggie Mae & the Heartland Country Band with Eric Nofsinger Concert (Temple Theater)
Saturday August 20th
9:00 am Ranch Rodeo Preliminaries
9:00 am Boomtown Opens
11:00 am Horseshoe Contest
1:00 pm Hog Wrastlin’
6:15 pm Mutton Bustin’
7:00 pm Hell on Hooves Rodeo
Sunday August 21st
7:00 am – 11:00 am Cowboy Breakfast Sponsored by Bethel Home (Hockey Arena across from Wild West Days Grounds)
9:00 am Boomtown Opens
11:00 am Cowboy Church Service
1:15 pm Mutton Bustin’
2:00 pm Bulls & Barrels Rodeo
Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for kids 12 and under. If you collected a plastic water bottle in the area with a special Wild West Days label on it, you can bring it to the festival and receive ONE FREE Kids Admission! The Rodeo is extra, a $15 admission for adults and $5 for kids 6-13. Hog Ras – er, Wrestling is also extra, $3 for adults and $1 for kids (and note: the winner is responsible for processing the hog.)
Viroqua is a jewel in the midst of Wisconsin’s beautiful – and we mean beautiful – Driftless Area. U.S. 14/61 and Highways 27, 56, and 82 all bring you to Viroqua.
Address:
925 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
(608) 634-2601 Website
Start:
August 19, 2016
End:
August 21, 2016
Venue:
Wild West Days
Phone:
608-634-2601
Address:
925 Nelson Parkway, Viroqua, WI, 54665, United States
Downtown Waukesha, along with being a crazy maze of streets, offers up a lot of fun places. That includes art galleries. For the Waukesha Art Crawl, over 175 artisans at 20 galleries and showplaces, live music, gift shops and more are featured at this seasonal event. Walk the downtown streets to discover your next artistic treasure, shop the boutiques, listen to live music or indulge in food and drink.
The Waukesha Art Crawl for 2016 takes place on the following Saturdays:
March 5th
May 7th
August 6th
October 1st
December 3rd
How do you get into Waukesha? I-94 and Highway 16 bring you to the north side; Highways 59 and 164 round the south and east sides. U.S. 18 cuts right through, take that or East or St. Paul Avenues.
Start:
August 6, 2016 4:00 pm
End:
August 6, 2016 10:00 pm
Venue:
Downtown Waukesha
Phone:
262-542-1522
Address:
337 W. Main Street, Waukesha, WI, 53186, United States
Managed by the Bay View Arts Guild in this dynamic Milwaukee neighborhood, the South Shore Frolics celebrates its 67th year in 2016. Plenty of fun and games (especially for kids) along with bands, a fish fry, an art show, a classic car show, and more in South Shore Park, which is not only a fun park but also a place providing a beautiful view of the bay (hence, the neighborhood name “Bay View”) and downtown Milwaukee.
And if you hear the crowd yell “Blow up the beach!” don’t be alarmed; it’s just that they put on a great fireworks show there, too.
You’ll find the Frolics in South Shore Park, along Highway 32/Superior Street in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. Highways 38 and 794 also bring you there, and it’s just a two miles east of I-43/94.
Address:
2900 S. Shore Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53207
(414) 482-4270 Website
Start:
July 15, 2016
End:
July 17, 2016
Venue:
South Shore Park
Phone:
414-482-4270
Address:
2900 S. Shore Drive, Milwaukee, WI, 53207, United States
Celebrate Dairy Month, and Wisconsin’s dairy heritage, at Wade House by taking part in cheese, butter and ice cream making in the fashion of the 1860s.
Wade House is an 1850s stagecoach inn built to serve traffic along the plank road that connected Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the Civil War years. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the recently reconstructed Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state’s largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons.
Tickets:
Adults $11; children (5-17) $5.50; students and senior citizens (65 and over) $9.25; family (two adults and two or more dependent children 5-17) $30. Horse-drawn transportation on the site included in ticket cost.
Wade House is along Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, just west of Plymouth. Highways 57 and 67 come close too! All the details on this event and more on Wade House can be found on their website HERE.
Start:
June 25, 2016 10:00 am
End:
June 26, 2016 5:00 pm
Venue:
Wade House Historic Site
Phone:
920-526-3271
Address:
W7965 State Highway 23, Greenbush, WI, 53026, United States
The Ridge in Lake Geneva combines two greats: craft beer and Chicago Blues! This event will feature unlimited sampling of craft beer from around the US, live blues music and concessions from 1-5pm Saturday, April 23rd at the Ridge Hotel along Highway 50 in Lake Geneva – U.S. 12 and Highway 67 are nearby, too. There will also be a silent auction to benefit the Lakeland Animal Shelter. Check out the details at their website here!
Start:
April 23, 2016 1:00 pm
End:
April 23, 2016 5:00 pm
Venue:
Geneva Ridge Resort
Phone:
262-245-1000
Address:
W4240 State Highway 50, Lake Geneva, WI, 53147, United States
Head to Dodgeville and enjoy authentic Cajun music from visiting LA artists along with music and dance workshops. Cajun food and nightly dances with live bands. This event takes place at Folklore Village, a nationally recognized folk arts and culture center dedicated to enriching lives through time-honored traditions.
