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 next Waukesha Art Crawl on Saturday, May 3rd with a theme to be announced. This crawl takes place throughout downtown Waukesha from 2pm – 8pm.
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.
Waukesha Art Crawl Address:
Downtown Waukesha
337 W. Main Street
Waukesha, WI 53186
(262) 542-1522 Website
Mmmm… Grilled Cheese. Can it get any better?? Dodgeville is “Grilled Cheese Central” on Saturday, April 26, 2025 as the Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship takes place at the Leo Pavilion in Harris Park. Amateurs and professionals compete in 4 “heats” to determine the best grilled cheese sandwiches in Wisconsin and compete for fabulous prizes. Listen to live music, drink some beer and wine, sample outstanding grilled cheese sandwiches. Fun for all ages. Free admission! Get all the details at their website, grilledcheesewisconsin.com.
You can get to Dodgeville via U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23. Any trip is worth it for grilled cheese!
Our previous favorites have included the Gouda Girls (below); Tina and Katherine make grilled cheese sandwich combos that win all across the nation. They’re based in Milwaukee and do incredible things with taste buds. Our head State Trunk Tour guy Eric Paulsen got to experience their creations firsthand in this Discover Wisconsinepisode. We don’t have any vote, though, so we’ll see how this goes.
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship Address:
Harris Park
600 Bennett Road
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-9200 Website
Come and browse over 99 acres of Jefferson County Fair Park for classics, collectibles and parts to find that special piece for your collection. The 45th Annual Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show runs April 25-26, 2025 and features more than 3,100 vendor spaces and hundreds of cars for sale. The Swap Meet and Car Corral is all three days and the car show is Saturday and Sunday only. For the auto enthusiasts this swap meet boasts thousands of car parts and car accessory vendors making it a great place to buy or sell those hard to find car parts. For those looking to buy or sell cars, the Cars for Sale Corral is full of hundreds of cars of all makes and models for sale.
The feature cars are Drag Cars, but all makes and models are welcome at the car show.
Admission is $15 per adult; kids 12 and under are free when accompanied by paying adult. Parking is included in the admission price; no pets are allowed. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds are near U.S. 18 and the junction with the Highway 26 bypass, very close to Highway 89. It’s all about 7 miles south of I-94’s Johnson Creek exit via Highway 26. Hours are 8am – 4pm Friday and 6am – 4pm Saturday.
While in Jefferson, head downtown and try a burger at Wedl’s, the smallest burger stand in the country. It’s a State Trunk Tour favorite! Also see what’s developing along the Rock River and along Business Highway 26… Jefferson has a lot developing right now!
Jefferson, the seat of Jefferson County along the Rock River, is easily accessible via U.S. 18 or Highway 26; Highway 89 approaches from the west, I-94 passes to the north by about 6 miles. Jefferson is best accessed from I-94 via Exit 267.
Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show Address:
Jefferson County Fair Park
503 N. Jackson Avenue
Jefferson, WI 53549
(608) 244-8416 Website
Lake Geneva Restaurant Week gives you an opportunity to sample unique dishes and often nice deals at over 45 venues across the area from April 19th to April 27th, 2025!
It’s a culinary adventure, showcasing the best dining experiences in the area. Participating Lake Geneva restaurants will serve up special menus, exclusive deals, and creative dishes that highlight local flavors. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore new restaurants or revisit old favorites while enjoying the beauty of the area.
Restaurants will create exclusive menus at special pricing available only during the nine days of Restaurant Week. Featured restaurants range from casual cafes and bistros to elegant fine dining and fabulous lake views – a vibe for every palate! These restaurants are one-of-a-kind, locally owned establishments where owners and chefs part of the dining experience in Lake Geneva,
bringing not only their culinary talents but also their personality and experiences which resonate with guests.
Sips & Snacks:Go “Beyond the Plate” as local sweet shops, cheese shops, breweries, and wineries will also get in the foodie game by featuring special Sips & Snacks offers during Restaurant Week. Think beer and cheese or desserts and wine pairings, sweet treats, and late-night snacks.
Dining for a Cause – Lake Geneva Restaurant Week isn’t just about great food, it’s also about great causes. The Charity Check Ballot is a tradition created to raise awareness for the many non-profit organizations doing important work in the community. During Restaurant Week, diners receive a Charity Check Ballot each time they dine at a participating Restaurant Week location. They use the ballot to vote for one of the Charity Check nominees. (The more you dine, the more you can vote!) The top four charities with
the most votes will each receive a $2,500 donation courtesy of the 2025 Charity Check Sponsor, none other than Tito’s Handmade Vodka!
Beyond wonderful places to eat and drink, the Lake Geneva area offers one-of-a-kind attractions, activities, and adventures, both indoors and out. Plus great shopping, world-class entertainment, and a bevy of options for lodging from cozy B&Bs to sprawling resorts offering every activity imaginable. VisitLakeGeneva.com has your guide to it all!
For well over 50 years now, Stevens Point has held what has become the World’s Largest Trivia Contest. Some 12,000 trivia buffs come to Stevens Point each year to compete with question-and-answer marathon; they must answer eight questions every hour for 54 hours! This year, the contest runs Friday, April 11th through Sunday, April 13th.
Trivia kicks off with a parade held Friday night at 4:00 pm, taking participants around the UW-Stevens Point campus to get pumped for a full weekend ahead. Then, the contest hits the airwaves at 6pm. Over the next 54 hours, more than 400 questions are read, in which players typically have two song lengths to answer. Apart from regular questions, which are read on the air, there are two running questions, three music questions (with eight songs each), and the Trivia Stone. The Trivia Stone, which is a part scavenger hunt and part riddle, takes teams throughout the town with a series of clues.
Want to listen along or participate in the World’s Largest Trivia Contest?
You can listen along on WWSP-FM 89.9 as you drive in the area, or stream them online via TuneIn. The event itself is held at the UW-Stevens Point Communications Building; Highway 66 and Business U.S. 51 intersect nearby. The mainlines of I-39/U.S. 51 and U.S. 10 bring you close in Stevens Point, too.
Within the pristine white walls of a contemporary art museum that overlooks Lake Michigan, the Racine Art Museum presents a rather non-traditional exhibition showcasing fluffy, sugar-coated marshmallow PEEPS®. Over the years, many entrants have been become experts in marshmallow candy as a material, using methods like carving, painting, hole punching, gluing, and melting to manipulate PEEPS into incredible shapes. For this show, Richard W. Marklin, Jr. melted a flock of PEEPS to make Raul the Rooster, a realistic barnyard bird; while April Harris and Autumn Kyle assembled the holiday treats into a bust of Black Panther Peeper.
This year, the RAM 16th Annual International PEEPS Art Exhibition takes place now through April 26th; awards will be handed out after. Previous shows have drawn over 4,000 visitors to the museum during its three-week run, setting daily spring attendance records along the way. Previous pieces included Peep Swift: The Marshmallow Era (yes, channeling Taylor); the It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere parrot-looking PEEP with the Jimmy Buffett vibe; Funky Peepcock fashioned in sparkling glass beads and feathers; Pop Art Peeps crafted in glazed stoneware; and Sweet Meets Wild, an inlaid box made of different hardwoods. Inspired by inventive puns, pop culture, sports, and famous artists, many of the PEEPS art entries are by local artists, families, and organizations but quite a few artists from out-of-state also participate.
Vote for Your Favorite PEEPS
Stop by the museum to vote for your favorite PEEPS creation. You will decide who wins the coveted PEEPles Choice Award, announced at the end of the show.
You’ll find the Racine Art Museum along Main Street/Highway 32 in downtown Racine, just blocks from Lake Michigan. Highways 20 and 38 also bring you downtown, and Highway 11 is just to the south. It’s a little over a 10-minute drive east of I-41/94, depending on traffic and how you lit the lights. There is plenty else to see and do there, from picking up a fresh kringle at one of Racine’s famous Danish bakeries to exploring the city’s heritage at the Racine Historical Museum, enjoying the beautiful harbor and waterfront, shopping the stores of 6th Street and Main Street, or even exploring Hotel Verdant, the new boutique hotel downtown. These are all within walking distance of the Racine Art Museum!
International PEEPS Art Exhibition Address:
Racine Art Museum
441 Main Street (Highway 32)
Racine, WI 53403
(262) 638-8300 Website
PEEPS Exhibit called “Mt. PEEPmore” by Elizabeth Peterson. Yes, it’s a mountain of PEEPs. Photo credit: Christina Lieffring, Racine Journal-Times.
Whether you’re planning to build your dream home from the ground up or turn your current house into the home of your dreams, the 2025 MBA Home Building & Remodeling Show, presented by Nonn’s, is the premier destination for people who are looking to build or remodel their home.
