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This weekend in Milwaukee is shaping up to be significantly quieter than last weekend, but there’s still plenty to do. The Wisconsin State Fair kicks off on Friday, featuring bizarre foods, live music and plenty of family-friendly activities. Bronzeville Week, a celebration of Milwaukee arts, culture and commerce in the Bronzeville neighborhood, also begins this weekend. And if you like to get weird, MobCraft Beer is celebrating its 11th anniversary with Weird Fest – an outdoor event featuring live wrestling, live music and plenty of beer.
August 2-11: Wisconsin State Fair
The Wisconsin State Fair is celebrating 173 years of tradition and will feature all of the bizarre foods, live music and agriculture exhibits that make the state fair one of Milwaukee’s most popular summertime events. The fair is bringing some fresh entertainment this year, such as Keys Karaoke, a new karaoke spot where guests can flex their vocal capabilities. The fair is also offering a new daily $11 Meal Deal featuring more than 30 offerings from fan-favorite State Fair vendors. Try some of the new menu items, such as the Alligator Taco or the Blue Cheese Bacon Dog, and catch performances by TLC, Yung Gravy and Charlie Berens on the State Fair Main Stage. Admission to the Wisconsin State Fair is $18. The State Fair will be open Sunday through Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to midnight. For more information, visit the Wisconsin State Fair’s website.
August 2-4: Das Fest Wisconsin
Billed as the “Ultimate Oktoberfest Preparty,” Das Fest Wisconsin is a German American festival held at the Bavarian Bierhaus – Milwaukee’s original Oktoberfest grounds. This three-day event features dozens of bands, authentic German food and beer, Dachshund and Corgi races and more. Try your hand at the Stein Hoisting competition, or check out the many shopping opportunities. Admission to Das Fest Wisconsin is free. The festival will run Friday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Das Fest Wisconsin website.
August 3-10: Bronzeville Week
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Bronzeville Week, an annual celebration of Milwaukee arts, culture and commerce in the Bronzeville neighborhood, is celebrating its 13th year and will see the return of popular local favorite activities as well as some new events. Returning this year is the HaRUNbee 5k Run/Walk for Healthy Birth Outcomes, the Bronzeville Cultural & Arts Festival, the Bronzeville Sleepover for Education and more. New this year is the Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy Community BBQ and the Bronzeville: Comedy and Karaoke Takeover. In addition to the many special events taking place, the public has the opportunity to help paint the towering wooden letters that spell out “Bronzeville” along W. North Avenue. For more information, read the Bronzeville Week press release.
August 3: Wisconsin IPA Fest
Calling all hop heads – Wisconsin IPA Fest will feature IPAs from over 40 breweries. This includes hundreds of beers to sample, food trucks, live music and more. Attendees will cast their vote for the People’s Choice award and can eat from a number of food trucks including Picos’ Tacos, Tots on the Street, Pig Tailz and more. The festival will also feature activities such as a Make Your Own T-Shirt Station. General Admission to the festival is $55 and includes a Wisconsin IPA Fest sampling glass and unlimited beer sampling. The festival will take place at Third Space Brewing and will run from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. VIP tickets are available as well. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Third Space Brewing website.
August 3: Black Arts Fest
Black Arts Fest, the annual family-fun festival celebrating African heritage and Black cultural arts, will take place at the Summerfest grounds and will feature live music, panel discussions, artist talkbacks and more. This year’s festival theme is “Doing it for the culture,” a message meant to reflect the importance and impact of Black culture. Catch live performances by Jarvis Redd or James Fortune & FIYA, or experience the Divine 9 Party Roll Call, a celebration of nine historically Black sororities and fraternities. General Admission is $20 and the festival will run from noon to 10 p.m. For more information, visit the Black Arts Fest MKE website.
August 3: Weird Fest
MobCraft Beer is celebrating its 11th birthday with Weird Fest, an outdoor celebration featuring live music, wrestling and special beer releases. Check out live music from Cozy Danger, Jump the Bluff and Dad Strength, and try special beers such as the Bloody Mary Brunch, a Bloody Mary-inspired Pilsner. Mob Craft is celebrating its 11th anniversary with a Barrel-Aged Crush Smoothie-Style beer. And to top it all off, Mondo Lucha Wrestling will be bringing its unique brand of entertainment to the festival across six different wrestling matches. The festival is free to attend and will run from 11:30 a..m. to 7:30 p.m.