Since 1968, thousands of people of all ages have come to Folklore Village to gather with friends, meet new people, to eat, dance, sing and play. Come study with a master fiddler… sing with a gospel choir… dance until midnight… learn to spin wool… feast on jambalaya… join a back porch jam session… plant prairie flowers… or picture yourself as a student in a real 1890 schoolhouse… pass it on.,
Get the full schedule for this Cajun music and dance weekend at their website here. U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23 bring you to Dodgeville, the seat of Iowa County.
Start:
April 22, 2016
End:
April 24, 2016
Venue:
Folklore Village
Phone:
608-924-4000
Address:
3210 County Road BB, Dodgeville, WI, 53533, United States
“First Fridays” will provide an opportunity for families to come together to partake in an artistic experience, including unique educational elements for youth ranging from artist-led crafts to hands-on musical experiences. Guests are greeted with an opening band featuring local musicians at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be available for purchase from food trucks, as well as indoors from “After Party” Sponsor, The Stilthouse Restaurant. Other activities include a local handmade art show, kid’s crafts, dancing, cash bar and good times. At 7:00pm, the lights go down and the party turns up as the main act, Comfort Shag, takes the stage for two hours. The Center’s full cash bar and dance floor will multiply the fun. This exciting series is free of charge to members of the Cultural Center and children under 5. Non-member general admission is $5 at the door. Full details can be found on the Cedarburg Cultural Center website.
Historic downtown Cedarburg can be reached via Washington Avenue, which is Historic Highway 57. Today’s Highway 57, as well as Highways 60, 167, and 181, come close. I-43/Highway 32 is also a few miles to the east and you can access Cedarburg via County C (Exit 89).
Start:
April 1, 2016 4:00 pm
End:
April 1, 2016 11:00 pm
Venue:
Cedarburg Cultural Center
Phone:
262-375-3676
Address:
W62 N546 Washington Avenue, Cedarburg, WI, 53012, United States
This is a great time to check out the Bull Falls Brewery just southeast of central Wausau!
The Bull Falls Bock Fest will kick off at 1pm on Saturday, March 19th immediately following the 8th Annual Bull Falls Brewery Never Forgotten Honor Flight 5K Run/Walk. It will begin with the ceremonial tapping of the 2015 Bull Falls Bock Lager, their traditional full-bodied dark bock lager beer. Beginning at 1pm there will be music in the Biergarten by Led West and great food provided by local American Legion Post 10.
Their crack Karmel Kaiser staff will be assisting customers who want their beer caramelized with a red hot poker by the fire! It’s an outdoor event, so dress for the weather! This will be a well-attended event, snow or shine. All proceeds for this event will be donated to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight.
Updated details are available on the Bull Falls Brewery website. You’ll find the brewery southeast of downtown Wausau, just east of Business U.S. 51. I-39, U.S. 51, and Highways 29 and 52 all bring you to Wausau.
Start:
March 19, 2016 1:00 pm
End:
March 19, 2016 6:00 pm
Venue:
Bull Falls Brewery
Phone:
715-842-2337
Address:
901 E. Thomas Street, Wausau, WI, 54403, United States
In conjunction with the Southport Quilters Guild Annual Members Quilt Show, the Guild will sponsor activities at the Kenosha Public Museum in downtown Kenosha’s HarborPark District.
The Kenosha Public Museum is a natural sciences and fine and decorative arts museum with over 80,000 collections, including 1,200 works in fine arts. Exhibit programming includes mammoths, world cultures, Native Americans, zoology, geology, fossils, and fine and decorative arts.
For National Quilting Day, here’s the schedule:
9am-Noon – Quilting Workshop with Kathy Tracy of Country Lane Quilts. Please contact the Museum at 262-653-4140 to find out if space is still available.
10am-5pm – “Scrappy Days are Here Again!” and “Pieces of Poetry” quilt challenge by Southport Quilters Guild members on display in DaimlerChrysler Hall
10:30am-1:30pm – Quilting demonstrations by members of the Guild and family activities
2pm – “A Little History of Quilting” presentation by Kathy Tracy . The presentation takes you through different periods in American history showing examples of quilts with different styles and techniques. It includes a PowerPoint presentation, a trunk show of quilts from her books, and time for questions. Free tickets will be available the day of the presentation beginning at 10am. Seating is limited – first come, first served.
The Kenosha Public Museum can be accessed by taking Highways 32, 50, or 158 into the city’s HarborPark District, which sits right along Lake Michigan on the east side of downtown. Make a day of it and check out everything else down there!
Start:
March 19, 2016 9:00 am
End:
March 19, 2016 5:00 pm
Venue:
Kenosha Public Museum
Phone:
262-653-4140
Address:
5500 First Avenue, Kenosha, WI, 53140, United States
Beer has a long, illustrious history as the centerpiece of many parties and events, especially here in Milwaukee. With this in mind, the Milwaukee Public Museum on Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee will open its doors after hours and add another chapter to that story. The Milwaukee Public Museum’s 18th Annual Food & Froth Fest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 from 7 – 10 p.m.
