Food Festivals 2021
May
-
(May 15 – 16)Morel Mushroom Festival
Muscoda, WIThis town along the Wisconsin River calls itself the Morel Mushroom Capital of Wisconsin. There's a Sunday parade plus a car show, fireworks, helicopter rides, a chainsaw-carving show and microbrew tasting.
-
(May 28 – 31)World's Largest Brat Fest
Madison, WIThere's music on four stages, plus kids' games, a sports zone, carnival rides and Sunday fireworks. Headliners include Smash Mouth. Admission is free. Outside the Alliant Energy Center.
June
-
(Jun 3 – 6)Milk Days
Harvard, ILThe festival in this small town just south of Lake Geneva, Wis., is the longest running in the state. There are milk-drinking contests, milking demonstrations, cow-chip lotto, bed races and a parade Saturday.
-
(Jun 4 – 6)Great Wisconsin Cheese Festival
Little Chute, WIThis Fox Cities festival includes cheese-curd eating, cheese-carving and cheesecake contests and a 10:30 a.m. Saturday cheese parade.
-
(Jun 5)Rhubarb Festival
Lanesboro, MN
-
(Jun 26 – 27)Strawberry Festival
Cedarburg, WIDuring this popular event in an old mill town north of Milwaukee, there's music, kids' games, a rubber-duck race, shortcake-eating and bubblegum-blowing contests and strawberries in everything — brats, wine, slush.
July
-
(Jul 3 – 10)National Cherry Festival
Traverse City, MIThis town on Lake Michigan attracts half a million people to events that include air shows, an arts fair, music, races, the big Cherry Royale Parade and many contests, including pie-eating and pit-spitting.
-
(Jul 23 – 25)Pierogi Fest
Whiting, INThis suburb of Chicago exalts the plump Eastern European dumplings, filled with cheese, mashed potatoes or sauerkraut, with pierogi-eating and -tossing contests, a Mr. Pierogi songfest and a Polka Parade.
-
(Jul 23 – 25)Taste of Wisconsin
Kenosha, WIThis free harborfront festival features locally produced specialties as well as cooking demonstrations, gardening workshops and music on three stages.
-
(Jul 30)Blueberry Festival
Marquette, MIEat blueberry pizza and drink blueberry beer while listening to live music and watching dancers and medieval armored combat. There are also pony rides and games for kids.
August
-
(Aug. 6)Pie Day
Braham, MNMinnesota's official Pie Capital near Cambridge holds pie-eating contests, a pie trivia contest and performances of the Pie-Alleuia Chorus.
-
(Aug. 6 – 7)Brat Days
Sheboygan, WIThis town on Lake Michigan is sausage central. There's music, a carnival, beer and, of course, a brat-eating contest. The parade is Saturday.
-
(Aug. 12 – 15)National Blueberry Festival
South Haven, MIEat until you're blue in the face during the festival in this Lake Michigan beach town. There's a pie-eating contest, riverfront concerts, an arts fair and a big parade on Saturday.
-
(Aug. 12 – 15)Sweet Corn Festival
Mendota, ILThe festival in this town between Rochelle and La Salle features nearly 50 tons of free buttered corn, live music, a flea market, a carnival and a parade.
-
(Aug. 27 – 28)Potato Days
Barnesville, MNThis goofy central-Minnesota festival features mashed-potato wrestling, a golden potato hunt, potato car races, peeling and eating contests and a Saturday parade.
September
-
(Sep. 4 – 5)Taste of Madison
Madison, WIThis free benefit festival on Capitol Square includes 200 menu items from more than 80 restaurants, all priced at $1-$4. There's also music on three stages.
-
(Sep. 17 – 19)Cheese Days
Monroe, WIThis festival is held every other year in the capital of cheese country, the home of Swiss Colony and the last Limburger factory. There's a cow-milking contest, yodeling, dancing, tours and a big parade Sunday.
-
(Sep. 24 – 26)Apple Festival
Gays Mills, WIThere'll be arts and crafts and music in this southwest Wisconsin village. The big parade is Sunday.