Held January 10-12, 2025 at the conveniently located Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, the MBA Home Show will allow you to connect with the area’s top building, remodeling and design professionals. Stop by and meet the experts, and turn your dream into a reality!
Join MBA experts on the Callen Construction Culinary & Seminar Stage for a variety of free seminars on trends in building and remodeling, innovations in appliances, how to improve residential energy efficiency, trends in interior design and décor, landscaping ideas, entertainment inspirations and more!
“The MBA Home Show is really the one-stop shop for people who are looking to build or update their home,” says Kristine Hillmer, MBA executive director. “We want to provide information in a relaxing, fun environment and help consumers build their lifestyle.”
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for seniors (65 and up.) Check their website for all the exhibitors and other details!
The Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center is at corner of Highways 59 and 181 (84th & Greenfield) in West Allis, just south of I-94 and U.S. 18. I-41/I-894/U.S. 45 & Highway 100 are also just to the west and bring you close!
MBA Home & Remodeling Show Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center
8200 W. Greenfield Avenue (Highway 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(262) 436-1122 Website
The Fall Art Tour is perfect for State Trunk Tourers with a love of the Driftless Area and art. It’s a self-guided driving tour where you can meet up to 45 area artists and watch them at work as you make your way through Baraboo, Spring Green, Dodgeville and Mineral Point!
Potters, weavers, glassblowers, woodworkers, painters, jewelers, quilters, photographers & sculptors are all part of it. Meet the artists, experience their work spaces, and witness as they create unique works of art. A wide variety of high-quality artwork is available for purchase in every price range. This is their 24th Anniversary Tour and it’s become one of the most popular art events in the Midwest.
Highways 33, 130, 136, and 23 figure big in this tour, as do many county and side roads. It’s a beautiful drive through the Driftless Area and a great behind-the-scenes look at artists’ studios!
Fall Art Tour Details:
More details can be had by calling (608) 356-9048 or checking out their website, http://www.fallarttour.com/.
Also, check out this video for a sample of what you’re in for!
Sister Bay Fall Fest is the “granddaddy” of Door County festivals is celebrating its 78th year! The streets of this lovely Door County town along Highway 42 where Highway 57 ends will be packed with fun. Check out a Saturday Parade, a huge arts and crafts fair, plenty of food and live entertainment, and great activities for children of all ages.
Check out live music at Husby’s (which also has great Bloody Marys and is a Sister Bay Fall Fest institution – plus, check out the awesome and huge 1920 Wisconsin state map they have in there!) as well as Door County Creamery, Stabbur, and the Boathouse on the Bay, and more. The Lion’s Club Fish Boil is a yearly favorite along with Saturday’s Pancake Breakfast followed by the annual Fall Fest Parade. Explore nearly 100 different artisans’ creations and high-quality handmade crafts. These include media, fine photography, wood carvers, furniture, unique jewelry, cozy mittens & sweaters, customized signs, and fine milled soaps & lotions. Be sure to watch the Wooden Shoe carver, too! Sunday – well before the Packers-Bears game kicks off – is the return of the Derby Race. The race is held right on Highway 42 in downtown Sister Bay where girls and boys ages 7 to 13 can build (with assistance from an adult) and then race in their gravity powered cars. Get the full schedule here or on the picture to the left
Of course, businesses all over town will have specials and it’s always great to check out Sister Bay’s gorgeous shoreline, marina, and the goats on the roof at Al Johnson’s Swedish Butik & Restaurant!
Enjoy Sister Bay Fall Fest all weekend. Just take Highways 42 or 57 and you’ll get there!
Sister Bay Fall Fest Address:
Waterfront Park
2362 Mill Road
Sister Bay, WI 54234 Website
Seven Acre Dairy Company in Paoli hosts its 2nd annual Sugar River Bourbon Fest Wednesday, October 16th through Sunday, October 20th. It’s a five-day celebration of all things bourbon that highlights the country’s top distilleries and chefs. Imbibe in amazing meals and pair them with delicious food complements and beverages – including some amazing Bourbon and whiskey beverages. It features a welcome dinner with chef Joe Heppe and Driftless Glen Distillery, a signature dinner with nine-time James Beard Award nominee chef Edward Lee and Dancing Goat Distillery, a fish fry featuring Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits, and a special bourbon brunch with J. Henry.
Seven Acre Dairy in Paoli, host of the 2nd annual Sugar River Bourbon Festival. The Sugar River is right along the property.
These evenings lead up to the main event: the Sugar River Bourbon Tasting Festival on Saturday, October 19th. You can enjoy samplings and meet with over 25 distilleries and distillers, including award-winning local and national distilleries Heaven Hill, Bardstown 45th parallel, Green River, Old Forester, Dancing Goat, J. Henry, and more.
There will be live music, along with burgers, hot dogs and barbeque available for purchase from Seven Acre Dairy Company and Knoche’s Meats; a portion of the proceeds benefit the Belleville Food Pantry.
Here’s how the evenings work out on the weekends:
Friday, October 18th: Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirit’s Bourbon Lover’s Fish Fry
Join Seven Acre chefs and Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits for the last outdoor fish fry along the Sugar River of the season. Seven Acre chefs will cook up all-you-can-eat cod, perch and walleye, alongside seasonal sides, salads and desserts. Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits of Argyle will be crafting cocktails from their award-winning farmstead spirits. The fish fry will take place in a heated, open air tent. Fire pits will be lit and lawn games will be out.
Saturday, October 19th: The Sugar River Bourbon Tasting Festival
Regular admission is $55 per person from 1-4 p.m. This includes samplings and meet and greets with over 25 distilleries, live music, unique bourbon bottle sales and food for purchase.
VIP admission is $100 per person from noon to 4 p.m. This includes exclusive access to the Makers Mark/Jim Beam VIP Tasting Tent, VIP appetizers, a copy of Edward Lee’s best-selling book “Bourbon Land,” first access to unique bourbon bottle sales, plus access to all other areas of the festival.
Sunday, October 20th: J. Henry Maple Bourbon Brunch
Join Seven Acre chefs and J. Henry for a one-of-a-kind bourbon brunch. Seven acre chefs will be cooking up some of Edward Lee’s favorite brunch recipes alongside some of their favorite bourbon brunch cocktails. Don’t miss your chance to sample the infamous Maple Bourbon made by J. Henry and your chances to take a bottle home. The maple bourbon was only available on the farm this year and sold out in under an hour.
For more information and tickets, visit sevenacredairyco.com.
You’ll find the lovely little burg of Paoli along County PB, right near State Trunk Highway 69, less than 10 minutes south of Verona off U.S. 18/151.
Sugar River Bourbon Fest Address:
Seven Acre Dairy Company
6858 Paoli Road
Belleville, WI 53508
(608) 416-4023 Website
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a weeklong celebration of science all across the state, with major events in Madison, Wausau, Fond du Lac, Milwaukee, and more!
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a statewide celebration with activities for people throughout Wisconsin. Events include hands-on science exhibitions, demonstrations, performances, tours, pub nights, workshops and more. The Wisconsin Science Festival welcomes all disciplines utilizing science, technology, or art to explore and nurture curiosity. Each year, we spotlight a specific topic to emphasize its significance and value to the state and its people.
The official festival feature this year is AGRICULTURE! In 2024, the focus aims to showcase its profound impact on our world. Their mission is to illustrate the interconnectedness of agriculture within our state’s economy, society, well-being, and the overall future of humanity through the lens of science, art, and technology.
Wisconsin Science Festival features:
Explore the Fab Lab by taking a Fab Lab Tour Thursday or Friday in Madison.
Learn about the Magnificent Machines of Milwaukee at the Grohmann Museum in downtown Milwaukee (did you even KNOW the typewriter was invented in Milwaukee??) from the QWERTY keyboard to thermostats to motorcycles to outboard motors, Milwaukee’s inventive history with machines is nothing short of amazing. Check out exhibits Thursday-Sunday!
Meet a Wisconsin wooly mammoth, find out how to survive the Ice Age, touch real dinosaur bones and more at the Colossal Fossils Downtown Museum in Wausau Thursday-Saturday!
There are more than just events happening that are tied to the Wisconsin Science Festival! Check out their websitefor full schedules and details. It’s definitely a fun learning experience in locales across Wisconsin – road trip to a bunch of them!
Wisconsin Fear Fest continues weekends through November 2nd this year at Road America with TONS of Halloween fun… and spooky stuff!
Explore the ultimate thrill at Wisconsin Fear Fest at Road America! Dare to explore three spine-tingling haunted houses (Carnival Chaos, Cellblock 13, and the Slaughter Shack) that promise to send shivers down your spine. Unleash your adventurous spirit with exhilarating activities like paintball, axe throwing, mini escape rooms, the Rage Experience, live music on Saturdays, food, drinks and beer! Parking is free. It runs the next few weekends and hours vary by day.