Food & Froth will feature over 200 different beers from more than 70 breweries, including Midwest treasures such as Summit Brewing Co., which is making its Food & Froth debut, and international favorites like Germany’s Krombacher Brauerei. Nibble on tasty bites from Screamin’ Sicilian frozen pizza, sampling a fully loaded pizza perfect for pairing with beer, as well as many other treats from local restaurants and caterers. Additionally there will be live music on all three exhibit floors, including a performance by The Whiskey Belles.
Food & Froth tickets are $75 for members and $125 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets include 5:30 p.m. entrance into the special VIP room filled with exclusive craft beers, a smorgasbord of unlimited savories and sweets, and 6:00 p.m. early entry into the event.
Tickets are available by calling (414) 278-2728 or (888) 700-9069 during museum hours. Admission fee covers all food, beer and live entertainment. You must be at least 21 years of age to attend, and a valid identification and ticket are required for entrance into the event.
The Milwaukee Public Museum is right along U.S. 18 (Wells Street) in downtown Milwaukee, within blocks of I-43, I-94, the south end of Highway 145, and also close to Highway 32 (Broadway/Milwaukee Street), Highway 38 (5th/6th Street south of downtown), Highway 59 (National Avenue), and I-794.
Start:
February 20, 2016 7:00 pm
End:
February 20, 2016 10:00 pm
Venue:
Milwaukee Public Museum
Phone:
414-278-2728
Address:
800 W. Wells Street, Milwaukee, WI, 53233, United States
The third annual Snow Daze Festival in Library Park will celebrate winter with an ice carving demonstration and display of ice sculptures. More than 40 ice sculptures will decorate Library Park and sidewalks throughout downtown Kenosha.
Featuring:
• An ice carving demonstration by Art Below Zero of Franksville.
• Cheer on your favorite mascot as they compete in fun Mascot Madness games in the park at 1 p.m. The Kenosha Kingfish baseball team, the Dinosaur Discovery Museum, Carthage College and Capt. Mike’s and Uncle Mike’s restaurants will be represented.
• The Children’s Room at Simmons Library offers a chance to warm up, with craft supplies available from 12-3 p.m. for children to create winter projects including paper snowflakes, snowman puppets and suncatchers.
• Downtown Ambassadors stationed in Library Park will have maps showing the locations of the ice sculptures downtown, and information on special entertainment and sales at downtown businesses as part of the Second Saturday celebration.
The second smallest county in Wisconsin hosts one of the last FREE county fairs in the Midwest. The 157th edition of the Ozaukee County Fair takes place August 3-6, 2016 at Fireman’s Park in Cedarburg.
Plenty of animals, exhibits, rides, and more punctuate this fair. They have some great musical acts too, including the Charlie Daniels Band for Friday night, August 5th!
The Ozaukee County Fair can be found along Washington Avenue in Cedarburg, just south of Highway 60, just east of Highway 181, and a few miles west of I-43 and Highways 32 & 57.
Last minute shopping deals, entertainment, horse-drawn wagon rides, food and even Santa! Join the fun throughout downtown Hartford, where the deals get better as the night goes on… and it does last until midnight!
In addition to the specials offered by the merchants, there are crafters and vendors to help you with those last-minute holiday gifts. And at the main corner of Highways 60 and 83, you’ll find a State Trunk Tour favorite, The Mineshaft – Wisconsin’s largest restaurant.
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events › Festival
June 2, 2017 – June 3, 2017
Willow River Blues & Brews Fest
Check out New Richmond’s 10th annual Willow River Blues & Brews Fest, coupled with their 50th annual Park Art Fair, June 2-3, 2017! Enjoy the works of many artists and the art of making handcrafted beer, all of which takes place – not surprisingly – right along the Willow River in Mary Park.
There’s no cover charge for music or the Park Art Fair. Food, soda & beer concessions available all weekend.
For the “Brews” part of the Willow River Blues & Brews Festival, beer sampling from over 125 crafters takes place Saturday from 4-6pm; tickets are $25 advance/$30 at the gate.
Hours:
Friday, June 2: 5-8pm
Saturday, June 3: 10am-9pm
New Richmond is at the junction of Highway 64 and Highway 65, just north of U.S. 12 and I-94 in St. Croix County.
More Willow River Blues & Brews Festival Info, courtesy of the New Richmond Chamber:
Directions:
Both events are held in Mary Park in New Richmond, just a few blocks from downtown New Richmond on Green Avenue.
From the north or south proceed on Highway 65 to downtown New Richmond. Proceed east on First Street to Green Avenue. Locate available on street parking and walk to Mark Park on the very north end of Green Avenue. Watch for signs.
Parking:
There is no parking allowed in Mary Park for the events. There is ample on-street parking throughout the Mary Park neighborhood and in downtown New Richmond. Please wear comfortable shoes as you will probably have a bit of a walk to the festival area of 4 to 8 blocks.
Shuttle Service:
Shuttle Service is provided by North America Central School Bus/New Richmond School Bus. Pick up locations are in the Bosch parking lot on the South end of New Richmond and on the North end by Super America (gravel lot).
Carry-Ins and Alcohol Consumption:
Absolutely no beverage or food carryins of any kind will be allowed into Mary Park. All persons wishing to consume alcohol must obtain an alcohol wrist band. Anyone who appears to be 35 or younger will have ID checked. No one under the age of 21 will be allowed to purchase or consume alcohol even with parent present.
