Three Lakefront Festivals To Choose From

Photo courtesy of the Water Lantern Festival.

You know it’s summertime in Milwaukee when a majority of the events mentioned in this article have the word “festival” in their name. And while it can be difficult deciding which festival you want to go to, that’s where we come in. If you’re looking for delicious traditional Polish eats, check out Polish Fest, America’s largest festival of its kind. If you’re looking to spend your Saturday listening to Milwaukee bands, head down to the East Side for Summer Soulstice. And if you’re looking to spend some time by the lake, check out either the Lakefront Festival of Art or Water Lantern Festival.

June 12-14: Lakefront Festival of Art

The Milwaukee Art Museum’s galleries will extend to the outdoor grounds this weekend as part of the Lakefront Festival of Art. Set to the backdrop of Lake Michigan, 145 juried artists from all over the country will show off their work. The festival will also feature live performances from acts like Field Report and The Belle Weather, and guests can participate in art-making zones and pop-up markets. Lakefront Festival of Art will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. General admission is $27 and includes admission to the Milwaukee Art Museum. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Art Museum’s website.

June 12-14: Polish Fest

America’s largest Polish festival is back, bringing traditional Polish food, music, exhibits and more to the Henry Maier Festival Park. Enjoy a variety of Polish sausages and pierogies, participate in vodka tasting and purchase Polish goods from the Sukiennice Marketplace. There’s also plenty of live polka and a fashion show to check out. Polish Fest will run from noon to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Sunday. To purchase tickets and for more information, visit the Polish Fest website.

June 13: Summer Soulstice

Six stages will pop up on the East Side as part of Summer Soulstice, a street festival that will feature over 25 performers. While past years have shut down a stretch of North Ave. for this festival, this year will be set up a little differently. North Ave. will be open to traffic, but N. Murray Ave., E. Ivanhoe Pl., Farwell Ave and E. Kenilworth Pl. will host live music, shops, activities and more. Stop by Black Cat Alley, where a lineup of DJs will keep the vibes up throughout the festival. Summer Soulstice is free to attend and will run from noon to midnight. To see the complete lineup, visit the Summer Soulstice website.

June 12-13: HartFest

Wauwatosa is celebrating 30 years of HartFest, a free outdoor party that takes place every year at Hart Park. HartFest will feature live music, food trucks, outdoor activities and more. Guests can catch performances by The LoveMonkeys and The Gufs and participate in cornhole and pickleball tournaments. It’s also the fourth year of Bunzel’s BBQ Cookoff, where guests can vote for their favorite eats (this is a separately ticketed activity). HartFest will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit the Wauwatosa Village website.

June 13: Water Lantern Festival

Lake Michigan will light up with hundreds of lanterns this weekend as part of the annual Milwaukee Water Lantern Festival. Starting at 5:30 p.m., guests can arrive and receive a lantern kit. After enjoying live music and food, those lanterns will then be released onto the lake at sunset. Tickets to the event are $35 and include festival access and a lantern kit. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Milwaukee Lantern Festival’s website.

June 14: VeganMania Milwaukee

Milwaukee’s best vegan restaurants will gather at Greenfield Park For VeganMania Milwaukee, a free event that raises funds for farm sanctuaries and other animal-focused nonprofit organizations. On top of enjoying plenty of vegan food, guests can shop handmade goods and learn from various nonprofits. VeganMania will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.