Buy your in tickets online in advance and you get a $5 discount!
For just $39.00, you can experience every attraction, including:
Three haunted houses
Escape Room
Axe Throwing
Haunted Hayride
Paintball Gallery
The Midway
and much more!
You can also get the Speed Pass Ticket for $54, which get you through the haunted houses faster.
The dates remaining are Friday-Sunday, October 18th-20th, Thursday, October 24th through Sunday, October 27th, and Thursday, October 31st through Saturday, November 2nd.
Wisconsin Fear Fest is right between Plymouth and Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County. Highway 67 brings you right there!
Wisconsin Fear Fest Address:
Road America
N7390 Highway 67
Plymouth, WI 53073
(904) 510-9873 Website
The Bayfield Apple Festival is hailed as one of the 10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the nation by USA Today! Bayfield celebrates its Apple Festival every October and in 2024 it will take place October 4th through the 6th.
The three day event features a farm market featuring local producers, over 60 orchard and food booths selling Bayfield’s apples, apple delicacies, and festival food favorites! There is plenty to buy and see at the 140 art, craft and vendor booths. Kids carnival rides and games, an apple peeling contest, fish fry & dance round out the offerings.
You can also catch Big Top Chautauqua’s Blue Canvas Orchestra perform throughout the weekend on the Grandstand stage. The festival culminates with the Grand Parade on Sunday, which features a 400 member “Mass Band” finale.
Bayfield is located along Highway 13 on the shores of Lake Superior, about 15 minutes north of U.S. 2. U.S. 63 brings you towards Bayfield from the Hayward, Spooner, and Twin Cities areas; U.S. 51 north through the North Woods sends you toward U.S. 2 for the connection to Bayfield, too. Enjoy the fall colors on your ride!
Bayfield Apple Festival Address:
Downtown Bayfield & Memorial Park
42 South Broad Street
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-3335 Website
Read about additional “things to know” below!
More Bayfield Apple Festival features and things to know:
Over 60 orchard and food booths selling Bayfield’s apples and apple desserts and delicacies; Caramel apples, apple pies, apple tortes, dumplings or tarts, apple sundaes, apple cider, bags and bushels of apples – even apple bratwurst, mustard, and butter.
A kids’ carnival with games, rides and favorite foods.
Plenty to buy and see including nearly 140 arts and crafts booths.
Pipes and Drums of Thunder Bay wake up concert at Port Superior Marina, Saturday at 10am
Fine art exhibitors on South Second Street, featuring pottery, paintings, glassworks, photography, wood crafts and fiber arts.
A Grand Parade on Sunday featuring a 400+ member “Mass Band” finale
Big Top Chautauqua’s Blue Canvas Orchestra will perform throughout the weekend on the Essentia Health Grand Stand stage. Hear the original Apple Festival song!
The annual Apple Dumpling Gang for the little ones. Click here for Registration Form.
Bus shuttles for easy parking at Hauser’s Superior View Farm and Legendary Waters Casino.
Bayfield Fire Department offers a traditional fish fry dinner on Saturday afternoon at Lakeside Pavilion followed by a Saturday evening dance.
Boat cruises of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.
Musical entertainment at many local pubs and Legendary Waters Resort & Casino
Drive 5 minutes outside of town and tour the 15 local orchards and farms, many with pick-your-own apples and pumpkins.
Twice a year, the Door County Lighthouse Festival gives you a closer look at the beautiful lighthouses that mark the shores of the Door Peninsula. The spring edition this year is the weekend of June 7th – 9th; the fall will be October 4th-6th.
These fundraising Festival weekends include air, land-based, boat, and adventure tours that provide access to all of the treasured lighthouses of Door County and 3 neighbors to the south in Kewaunee and Brown Counties. Many of the tour excursions are unique to the Lighthouse Festival weekends and provide visitors exclusive access to lighthouses not typically open to the public – Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point Lighthouses. There are tours for all levels of activity and accessibility. Some tours involve hiking. Boat tours depart from a variety of locations around the Peninsula, including Sister Bay, Gills Rock and Baileys Harbor. A portion of each Lighthouse Festival tour ticket helps fund the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc.
These are the Participating Locations, with their open hours during Spring and Fall Lighthouse Festivals. *Please note: If you are planning a self-guided experience, there may be an admission fee or requested donation.
*Door County Maritime Museum, Sturgeon Bay: 9am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
*Death’s Door Maritime Museum, Gills Rock: 10am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
*Cana Island Lighthouse, Baileys Harbor: 10am-5pm, all weekend (S/F)
Sherwood Point Lighthouse, Sturgeon Bay: 10am-4pm, Saturday/Sunday (S/F)
Harvest Fair at Wisconsin State Fair Park features tons of fall-focused events, activities, live entertainment, competitions, scarecrow making and the much anticipated Pumpkin Bowling. It runs September 27-29, 2024 and has FREE admission.
Over 30 vendors will be there, selling everything from tasty food to cool crafts. Since it’s fall, imbibe in a pumpkin spice cream puff; enjoy pies from the Elegant Farmer; grab a cup of Kozie’s Harvest Stew; explore a multitude of Wisconsin cheeses; and The Micro will be offering over 60 varieties of craft beers. Prefer wine? No problem, Wineberry will be serving up red wines, white wines, even wine slushies.
Check out the Antique Tractors Display, the Backyard Circus, Camel and Pony Rides, a Farmers’ Market, Free Live Music, Giant Cookie Decorating, Hay Rides, a Kiddie Tractor Maze, “Make Your Own Caramel Apple” fun (they provide a lot of toppings), even a chance for kids to slide down the “World’s Largest Piggy Bank.” Free, lively entertainment is rocking stages all weekend long, including performances by the 5 Card Studs, Too Hype Crew, Rhythm Kings, The Toys and more will be on the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater with nightly entertainment presented by Bud Light. Plus, multiple Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Shows, presented by WaterStone Bank, are also on deck.
A major feature of Harvest Fair is the massive pumpkin patch, big enough to impress Linus from Peanuts (yes, we’re going old school here.)
Wisconsin State Fair Park is in West Allis, minutes west of downtown Milwaukee. I-94 and Highways 59 and 181 border the park; I-41, I-894, U.S. 18, U.S. 45, and Highway 100 all get you close.
Harvest Fair / Maker Faire Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park
640 S. 84th Street (Highways 181 & 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(800) 884-3247 Website
Welcome the transition from summer to fall in historic Cedarburg with the annual Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival! It happens Saturday, September 21st from 10-6 pm & Sunday, September 22nd from 10-5 pm. Both the abundance of Wisconsin’s homegrown produce and artisan food products plus the award-winning wines of Cedar Creek Winery are what initiated this free, family-oriented arts and crafts event.
The Festival Food Court offers plenty of options for a quick meal and the Farmer’s Market offers foodstuffs such as honey, syrup, cheese, sausage and jellies are available in each Marketplace located at Turner Street, Mill Street and Cleveland Street. Also, the three Marketplaces offers shopping for find unique handbags, hats, skin care products and more.
Cedarburg Wine & Festival fans can kick back and listen to live music all over town including Top Forty, Folk and Rock & Roll bands. The Gruber Law Offices Main Stage is open until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
“Art on the Avenue” also features over 250 juried artist booths presented by the Cedarburg Garden Club, Cedarburg Cultural Center, Cedarburg Art Museum, and Ozaukee Art Center along Washington Avenue. Drop in at both the Cedarburg Cultural Center for the Cedarburg Artists Guild’s annual juried Fall Show and the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts for special exhibits. Take a free haywagon shuttle to their location.
On Saturday from 11am-4pm, check out the third Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, with some weighing in at well over 1,000 pounds. You can also see oversize watermelons, tomatoes, and gourds – last year somebody brought a 2,145-pound pumpkin!
The annual Giant Pumpkin Charity Regatta will take place on Sunday. Previous regattas are YouTube favorites featuring gigantic, decorated, hollowed-out, floatable pumpkins, piloted by intrepid paddlers’ attempting to race across Cedar Creek to win cash for their favorite charity.
Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival also features Ashley’s Candyland for Kids with a variety of activities and entertainment geared for children including Popcorn the Clown, a bouncer, coloring tables, spin art, and Paint a Pumpkin. Pumpkin Carver extraordinaire Steve Dahlke will be turning large pumpkins into grotesque faces at the City Hall Lawn on Saturday.
Cedar Creek Settlement will feature a Courtyard Grill with specialty beers and grilled foods with live music each day. At Cedar Creek Winery, you’ll find wine by the glass or bottle, with tours available. Also at the Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement, the Winery’s Grape Stomp offers stomping fun for both adults and kids each day.
For specific times and a complete list of Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival events, a map/schedule will be available at two information booths as well as at most retailers throughout town. Click here for a downloadable version. The information booths are on Washington Avenue at Bridge Road and at Mill Street.