Lodging:
There are a variety of lodging options in New Richmond and nearby for hotels. Camping is available in New Richmond’s Hatfield Park, about two miles from festival area.
Taxi Service:
There will be taxi onsite providing free rides to anywhere in New Richmond if you feel your should not drive. Stop at the beer concession area to receive your taxi voucher. The New Richmond Area Chamber encourages you to drink responsibly.
NO COVER CHARGE/All ages welcome:
There is no cover charge for any portion of the event except the brew sampling. You may listen to all music performances for free. There will be concession food and beverages for sale. All ages are welcome.
Seating:
The festival in a open air festival. There is limited cover in the case of rain. There will be some picnic tables available to sit on. You may bring your own blanket or lawn chair. NO COOLERS.
Restrooms:
There are flush toilets on site. There will also be portapotties in the festival area.
Address:
Mary Park
New Richmond, WI 54017
(715) 246-2900
Website
April 28, 2017 – April 30, 2017
Kohler Festival of Beer & Beer Run
This is one fun beer festival: the annual Kohler Festival of Beer celebrates one of Wisconsin’s top industries with the country’s premier craft brewers and beer fans from around the nation. The Village of Kohler comes alive during a weekend brimming with refreshing brews, delicious food, cooking demonstrations, beer classes and live music by some of the region’s best bands. Signature events include the Hops to the Shops party, 5k Beer Run, the Shorts & Chefs grilling event, the popular Cheers to Beers tasting gala and a Sunday beer-themed breakfast.
Prices vary based on events, although many events are free. You can also select a variety of packages designed for this beer festival, including with overnight accommodations (not a bad choice, given all the imbibing options!)
New this year is Salute to Swine on Friday night with great beer, delectable bites and a Chicago blues band. Returning are fan favorites Shorts and Chefs, Cheers to Beers and the Beer Run (Saturday). Whether you’re an experienced walker/runner or just have a passion for beer, the 9th annual Kohler Festival of Beer Fun Run just might be the perfect race to enjoy.
The Kohler Festival of Beer is the perfect weekend getaway for beer and food aficionados. Kohler is basically bounded by I-43, Highway 23, Highway 28, and Highway 32. Highway 42 also brings you close!
January 12, 2017 – March 18, 2017
Ice Castle Wonderland in Wisconsin Dells
Imagine an Ice Castle Wonderland in the already wondrous Wisconsin Dells, right next to the upside-down White House on the grounds as the World’s Largest Wooden Trojan Horse on the grounds of Mt Olympus Resort.
Well, you don’t need to imagine. Six days a week from January 12th through mid-March (weather permitting), a massive ice castle compound will be in that very spot, ready for exploration by the whole family. The artistic project began in October on the grounds of Mount Olympus Resort, one of five projects in North America by Ice Castles LLC, a Utah-based company with similar projects in New Hampshire, Minnesota, Utah, and Alberta, Canada. One of the most unique and amazing facts about the Ice Castles is that they are literally built by hand. They grow more than 5,000 icicles each day that we harvest and sculpt together.
In the Dells, the Ice Castle Wonderland features two 50-foot-long slides, a 35-foot tower, a fountain, and a domed room with a waterfall. You’ll also find tunnels, towers, trails, and even thrones lined with crushed ice and snow, all of which feature embedded light shows.
Some Tips (from their website) for a Great Experience:
To reach Wisconsin Dells, just hit I-90/94, U.S. 12, or Highways 13, 16, or 23. And hope the weather stays cold!
Hours & Tickets:
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 3pm – 9pm (closed Tuesday)
Online Tickets: $9.95 ages 12 and up, $6.95 ages 4-11
Tickets at the Door: $15 ages 12 and up, $10 ages 4-11 Child (4-11): $10
Friday, 3pm – 10pm
Saturday, noon – 10pm
Sunday, noon – 9pm
Online Tickets: $12.95 ages 12 and up, $8.95 ages 4-11
Tickets at the Door: $18 ages 12 and up, $10 ages 4-11 Child (4-11): $12
October 15, 2016
Racine Fall Festival of Flavors
Head to Racine, the “Kringle Capital of the World,” and join the famous O&H Bakery for their first ever Racine Fall Festival of Flavors! Located outside their 5910 Washington Avenue store location – right along Highway 20 – they are celebrating the bounty that fall brings to our state. This event – a sweet one for sure – will take place Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 10am-2pm.
* Giveaways and treats from the Wisconsin Cranberry Growers Association
* Great food like caramel apples, seasonal sandwiches, cupcakes, hand-pies, hot drinks and more. Kringles, too.
* Cookie decorating for a $1 – each child will get 1 cookie and their own little container of icing (two colors) and sprinkles!
* Every child will get one free pumpkin cookie & a fun activity sheet to color with crayons
* A Guess Game Contest with a chance to win. Guess the right number of an item and the winner receives a bakery gift basket and the chance to win Kringle of the Month for 6 months!
* Ohlaf (their mascot) will be available for pictures and interaction with the kids
O&H has six locations total, including one inside the Highway 20 Petro Travel Plaza along I-41/94. The Racine Fall Festival of Flavors takes place at the Racine-West location, about five miles further east along Highway 20, near the junction with Highway 31.
