The 18 Best Small-Town Wisconsin Festivals You’ve Never Heard Of

The best small-town festivals in Wisconsin mean a lot to us. Maybe it's because we only get so many warmer months; but here in the Badger State, we sure love just about any reason to have fun. We'll celebrate anything if it gives us a chance to be outside. Sure, Milwaukee is known as the City of Festivals, but you don't have to head there to find some great food, fun, and friends this year. Here are some of the best small-town events held in Wisconsin. Put on your stretchy pants and get ready to enjoy the best we have to offer.

1. Taylor County Lions and Lioness Maple Fest, Medford: April 27, 2024

For more than a decade, this one-day festival starts off with a delicious pancake breakfast. Maple syrup judging, cooking and baking contests, demonstrations, and how to tap a tree are on the schedule. Discover more on the Taylor County Lions Maple Fest website.

2. Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival, Muscoda: May 18, 2024

Eat more than your fair share of this delicacy, whether fried or in a brat, at the 43rd annual festival celebrating mushrooms. An antique and farm tractor pull, a flea market, a horseshoes tournament, bounce houses, and a chili cookoff highlight the schedule. Further details are listed on the Muscoda Morel Mushroom Festival Facebook page.

3. Sparta Butterfest, Sparta: June 6-9, 2024

It only makes sense that America's Dairyland celebrates butter going on 40 years. Help honor one of our best products with a parade, royalty, rides, a softball tournament, a cornhole contest and so much more at one of the best small-town festivals. For further information, visit the Sparta Butterfest website.

4. Walleye Weekend, Fond du Lac: June 7-9, 2024

This fisherman's paradise festival features contests for everyone, bingo, three different live music stages, and all the walleye you could ever want. Find the schedule on the Walleye Weekend website.

5. Osceola Rhubarb Fest: June 8, 2024

This small-town carnival and celebration of the lovely rhubarb plant kicks off with a scrumptious pancake breakfast. It also features train rides, a duckathon, a movie night, a bake-off, and more. Read all about it on the Osceola Rhubarb Fest Facebook page.

6. Beer, Bacon, and Cheese Festival, New Glarus: June 8, 2024

Three of the best things in the world combine in one of the most quaint towns in Wisconsin in June. A limited number of wristbands get you all the samples you could ever want and access to the Polka Tent. Find more details on the Beer, Bacon, and Cheese Festival website.

7. Frederic Family Days, Frederic: June 13-16, 2024

This summer festival offers fun for the entire family with good eats, beverage vendors, a classic car show, and a fantastic fireworks display. For more information, visit the Frederic Family Days web page.

8. Czech-Slovak Festival, Phillips: June 14-15, 2024

The event begins on Friday evening with a Military Honor Guard and special music at the Phillips First Baptist Church. The festival opens on Saturday at Elk Lake Park where you'll find such authentic treats as kolache, jaternice, Czech sausage, and sauerkraut.

Discover more about this cultural event on the Czech-Slovak Festival website.

9. Cheese Curd Festival, Ellsworth: June 21-22, 2024

Ellsworth is the Cheese Curd Capital of the World and this festival celebrates Wisconsin's favorite squeaky snack. Live music, cooking demos, a sweet dessert curd and more await you at this delicious festival. Same some 30+ craft beers, ciders, and local wines; see a car show, and shop the vendor marketplace. Learn more on the Cheese Curd Festival website.

10. Chalkfest, Wausau: June 22-23, 2024

This artful celebration transforms the 400 block sidewalks into an epic display of drawings. Since 2004, this annual art festival has highlighted artists of all ages while impressing the observers. Watch the creation process and be amazed by the end result.

Read more details on the Chalkfest web page.

11. St. Lucy's Festival, Racine: July 12-14, 2024

Take part in the silent auctions, the Mighty Meat Sweepstakes, the Grand Prize Sweepstakes, a rummage sale, and live entertainment. For further details, visit the St. Lucy's Festival web page.

12. Venetian Festival: Lake Geneva: Aug. 14-18, 2024

Lake Geneva takes advantage of its lake property with a boat parade, a water ski show, live music and a beer tent, a carnival, a boat parade, scrumptious eats, and fireworks at this 62nd annual festival. See what's in store on the Venetian Festival website.

13. Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw & Festival, Prairie du Sac: Aug. 30-31, 2024

In 1975, the Sauk Prairie Jaycees recognized the Sauk Prairie area as the Cow Chip Capital of Wisconsin and organized the first State Cow Chip Throw. Over the years, this light-hearted tradition has grown into a huge event. Participate in the Town of Chips Parade, dance to the live music, enjoy a Cow Chip Breakfast, shop the Arts and Crafts Fair, and bring your kids, because plenty of fun is offered for them too. Find out more on the Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw & Festival website.

14. Festivale Italiano, Hurley: Aug. 31, 2024

Celebrate with us Italian-style at one of the best small-town events with tons of great food, a craft fair, live music, and tournaments. Follow the Festivale Italiano web page for updates.

15. Pardeeville Watermelon Festival, Pardeeville: Sept. 7, 2024

This fun-filled event that's all about the melon has taken place on the first Saturday after Labor Day since 1968. Home to the U. S. Watermelon Speed-Eating and Seed-Spitting Championships, Inc., you know where you should be on Sept. 7 - in beautiful Chandler Park. For further details, visit the Pardeeville Watermelon Festival website.

16. Bacon Bash, River Falls: Sept. 27-28, 2024

They call this two-day festival "pork-tacular" and they aren't kidding. Eat all the bacon-flavored things you'd never even imagined, including bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, bacon-infused mac and cheese, and maple-bacon donuts. Enjoy pig races, the pet costume parade, kid's eating, pig wing eating, pig calling/impersonation contests, the quirky official Pig Pardon, "When Pigs Fly" (plush pigs are flung from the rooftops), and "When Pigs Float" (plastic pigs float down the Kinnickinnic River). Watch for 2024 updates on the Bacon Bash web page.

17. Beef-A-Rama, Minocqua: Sept. 28, 2024

Part beef cookoff, part wonderful and silly small-town festival, this one's for you every last Saturday in September. Be one of the 12,000 people who attend this celebration of meat in the streets of downtown Minocqua. Watch the parade, participate in the 5- and 10K Rump Roast Runs, listen to the live music, and of course, eat all of the roast beef sandwiches you can get down your gullet. For more details, visit the Beef-A-Rama website.

18. Bayfield Apple Festival, Bayfield: Oct. 4-6, 2024

Welcome fall with this 62nd annual festival, featuring an apple peeling contest, a parade down historic Rittenhouse Avenue on Sunday, a fish fry, live music, a beer garden, more than 60 orchards, and a farmers market. It's been called one of the best fall festivals in the country! See the schedule on the Bayfield Apple Festival website.

Best small-town festivals in Wisconsin are worth adding to your activities. Have you been to any on the list? Which one was your favorite? Please let us know in the comments below.

For more adventures in the state, check out these 14 out-of-this-world summer day trips to take in Wisconsin. And get some help from our Ultimate Road Trip Packing List.

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