Cedarburg Wine and Harvest Festival Location
Check out some great fall fun in historic Cedarburg, along Historic Highway 57 (Washington Avenue) just north of Highway 167 and south of Highway 60. Highway 181 is just to the west. It’s only about 10-12 minutes off I-43/Highway 32, and it’s a great little town!
Fromm Petfest is a free family event on Milwaukee’s lakefront (yep, the Summerfest grounds!) will host a variety of fun pet-focused attractions and activities. Check out the Bier Garden & Dog Park, the Lure Course, Agility Course, Dock Diving, Doggie Dash, nutritional seminars, grooming competitions, the pet-themed marketplace, contests, live music, food, even a Kids’ Zone. And yes, parking is free too!
By the way, the Bier Garden & Dog Park allows you to enjoy a frosty beverage at their two-level Bier Garden and you can bring your dog over for some supervised off leash play at one of two fully fenced in play areas!
You can explore Adoption Avenue, where some pretty amazing dogs and cats could find their forever homes. Visit with dozens of rescues and non-profits that work tirelessly to better the lives of dogs and cats. Many will have adoptable pets on hand for people to meet along with information on adoption.
Fromm Petfest Music Schedule:
9:30 AM – Chris Esenberg – Chris is a singer/songwriter and Wisconsin native who specializes in pop covers and original songs. Playing everything from Chris Stapleton to David Bowie, Chris plays with a signature style that has made him a local mainstay.
11:30 AM – Kaleb Woods
Hailing from Sauk County, Wisconsin, Kaleb is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter specializing in bringing a fun, upbeat vibe for all to enjoy. Having performed at numerous venues and events throughout the Midwest including The Rave, Crystal Grand Theatre, Pabst Theater, Majestic Theatre, and Summerfest, and sharing his platform with notable artists such as John King, Chris Janson, and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, it’s no surprise that Kaleb was Southeastern Wisconsin’s top streamed musician via Reverbnation, a 2022 Best of Madison finalist, and March 2022’s featured new artist for 99.9 WJVL.
1:30 PM – Mookie Terremoto
Good old fashioned rock and roll from a Riverwest trio! Who is Mookie Terremoto? Find out for yourself.
3:30 PM – Front Porch Rockers
Since 2010 the Front Porch Rockers have been performing acoustic covers of your favorite songs from the 1950s through today. You may have heard them at Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair, or various area festivals and beer gardens. The Front Porch Rockers play upbeat music for good times.
Fromm Petfest Main Stage Schedule:
11:00 – 11:45am − MPD K9 Presentation
12:00 – 12:45pm − Noodles the Wonder Dog, a mixed-breed, former shelter dog who has won trick and talents contests across North America, including Good Morning America’s National “Dog vs. Dog” contest.
1:00 – 1:45pm − EmE MaGiC
Prepare to be amazed and entertained by the interactive magic and illusion of EmE MaGiC. The Milwaukee-local magician will bring magic, mentalism and comedy to the Main Stage and will roam the grounds to oohh and aww all two and four-legged guests.
2:00 – 2:45pm − Sailor the Poodle
This amazing canine performer, under the guidance of his trainer Alex “Popeye” Rothacker, jumps rope, walks a tightrope and balances a ball while walking, to name a few of his fun tricks.
3:30 – 4:30pm − Costume Contest and Owner/Pet Look-a-like Contest with Riggs from 103.7 Kiss FM and special guest judges!
Back by popular demand, come to watch or click to enter the Fromm Petfest Pet/Owner Look-a-Like contest or the fan favorite costume contest. Grand prizes include a six-month supply of Fromm pet food and more!
Fromm Petfest Address:
The event is happening right where Summerfest takes place along Milwaukee’s lakefront near downtown and the Historic Third Ward. You can access the grounds via I-794, I-43/94, U.S. 18, and Highways 32, 38, 59, and 145.
200 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202 Fromm Petfest Website
“Wo-Zha-Wa” means “fun time” in the Ho-Chunk language, and Wisconsin Dells offers just that September 13-15! As one of the largest festivals in Wisconsin, Wo-Zha-Wa is a three day extravaganza with delicious food, a 100-unit parade, rousing live music, and arts and crafts that everyone can enjoy.
Wo-Zha-Wa’s flea market (Maxwell Street Days) always has new novel items to check out including gourmet dog treats, hand-made works of art, custom pieces of jewelry, organic cosmetics, and wood flowers made before your eyes. You can stroll through all these different stalls while chowing down on some of the festival’s favorite culinary treats, like kettle corn and alligator on a stick.
The whole family can enjoy themselves at Wo-Zha-Wa. The yearly Wo-Zha-Wa parade is a spectacle filled with floats, performers, and music that fills the entire street. The carnival rides are always a hit with the kids, who always get a thrill on the rides’ twists, turns, and spins.
When you attend, you’re invited to participate in a street carnival with refreshment concessions and the Wo-Zha-Wa Run, Wisconsin’s oldest long-distance race. Runners can take part in the challenging half-marathon course, or the fast-paced four-mile run.
Festival admission is free, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t go to this Wisconsin favorite!
All activities located in Downtown Wisconsin Dells & Bowman Park.
You can get to the Dells easily, of course: I-90/94, U.S. 12, or Highways 13, 16, or 23 all bring you there. Check their website for full details!
Here’s a video from a ways back of Wo-Zha-Wa Days (not that it’s much different now) to give you an idea:
Schedule of Events:
Friday, September 13th
All Day Concessions and Carnival Rides 8 am – 5 pm Maxwell Street Days 8 am – 6 pm Antique & Collectibles Market Noon – 5 pm Arts & Crafts Fair Noon – 5 pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course 3:30-5:30pm Kindschi Pedal Pulls
Saturday, September 14th
Day Concessions and Carnival Rides Wo-Zha-Wa Run 8 am – 5 pm Maxwell Street Days 8 am Race for the Future Run Visit the website 8 am – 6 pm Antique & Collectibles Market 9am – 5 pm Arts & Crafts Fair 9am – 5pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course
Sunday, September 15th
All Day Concessions and Carnival Rides 8 am – 3 pm Maxwell Street Days 8 am – 3 pm Antique & Collectibles Market 9 am – 3 pm Arts & Crafts Fair 9 am – 3pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course 1:30 pm PARADE Post Parade South Shore Performance at the Elm Street Plaza
Celebrate the coming of fall with the Oconomowoc Fall Festival. This lovely town at the western edge of Waukesha County’s Lake Country has a bustling downtown nestled around Fowler Lake and Lac La Belle, and the big party is on Saturday, September 7th from 9am – 8pm, rain or shine.
There will be over 80 street vendors, lots of food, shopping, kids’ events, dancing, and festivities including a Beer Garden. Some details are still being adjusted, but for now there’s still a Chili Pepper Eating Contest in the afternoon, along with kayak races you can watch, or even participate in! Live music will punctuate the fun afternoon into evening.
Here’s the music lineup:
12:30pm – Candy Cigarette
2pm – The Stangs
4:15pm – Throw Back Stereo
7pm – Kingfish Band
An outdoor movie begins at dusk, extending the Oconomowoc Fall Festival well into the evening. While in Oconomowoc, check out the Wizard of Oz display in Oz Plaza along Wisconsin Avenue (the movie’s official premiere took place there on August 12, 1939), a great classic drive-in called The Kiltie, as well as craft breweries like Brewfinity and SteelTank.
You can get to Oconomowoc via Highway 16 or Highway 67. Forget the bypass routes; follow the original roads right into downtown. That includes Main Street, Summit Avenue, and Wisconsin Avenue. The downtown is three miles north of I-94, via Exit 282 – which is Highway 67.
Oconomowoc Fall Festival Address:
Wisconsin Avenue & Main Street (“city” Highways 16 & 67)
133 E. Wisconsin Avenue
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
(262) 567-1826 Website
Manitowoc celebrates Sputnik Fest due to an out-of-this-world experience on September 5, 1962 when a piece of the Soviet satellite Sputnik IV crashed to earth, just north of downtown right in the middle of 8th Street/U.S. 10/Highway 42. It was still glowing from the heat of re-entry when it landed! A brass ring in the street notes the exact spot of impact. The city celebrates Sputnik Fest to commemorate the glowing visitor’s anniversary, where you’ll see some interesting costumes and space-related activities. Basically at Sputnik Fest, science fiction rules the day – even though Sputnik itself was very real. See 5 Things about Sputnikfest in Manitowoc (and why you should go) for more on that.
Circle marks the spot where a piece of Sputnik landed. It’s the whole reason for Sputnik Fest.
The landing site of that piece of Sputnikfest – which inspired this whole thing – is right in front of the Rahr-West Art Museum, which hosts the event and holds a cast from the original piece of the spacecraft – the original was returned to the Russians – that is available for viewing all year.