Normal store hours are 5:30am-6:00pm Monday through Friday, 5:30am-5:00pm on Saturday, and 7:00am-2:00pm on Sunday. Along with kringle, this Viking heritage-inspired store also features fair trade coffee, other fresh bakery items, and made-to-order sandwiches. But you’ll definitely want to celebrate Racine’s Danish heritage with kringle at Racine Fall Festival of Flavors – it’s one of the best!
Address:
O&H Bakery
5910 Washington Avenue (Highway 20)
Racine, WI 53406
(262) 504-7000
Website
October 14, 2016 – October 16, 2016
Fall Art Tour, Baraboo to Mineral Point
Each studio and Gallery Headquarters (in Baraboo) has the full-color brochure, which include a map of the Tour. Pick one up at your first stop! When you get out on the road, watch for signs pointing you in the right direction, and the distinctive blue flags at each studio.
This is a great way to experience the beautiful fall colors in one of the most scenic areas of the Midwest. As you drive, Highways 33, 136, and 23 figure prominently on this tour, as do numerous county and side roads. You’ll be close to Taliesin, House on the Rock, American Players Theater, Governor Dodge State Park, Pendarvis, the Circus World Museum, Ochsner Park Zoo, and many more notable places as you go from studio to studio. Get the printable tour map in .PDF here and more details on the artists at FallArtTour.com. You can also call (608) 356-7805, visit their Facebook page, or e-mail them at info@fallarttour.com.
I-90/94 and Highway 33 brings you to the start in Baraboo (it’s only about seven miles from the Interstate) and the U.S. 18/151 expressway meet you in Dodgeville and Mineral Point, making it easy and fast access regardless of where in the region you’re coming from!
October 14, 2016 – October 15, 2016
Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival
The Annual Lorine Niedecker Wisconsin Poetry Festival in Fort Atkinson offers a weekend full of workshops, speakers, open mic poetry readings, round tables, landmark tours, and poetry café. The festival is in honor of local poet Lorine Niedecker (1903-1970), a twentieth-century, second-wave, Modern American poet often identified with the Objectivists. Living most of her life on the shores of the Rock River near Fort Atkinson, she is perhaps best known as a poet of place who wrote about the Blackhawk Island that she loved.
Social events, informal gatherings and workshops will begin Friday evening and continue through Saturday evening.
Get all the event details on the Lorine Niedecker website; the main Schedule of Events is below.
You can reach Fort Atkinson via U.S. 12 or Highways 26, 89, or 106 in the heart of Jefferson County. Get poetic and check it out!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS at the LORINE NIEDECKER WISCONSIN POETRY FESTIVAL
Friday, October 14, 2016
8:00 – 6:00 Dwight Foster Library is open, Library
Lorine Niedecker Room opens for reading, writing and quiet reflection
9:30 – 4:30 Hoard Historical Museum is open, Museum
Exhibits include the Lorine Niedecker Room and Native American and regional history.
Gallery Exhibit Along the River
Festival info, maps, information for self-guided tours of LN sites including her cabin on
Blackhawk Island and gravesite will be available at the Museum and Library.
5:00 Café Carpe opens for dinner Café Carpe
6:30 Open mic – Moderator Nick Demske of BONK!
7:30 After Party at Café Carpe coordinated by Dot Kent, group poetry and word games
Saturday, October 15, 2016
8:00 – 12:00 Poetry at the Farmers Market with Paul Wiegel Farmer’s Market
Fox River Poetry Company
8:30 Poetry Cafe and Poetry Store Open Fort Atkinson Club
Registration, freebies, exchanges, free Wi-Fi, light refreshment, Poet’s book shop
9:00 Festival Welcome and Niedecker News – Ann Engelman
9:10 David Wilk; Putting the Poet in Her Place
10:00 Dot Kent; Henry James letter to a friend and Lorine Niedecker’s
“Sorrow Moves in Wide Waves”
11:00 Norma Cole with Ronnie Hess and Paul Smyth; LN: Beyond English, beyond home
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Wisconsin Poetry Festival Open Mic — Moderator Angie Trudell Vasquez
(Sign up in the Poetry Café)
2:30 “Round Tables” These small groups encourage discussion with poets
Group A:
John Walser (Lorine Niedecker Poetry Award winner, 2015)
Brenda Cárdenas (Milwaukee poet laureate 2010-2012)
Group B:
Kathryn Gahl (Wisconsin People and Ideas fiction winner, 2015 and 2011)
Pat Moran (Winner of the Grayson Book Poetry Prize, 2015)
4:00 Oscar Mireles; Diversity of Wisconsin Poetry: Poet Laureate building community,
collaboration and audience through Latino eyes
5:15 Photo at poetry wall- Closing meal at Paddy’s
August 20, 2016 – August 21, 2016
Heirloom Garden Weekend
Heirloom Garden Weekend takes place the weekend of August 20-21, 2016 at Old World Wisconsin, a beautiful place that documents the settlement of 19th- and early 20th-century Wisconsin. It comprises an 1870s crossroads village and 10 ethnic farmsteads located on 576 acres of wooded hills in the Southern Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest in the southwestern corner of Waukesha County.
