×
It's never too early to start planning your summer. Each summer Milwaukee offers dozens of outdoor celebrations, many of them free, almost all of them cheap, including the world's largest music festival and a host of ethnic festivals and street parties. We've compiled this calendar of the city's biggest summer events, which we'll keep updated throughout the season as more festivals announce their dates and lineups. See how many you can squeeze into your summer this year.
Friday, June 6
Pridefest
Summerfest Grounds
Wisconsin's largest LGBT celebration. (Through June 8)
Rockerbox
Plymouth, Wis.
A biker festival for the moto-minded and gear-headed. This year with a new location. (Through June 8)
Saturday, June 7
3rd Annual Art Walk on Brady
Brady Street
An art walk on one of Milwaukee's most culture-rich streets.
Sunday, June 8
Locust Street Festival
Locust Street
Now in its 38th year, this massive all-neighborhood blowout in Riverwest features more than 30 bands on six stages as well as a 100 arts and crafts booths. As always, it will kick off with a traditional 1.8 mile Beer Run/Walk.
Friday, June 13
Polish Fest
Summerfest Grounds
All things Polish at the lakefront, and the first of the summer's many major ethnic festivals. (Through June 15)
Friday, June 20
Lakefront Festival of Art
Milwaukee Art Museum
Art, music, wine and food, on the lake. (Through June 20)
Saturday, June 21
Summer Soulstice Music Festival
North Avenue
A distinctly East Side spin on the typical summer festival, with an emphasis on music, food and extreme sports.
Sunday, June 22
Scandanavian Midsommar Celebration at Old World Wisconsin
Old World Third Street
Show some love for Scandinavia.
Wednesday, June 25
Summerfest
Milwaukee, Wis.
Surely you've heard of this one. An entire summer's worth of music and feasting packed into eleven crazy days. Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Outkast, Fall Out Boy and Usher are among the many headliners.
Saturday, June 28
Burnhearts/Pabst Street Party
Potter Avenue
This Bay View block party features music from headliners Sylvan Esso and Brothers By Choice, an arts and craft fair, food from Goodkind, Classic Slice and Honeypie, and refreshments including Korbel brandy slushes and, of course, Pabst.
Strawberry Festival
Cedarburg, Wis.
Craving a strawberry brat? This is your chance. (Also June 29)
Thursday, July 10
Bastille Days
Cathedral Square Park
A celebration of France, right Downtown. Complete with an actual Bastille. (Through July 13)
Friday, July 11
South Shore Frolics
South Shore Park
An old fashioned South Side tradition. Fish fries, fireworks, classic cars, Americana everywhere.
Friday, July 18
Festa Italiana
Summerfest Grounds
Stuff yourself silly on some of the best food in the world. (Through July 20)
Saturday, July 19
Port Fish Day
Port Washington, Wis.
The world's largest one-day outdoor fish fry.
Friday, July 25
German Fest
Summerfest Grounds
German beer, German food, German music. It's a party.
Saturday, July 26
Brady Street Festival
Brady Street
Just a typical day on Brady Street, only with even crazier amounts of food, music and shopping and a wrestling ring.
Thursday, July 31
Wisconsin State Fair
Wisconsin State Fair Park
Food, animals, music, the works. You could go every day and still not experience everything. (Through Aug. 10)
Saturday, Aug. 2
Center Street Daze
Center Street
A celebration of all things Riverwest. The festival, which usually occurs in the chilliest stretches of fall, has moved up to a day that promises warmer weather.
Saturday, Aug. 3
African World Festival
Summerfest Grounds
The beloved festival celebrates 32 years this summer.
Friday, Aug. 8
Arab World Festival
Summerfest Grounds
This is one of the largest celebrations of Arab American culture in the entire country. (Through Aug. 10)
Thursday, Aug. 14
Irish Fest
Summerfest Grounds
One of the most popular of Milwaukee's many ethnic festivals, Irish Fest promises a long weekend of food, drink and dance, with a world-class lineup of Celtic musicians. (Through Aug. 17)
Friday, Aug. 22
Mexican Fiesta
Summerfest Grounds
A bustling celebration of Latin culture. (Through Aug 24)
Thursday, Aug. 28
Milwaukee Rally
multiple locations
The largest free motorcycle rally in the Midwest. (Through Sept. 1)
Friday, Aug. 29
The Wisconsin Highland Games
Waukesha Expo Center
A weekend-long competition. (Through Aug. 31)
Saturday, Aug. 30
Third Ward Art Festival
Third Ward
A weekend of art in one of Milwaukee's most art-minded districts. (Also Aug. 31)
Friday, Sept. 5
Indian Summer Festival
Summerfest Grounds
The unofficial beginning of fall for many Milwaukeeans.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Rock The Green
Milwaukee, Wis.
