1. Kenosha County Fair
ALL WEEKEND |30820 111TH ST., WILMOT
Enjoy live music, concessions, competition and more family fun events at this year’s Kenosha County Fair. The fair will host grandstand entertainment each night, including truck and tractor pulls, dirt track racing and the annual demolition derby. Tickets can be purchased on the fairgrounds the day of the fair.
2. A la Carte at the Zoo
ALL WEEKEND | MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO
The zoo is bringing food and live music to its grounds for this popular annual event.Try some dishes from the zoo’s new executive chef Ashley Turner, including her first and second place Sporkies winners from the Wisconsin State Fair, while listening to music across six stages. You can buy tickets on the zoo’s website.
Get tickets now for the 2024 Home + Design Awards Event!
3. Irish Fest
ALL WEEKEND | HENRY W. MAIER FESTIVAL PARK
Celebrate Irish culture in food, drink, music and dance at this long-running festival. Visitors can also discover their Irish lineage in the Genealogy Area, meet a wide variety of Celtic canines, and watch the parades on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets can be purchased ahead of the event on the Irish Fest website.
4. The PROM
ALL WEEKEND | NEXT ACT THEATRE
This weekend is the last chance to see Bombshell Theatre’s production of The PROM. Controversy hits a small-town high school when a girl wants to bring her girlfriend as a date to the prom. Four eccentric Broadway stars come to the town “on a mission to transform lives.” Tickets for the show can be purchased ahead of the event on the Bombshell Theatre website.
5. Fired Arts Expo
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY | WAUKESHA COUNTY EXPOSITION CENTER
Spark your creativity at the Fired Arts Expo, where attendees can find ideas and inspiration from hundreds of ceramic pieces on display. The expo includes demonstrations, educational events, competitions and more. Attendees can get involved in workshops to develop new skills and techniques in ceramics.
6. Artful Nature Journals: Drawing in the Garden
FRIDAY FROM 1-3 P.M. | WUSTUM MUSEUM, RACINE
Get in touch with nature with this hands-on drawing experience in the gardens of Racine’s Wustum Museum. Over two hours, participants will be taught to identify elements of the flora and fauna in the museum’s gardens. Participating artists should bring their preferred drawing materials and a portable seat, while the museum will provide additional drawing materials and supplies.
7. Summer in the Good Land Block Party
FRIDAY FROM 6-10 P.M. | GREAT LAKES DISTILLERY
This festival will feature live music from well+good, Bro.Malik and dak duBois & co. In addition to the live performances, festival-goers can also enjoy food trucks and craft co*cktails. A mini-Milwaukee market will also be available for browsing. Admission to the event is free.
8. Run/Walk to Milwaukee Irish Fest
SATURDAY FROM 8 A.M.-NOON | HENRY W. MAIER FESTIVAL PARK.
The race to Irish Fest begins at 10 a.m. and will take participants along Milwaukee’s lakeshore. Following the race, which supports The Arthritis Foundation, there will be a celebration for all participants and awards for the top three male and female finishers. Register prior to the race at the Irish Fest website.
9. Kids Cooking Class
SATURDAYFROM 9-11 A.M. | MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY, MAYFAIR
At this class, kids learn classic Italian cooking from Chef Briggs at Maggiano’s Little Italy in a fun and light-hearted atmosphere. While the kids are cooking, parents and families can enjoy a breakfast buffet at the restaurant. Tickets for this experience can be purchased ahead of time on the Eventbrite website.
10. Wellness Rally
SATURDAY FROM 9 A.M.-NOON | HARLEY-DAVIDSON PARK
The event features a morning of wellness activities aimed to invigorate the mind, body and soul. Activities include energizing yoga and fitness classes and green-living workshops. Local vendors will also be selling healthy drinks, food and goods. The activities are free and open to the public.
11. 5K Beer Run
SATURDAY FROM 11 A.M.-2 P.M. | PERSPECTIVE BREWING CO.
Starting at 11 a.m. at the West Allis taproom, this run take racers on a loop, ending back at the taproom for a post-race celebration. All participants will receive a craft brew upon finishing the race, as well as a choice of a collector’s pint glass or seasonal swag item from the Brewery Running Series. Live music and festivities wait at the finish line for participants, as well, along with the chance to win prizes such as merchandise or beer to take home. You can register here.
12. Hoancoming, Milwaukee’s Fresh Coast Party
SATURDAY FROM 2-10 P.M. | DANIEL HOAN MEMORIAL BRIDGE, MILWAUKEE RIVER
Proceeds from this giant party on the water support year-round programming and community outreach initiatives for the Light the Horn Foundation, as well as funding for lights to illuminate the east side of the Hoan Bridge. The party will feature a boat parade down the Milwaukee River underneath the bridge, as well as a drone show and dazzling fireworks display synchronized to lights on the bridge.
13. Palette to Plate
SATURDAY FROM 5-9 P.M. | CEDARBURG ART MUSEUM
Palette to Plate supports programming and maintenance at the historic 1898 Wittenburg/Jochem Mansion. This fundraiser will include food from Saz’s Hospitality Group, live music from Lulu Quintet, silent and live auctions, and a cash bar featuring the Lakefront Brewery Tap House. Tickets can be purchased per person or by table at the Cedarburg Art Museum’s website.
14. Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY | FOWLER PARK, OCONOMOWOC
This festival will feature work by 110 artists from all over the United States in ceramics, drawing/pastels/printmaking, fiber/leather, glass, jewelry and more. There will also be live music, food and drink, and kids in attendance will have the chance to create their own little masterpieces in the children’s area.
15. Red Magic Art Festival
SUNDAY FROM 10 A.M.-6 P.M. | JACKSON PARK
Celebrate Native American and Indigenous art and culture at this festival. Native American artists and vendors will be showcasing and discussing their work, as well as performing live. There will also be food, face-painting and free family-friendly art activities.
16. Milwaukee Makers Market
SUNDAY FROM 10 A.M.-4 P.M. | DISCOVERY WORLD
Milwaukee Makers Market is a celebration of the city’s creator community. Within the market, shoppers can browse from over 45 small businesses for artisanal, hand-crafted local products. The market is free to attend and only occurs on select Sundays throughout the year.
17. Puerto Rican Festival
SUNDAY FROM 11 A.M.-8 P.M. | VETERANS PARK
The Puerto Rican Festival of Wisconsin is back for its 11th year to celebrate the rich culture and heritage of Puerto Rico. Enjoy live music, authentic food and traditional dance while exploring the cultural exhibits the festival has to offer. The park will also be lined with vendors and activities like face painting, making the festival fun for the whole family.
18. Jewish Food Festival
SUNDAY AND MONDAY | ROTARY PARK, MEQUON
The Peltz Center For Jewish Life Mequon presents the Jewish Food Festival for the Mequon area. This festival features many Jewish dishes, including stuffed cabbage, chicken matzah ball soup, falafel pitas and plates, shwarma pitas and plates and chocolate babka and pastrami. There will also be educational programming, live music and an interactive Shtetl Village. The event is free to attend, with a $5 parking fee.