The festival draws plenty of space fans – with Star Wars and Star Trek characters well-represented – costume contests, music, go-kart racing down 8th Street (there’s a bit of a hill towards the heart of downtown), food, drinks, and even an “alien drop”, where hundreds of mini-alien figures are dropped from a cherry picker – some with prizes. Even the hosting group, the Rahr-West Art Museum, calls it a “wacky tacky” weekend. Music from bands like Bazooka Joe add to the fun! Family fun continues with the Cosmic Kids Creation Station, which offers tye-dye, clay painting, and rocket building, plus live statues, portrait paintings, and more.
Sputnikfest Schedule of Events:
11:00-2:00PM DJ
11:30AM Photo Op with Sputnikfest Police (courtesy of the Masquers theater company)
12:00-5:00PM Art Space and Children’s Games
12:00-Noon 5K Art Walk/Run (register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Manitowoc/Sputnikfest5KWalkRun)
1:00-3:00PM Meet and Greet with 501st Wisconsin Garrison
12:00PM Lakeshore 1st Robotics
2:00-6:00PM Musical entertainment by XPOSED 4 HEADS
3:00PM Pet Parade and contest
4:00PM Cosmic Kids Parade and contest
5:00PM Captain Space Debris (Alien Adults) Parade and Contest
6:00PM Alien Raffle Drop
Calendar of Events
Calendar of Events
May 3, 2025
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.
The next Waukesha Art Crawl on Saturday, May 3rd with a theme to be announced. This crawl takes place throughout downtown Waukesha from 2pm – 8pm.
Check out WaukeshaArt.com for all the updates and details!
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.
Waukesha Art Crawl Address:
Downtown Waukesha
337 W. Main Street
Waukesha, WI 53186
(262) 542-1522
Website
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April 26, 2025
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship
You can get to Dodgeville via U.S. 18 & 151 and Highway 23. Any trip is worth it for grilled cheese!
Our previous favorites have included the Gouda Girls (below); Tina and Katherine make grilled cheese sandwich combos that win all across the nation. They’re based in Milwaukee and do incredible things with taste buds. Our head State Trunk Tour guy Eric Paulsen got to experience their creations firsthand in this Discover Wisconsin episode. We don’t have any vote, though, so we’ll see how this goes.
Wisconsin Grilled Cheese Championship Address:
Harris Park
600 Bennett Road
Dodgeville, WI 53533
(608) 935-9200
Website
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April 25, 2025 – April 26, 2025
Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show
The Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show is the largest swap meet in the Midwest!
Come and browse over 99 acres of Jefferson County Fair Park for classics, collectibles and parts to find that special piece for your collection. The 45th Annual Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show runs April 25-26, 2025 and features more than 3,100 vendor spaces and hundreds of cars for sale. The Swap Meet and Car Corral is all three days and the car show is Saturday and Sunday only. For the auto enthusiasts this swap meet boasts thousands of car parts and car accessory vendors making it a great place to buy or sell those hard to find car parts. For those looking to buy or sell cars, the Cars for Sale Corral is full of hundreds of cars of all makes and models for sale.
The feature cars are Drag Cars, but all makes and models are welcome at the car show.
Admission is $15 per adult; kids 12 and under are free when accompanied by paying adult. Parking is included in the admission price; no pets are allowed. The Jefferson County Fairgrounds are near U.S. 18 and the junction with the Highway 26 bypass, very close to Highway 89. It’s all about 7 miles south of I-94’s Johnson Creek exit via Highway 26. Hours are 8am – 4pm Friday and 6am – 4pm Saturday.
While in Jefferson, head downtown and try a burger at Wedl’s, the smallest burger stand in the country. It’s a State Trunk Tour favorite! Also see what’s developing along the Rock River and along Business Highway 26… Jefferson has a lot developing right now!
Jefferson, the seat of Jefferson County along the Rock River, is easily accessible via U.S. 18 or Highway 26; Highway 89 approaches from the west, I-94 passes to the north by about 6 miles. Jefferson is best accessed from I-94 via Exit 267.
Spring Jefferson Swap Meet & Car Show Address:
Jefferson County Fair Park
503 N. Jackson Avenue
Jefferson, WI 53549
(608) 244-8416
Website
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April 19, 2025 – April 27, 2025
Lake Geneva Restaurant Week
Lake Geneva Restaurant Week gives you an opportunity to sample unique dishes and often nice deals at over 45 venues across the area from April 19th to April 27th, 2025!
It’s a culinary adventure, showcasing the best dining experiences in the area. Participating Lake Geneva restaurants will serve up special menus, exclusive deals, and creative dishes that highlight local flavors. It’s the perfect opportunity to explore new restaurants or revisit old favorites while enjoying the beauty of the area.
Restaurants will create exclusive menus at special pricing available only during the nine days of Restaurant Week. Featured restaurants range from casual cafes and bistros to elegant fine dining and fabulous lake views – a vibe for every palate! These restaurants are one-of-a-kind, locally owned establishments where owners and chefs part of the dining experience in Lake Geneva,
bringing not only their culinary talents but also their personality and experiences which resonate with guests.
Find Participating Restaurants here
Full Menu Guide coming soon
Sips & Snacks: Go “Beyond the Plate” as local sweet shops, cheese shops, breweries, and wineries will also get in the foodie game by featuring special Sips & Snacks offers during Restaurant Week. Think beer and cheese or desserts and wine pairings, sweet treats, and late-night snacks.
Dining for a Cause – Lake Geneva Restaurant Week isn’t just about great food, it’s also about great causes. The Charity Check Ballot is a tradition created to raise awareness for the many non-profit organizations doing important work in the community. During Restaurant Week, diners receive a Charity Check Ballot each time they dine at a participating Restaurant Week location. They use the ballot to vote for one of the Charity Check nominees. (The more you dine, the more you can vote!) The top four charities with
the most votes will each receive a $2,500 donation courtesy of the 2025 Charity Check Sponsor, none other than Tito’s Handmade Vodka!
Beyond wonderful places to eat and drink, the Lake Geneva area offers one-of-a-kind attractions, activities, and adventures, both indoors and out. Plus great shopping, world-class entertainment, and a bevy of options for lodging from cozy B&Bs to sprawling resorts offering every activity imaginable. VisitLakeGeneva.com has your guide to it all!
Lake Geneva Restaurant Week Website
The Lake Geneva area is easily accessible via the U.S. 12 freeway, Highway 36, Highway 50, Highway 67, and Highway 120.
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April 11, 2025 – April 13, 2025
World’s Largest Trivia Contest
For well over 50 years now, Stevens Point has held what has become the World’s Largest Trivia Contest. Some 12,000 trivia buffs come to Stevens Point each year to compete with question-and-answer marathon; they must answer eight questions every hour for 54 hours! This year, the contest runs Friday, April 11th through Sunday, April 13th.
Trivia kicks off with a parade held Friday night at 4:00 pm, taking participants around the UW-Stevens Point campus to get pumped for a full weekend ahead. Then, the contest hits the airwaves at 6pm. Over the next 54 hours, more than 400 questions are read, in which players typically have two song lengths to answer. Apart from regular questions, which are read on the air, there are two running questions, three music questions (with eight songs each), and the Trivia Stone. The Trivia Stone, which is a part scavenger hunt and part riddle, takes teams throughout the town with a series of clues.
Want to listen along or participate in the World’s Largest Trivia Contest?
You can listen along on WWSP-FM 89.9 as you drive in the area, or stream them online via TuneIn. The event itself is held at the UW-Stevens Point Communications Building; Highway 66 and Business U.S. 51 intersect nearby. The mainlines of I-39/U.S. 51 and U.S. 10 bring you close in Stevens Point, too.
Want details on how you can attend, observe, or just play along? Check their website! The Stevens Point Area CVB has details, and a blog that gives you the inside scoop!
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April 9, 2025 – April 26, 2025
International PEEPS Art Exhibition at the Racine Art Museum
Within the pristine white walls of a contemporary art museum that overlooks Lake Michigan, the Racine Art Museum presents a rather non-traditional exhibition showcasing fluffy, sugar-coated marshmallow PEEPS®. Over the years, many entrants have been become experts in marshmallow candy as a material, using methods like carving, painting, hole punching, gluing, and melting to manipulate PEEPS into incredible shapes. For this show, Richard W. Marklin, Jr. melted a flock of PEEPS to make Raul the Rooster, a realistic barnyard bird; while April Harris and Autumn Kyle assembled the holiday treats into a bust of Black Panther Peeper.
Vote for Your Favorite PEEPS
Stop by the museum to vote for your favorite PEEPS creation. You will decide who wins the coveted PEEPles Choice Award, announced at the end of the show.