It's back: a greener spin on the traditional outdoor music festival.
Bay View Bash
Kinnickinnic Ave.
Music, food, shopping and games on one of the city's most bustling main streets.
Friday, June 6
Pridefest
Summerfest Grounds
Wisconsin's largest LGBT celebration. (Through June 8)
Rockerbox
Plymouth, Wis.
A biker festival for the moto-minded and gear-headed. This year with a new location. (Through June 8)
Saturday, June 7
3rd Annual Art Walk on Brady
Brady Street
An art walk on one of Milwaukee's most culture-rich streets.
Sunday, June 8
Locust Street Festival
Locust Street
Now in its 38th year, this massive all-neighborhood blowout in Riverwest features more than 30 bands on six stages as well as a 100 arts and crafts booths. As always, it will kick off with a traditional 1.8 mile Beer Run/Walk.
Friday, June 13
Polish Fest
Summerfest Grounds
All things Polish at the lakefront, and the first of the summer's many major ethnic festivals. (Through June 15)
Friday, June 20
Lakefront Festival of Art
Milwaukee Art Museum
Art, music, wine and food, on the lake. (Through June 20)
Saturday, June 21
Summer Soulstice Music Festival
North Avenue
A distinctly East Side spin on the typical summer festival, with an emphasis on music, food and extreme sports.
Sunday, June 22
Scandanavian Midsommar Celebration at Old World Wisconsin
Old World Third Street
Show some love for Scandinavia.
Wednesday, June 25
Summerfest
Milwaukee, Wis.
Surely you've heard of this one. An entire summer's worth of music and feasting packed into eleven crazy days. Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Outkast, Fall Out Boy and Usher are among the many headliners.
Saturday, June 28
Burnhearts/Pabst Street Party
Potter Avenue
This Bay View block party features music from headliners Sylvan Esso and Brothers By Choice, an arts and craft fair, food from Goodkind, Classic Slice and Honeypie, and refreshments including Korbel brandy slushes and, of course, Pabst.
Strawberry Festival
Cedarburg, Wis.
Craving a strawberry brat? This is your chance. (Also June 29)
Thursday, July 10
Bastille Days
Cathedral Square Park
A celebration of France, right Downtown. Complete with an actual Bastille. (Through July 13)
Friday, July 11
South Shore Frolics
South Shore Park
An old fashioned South Side tradition. Fish fries, fireworks, classic cars, Americana everywhere.
Friday, July 18
Festa Italiana
Summerfest Grounds
Stuff yourself silly on some of the best food in the world. (Through July 20)
Saturday, July 19
Port Fish Day
Port Washington, Wis.
The world's largest one-day outdoor fish fry.
Friday, July 25
German Fest
Summerfest Grounds
German beer, German food, German music. It's a party.
Saturday, July 26
Brady Street Festival
Brady Street
Just a typical day on Brady Street, only with even crazier amounts of food, music and shopping and a wrestling ring.
Thursday, July 31
Wisconsin State Fair
Wisconsin State Fair Park
Food, animals, music, the works. You could go every day and still not experience everything. (Through Aug. 10)
Saturday, Aug. 2
Center Street Daze
Center Street
A celebration of all things Riverwest. The festival, which usually occurs in the chilliest stretches of fall, has moved up to a day that promises warmer weather.
Saturday, Aug. 3
African World Festival
Summerfest Grounds
The beloved festival celebrates 32 years this summer.
Friday, Aug. 8
Arab World Festival
Summerfest Grounds
This is one of the largest celebrations of Arab American culture in the entire country. (Through Aug. 10)
Thursday, Aug. 14
Irish Fest
Summerfest Grounds
One of the most popular of Milwaukee's many ethnic festivals, Irish Fest promises a long weekend of food, drink and dance, with a world-class lineup of Celtic musicians. (Through Aug. 17)
Friday, Aug. 22
Mexican Fiesta
Summerfest Grounds
A bustling celebration of Latin culture. (Through Aug 24)
Thursday, Aug. 28
Milwaukee Rally
multiple locations
The largest free motorcycle rally in the Midwest. (Through Sept. 1)
Friday, Aug. 29
The Wisconsin Highland Games
Waukesha Expo Center
A weekend-long competition. (Through Aug. 31)
Saturday, Aug. 30
Third Ward Art Festival
Third Ward
A weekend of art in one of Milwaukee's most art-minded districts. (Also Aug. 31)
Friday, Sept. 5
Indian Summer Festival
Summerfest Grounds
The unofficial beginning of fall for many Milwaukeeans.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Rock The Green
Milwaukee, Wis.
It's back: a greener spin on the traditional outdoor music festival.
Bay View Bash
Kinnickinnic Ave.
Music, food, shopping and games on one of the city's most bustling main streets.