Throughout Heirloom Garden Weekend you can participate in special programs, walking tours, mini-workshops, family activities and sampling of heirloom plants in and about Old World Wisconsin’s historic gardens. Learn about the gardening practices of early immigrant settlers and get tips for growing and enjoying plants in your garden. Feel free to contact them at 262-594-6301 for more information and times.
Highlights include:
Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall enjoy a talk by Jennifer Jordan, UWM Professor and author of “Edible Memory: The Lure of Heirloom Tomatoes and Other Forgotten Foods.” She will discuss “How Tomotoes Became Heirlooms and Apples became Antiques.” Ms. Jordan will be available to sign books following her talk. Books will be available for sale.
Saturday at 3:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall hear Ellen Penwell, former curator of Collections at Old World Wisconsin, talk about “Dig In! The History of Garden Tools.”
Sunday at 1:00 p.m. in Caldwell Hall Bill Stone of Brightonwoods Orchard will present, “Heirloom Apple Tees in WI” with a tree grafting demo.
For Heirloom Garden Weekend, the cost for adults (18-64) is $19; children (5-17) are $10; children 4 and under are free; Senior citizens (65 and over) are $16. Fees include an all-day tram transportation pass. Parking is free.
You’ll find Old World Wisconsin along Highway 67 on its beautiful drive through Kettle Moraine near Eagle, just south of the junction with Highway 59. U.S. 12 and Highway 20 meet Highway 67 about seven miles to the south.
Address:
Old World Wisconsin
W372 S9727 Wisconsin Highway 67
Eagle, WI 53119
(262) 594-6301
Website
Email: oww@wisconsinhistory.org
August 19, 2016 – August 21, 2016
Wild West Days
“Where Old West Meets New” is the theme of Viroqua’s Wild West Days, which takes place in town August 19-21 this year in Viroqua. It’s a whole throwback to the frontier days with events happening across the weekend.
Daily Events Include:
* Reenactors
* Main Street Performances
* Old Time Barber
* Childrens Games & Crafts
* Pony Rides
* Stage Coach Rides
* Petting Zoo
* Great Food Vendors
* Saloon To Wet Your Whistle
* Wild Rose Cafe
* Old West & New West Vendors
* Period Displays In An 1800’s Boomtown Setting
Other Special Events include a Western Concert, Rodeo Competitions, Cowboy Church, and – yes – Hog Wraslin’. A Horse-Drawn Parade will klip-klop through downtown Viroqua Friday evening.
Here’s the schedule:
Friday August 19th
6:00 pm Wild West Days All Horse Parade (downtown Viroqua)
7:00 pm Horse Pull
7:00 pm K.G. and The Ranger Concert (Temple Theater)
7:30 pm Maggie Mae & the Heartland Country Band with Eric Nofsinger Concert (Temple Theater)
Saturday August 20th
9:00 am Ranch Rodeo Preliminaries
9:00 am Boomtown Opens
11:00 am Horseshoe Contest
1:00 pm Hog Wrastlin’
6:15 pm Mutton Bustin’
7:00 pm Hell on Hooves Rodeo
Sunday August 21st
7:00 am – 11:00 am Cowboy Breakfast Sponsored by Bethel Home (Hockey Arena across from Wild West Days Grounds)
9:00 am Boomtown Opens
11:00 am Cowboy Church Service
1:15 pm Mutton Bustin’
2:00 pm Bulls & Barrels Rodeo
Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for kids 12 and under. If you collected a plastic water bottle in the area with a special Wild West Days label on it, you can bring it to the festival and receive ONE FREE Kids Admission! The Rodeo is extra, a $15 admission for adults and $5 for kids 6-13. Hog Ras – er, Wrestling is also extra, $3 for adults and $1 for kids (and note: the winner is responsible for processing the hog.)
Viroqua is a jewel in the midst of Wisconsin’s beautiful – and we mean beautiful – Driftless Area. U.S. 14/61 and Highways 27, 56, and 82 all bring you to Viroqua.
Address:
925 Nelson Parkway
Viroqua, WI 54665
(608) 634-2601
Website
August 6, 2016
Waukesha Art Crawl
Downtown Waukesha, along with being a crazy maze of streets, offers up a lot of fun places. That includes art galleries. For the Waukesha Art Crawl, over 175 artisans at 20 galleries and showplaces, live music, gift shops and more are featured at this seasonal event. Walk the downtown streets to discover your next artistic treasure, shop the boutiques, listen to live music or indulge in food and drink.
Check out WaukeshaArt.com for all the updates and details!
The Waukesha Art Crawl for 2016 takes place on the following Saturdays:
March 5th
May 7th
August 6th
October 1st
December 3rd
How do you get into Waukesha? I-94 and Highway 16 bring you to the north side; Highways 59 and 164 round the south and east sides. U.S. 18 cuts right through, take that or East or St. Paul Avenues.
July 15, 2016 – July 17, 2016
South Shore Frolics
Managed by the Bay View Arts Guild in this dynamic Milwaukee neighborhood, the South Shore Frolics celebrates its 67th year in 2016. Plenty of fun and games (especially for kids) along with bands, a fish fry, an art show, a classic car show, and more in South Shore Park, which is not only a fun park but also a place providing a beautiful view of the bay (hence, the neighborhood name “Bay View”) and downtown Milwaukee.
