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.
Submit your projects for our annual Home & Design Awards!
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.
