We here in Wisconsin love a festival. Milwaukee is known as the City of Festivals, but it’s not the only place to find people having a great time celebrating everything from trolls to fish. If there’s something fun or unique about a place, you can bet we’ve made a festival out of it. Summertime seems to be when a lot of these fests take place, as we like to revel in the few nice months we have, but there are plenty of celebrations happening during the spring that you’re going to want to check out. Celebrating the thaw and our emergence from a long cold winter, these parties take place across the state and invite you to get out of the house, shake some of the rust off and have a blast. Here are 11 festivals that may not be the most well known, but are definitely still a great time.
- Morel Mushroom Festival - Muscoda
Facebook/MuscodaMorelMushroomFestival The 36th iteration of this fungus party takes place on May 19 and 20, 2019. These mushrooms are highly sought after and send folks traipsing through the forest looking for them. Enjoy every type of morel food you can imagine - and a few more you never thought of, plus a flea market, live music, fireworks, parade and more!
- 100 Miles of Garage Sales - Pepin
100MilesofGarageSales.org This fabulous collection of sales takes place on both sides of the Mississippi River from May 2-5, 2019. Stretching from Prescott to Fountain City, participants put balloons out to let you know to stop and you can spend as much or as little time as you please up and down Hwy. 35.
- Spring Fair on the Square - Baraboo
Facebook/DowntownBaraboo Twice a year, in May and October, the city of Baraboo gathers in the town square for a giant arts and crafts fair. On May 11 this year, you’ll find more than 150 vendors, specialty food, live music and more.
- Fish and Fun Fest - Montello
Facebook/MontelloFishandFunFest On May 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2019, head out for food and fun in Montello. There’s a petting zoo, carnival, street dance, and more. This festival takes over the city, stretching through downtown, into City Park and even out on Montello Lake.
- Springfest - Chippewa Falls
Facebook/ChippewaFallsSpringFest Taking place April 26-28 this year, this one has a small fee of $5 on Friday and $10 on Saturday, though Sunday is Family Fun Day and is free. You’ll find live music, tons of family fun, free games and activities, a classic car show and more.
- Festival of Spring - Oshkosh
Facebook/PaineArtCenter This festival takes place at Paine Art Center, so it’s a great reason to check out this gorgeous facility. There’s a huge plant sale, more than 200 vendors, art and more. It’s a celebration of the rebirth of plants and you’ll love all the things you can get to make your yard and garden great.
- Between The Bluffs Beer, Wine and Cheese Festival - LaCrosse
Facebook/BetweentheBluffs More than 200 beers. More than 45 wines. Gourmet cheese. A homebrew competition. A Sunday brunch. All on the Oktoberfest grounds. All taking place April 26-28, 2019. Mark the calendar and get your tickets now. General admission tickets are $55.
- Taylor County Lions and Lionesses Maple Fest - Medford
Facebook/taylorcountymaplefest On April 27 this year, celebrate the state tree - the sugar maple - and all the delicious, fabulous, wonderful products we get from its sap. Start off your day with the pancake breakfast, take sugar shack tours and stick around for the live music.
- Horicon Marsh Bird Festival - Horicon
Flickr/AmyBayer The largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, Horicon Marsh is one of the coolest places to observe wildlife. They have an incredible, 1400-foot-long boardwalk that makes you feel like you are walking on water. There are numerous hiking trails and you can even get out on the water in a boat. More than 300 species of birds have been identified here. The Bird Festival is May 9-13 this year and has a schedule packed with hands-on learning events.
- Syttende Mai - Stoughton
Facebook/SyttendeMaiStoughton This city-wide festival is held every year on the weekend closest to Norway’s May 17 Constitution Day, also known as Syttende Mai. This year’s celebration will be held on May 17-19, 2019, so mark your calendar! Now in its 66th year, Stoughton’s Syttende Mai Festival is a three-day extravaganza, featuring parades, amazing foods and drinks, arts and music, athletic competitions, kids’ activities, and more — all steeped in centuries of Norwegian culture, of course.
- Red Bud Festival - Columbus
Wikipedia These unique trees are an iconic part of Columbus and this festival celebrates their bloom in spring. On May 11 and 12, 2019, you’ll find a brat fry, city-wide sales and celebrations, and more.
What’s your favorite Wisconsin spring festival? Let us know about it in the comments.
Facebook/MuscodaMorelMushroomFestival
The 36th iteration of this fungus party takes place on May 19 and 20, 2019. These mushrooms are highly sought after and send folks traipsing through the forest looking for them. Enjoy every type of morel food you can imagine - and a few more you never thought of, plus a flea market, live music, fireworks, parade and more!
100MilesofGarageSales.org
This fabulous collection of sales takes place on both sides of the Mississippi River from May 2-5, 2019. Stretching from Prescott to Fountain City, participants put balloons out to let you know to stop and you can spend as much or as little time as you please up and down Hwy. 35.
Facebook/DowntownBaraboo
Twice a year, in May and October, the city of Baraboo gathers in the town square for a giant arts and crafts fair. On May 11 this year, you’ll find more than 150 vendors, specialty food, live music and more.
Facebook/MontelloFishandFunFest
On May 3rd, 4th and 5th, 2019, head out for food and fun in Montello. There’s a petting zoo, carnival, street dance, and more. This festival takes over the city, stretching through downtown, into City Park and even out on Montello Lake.
Facebook/ChippewaFallsSpringFest
Taking place April 26-28 this year, this one has a small fee of $5 on Friday and $10 on Saturday, though Sunday is Family Fun Day and is free. You’ll find live music, tons of family fun, free games and activities, a classic car show and more.
Facebook/PaineArtCenter
This festival takes place at Paine Art Center, so it’s a great reason to check out this gorgeous facility. There’s a huge plant sale, more than 200 vendors, art and more. It’s a celebration of the rebirth of plants and you’ll love all the things you can get to make your yard and garden great.
Facebook/BetweentheBluffs
More than 200 beers. More than 45 wines. Gourmet cheese. A homebrew competition. A Sunday brunch. All on the Oktoberfest grounds. All taking place April 26-28, 2019. Mark the calendar and get your tickets now. General admission tickets are $55.
Facebook/taylorcountymaplefest
On April 27 this year, celebrate the state tree - the sugar maple - and all the delicious, fabulous, wonderful products we get from its sap. Start off your day with the pancake breakfast, take sugar shack tours and stick around for the live music.
Flickr/AmyBayer
The largest freshwater cattail marsh in the United States, Horicon Marsh is one of the coolest places to observe wildlife. They have an incredible, 1400-foot-long boardwalk that makes you feel like you are walking on water. There are numerous hiking trails and you can even get out on the water in a boat. More than 300 species of birds have been identified here. The Bird Festival is May 9-13 this year and has a schedule packed with hands-on learning events.
Facebook/SyttendeMaiStoughton
This city-wide festival is held every year on the weekend closest to Norway’s May 17 Constitution Day, also known as Syttende Mai. This year’s celebration will be held on May 17-19, 2019, so mark your calendar! Now in its 66th year, Stoughton’s Syttende Mai Festival is a three-day extravaganza, featuring parades, amazing foods and drinks, arts and music, athletic competitions, kids’ activities, and more — all steeped in centuries of Norwegian culture, of course.
Wikipedia
These unique trees are an iconic part of Columbus and this festival celebrates their bloom in spring. On May 11 and 12, 2019, you’ll find a brat fry, city-wide sales and celebrations, and more.
If you love Spring in Wisconsin, you have to check out all the most colorful places in town.
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