You’ll find the Racine Art Museum along Main Street/Highway 32 in downtown Racine, just blocks from Lake Michigan. Highways 20 and 38 also bring you downtown, and Highway 11 is just to the south. It’s a little over a 10-minute drive east of I-41/94, depending on traffic and how you lit the lights. There is plenty else to see and do there, from picking up a fresh kringle at one of Racine’s famous Danish bakeries to exploring the city’s heritage at the Racine Historical Museum, enjoying the beautiful harbor and waterfront, shopping the stores of 6th Street and Main Street, or even exploring Hotel Verdant, the new boutique hotel downtown. These are all within walking distance of the Racine Art Museum!
International PEEPS Art Exhibition Address:
Racine Art Museum
441 Main Street (Highway 32)
Racine, WI 53403
(262) 638-8300
Website
PEEPS Exhibit called “Mt. PEEPmore” by Elizabeth Peterson. Yes, it’s a mountain of PEEPs. Photo credit: Christina Lieffring, Racine Journal-Times.
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January 10, 2025 – January 12, 2025
MBA Home & Remodeling Show at State Fair Park
Held January 10-12, 2025 at the conveniently located Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, the MBA Home Show will allow you to connect with the area’s top building, remodeling and design professionals. Stop by and meet the experts, and turn your dream into a reality!
Join MBA experts on the Callen Construction Culinary & Seminar Stage for a variety of free seminars on trends in building and remodeling, innovations in appliances, how to improve residential energy efficiency, trends in interior design and décor, landscaping ideas, entertainment inspirations and more!
Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for seniors (65 and up.) Check their website for all the exhibitors and other details!
The Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center is at corner of Highways 59 and 181 (84th & Greenfield) in West Allis, just south of I-94 and U.S. 18. I-41/I-894/U.S. 45 & Highway 100 are also just to the west and bring you close!
MBA Home & Remodeling Show Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center
8200 W. Greenfield Avenue (Highway 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(262) 436-1122
Website
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October 18, 2024 – October 20, 2024
Fall Art Tour in the Driftless
The Fall Art Tour is perfect for State Trunk Tourers with a love of the Driftless Area and art. It’s a self-guided driving tour where you can meet up to 45 area artists and watch them at work as you make your way through Baraboo, Spring Green, Dodgeville and Mineral Point!
Potters, weavers, glassblowers, woodworkers, painters, jewelers, quilters, photographers & sculptors are all part of it. Meet the artists, experience their work spaces, and witness as they create unique works of art. A wide variety of high-quality artwork is available for purchase in every price range. This is their 24th Anniversary Tour and it’s become one of the most popular art events in the Midwest.
Highways 33, 130, 136, and 23 figure big in this tour, as do many county and side roads. It’s a beautiful drive through the Driftless Area and a great behind-the-scenes look at artists’ studios!
Fall Art Tour Details:
More details can be had by calling (608) 356-9048 or checking out their website, http://www.fallarttour.com/.
Also, check out this video for a sample of what you’re in for!
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October 18, 2024 – October 20, 2024
Sister Bay Fall Fest
Sister Bay Fall Fest is the “granddaddy” of Door County festivals is celebrating its 78th year! The streets of this lovely Door County town along Highway 42 where Highway 57 ends will be packed with fun. Check out a Saturday Parade, a huge arts and crafts fair, plenty of food and live entertainment, and great activities for children of all ages.
Check out live music at Husby’s (which also has great Bloody Marys and is a Sister Bay Fall Fest institution – plus, check out the awesome and huge 1920 Wisconsin state map they have in there!) as well as Door County Creamery, Stabbur, and the Boathouse on the Bay, and more. The Lion’s Club Fish Boil is a yearly favorite along with Saturday’s Pancake Breakfast followed by the annual Fall Fest Parade. Explore nearly 100 different artisans’ creations and high-quality handmade crafts. These include media, fine photography, wood carvers, furniture, unique jewelry, cozy mittens & sweaters, customized signs, and fine milled soaps & lotions. Be sure to watch the Wooden Shoe carver, too! Sunday – well before the Packers-Bears game kicks off – is the return of the Derby Race. The race is held right on Highway 42 in downtown Sister Bay where girls and boys ages 7 to 13 can build (with assistance from an adult) and then race in their gravity powered cars. Get the full schedule here or on the picture to the left
Of course, businesses all over town will have specials and it’s always great to check out Sister Bay’s gorgeous shoreline, marina, and the goats on the roof at Al Johnson’s Swedish Butik & Restaurant!
Enjoy Sister Bay Fall Fest all weekend. Just take Highways 42 or 57 and you’ll get there!
Sister Bay Fall Fest Address:
Waterfront Park
2362 Mill Road
Sister Bay, WI 54234
Website
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October 17, 2024
Sugar River Bourbon Fest
Seven Acre Dairy Company in Paoli hosts its 2nd annual Sugar River Bourbon Fest Wednesday, October 16th through Sunday, October 20th. It’s a five-day celebration of all things bourbon that highlights the country’s top distilleries and chefs. Imbibe in amazing meals and pair them with delicious food complements and beverages – including some amazing Bourbon and whiskey beverages. It features a welcome dinner with chef Joe Heppe and Driftless Glen Distillery, a signature dinner with nine-time James Beard Award nominee chef Edward Lee and Dancing Goat Distillery, a fish fry featuring Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits, and a special bourbon brunch with J. Henry.
These evenings lead up to the main event: the Sugar River Bourbon Tasting Festival on Saturday, October 19th. You can enjoy samplings and meet with over 25 distilleries and distillers, including award-winning local and national distilleries Heaven Hill, Bardstown 45th parallel, Green River, Old Forester, Dancing Goat, J. Henry, and more.
There will be live music, along with burgers, hot dogs and barbeque available for purchase from Seven Acre Dairy Company and Knoche’s Meats; a portion of the proceeds benefit the Belleville Food Pantry.
Here’s how the evenings work out on the weekends:
Friday, October 18th: Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirit’s Bourbon Lover’s Fish Fry
Join Seven Acre chefs and Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits for the last outdoor fish fry along the Sugar River of the season. Seven Acre chefs will cook up all-you-can-eat cod, perch and walleye, alongside seasonal sides, salads and desserts. Blue Ash Farm Craft Spirits of Argyle will be crafting cocktails from their award-winning farmstead spirits. The fish fry will take place in a heated, open air tent. Fire pits will be lit and lawn games will be out.
Saturday, October 19th: The Sugar River Bourbon Tasting Festival
Regular admission is $55 per person from 1-4 p.m. This includes samplings and meet and greets with over 25 distilleries, live music, unique bourbon bottle sales and food for purchase.
VIP admission is $100 per person from noon to 4 p.m. This includes exclusive access to the Makers Mark/Jim Beam VIP Tasting Tent, VIP appetizers, a copy of Edward Lee’s best-selling book “Bourbon Land,” first access to unique bourbon bottle sales, plus access to all other areas of the festival.
Sunday, October 20th: J. Henry Maple Bourbon Brunch
Join Seven Acre chefs and J. Henry for a one-of-a-kind bourbon brunch. Seven acre chefs will be cooking up some of Edward Lee’s favorite brunch recipes alongside some of their favorite bourbon brunch cocktails. Don’t miss your chance to sample the infamous Maple Bourbon made by J. Henry and your chances to take a bottle home. The maple bourbon was only available on the farm this year and sold out in under an hour.
For more information and tickets, visit sevenacredairyco.com.
You’ll find the lovely little burg of Paoli along County PB, right near State Trunk Highway 69, less than 10 minutes south of Verona off U.S. 18/151.
Sugar River Bourbon Fest Address:
Seven Acre Dairy Company
6858 Paoli Road
Belleville, WI 53508
(608) 416-4023
Website
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October 14, 2024 – October 20, 2024
Wisconsin Science Festival
The Wisconsin Science Festival is a statewide celebration with activities for people throughout Wisconsin. Events include hands-on science exhibitions, demonstrations, performances, tours, pub nights, workshops and more. The Wisconsin Science Festival welcomes all disciplines utilizing science, technology, or art to explore and nurture curiosity. Each year, we spotlight a specific topic to emphasize its significance and value to the state and its people.
The official festival feature this year is AGRICULTURE! In 2024, the focus aims to showcase its profound impact on our world. Their mission is to illustrate the interconnectedness of agriculture within our state’s economy, society, well-being, and the overall future of humanity through the lens of science, art, and technology.
Wisconsin Science Festival features:
There are more than just events happening that are tied to the Wisconsin Science Festival! Check out their website for full schedules and details. It’s definitely a fun learning experience in locales across Wisconsin – road trip to a bunch of them!
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October 4, 2024 – November 2, 2024
Wisconsin Fear Fest
Wisconsin Fear Fest continues weekends through November 2nd this year at Road America with TONS of Halloween fun… and spooky stuff!
