Milwaukee Area Harvest Festivals for the Whole Family

Fall is a magical time in Wisconsin, from the blazing oranges and yellows on the trees to the crisp bite of an apple fresh from the orchard. Embrace all of it with these Milwaukee-area harvest festivals, sure to be an autumnal blast for the entire family.

Harvest Fair | Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis

Ever built your own scarecrow? At Harvest Fair, it’s a seasonal tradition! Grab a plaid shirt, some old jeans, and stuff them full of straw to create your very own fall friend. Take your scarecrow home to show off in the yard—or let it keep watch while you dive back into the fun. Challenge your crew to a round of pumpkin bowling, cheer on the pros at the lumberjack shows, or sing your heart out with live bands and karaoke. Feeling adventurous? Hop on one of the rides for a whole new view of the fairgrounds. There are even gentle rides perfect for the little ones.

Milwaukee Public Market Harvest Festival | Milwaukee

Celebrate the Milwaukee Public Market’s birthday with the spot’s free annual Harvest Festival. Located just across the street from the market, in Riverwalk Commons, you’ll enjoy live music while carving pumpkins, building scarecrows and tasting apple cider made from an antique cranked handpress. Get your face painted (kids and adults!) and then stop by local vendors and food trucks so you can truly get a taste of Milwaukee. If you’ve still got energy for shopping after, head on over to the Public Market to try even more local food and drink.

Fall Festival | Oak Creek

Don your favorite costume and get in line for the costume parade at Oak Creek’s annual Fall Festival. The free event happens in Drexel Town Square and coincides with the last farmers’ market of the season. Take a hayride through Emerald Preserve and learn about how they incorporate wildlife habitat in an urban setting, then get lost in an inflatable corn maze before feeding actual corn to animals at the on-site petting zoo.

Cider Sunday | Franklin

Apple lovers rejoice at Wehr Nature Center’s annual Cider Sunday, where the theme is apples, apples, cider and more apples. Follow an apple-themed story stroll while you take in the changing colors of the leaves or try to beat your friends at a sensory scavenger hunt. Make sure to try all the apple snacks and fresh cider before you leave!

Great Pumpkin Festival | Whitefish Bay

Whitefish Bay’s Great Pumpkin Festival truly captures the spirit of the community by making everyone part of the fun. Stop by Old Schoolhouse Park earlier in the week to pick up a pumpkin, then let creativity go wild, carving it at home. Bring it back to the park before the festival and it’ll be included in a glowing pumpkin display throughout the week. Don’t worry if you don’t feel like carving a pumpkin, you can still enjoy the display while enjoying live music and food vendors.

Shorewood Feast | Shorewood

What better way to celebrate the harvest than to indulge in all its flavors at a harvest feast? Shorewood’s annual street festival gives you nearly two dozen opportunities to try in-season food from local chefs. Get a balloon animal to carry along with you for the sampling — you can even get your face painted to look like a harvest-time vegetable or plant. Want a more organized meal? Grab a ticket to the Harvest Dinner, where guest chefs will serve 125 people in the middle of Oakland Avenue.