They’re here: the three magical months when daylight prevails over darkness and the calendar is packed with road-trip-worthy festivals and events all across Wisconsin.
1. 40th Annual Sparta ButterFest
JUNE 5-8 | SPARTA
In honor of local butter makers, the fest includes carnival rides, dart and cornhole tournaments, a cow-milking contest, crafts and a flea market, car show, quilt show and a Sunday parade.
2. Bonfire Music & Arts Festival
JUNE 12-14 | YUBA
Railroad Earth and Horseshoes & Hand Grenades headline this Driftless Music Gardens event that includes earth-centric workshops, food vendors and more.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
3. Up North Beerfest
JUNE 13-14 | EAGLE RIVER
Hosted at Hi-Pines Campground, the daylong Saturday festival features about 30 breweries, with a smaller VIP sampling event on Friday night.
4. Eau Claire Summer Jam
JUNE 20-21 | EAU CLAIRE
The inaugural rock fest counterpart to Country Jam USA (July 17-19) brings The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Collective Soul and more to the same outdoor venue.
5. 60th Annual Fyr Bal Festival
JUNE 21 | EPHRAIM
Central to this Scandinavian heritage fest of music, dancing and crafts is a sunset bonfire to welcome the long days of summer. Fireworks follow.
6. Cheese Curd Festival
JUNE 27-28 | ELLSWORTH
The home of the state’s most celebrated curds pulls out all the stops, with literal tons of cheese, curd dishes, 30-plus craft beers and ciders, live music, artisan vendors and a car show.
7. Riverfest
JULY 2-5 | LA CROSSE
The four-day music fest, headlined by country star Cody Webb, sets up along the Mississippi River in Riverside Park, which is also the place to be for the city’s Fourth of July fireworks show.
8. Art Fair on the Square
JULY 12-13 | MADISON
More than 500 curated artists display their works at this esteemed event around the Capitol, and the adjacent Art Fair Off the Square showcases more than a hundred additional artists and craftspeople.
9. LCO Honor the Earth Homecoming & PowWow
JULY 18-20 | HAYWARD
The largest such celebration in North America and a true Ojibwe tradition, the powwow put on by the Lac Courte Oreilles Band features dancing and music, as well
as food and crafts.
10. EAA AirVenture
JULY 21-27 | OSHKOSH
The Experimental Aircraft Association’s convention featuring air shows, presentations, and historical and experimental aircraft. Visiting in 2025: the last two operational B-29 Superfortresses.
11. Summer Apex 2025
JULY 25-27 | ELKHART LAKE
Road America hosts a tour of 50-plus sprint cars with several races, live music and other activities. Camping is available.
12. County Line Country Fest
JULY 31-AUG. 2 | PRAIRIE DU CHIEN
Multiple stages host some of the top country acts near where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi. Family camping is available.
13. Tall Ships Sturgeon Bay
JULY 31-AUG. 3 | STURGEON BAY
Four sailing ships offer tours as well as day and twilight sails. This fest is concurrent with Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Show (Aug. 1-3).
14. Mile of Music
JULY 31-AUG. 3 | APPLETON
In its 12th year, this mostly free all-original music fest brings 200 regional, national and international artists to 40 venues along a mile-long stretch of College Avenue.
15. Burger Fest
AUG. 8-9 | SEYMOUR
The “Home of the Hamburger” hosts a hot air balloon, burger-eating contest and giant ketchup slide, but the cooking of a 200-pound behemoth of a burger can’t be topped.
16. Musky Jamboree
AUG. 8-10 | BOULDER JUNCTION
The Musky Capital of the World hosts a fishing tournament and workshops, a street party, flea market and even a small fly-in at the airfield.
17. Sweet Corn Festival
AUG. 13-17 | SUN PRAIRIE
There are many similar fests in mid-August (Williams Bay, Kenosha, New London) but none so long-running or as big – 80 tons of corn is consumed here!
18. Wilhelm Tell Festival
AUG. 23-24 | NEW GLARUS
The town celebrates its Swiss heritage with yodeling, alphorn blowing, folk-choir singing and Swiss flag throwing, as well as food, art, a book sale and other live music.
19. Cow Chip Throw
AUG. 29-30 | PRAIRE DU SAC
The quirky festival wraps up summer with music, food, arts and crafts, a parade, and – when the clock strikes dung – the open-to-the-public competitive flinging of dried cow pies (which are provided).
20. Taste of Madison
AUG. 30-31 | MADISON
Over 80 area food vendors sell their specialties and beverages around the Capitol, with live music on four stages throughout the weekend.