Explore the ultimate thrill at Wisconsin Fear Fest at Road America! Dare to explore three spine-tingling haunted houses (Carnival Chaos, Cellblock 13, and the Slaughter Shack) that promise to send shivers down your spine. Unleash your adventurous spirit with exhilarating activities like paintball, axe throwing, mini escape rooms, the Rage Experience, live music on Saturdays, food, drinks and beer! Parking is free. It runs the next few weekends and hours vary by day.
Buy your in tickets online in advance and you get a $5 discount!
For just $39.00, you can experience every attraction, including:
You can also get the Speed Pass Ticket for $54, which get you through the haunted houses faster.
The dates remaining are Friday-Sunday, October 18th-20th, Thursday, October 24th through Sunday, October 27th, and Thursday, October 31st through Saturday, November 2nd.
Wisconsin Fear Fest is right between Plymouth and Elkhart Lake in Sheboygan County. Highway 67 brings you right there!
Wisconsin Fear Fest Address:
Road America
N7390 Highway 67
Plymouth, WI 53073
(904) 510-9873
Website
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October 4, 2024 – October 6, 2024
Bayfield Apple Festival
The Bayfield Apple Festival is hailed as one of the 10 Best Fall Harvest Festivals in the nation by USA Today! Bayfield celebrates its Apple Festival every October and in 2024 it will take place October 4th through the 6th.
The three day event features a farm market featuring local producers, over 60 orchard and food booths selling Bayfield’s apples, apple delicacies, and festival food favorites! There is plenty to buy and see at the 140 art, craft and vendor booths. Kids carnival rides and games, an apple peeling contest, fish fry & dance round out the offerings.
You can also catch Big Top Chautauqua’s Blue Canvas Orchestra perform throughout the weekend on the Grandstand stage. The festival culminates with the Grand Parade on Sunday, which features a 400 member “Mass Band” finale.
Bayfield is located along Highway 13 on the shores of Lake Superior, about 15 minutes north of U.S. 2. U.S. 63 brings you towards Bayfield from the Hayward, Spooner, and Twin Cities areas; U.S. 51 north through the North Woods sends you toward U.S. 2 for the connection to Bayfield, too. Enjoy the fall colors on your ride!
Bayfield Apple Festival Address:
Downtown Bayfield & Memorial Park
42 South Broad Street
Bayfield, WI 54814
(715) 779-3335
Website
Read about additional “things to know” below!
More Bayfield Apple Festival features and things to know:
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October 4, 2024 – October 6, 2024
Door County Lighthouse Festival
Twice a year, the Door County Lighthouse Festival gives you a closer look at the beautiful lighthouses that mark the shores of the Door Peninsula. The spring edition this year is the weekend of June 7th – 9th; the fall will be October 4th-6th.
These fundraising Festival weekends include air, land-based, boat, and adventure tours that provide access to all of the treasured lighthouses of Door County and 3 neighbors to the south in Kewaunee and Brown Counties. Many of the tour excursions are unique to the Lighthouse Festival weekends and provide visitors exclusive access to lighthouses not typically open to the public – Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point Lighthouses. There are tours for all levels of activity and accessibility. Some tours involve hiking. Boat tours depart from a variety of locations around the Peninsula, including Sister Bay, Gills Rock and Baileys Harbor. A portion of each Lighthouse Festival tour ticket helps fund the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society, Inc.
These are the Participating Locations, with their open hours during Spring and Fall Lighthouse Festivals. *Please note: If you are planning a self-guided experience, there may be an admission fee or requested donation.
Learn details and prices of the tours, and purchase tour tickets at: DoorCountyTickets.com
Door County Lighthouse Festival Website
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September 27, 2024 – September 29, 2024
Harvest Fair
Harvest Fair at Wisconsin State Fair Park features tons of fall-focused events, activities, live entertainment, competitions, scarecrow making and the much anticipated Pumpkin Bowling. It runs September 27-29, 2024 and has FREE admission.
Over 30 vendors will be there, selling everything from tasty food to cool crafts. Since it’s fall, imbibe in a pumpkin spice cream puff; enjoy pies from the Elegant Farmer; grab a cup of Kozie’s Harvest Stew; explore a multitude of Wisconsin cheeses; and The Micro will be offering over 60 varieties of craft beers. Prefer wine? No problem, Wineberry will be serving up red wines, white wines, even wine slushies.
Check out the Antique Tractors Display, the Backyard Circus, Camel and Pony Rides, a Farmers’ Market, Free Live Music, Giant Cookie Decorating, Hay Rides, a Kiddie Tractor Maze, “Make Your Own Caramel Apple” fun (they provide a lot of toppings), even a chance for kids to slide down the “World’s Largest Piggy Bank.” Free, lively entertainment is rocking stages all weekend long, including performances by the 5 Card Studs, Too Hype Crew, Rhythm Kings, The Toys and more will be on the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater with nightly entertainment presented by Bud Light. Plus, multiple Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Shows, presented by WaterStone Bank, are also on deck.
A major feature of Harvest Fair is the massive pumpkin patch, big enough to impress Linus from Peanuts (yes, we’re going old school here.)
And, a lot more! Check their website for full schedules and details.
Wisconsin State Fair Park is in West Allis, minutes west of downtown Milwaukee. I-94 and Highways 59 and 181 border the park; I-41, I-894, U.S. 18, U.S. 45, and Highway 100 all get you close.
Harvest Fair / Maker Faire Address:
Wisconsin State Fair Park
640 S. 84th Street (Highways 181 & 59)
West Allis, WI 53214
(800) 884-3247
Website
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September 21, 2024 – September 22, 2024
Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Fest
Welcome the transition from summer to fall in historic Cedarburg with the annual Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival! It happens Saturday, September 21st from 10-6 pm & Sunday, September 22nd from 10-5 pm. Both the abundance of Wisconsin’s homegrown produce and artisan food products plus the award-winning wines of Cedar Creek Winery are what initiated this free, family-oriented arts and crafts event.
The Festival Food Court offers plenty of options for a quick meal and the Farmer’s Market offers foodstuffs such as honey, syrup, cheese, sausage and jellies are available in each Marketplace located at Turner Street, Mill Street and Cleveland Street. Also, the three Marketplaces offers shopping for find unique handbags, hats, skin care products and more.
Cedarburg Wine & Festival fans can kick back and listen to live music all over town including Top Forty, Folk and Rock & Roll bands. The Gruber Law Offices Main Stage is open until 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
On Saturday from 11am-4pm, check out the third Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off, with some weighing in at well over 1,000 pounds. You can also see oversize watermelons, tomatoes, and gourds – last year somebody brought a 2,145-pound pumpkin!
The annual Giant Pumpkin Charity Regatta will take place on Sunday. Previous regattas are YouTube favorites featuring gigantic, decorated, hollowed-out, floatable pumpkins, piloted by intrepid paddlers’ attempting to race across Cedar Creek to win cash for their favorite charity.
Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival also features Ashley’s Candyland for Kids with a variety of activities and entertainment geared for children including Popcorn the Clown, a bouncer, coloring tables, spin art, and Paint a Pumpkin. Pumpkin Carver extraordinaire Steve Dahlke will be turning large pumpkins into grotesque faces at the City Hall Lawn on Saturday.
Cedar Creek Settlement will feature a Courtyard Grill with specialty beers and grilled foods with live music each day. At Cedar Creek Winery, you’ll find wine by the glass or bottle, with tours available. Also at the Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement, the Winery’s Grape Stomp offers stomping fun for both adults and kids each day.
For specific times and a complete list of Cedarburg Wine & Harvest Festival events, a map/schedule will be available at two information booths as well as at most retailers throughout town. Click here for a downloadable version. The information booths are on Washington Avenue at Bridge Road and at Mill Street.
Cedarburg Wine and Harvest Festival Location
Check out some great fall fun in historic Cedarburg, along Historic Highway 57 (Washington Avenue) just north of Highway 167 and south of Highway 60. Highway 181 is just to the west. It’s only about 10-12 minutes off I-43/Highway 32, and it’s a great little town!
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Fromm Petfest
Fromm Petfest is a free family event on Milwaukee’s lakefront (yep, the Summerfest grounds!) will host a variety of fun pet-focused attractions and activities. Check out the Bier Garden & Dog Park, the Lure Course, Agility Course, Dock Diving, Doggie Dash, nutritional seminars, grooming competitions, the pet-themed marketplace, contests, live music, food, even a Kids’ Zone. And yes, parking is free too!
By the way, the Bier Garden & Dog Park allows you to enjoy a frosty beverage at their two-level Bier Garden and you can bring your dog over for some supervised off leash play at one of two fully fenced in play areas!
