Discover the awe in autumn at one of Wisconsin’s unbeatable fall festivals. From food festivities to seasonal delights, there’s a lot to celebrate. Here’s to making fall festival memories.
A long-standing tradition at the Green County Cheese Days
Delve in Wisconsin’s cheesemaking excellence at the Green County Cheese Days.Established 110 years ago, Cheese Days touts the title of the Midwest’s oldest food festival.The beloved festival, which is held every two years, returns Sept. 20-22 and turns Monroe into a pilgrimage for cheese, Swiss culture and good times.
You’ll savor delicious bites, from grilled cheese on a stick and Mexican street corn to cheesy popcorn and traditional Swiss cheese like Raclette. Cheese Days has plenty of musical acts and activities to keep you entertained.This includes master yodelers, alphorn performances, a cow milking contest and a grand parade led by a herd of brown Swiss cows!
Be sure to attend the Green County Cheese Days on Saturday, Sept. 21.Festival organizers are attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the world’s biggest polka dance, and they need your help!
Shift your fall plans into high gear at Road America (Sheboygan County)
Travel to Elkhart Lake the weekend of Sept. 13-15 for a little rumble and roar in your fall plans.The Ariens Art on Wheels Vintage Weekend is an exhilarating festival hosted by Road America.
You’ll experience three days of vintage racing at the iconic racetrack.More than 300 vintage and historic racecars, spanning 11 racing classes, will entertain spectators.Get up close and personal with the mesmerizing machines, too.The car paddock is open for the public to visit, offering a unique experience to check out the classic cars.With a variety of concessions and camping on site, you can soak in a weekend of racing action without having to leave Road America.
A porktacular celebration in River Falls (Pierce County)
In western Wisconsin, you’ll find a fall festival that fully embraces Wisconsin’s spirited nature. Visit the city of River Falls on Sept. 27-28 for the Bacon Bash. The annual event is a celebration of community, festivities and, of course, bacon.
Sample delicious dishes incorporating the meat like maple bacon donuts, bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers and pork belly bites. In between bites, dance along to musicians playing everything from country to the blues and enjoy other themed activities. That includes bacon-eating contests, kids’ activities and more. Bacon Bash will leave you feeling as happy as a pig in mud.
Picture-perfect pumpkins in Nekoosa (Wood County)
Check out the behemoths of the season at the Nekoosa Giant Pumpkin Festival. Taking place Oct. 5-6, you’ll marvel at massive pumpkins, which skilled growers having been tending all summer and fall.
Check out the weigh-off competition, where some of the pumpkins can clock in as big as a ton! The kids will love the pumpkin rolling contest, where they’ll pick the perfectly shaped pumpkin to cross the finish line first. Keep busy by admiring a car show, enjoying carnival rides, snacking your way through the food court and more.
Make sure to visit for the signature moment of the festival — the pumpkin drop. A crane hoists a massive pumpkin 100 feet up in the air and releases it, sending the pumpkin plummeting to the ground. Join the mass of spectators who rush in after the crash to collect the pumpkin seeds from the remains.
Start your fall getaway at TravelWisconsin.com
