Wisconsin cities and towns celebrate the unofficial end of summer with numerous festivals and events. Some highlight the day itself, while others celebrate the dairy state's diverse culinary and cultural heritage.
The annual Labor Fest has marked the end of summer for more than two decades in the southern Wisconsin city of Janesville. A parade, live music, beer garden and family-friendly activities span the three-day celebration. The Labor Day Celebration & Merrill Lion’s Car Show in northern Wisconsin's Merrill is a one-day event with a morning parade, classic car show, farmer’s market and concessions. Redgranite, a former quarry town in central Wisconsin, has celebrated Labor Day for decades and currently offers a parade, arts and crafts, live music and food during three days in downtown Redgranite.
Sweet sounds of jazz flow through Steven’s Points downtown Pfiffner Park every Labor Day weekend at the annual Riverfront Jazz Festival. Touted as the largest outdoor jazz fest in central Wisconsin, the 2-day event is free to attendees. Eastern Wisconsin's Menasha has held its yearly Labor Day Fox Jazz Fest in Jefferson Park since 1994, where local high school jazz bands and regional artists showcase their talents on the shores of Lake Winnebago. In west-central Wisconsin's Alma, music, art and food come together at the Alma Music & Arts Festival. The one-day affair is free and is held on the Mississippi River at the Alma Beach & Marina.
New Glarus in south-central Wisconsin has celebrated its Swiss roots every Labor Day weekend since 1938 with the Wilhelm Tell Festival. Swiss playwright Friedrich Schiller’s “Wilhelm Tell” is performed at the event, which also includes local food and drink vendors, art fairs, yodeling, dancing and alpine horn playing. Celtic athletics and dancing are on display in Waukesha, just outside Milwaukee, at the annual Wisconsin Highland Games held at the Waukesha Expo Center. The Ho-Chunk Nation in Black River Falls, southwest Wisconsin, offers its biannual Pow-wow, which highlights crafts, dress, and drum dancing.
Madison’s Capital Square in southern Wisconsin turns into a culinary wonderland every Labor Day weekend during the Taste of Madison. Dozens of restaurants offer low-priced samples of their diverse fare to attendees, who can also enjoy live music and several beverage stands. Admission is free to the event. Near Lake Superior, the small northern Wisconsin town of Port Wing has held its annual Fish Boil on Labor Day weekend for more than 50 years. Boiled trout, lutefisk fish dishes, a farmer’s market and live music make it the town’s largest event.