And if you hear the crowd yell “Blow up the beach!” don’t be alarmed; it’s just that they put on a great fireworks show there, too.
You’ll find the Frolics in South Shore Park, along Highway 32/Superior Street in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. Highways 38 and 794 also bring you there, and it’s just a two miles east of I-43/94.
Address:
2900 S. Shore Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53207
(414) 482-4270
Website
June 25, 2016 – June 26, 2016
1860s Dairy Days at Wade House
Celebrate Dairy Month, and Wisconsin’s dairy heritage, at Wade House by taking part in cheese, butter and ice cream making in the fashion of the 1860s.
Wade House is an 1850s stagecoach inn built to serve traffic along the plank road that connected Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, tells the story of frontier entrepreneur Sylvanus Wade and his family during the Civil War years. In addition to the inn, the historic site includes the recently reconstructed Herrling sawmill, one of the few working, water-powered sawmills of its kind in the nation. Wade House is also home to the Wesley Jung Carriage Museum, which houses the state’s largest collection of antique carriages and working wagons.
Tickets:
Adults $11; children (5-17) $5.50; students and senior citizens (65 and over) $9.25; family (two adults and two or more dependent children 5-17) $30. Horse-drawn transportation on the site included in ticket cost.
Wade House is along Highway 23 between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, just west of Plymouth. Highways 57 and 67 come close too! All the details on this event and more on Wade House can be found on their website HERE.
April 23, 2016
Craft Brews & Chicago Blues Festival at The Ridge in Lake Geneva
The Ridge in Lake Geneva combines two greats: craft beer and Chicago Blues! This event will feature unlimited sampling of craft beer from around the US, live blues music and concessions from 1-5pm Saturday, April 23rd at the Ridge Hotel along Highway 50 in Lake Geneva – U.S. 12 and Highway 67 are nearby, too. There will also be a silent auction to benefit the Lakeland Animal Shelter. Check out the details at their website here!
April 22, 2016 – April 24, 2016
Cajun Music & Dance Weekend
Head to Dodgeville and enjoy authentic Cajun music from visiting LA artists along with music and dance workshops. Cajun food and nightly dances with live bands. This event takes place at Folklore Village, a nationally recognized folk arts and culture center dedicated to enriching lives through time-honored traditions.
Since 1968, thousands of people of all ages have come to Folklore Village to gather with friends, meet new people, to eat, dance, sing and play. Come study with a master fiddler… sing with a gospel choir… dance until midnight… learn to spin wool… feast on jambalaya… join a back porch jam session… plant prairie flowers… or picture yourself as a student in a real 1890 schoolhouse… pass it on.,
Get the full schedule for this Cajun music and dance weekend at their website here. U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23 bring you to Dodgeville, the seat of Iowa County.
April 1, 2016
“First Fridays” at the Cedarburg Cultural Center featuring Comfort Shag
“First Fridays” will provide an opportunity for families to come together to partake in an artistic experience, including unique educational elements for youth ranging from artist-led crafts to hands-on musical experiences. Guests are greeted with an opening band featuring local musicians at 6:00 pm. Dinner will be available for purchase from food trucks, as well as indoors from “After Party” Sponsor, The Stilthouse Restaurant. Other activities include a local handmade art show, kid’s crafts, dancing, cash bar and good times. At 7:00pm, the lights go down and the party turns up as the main act, Comfort Shag, takes the stage for two hours. The Center’s full cash bar and dance floor will multiply the fun. This exciting series is free of charge to members of the Cultural Center and children under 5. Non-member general admission is $5 at the door. Full details can be found on the Cedarburg Cultural Center website.
Historic downtown Cedarburg can be reached via Washington Avenue, which is Historic Highway 57. Today’s Highway 57, as well as Highways 60, 167, and 181, come close. I-43/Highway 32 is also a few miles to the east and you can access Cedarburg via County C (Exit 89).
March 19, 2016
Bull Falls Brewery Bock Fest
This is a great time to check out the Bull Falls Brewery just southeast of central Wausau!
The Bull Falls Bock Fest will kick off at 1pm on Saturday, March 19th immediately following the 8th Annual Bull Falls Brewery Never Forgotten Honor Flight 5K Run/Walk. It will begin with the ceremonial tapping of the 2015 Bull Falls Bock Lager, their traditional full-bodied dark bock lager beer. Beginning at 1pm there will be music in the Biergarten by Led West and great food provided by local American Legion Post 10.
Their crack Karmel Kaiser staff will be assisting customers who want their beer caramelized with a red hot poker by the fire! It’s an outdoor event, so dress for the weather! This will be a well-attended event, snow or shine. All proceeds for this event will be donated to the Never Forgotten Honor Flight.
Updated details are available on the Bull Falls Brewery website. You’ll find the brewery southeast of downtown Wausau, just east of Business U.S. 51. I-39, U.S. 51, and Highways 29 and 52 all bring you to Wausau.
National Quilt Day in Kenosha
In conjunction with the Southport Quilters Guild Annual Members Quilt Show, the Guild will sponsor activities at the Kenosha Public Museum in downtown Kenosha’s HarborPark District.
The Kenosha Public Museum is a natural sciences and fine and decorative arts museum with over 80,000 collections, including 1,200 works in fine arts. Exhibit programming includes mammoths, world cultures, Native Americans, zoology, geology, fossils, and fine and decorative arts.
