Temperatures are cooling off, but the Fall events schedule is heating up. Make the most of Autumn at these special events, hand-picked by our Editors.
1. Harvest Fair
This weekend (September 23-25) is Harvest Fair at Wisconsin State Fair Park, and everyone enjoys free admission!
There will be free live entertainment on several stages, pumpkins bowling, Make-Your-Own Scarecrows, lumberjack shows, local artists, amphitheater headliners, and more.
2. Mac n’ Cheese Fest
The fourth annual Wisconsin Mac & Cheese Fest is coming to Wisconsin Brewing Company Park in Oconomowoc on Saturday, September 24th from 4pm-8pm (1011 Blue Ribbon Circle N.).
The event has taken place in Michigan for three years, and this will be the inaugural appearance in Wisconsin.
The festival highlights unique interpretations of mac & cheese, traditional mac & cheese, along with a variety of beer and hard cider samples.
General admission (dubbed “Just the Mac”) includes 7 tokens for mac & cheese samples, a logoed cup, lanyard, a keepsake spork, and admission the festival with yard games, activities, and live entertainment.
Children 12 and under are free to attend with a paid adult. Sampling tickets for children can be purchased on site for $2 per sample. (If you think they’ll eat more, you can purchase a Just the Mac ticket for them.)
3. Harbor Fest
Join Harbor District Milwaukee, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, and Riveredge Nature Center at Harbor Fest for another year of family fun celebrating all things fish, water, and boats.
Harbor Fest will take place on Sunday, September 25, 2022 from 11am -4pm in front of UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences (600 E. Greenfield Avenue).
Release a baby sturgeon with Riveredge Nature Center, cheer on the artists and their boat floats during the Milwaukee Riverkeeper Boat Parade, and enjoy the live music, local food, and activities.
Attendees will be able to:
- Tour the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences
- See the Milwaukee RiverKeeper MKE Boat Parade
- Release a baby sturgeon with Riveredge Nature Center
- Learn how to filet a fish with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Take a free pontoon boat ride in the harbor
- Watch art in the making
- Connect with Harbor District businesses and environmental groups
- Climb a rock wall
- Enjoy lunch from local food trucks and beer
- Dance the afternoon away with special performances
4. Jack O’ Lantern Nights at Racine Zoo
From Thursday, September 29 – Sunday, October 30, 2022, over 1,000 Jack-O’-Lanterns will be lit up at the Racine Zoo.
Stroll through the Zoo and immerse yourself in dazzling lights and festive, hand-carved masterpieces created by talented professional artists.
Warm up with seasonal food and beverages and get into the Halloween spirit!
Admission is $10 per person, and it’s free for 2 years and younger. Proceeds benefit the animals and programs of the Racine Zoo.
Find out more here.
5. Doors Open Milwaukee
Doors Open Milwaukee is an annual event that offers free tours at more than 100 Milwaukee area buildings. It’s happening this year on September 24th and 25th.
Organizers are providing a printed kids passport that will be available for pick-up at all 22 of the family-friendly sites.
Family-friendly sites include: Alice’s Garden Urban Farm, Firehouse Station 1 (the oldest Firehouse in the Milwaukee Fire Department), Fiserv Forum, Komatsu Customer Experience Center, Lynden Sculpture Garden, Model Railroad Club of Milwaukee, the Collaborative Farm, All Hands Boatworks, Inc., and more.
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
