May
May 20-23 and27-30
Kohler
Golf Academy for Women
Wine and cheese? Yoga?Spa? Championship golf? It’s all there at the Kohler Golf Academy for Women. Playthe Blackwolf Run Championship Course, which will be the site of the 2012 U.S.Women's Open. Contact: (920) 565-6075or www.destinationkohler.com.
May 20-23
Green Bay
LZ Lambeau: Welcome Home Vietnam Vets
Astatewide effort to recognize Wisconsin’sVietnam War veterans includes speakers, the Vietnam Moving Wall exhibit,military displays and more. Free for Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans,$10 for the public. The “She 5” all-girl band that toured Vietnam in 1968reunites for the first time since the 1960s. Contact: (920) 494-3401 orwww.lzlambeau.org.
May 22-23
Wisconsin Dells
Automotion 2010
More than 1,000 antique and collector vehicles, acar corral with cars for sale, a swap meet, entertainment and great food. Free. Contact: (800)223-3557 or www.wisdells.com.
May 28-31
Madison
TheWorld’s Largest Brat Fest
Some19 miles of brats sold in 2009, an estimated 208,752 sausages. Oscar MayerWienermobile, music, kayaking, midway, celebrity cashiers and delicious brats.Johnsonville Brats $1.50. Have a double! Friday through Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.,Monday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Willow Island at Alliant Energy Center.Free admission and parking. Contact: (608) 276-9797 or www.bratfest.com.
May 28-31
Burlington
Burlington Chocolate Festival
Oneof the best chocolate extravaganzas in the country. Includes a carnival,entertainment, chocolate creations, chocolate tasting, chocolate Olympics, aparade, chocolate eating contest and chocolate chef demonstrations. On theChocolateFest Grounds. Contact: 262-763-3300 or www.chocolatefest.com.
June
June 4-6
Little Chute
22nd Annual Great WisconsinCheese Festival
Cheeselovers will have three days of fun, including a cheese breakfast, parade,cheese-carving demonstrations, a cheesecake contest and cheese tasting.Contact: (920) 788-7390 or www.littlechutewi.org.
June4-6
Racine and Kenosha
Wrightand Like 2010
Rareopportunities to tour unique architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright and otherinfluential architects in Racine and Kenosha. Advance ticketsare highly recommended. Contact: (608) 287-0339 or www.wrightinwisconsin.com.
June5
Madison
Cows onthe Concourse
Thecows kick off June Dairy Month on the Capitol Square. Get close to cows and calves, enjoygrilled cheese sandwiches, ice-cold milk and cream puffs and talk to experts.From 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Contact: (608) 310-5335 ext. 23 or www.danecountydairy.com.
June 6 and 13
Lake Geneva
Feet, Seat andEat Spring Walk and Cruise Tours
Hikethe 8-mile trail from Lake Geneva to Williams Bay, then take a seat fora narrated lunch cruise. See multimillion-dollar estates, exquisite gardens andGeneva Lake. Starts at 8:30 a.m.; ticket: $49; reservationsrequired. Contact: (800) 558-5911 or www.lakegenevacruiseline.com.
June 17-20
Prairie duChien
Prairie VillaRendezvous
Timetravel to the early 1800s, Wisconsin’sfur trading days. Re-enactments include demonstrations of crafts, artwork,skills and traditions. Shop the Voyageurs Marketplace for crafts and tradegoods. More than 400 lodges and tepees. Contact: (608) 822-6916 orwww.prairieduchien.org.
June 17-20
Elkhart Lake
Bucyrus200/NASCAR Nationwide Series
NASCARracing presented by Menards on the internationally acclaimed 4-mile RoadAmerica Track on Saturday. Sunday races include the TransAm and Playboy MazdaMX-5 and Mid-American Stock Cars. Contact: (800) 365-RACE (7223) orwww.roadamerica.com.
June 18-19
Prairie du Sac
Prairie FuméPicnic Days at Wollersheim Winery
Picnicat Wisconsin’shistoric winery. Music by Streetlife, wine tasting, guided winery tours andfood. Family friendly. Free admission. Contact: (800) VIP-WINE orwww.wollersheim.com.
June 18-19
Monroe
25th Annual Balloon Rally
Seehot-air balloons color the skies above the Green County Fairgrounds. Fridaynight “glow” at fairgrounds headquarters. Saturday flights and craft fair, carshow and entertainment. Contact: (608) 325-7648 or www.monroechamber.org.
July
July 3 (Raindate July 5)
Madison
Rhythm andBooms Fireworks Extravaganza
This awesome all-day fest offers music, food and a35-minute radio-synchronized fireworks display with 15,000 shells. One of thelargest fireworks displays in the Midwest. Free.Warner Park. Contact: (608) 833-6717or rhythmandbooms.com.
July 8-11
Iola
38th Iola Old Car Show and Swap Meet
Thegranddaddy of classic car shows. More than 2,500 fine vehicles on display and aswap meet with 4,300 vendors. Find all kinds of car bits and pieces. Thisyear’s theme: “Sensational Sixties.” Contact: (715) 445-4000 orwww.iolaoldcarshow.com.
