Milwaukee Public Market Celebrates 19th Anniversary at Harvest Festival

MILWAUKEE – Oct. 1, 2024 – The Milwaukee Public Market announced today details for its Annual Harvest Festival celebration. This year’s event, commemorating the Market’s 19th anniversary, will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverwalk Commons, located across from the Milwaukee Public Market at 423 N. Water St.

Building on the beloved traditions that have made Harvest Festival a staple in the community, the event builds on the public market’s mission to create programming for people of all ages. Attendees can look forward to a day filled with free, family-friendly activities, including a pumpkin carving station, scarecrow building, s’mores roasting and fresh apple cider pressed on-site from a manual apple press and more.

For those 21 and over, a fan-favorite tradition returns with free tastings of Lakefront Brewery’s pumpkin lager, tapped straight from a giant pumpkin. Guests can also enjoy a variety of ready-to-eat food and beverages while taking in live performances by the Bluegrass Allstars and Barred Owl String Band.

In addition to these annual favorites, the Milwaukee Public Market is excited to introduce a new element to this year’s festival. For the first time, a mini-Harvest Market will be featured, showcasing local producers and growers. Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to sample and shop unique products, including Hundred Acre Farm’s Hydroponic Basil Pesto, boozy cider, Wisconsin cheese, Milwaukee honey, apples and more.

Harvest Festival will also highlight Milwaukee Public Market vendors. Anodyne Coffee Co., Freese’s Candy Shoppe, Margarita Paradise, Brew City Brand, and the incoming David Alan Alan’s Smokehouse will have a presence at the event. Inside the Market, additional vendors will offer special promotions, such as 20% off fall-favorite flavors at Oro di Oliva and West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe‘s seasonal Pumpkin Spice Cheddar cheese.

In a new community-focused initiative, the Milwaukee Public Market has partnered with the Hunger Task Force and Lori Fredrich to support local families in need. Attendees are encouraged to contribute to this cause through donations of non-perishable food items or monetary gifts, which will be collected at the event. For each donation to Hunger Task Force, attendees will receive a recipe from Lori Fredrich’s cookbook, Wisconsin Field to Fork. Additionally, Lori Fredrich will donate $5 from every signed cookbook sold during the festival directly to Hunger Task Force, helping raise both food and funds for the community.

“Each year, Harvest Fest serves as a reminder of the strong community the Market has built,” said Paul Schwartz, executive director of the Milwaukee Public Market and Business Improvement District #2. “It’s a moment for us to thank the people who support our mission by offering a day filled with food, music and fun, while celebrating the family-focused culture we’ve embraced for nearly 20 years.”

The Milwaukee Public Market would like to thank its 2024 Harvest Fest sponsors: 333 Water, Hundred Acre Farms, Radio Milwaukee, and Beer Capitol Distributing for sharing the Market’s commitment to celebrating local businesses and supporting the Milwaukee community.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.