23 Events to Add to Your Summer Bucket List
Originally published on Milwaukee Magazine 5/30/23June
1. Downtown Dining Week
JUNE 1-8 | DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE
Enjoy lunch or dinner at some of Milwaukee’s top restaurants for a fraction of the price at this annual celebration.
2. Bay View Gallery Night
JUNE 2 | BAY VIEW
Dozens of Bay View hotspots become art galleries for this one-night event. Plan your path ahead of time to make sure you can catch your favorite artists and installations.
3. Highland Games
JUNE 3 | CROATIAN PARK
Celebrating the Scottish diaspora, the Highland Games bring the music, games and competitions of Scotland to Franklin. Expect bagpipes, Scottish eats, sheepdogs and a parade of tartans.
4. Pride Parade
JUNE 4 | SECOND STREET
The 19th annual Pride Parade returns to the streets of Walker’s Point for another outdoor spectacular. This year’s theme is “The Future is Ours,” where floats and participants imagine a brighter future for Milwaukee’s LGBTQ+ community.
Pride Parade; Photo by Visit Milwaukee
5. ART 64
JUNE 9-10 | WAUWATOSA VILLAGE
Wauwatosa’s two-day bracket-style interactive live painting competition is back. Artists compete head-to-head with the audience voting for a winner.
6. Frothy Forage
JUNE 10 | RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER
Hike through the forests, prairies and wetlands, while shopping for craft beer, wine and cider, all in an effort to support conservation education.
7. Brewtown Rumble
JUNE 11 | BOONE & CROCKETT
Hop on your ride and head over to the Brewtown Rumble at Boone & Crockett, where they are celebrating vintage bikes and motorcycle culture.
8. Tour of America’s Dairyland
JUNE 15-25 | MILWAUKEE AND SURROUNDING AREAS
The Tour of America’s Dairyland is an 11-day series of bicycle races around Wisconsin, including several in the Milwaukee area. Grab a chair and head to one of the race courses to cheer on nearly 1,000 novice and professional riders.
Photo courtesy of Tour of America’s Dairyland
9. 2023 Strawberry Festival
JUNE 24-25 | CEDARBURG
Southeastern Wisconsin’s favorite berry-based festival returns for two days of live music, marketplaces, kids activities, rubber duck races and many, many strawberry-based delicacies.
July
10. Fourth of July Fireworks
JULY 4 • MILWAUKEE COUNTY PARKS
Celebrate Independence Day with a bang! Catch the fireworks show at one of 10 Milwaukee County parks.
11. Harley-Davidson 120th Anniversary Homecoming
JULY 13-16 | VETERANS PARK
The folks at Harley-Davidson are planning a huge four-day party for this massive milestone. Performers include the Foo Fighters, Green Day, Cody Jinks, Social Distortion, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts and more.
Harley-Davidson rally; Photo by Visit Milwaukee
12. Bastille Days
JULY 13-16 | CATHEDRAL SQUARE PARK
Bastille Days is back to add a little je ne sais quoi to your summer festivities. Cathedral Square transforms into a petite Paris for a weekend of French food, music, activities, live performances and more.
13. Lavender Fest
JULY 15 | VILLAGE PARK
Make sure you stop to smell the roses – or in this case the lavender – at this third annual community festival in Menomonee Falls. Enjoy all things lavender, scent, color and flavor, as you stroll through the fields of vendors.
14. Gallery Night & Day
JULY 21-22 | MILWAUKEE DOWNTOWN
Check out exhibitions from established and up-and-coming artists. Gallery Night & Day gives spectators a chance to look to the other side of the canvas, meet artists and view studio spaces.
15. Milwaukee Air & Water Show
JULY 22-23 | MILWAUKEE LAKEFRONT
Eyes to the skies for the annual Air & Water Show. The F/A-18s of the Navy’s Blue Angels are headlining, featuring their first female fighter pilot in over 76 years, Lt. Amanda Lee.
Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee Air & Water Show
16. Riverwest 24
JULY 28-29 | RIVERWEST
Known as the “People’s Holiday,” this round-the-clock summer event is a bike race, complete with “checkpoint” activities that range from singing karaoke to getting a tattoo. The fun isn’t just for riders; come down to join in on the festivities for one raucous 24 hours.
17. Milwaukee Brewfest
JULY 29 | MCKINLEY PARK
Your ticket comes with unlimited samples of craft beers, ciders, wines, seltzers and meads from around the world. There’s plenty of water, and food will also be available to purchase.
August
18. Wisconsin State Fair
AUG. 3-13 | STATE FAIR PARK
Cream puffs, deep-fried Oreos and strawberry milk – the Wisconsin State Fair returns with all your favorite indulgent bites. Stroll the grounds to enjoy carnival rides, livestock competitions, shopping and live music from Tommy James and the Shondells, REO Speedwagon, Alabama and more.
The Giant Slide at State Fair; Photo by Brianna Schubert
19. Black Arts Fest MKE
AUG. 5 | HENRY MAIER FESTIVAL PARK
Spend the day on the lakefront soaking in art, music, poetry, fashion and a whole lot more. This multi-generational fest is all about pride for African ancestry. Food and shopping is also a big part of the celebration.
20. Bronzeville Week
AUG. 5-12 | BRONZEVILLE
The 12th Annual Bronzeville Week celebrates African American culture, history, art, commerce and entertainment in Milwaukee and beyond. The historic Bronzeville neighborhood fills with live music and art, a run/walk, block parties, live speakers, tons of entertainment and more.
21. A La Carte at the Zoo
AUG. 17-20 | MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO
Bring the family together for a unique blend of dining and animal spectatorship. Meander through the elephants, zebras and giraffes while noshing on your favorite bites from local restaurants.
A la Carte at the Zoo; Photo courtesy of Milwaukee County Zoo
22. Art & Chalk Fest
AUG. 19-20 | WEST BEND
Regional chalk artists head to West Bend to share their large-scale works, created live in front of the audience. In addition to several giant art portraits, spectators can watch a glass-blowing demo, get a caricature drawing, or see live ceramists making forms on the pottery wheel.
23. Oconomowoc Festival of the Arts
AUG. 19-20 | FOWLER PARK
Oconomowoc has hosted the annual Festival of the Arts for over 50 years! More than 130 artists will be featured with a large variety of art mediums. There will also be a silent art auction, interactive children’s area and live entertainment.
