13 Wisconsin Summer Festivals Worth the Drive From Milwaukee

1. Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival   

JUNE 2-4 | LITTLE CHUTE 

The kickoff to Dairy Month in Wisconsin, this fest along the Fox River offers music, rides, food vendors, beer, and naturally, cheese samples.

2. Iola Car Show   

JULY 6-8 | IOLA

If you see one car show, make it Iola, now in its 51st year. It has celebrity appearances, over 2,500 show cars, 4,000 swap spaces and hundreds of cars for sale.

3. 44th Annual Pulaski Polka Days  

JULY 20-23 | PULASKI

With a name like Pulaski, you can expect some stern polka. This four-day fest features three live music stages. The celebration opens with fireworks and ends with a parade on Sunday. Other attractions include an arts and craft fair, pancake breakfast and Ms. Pulaski Polka Days pageant. And if you’re a first-timer, no worries: Free dance lessons are offered on Friday and Saturday.

MORE CULTURAL CELEBRATION:

4. Czech-Slovak Festival

JUNE 16-17 | PHILLIPS

5. EAA AirVenture

JULY 24-30 | OSHKOSH 

The Experimental Aircraft Association’s annual seven-day convention and fly-in brings together about 3,000 historical, experimental, or otherwise notable aircraft. Daily air shows include formation flying, acrobatics, even pyrotechnics. You can purchase plane rides in historic planes, plus attend films, presentations and workshops. New planes are often debuted here as well. This year celebrates the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force.

MORE STUFF IN THE SKY:

6. Wings Over Wausau

JUNE 16-17 | WAUSAU

7. Mile of Music

AUG. 3-6 | APPLETON

Forty venues on a mile-long stretch host 700 live sets over four days, featuring a carefully curated and diverse selection of local, regional, national and even international musical acts, performing all original music. The celebration of music is free to the public, allowing attendees to drift from show to show and providing an app that makes creating your personal lineup basic. There’s nothing else like it.

MORE MUSICAL MERRIMENT:

8. Driftless Music Festival

JULY 8 | VIROQUA

9. Big Bull Falls Blues Fest

AUG. 18-19 | WAUSAU 

10. Musky Jamboree   

AUG. 11-13 | BOULDER JUNCTION 

Not just a fishing celebration, the three-day fest includes a car show, arts and craft show, flea market and even a fly-in at the local airstrip. 

11. Great Taste OF THE Midwest 

AUG. 12 | MADISON

One of the best beer festivals in the country takes place in the leafy, lakeside Olin Park. Tickets sell out in May, but if you show up early the day of the fest, you’ll find a seller and get in. For beer fans who have never been, it’s worth the uncertainty.  

12. Lake Superior Dragon Boat Races  

AUG. 25-26 | SUPERIOR

Hosted by the Rotary Club, this free, family-friendly event features long dragon boats in 400-meter races in Lake Superior near Barkers Island. 

13. Cow Chip Throw

SEPT. 1-2 | PRAIRIE DU SAC

What a crappy way to end your summer (in a good way). There’s music, food, a parade and, of course, the main event – anyone can register to throw, chips provided.