1. Harley Davidson Hometown Rally
ALL WEEKEND | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM
Grab your leather jacket and ride on down to the Harley-Davidson Museum for the Labor Day Weekend Hometown Rally. It’s a jam-packed weekend with events like motorcycle demos, museum tours, performance and stunt shows, Flat Out Friday’s Boonie Bike World Series and more for motorcycle enthusiasts and spectators alike. Many dealers in the area are throwing parties, too
2. Snail Mail, Momma & Hotline TNT
FRIDAY | TURNER HALL BALLROOM
Indie darling Snail Mail is returning to Turner Hall, this time bringing L.A.’s Momma and New York’s Hotline TNT as her opening acts. Snail Mail’s Lindsey Jordan already has six years of international touring experience under her belt at 23. Check out what all the buzz is about on Friday night as she tours for her sophomore album, Valentine.
3. St. Francis Days
FRIDAY-SUNDAY | MILTON VETERAN MEMORIAL PARK
Seventy years ago, St. Francis began operating as a governmental entity. This weekend they’re celebrating the history of the community with the annual St. Francis Days festival. The family-friendly event includes carnival rides, a St. Francis Day parade, cornhole tournament, car shows and plenty of live music.
ENTER OUR HOME & DESIGN AWARDS
We want to see your best work. Architects, interior designers, renovation experts and landscapers: Enter your residential projects in Milwaukee Magazine’s new design competition.
4. Falling For Flowers
SATURDAY AT 10 A.M. | HAWTHORN GLEN
Labor day is the unofficial start of autumn, and Milwaukee Rec is helping you prep your fall garden. Hawthorn Glen’s naturalists and educators are teaching participants all about goldenrods, asters and other fall flowers that will be popping up around the city as the weather cools.
5. Shrekfest
SATURDAY | HUMBOLDT PARK
Milwaukee’s newest festival is debuting at Humboldt Park this weekend. Shrekfest is an annual music, art and film event hosted by art collective 3GI Industries. The festival features Shrek-themed live music, games, an onion eating contest, a roar competition, a costume contest and wraps the night up with an outdoor screening of the movie Shrek. Strangely unrelated, there is also a Shrek Rave happening at The Rave for those who want to party with the residents of Far Far Away.
6. Honey, Yer Doin Just Fine Festival
SATURDAY FROM 4-8 P.M. | EVERYONE’S ICE CREAM
West Allis’ Everyone’s Ice Cream is a sweet treat collective serving up local flavors from places like Scratch, Purple Door, Liv a Little, Crème De Liqueur, and Sweet Tooth Grin. This Saturday, they’re celebrating their second anniversary with a “Honey, Yer Doin’ Just Fine” festival. They’ll have honey from their rooftop apiary, wood-fired pizzas and plenty of ice cream. Both children and adults are welcome to come on down and enjoy the live music, face painting and bounce house.
7. Clean Culture WI Sh owcase
SATURDAY AT 4 P.M. | WISCONSIN STATE FAIR GROUNDS
Clean Culture is one of the nation’s fastest growing automotive events. This Saturday, the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds will host hundreds of different types of vehicles for spectators to enjoy alongside live music, food trucks, car limbo and more. Tickets are available online.
8. Third Ward Art Festival
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY | HISTORIC THIRD WARD
Take a stroll through Milwaukee’s neighborhood of galleries to see the art of more than 130 juried artists in a variety of mediums. There will be food and drink options from neighboring restaurants and festival food vendors. For the young art aficionados, the festival features a kid’s art tent, face painting and live music on two stages.
9. Free Weekends In September at Old World Wisconsin
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY | OLD WORLD WISCONSIN
This weekend kicks off Old World Wisconsin’s Free Weekends for Kids that takes place every Saturday and Sunday throughout the month of September. Visitors are invited to travel through time and experience the world of Wisconsin’s early immigrants. Participants can help with chores and cooking, try their hands at crafts and trades, stoke the fire in the blacksmith shop, race high-wheel bicycles, pick veggies in the gardens and more.
10. Boone & Crockett 10 Year Anniversary
SUNDAY FROM 4-10 P.M. | BOONE & CROCKETT
Milwaukee’s favorite venue on the river is celebrating their belated anniversary with a party-on-the-patio redo. Alongside a tap takeover by Lion’s Tail Beers, party goers can enjoy live music and a great view of the Hoan Bridge light show.
11. Labor Fest and Parade
MONDAY AT 11 A.M. | SUMMERFEST GROUNDS
Every year, labor unions and union members of the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, AFL-CIO, put on Labor Fest, a chance to remember those who made sacrifices for benefits we now enjoy – weekends, worker protections, vacation, overtime pay and other workers’ rights. The day starts with a parade marching from Zeidler Union Square to the Summerfest Grounds where the festival takes place. Labor Fest includes live music, children’s entertainment like science and magic shows, a classic car show and a Harley Davidson motorcycle raffle. And yes– President Joe Biden will be in attendance.