For National Quilting Day, here’s the schedule:
9am-Noon – Quilting Workshop with Kathy Tracy of Country Lane Quilts. Please contact the Museum at 262-653-4140 to find out if space is still available.
10am-5pm – “Scrappy Days are Here Again!” and “Pieces of Poetry” quilt challenge by Southport Quilters Guild members on display in DaimlerChrysler Hall
10:30am-1:30pm – Quilting demonstrations by members of the Guild and family activities
2pm – “A Little History of Quilting” presentation by Kathy Tracy . The presentation takes you through different periods in American history showing examples of quilts with different styles and techniques. It includes a PowerPoint presentation, a trunk show of quilts from her books, and time for questions. Free tickets will be available the day of the presentation beginning at 10am. Seating is limited – first come, first served.
The Kenosha Public Museum can be accessed by taking Highways 32, 50, or 158 into the city’s HarborPark District, which sits right along Lake Michigan on the east side of downtown. Make a day of it and check out everything else down there!
February 20, 2016
Food & Froth at the Milwaukee Public Museum
Beer has a long, illustrious history as the centerpiece of many parties and events, especially here in Milwaukee. With this in mind, the Milwaukee Public Museum on Wells Street in downtown Milwaukee will open its doors after hours and add another chapter to that story. The Milwaukee Public Museum’s 18th Annual Food & Froth Fest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2016 from 7 – 10 p.m.
Food & Froth will feature over 200 different beers from more than 70 breweries, including Midwest treasures such as Summit Brewing Co., which is making its Food & Froth debut, and international favorites like Germany’s Krombacher Brauerei. Nibble on tasty bites from Screamin’ Sicilian frozen pizza, sampling a fully loaded pizza perfect for pairing with beer, as well as many other treats from local restaurants and caterers. Additionally there will be live music on all three exhibit floors, including a performance by The Whiskey Belles.
Food & Froth tickets are $75 for members and $125 for VIP tickets. VIP tickets include 5:30 p.m. entrance into the special VIP room filled with exclusive craft beers, a smorgasbord of unlimited savories and sweets, and 6:00 p.m. early entry into the event.
Tickets are available by calling (414) 278-2728 or (888) 700-9069 during museum hours. Admission fee covers all food, beer and live entertainment. You must be at least 21 years of age to attend, and a valid identification and ticket are required for entrance into the event.
Proceeds benefit the Museum’s exhibits and educational programs. Get all the details here!
The Milwaukee Public Museum is right along U.S. 18 (Wells Street) in downtown Milwaukee, within blocks of I-43, I-94, the south end of Highway 145, and also close to Highway 32 (Broadway/Milwaukee Street), Highway 38 (5th/6th Street south of downtown), Highway 59 (National Avenue), and I-794.
February 13, 2016
Snow Daze, Kenosha
The third annual Snow Daze Festival in Library Park will celebrate winter with an ice carving demonstration and display of ice sculptures. More than 40 ice sculptures will decorate Library Park and sidewalks throughout downtown Kenosha.
Featuring:
• An ice carving demonstration by Art Below Zero of Franksville.
• Cheer on your favorite mascot as they compete in fun Mascot Madness games in the park at 1 p.m. The Kenosha Kingfish baseball team, the Dinosaur Discovery Museum, Carthage College and Capt. Mike’s and Uncle Mike’s restaurants will be represented.
• The Children’s Room at Simmons Library offers a chance to warm up, with craft supplies available from 12-3 p.m. for children to create winter projects including paper snowflakes, snowman puppets and suncatchers.
• Downtown Ambassadors stationed in Library Park will have maps showing the locations of the ice sculptures downtown, and information on special entertainment and sales at downtown businesses as part of the Second Saturday celebration.
View the Downtown Ice Sculpture Tour map here. The ice sculptures are expected to last up to two weeks, depending on the weather.
Get updates and more details on the Snow Daze website!
You can access downtown Kenosha via Highways 32, 50, or 158. I-41/94 and Highway 31 also get you close.
January 16, 2016
Ozaukee County Fair
The second smallest county in Wisconsin hosts one of the last FREE county fairs in the Midwest. The 157th edition of the Ozaukee County Fair takes place August 3-6, 2016 at Fireman’s Park in Cedarburg.
Plenty of animals, exhibits, rides, and more punctuate this fair. They have some great musical acts too, including the Charlie Daniels Band for Friday night, August 5th!
The Ozaukee County Fair can be found along Washington Avenue in Cedarburg, just south of Highway 60, just east of Highway 181, and a few miles west of I-43 and Highways 32 & 57.
Check their website for all the latest updates.
December 18, 2015
Downtown Hartford Midnight Madness
Last minute shopping deals, entertainment, horse-drawn wagon rides, food and even Santa! Join the fun throughout downtown Hartford, where the deals get better as the night goes on… and it does last until midnight!
In addition to the specials offered by the merchants, there are crafters and vendors to help you with those last-minute holiday gifts. And at the main corner of Highways 60 and 83, you’ll find a State Trunk Tour favorite, The Mineshaft – Wisconsin’s largest restaurant.
Check the Downtown Hartford website for complete updates!