You can explore Adoption Avenue, where some pretty amazing dogs and cats could find their forever homes. Visit with dozens of rescues and non-profits that work tirelessly to better the lives of dogs and cats. Many will have adoptable pets on hand for people to meet along with information on adoption.
Fromm Petfest Music Schedule:
9:30 AM – Chris Esenberg – Chris is a singer/songwriter and Wisconsin native who specializes in pop covers and original songs. Playing everything from Chris Stapleton to David Bowie, Chris plays with a signature style that has made him a local mainstay.
11:30 AM – Kaleb Woods
Hailing from Sauk County, Wisconsin, Kaleb is a singer, guitarist, and songwriter specializing in bringing a fun, upbeat vibe for all to enjoy. Having performed at numerous venues and events throughout the Midwest including The Rave, Crystal Grand Theatre, Pabst Theater, Majestic Theatre, and Summerfest, and sharing his platform with notable artists such as John King, Chris Janson, and Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry, it’s no surprise that Kaleb was Southeastern Wisconsin’s top streamed musician via Reverbnation, a 2022 Best of Madison finalist, and March 2022’s featured new artist for 99.9 WJVL.
1:30 PM – Mookie Terremoto
Good old fashioned rock and roll from a Riverwest trio! Who is Mookie Terremoto? Find out for yourself.
3:30 PM – Front Porch Rockers
Since 2010 the Front Porch Rockers have been performing acoustic covers of your favorite songs from the 1950s through today. You may have heard them at Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair, or various area festivals and beer gardens. The Front Porch Rockers play upbeat music for good times.
Fromm Petfest Main Stage Schedule:
11:00 – 11:45am − MPD K9 Presentation
12:00 – 12:45pm − Noodles the Wonder Dog, a mixed-breed, former shelter dog who has won trick and talents contests across North America, including Good Morning America’s National “Dog vs. Dog” contest.
1:00 – 1:45pm − EmE MaGiC
Prepare to be amazed and entertained by the interactive magic and illusion of EmE MaGiC. The Milwaukee-local magician will bring magic, mentalism and comedy to the Main Stage and will roam the grounds to oohh and aww all two and four-legged guests.
2:00 – 2:45pm − Sailor the Poodle
This amazing canine performer, under the guidance of his trainer Alex “Popeye” Rothacker, jumps rope, walks a tightrope and balances a ball while walking, to name a few of his fun tricks.
3:30 – 4:30pm − Costume Contest and Owner/Pet Look-a-like Contest with Riggs from 103.7 Kiss FM and special guest judges!
Back by popular demand, come to watch or click to enter the Fromm Petfest Pet/Owner Look-a-Like contest or the fan favorite costume contest. Grand prizes include a six-month supply of Fromm pet food and more!
Fromm Petfest Address:
The event is happening right where Summerfest takes place along Milwaukee’s lakefront near downtown and the Historic Third Ward. You can access the grounds via I-794, I-43/94, U.S. 18, and Highways 32, 38, 59, and 145.
200 N. Harbor Drive
Milwaukee, WI 53202
Fromm Petfest Website
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September 13, 2024 – September 15, 2024
Wo-Zha-Wa Days
“Wo-Zha-Wa” means “fun time” in the Ho-Chunk language, and Wisconsin Dells offers just that September 13-15! As one of the largest festivals in Wisconsin, Wo-Zha-Wa is a three day extravaganza with delicious food, a 100-unit parade, rousing live music, and arts and crafts that everyone can enjoy.
Wo-Zha-Wa’s flea market (Maxwell Street Days) always has new novel items to check out including gourmet dog treats, hand-made works of art, custom pieces of jewelry, organic cosmetics, and wood flowers made before your eyes. You can stroll through all these different stalls while chowing down on some of the festival’s favorite culinary treats, like kettle corn and alligator on a stick.
The whole family can enjoy themselves at Wo-Zha-Wa. The yearly Wo-Zha-Wa parade is a spectacle filled with floats, performers, and music that fills the entire street. The carnival rides are always a hit with the kids, who always get a thrill on the rides’ twists, turns, and spins.
When you attend, you’re invited to participate in a street carnival with refreshment concessions and the Wo-Zha-Wa Run, Wisconsin’s oldest long-distance race. Runners can take part in the challenging half-marathon course, or the fast-paced four-mile run.
Festival admission is free, so there is no reason why you shouldn’t go to this Wisconsin favorite!
All activities located in Downtown Wisconsin Dells & Bowman Park.
You can get to the Dells easily, of course: I-90/94, U.S. 12, or Highways 13, 16, or 23 all bring you there. Check their website for full details!
Here’s a video from a ways back of Wo-Zha-Wa Days (not that it’s much different now) to give you an idea:
Schedule of Events:
Friday, September 13th
All Day Concessions and Carnival Rides
8 am – 5 pm Maxwell Street Days
8 am – 6 pm Antique & Collectibles Market
Noon – 5 pm Arts & Crafts Fair
Noon – 5 pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course
3:30-5:30pm Kindschi Pedal Pulls
Saturday, September 14th
Day Concessions and Carnival Rides
Wo-Zha-Wa Run
8 am – 5 pm Maxwell Street Days
8 am Race for the Future Run Visit the website
8 am – 6 pm Antique & Collectibles Market
9am – 5 pm Arts & Crafts Fair
9am – 5pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course
Sunday, September 15th
All Day Concessions and Carnival Rides
8 am – 3 pm Maxwell Street Days
8 am – 3 pm Antique & Collectibles Market
9 am – 3 pm Arts & Crafts Fair
9 am – 3pm Funtime Bounce Houses and Obstacle Course
1:30 pm PARADE
Post Parade South Shore Performance at the Elm Street Plaza
Wo-Zha-Wa Days Website
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September 7, 2024
Oconomowoc Fall Festival
Celebrate the coming of fall with the Oconomowoc Fall Festival. This lovely town at the western edge of Waukesha County’s Lake Country has a bustling downtown nestled around Fowler Lake and Lac La Belle, and the big party is on Saturday, September 7th from 9am – 8pm, rain or shine.
There will be over 80 street vendors, lots of food, shopping, kids’ events, dancing, and festivities including a Beer Garden. Some details are still being adjusted, but for now there’s still a Chili Pepper Eating Contest in the afternoon, along with kayak races you can watch, or even participate in! Live music will punctuate the fun afternoon into evening.
Here’s the music lineup:
12:30pm – Candy Cigarette
2pm – The Stangs
4:15pm – Throw Back Stereo
7pm – Kingfish Band
An outdoor movie begins at dusk, extending the Oconomowoc Fall Festival well into the evening. While in Oconomowoc, check out the Wizard of Oz display in Oz Plaza along Wisconsin Avenue (the movie’s official premiere took place there on August 12, 1939), a great classic drive-in called The Kiltie, as well as craft breweries like Brewfinity and SteelTank.
You can get to Oconomowoc via Highway 16 or Highway 67. Forget the bypass routes; follow the original roads right into downtown. That includes Main Street, Summit Avenue, and Wisconsin Avenue. The downtown is three miles north of I-94, via Exit 282 – which is Highway 67.
Oconomowoc Fall Festival Address:
Wisconsin Avenue & Main Street (“city” Highways 16 & 67)
133 E. Wisconsin Avenue
Oconomowoc, WI 53066
(262) 567-1826
Website
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Sputnik Fest
The festival draws plenty of space fans – with Star Wars and Star Trek characters well-represented – costume contests, music, go-kart racing down 8th Street (there’s a bit of a hill towards the heart of downtown), food, drinks, and even an “alien drop”, where hundreds of mini-alien figures are dropped from a cherry picker – some with prizes. Even the hosting group, the Rahr-West Art Museum, calls it a “wacky tacky” weekend. Music from bands like Bazooka Joe add to the fun! Family fun continues with the Cosmic Kids Creation Station, which offers tye-dye, clay painting, and rocket building, plus live statues, portrait paintings, and more.
Sputnikfest Schedule of Events:
11:00-2:00PM DJ
11:30AM Photo Op with Sputnikfest Police (courtesy of the Masquers theater company)
12:00-5:00PM Art Space and Children’s Games
12:00-Noon 5K Art Walk/Run (register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/WI/Manitowoc/Sputnikfest5KWalkRun)
1:00-3:00PM Meet and Greet with 501st Wisconsin Garrison
12:00PM Lakeshore 1st Robotics
2:00-6:00PM Musical entertainment by XPOSED 4 HEADS
3:00PM Pet Parade and contest
4:00PM Cosmic Kids Parade and contest
5:00PM Captain Space Debris (Alien Adults) Parade and Contest
6:00PM Alien Raffle Drop
Get more details here.
Sputnikfest Address:
Rahr-West Art Museum
610 N. 8th Street (8th & Park, U.S. 10 & Business 42)
Manitowoc, WI 54220
Website
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