July 10-11
Madison
Art Fair On and Off the Square
Nearly500 artists cover eight blocks around Wisconsin’sCapitol. Art Fair On the Square is one of the largest and most popular juriedfairs in the Midwest. Another 140 Wisconsin artists are featured in Art Fair Off theSquare. Contact: (608) 257-0158 or www.mmoca.org or (608)204-9129www.artcraftwis.org.
July 15-18
Elkhart Lake
KohlerInternational ChallengeVintage Races
Drivingchampion Brian Redman hosts the world’s finest vintage race cars on one of theworld’s most spectacular road circuits. Ten race groups and 30 classes competeon the 4-mile track. Visit downtown Elkhart Lake to see cars ondisplay (free) on Friday and Saturday nights. Contact: (800) 365-7223 orwww.RoadAmerica.com.
July 24-25
Baraboo
Buffalo Bill’sWild West Show
Awild and wooly re-enactment of the famous Western show features cowboy trickriding, roping, shooting and an Annie Oakley shooting exhibition at CircusWorld. Contact: (608) 356-8341 or www.circusworldmuseum.com.
July 26-Aug. 1
Oshkosh
EAA AirVenture2010
Anythingmechanical that flies may show up for AirVenture, one of the greatest aviationgatherings in the world. See thousands of airplanes: home-built, antique,passenger jets, cargo planes and ultra-lights. Daily air shows featureWarbirds, home-builts and aerobatic exhibitions. EAA celebrates the 75thanniversary of the DC-3 with some 25 planes, likely the last time this manywill ever fly together. The legendary rock group Chicago performs July 26.Contact: (920) 426-4800 or www.airventure.org.
August
Early August
Green Bay
PackersTraining Camp
Someof the best Packer football action is free. Come to training camp workouts andwatch preseason team drills (the full schedule will be released later thissummer). Packer fans from around the world line the fences of Clarke HinkleField, east of Lambeau Field, to get an up-close look at favorite veterans, starsand rookies as they work to become a team of champions. Contact: (920) 569-7500or www.packerstrainingcamp.com.
Aug. 5-15
West Allis
WisconsinState Fair
Holsteins,cream puffs, Percherons, cotton candy, Hampshire lambs, dairy queens, racingpigs, rock bands, Tilt-O-Whirl, 200 food vendors, 700 exhibitors, a midway ofraging hormonesand more. Many events say they’ve got something for everybody,but the State Fair delivers. Contact: (800) 884-FAIR (3247) orwww.wistatefair.com.
Aug. 9-15
Haven
92nd PGA Championship
Oneof the four most prestigious annual professional golf tournaments, the PGAChampionship returns to Whistling Straits on the shore of Lake Michigan northof Sheboygan. The world’s premier players compete for the Wanamaker Trophy onPete Dye’s spectacular and challenging course. Tickets are on sale now. New for2010: Each ticketed adult may bring in four juniors (17 and under) free.Contact: (920) 565-4300 or www.pga.com/pgachampionship/2010.
Aug. 13-15
Green Bay
Baylake Bank Tall Ship Festival
GreenBay is one of only six ports in North America to host the 2010 Tall ShipFestival. Experience maritime life during tours and sailings on 12 vintagevessels, including Wisconsin’s own schooner, S/V Denis Sullivan. Contact: (920) 497-5664 orwww.tallshipgreenbay.com.
Aug. 28-29
MineralPoint-Blue Mounds-Madison
Bike Race andRide
OnAug. 28 a spectacular 75-mile off-road race “The Unnamed Epic” will bring up to800 riders to a major national biking event starting in Mineral Point andrunning across steep, rugged terrain in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area to BlueMounds. This area was included in the 2016 Chicago Olympic bid. On Sundayeveryone is invited to Madison to Ride the Drive (scenic John Nolen Drive alongLake Monona through downtown Madison) with Lance Armstrong. “Epic” contact: 431-0559 ext. 16 or www.unnamedepic.com; “Ride” contact: (608)266-6517 or www.cityofmadison.com/transportation/ridethedrive/about.cfm.
September
Sept. 3-4
Prairie du Sac
Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw
Graba chip and let ’er fly! The men’s record (Greg Neumaier, 1991) is 248 feet. Thewomen’s record (Terry Wallschlaeger, 2005) is 157 feet. Contact: (608) 643-4317and www.wiscowchip.com.
Sept. 3-4
Sheboygan
Dairyland Surf Classic
SurfCity, here we come! Sheboygan, aka “The Malibu of the Midwest,” has hostedfreshwater surfing events for 22 years. Surfing competition is Saturday andSunday mornings with music, food and family festivities all week. Contact:(800) 689-0290 or www.visitsheboygan.com.
Sept. 17-19
Monroe
Cheese Days
Heldevery two years, this amazing celebration features everything cheese and therich Swiss heritage of Green County. Sample cheeses, hear Swiss Alphorns andbells, see a Swiss fashion show, join a cooking class and watch the huge parade(Sunday at 12:30 p.m.). What a great way to wrap up summer and get ready forthe harvest season! Contact: (608)325-7771 or www.cheesedays.com.
Gary Knowles is a Madison-based travel writer and author of The GreatWisconsin Touring Book: 30 Spectacular Auto Tours.
