Labor Day Offers Jam-Packed Weekend of Fun

2022 Third Ward Festival of Art. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It’s been a busy summer in Milwaukee, and we could all use an extra day off. Thankfully, Labor Day weekend is jam-packed with events.

The Harley-Davidson Museum is celebrating the holiday all weekend long with motorcycle rides, food specials, merchandise sales and more. The Third Ward Art Festival will fill the area with art for sale, and Midwest Mud Fest promises to bring the weird to The Cooperage. Plus, the annual Laborfest will bring free fun for the whole family to Henry Maier Festival Park.

August 28-31: Labor Day at the H-D Museum

The Harley-Davidson Museum is celebrating Labor Day weekend with four days filled with activities. If you’ve been meaning to give your wardrobe a Harley-Davidson makeover, the H-D Factory Outlet Sale will run all-weekend long at The Garage. The Bar & Restaurant Smoker will bring slow-smoked meats, lawn games, drinks and more to MOTOR, and a variety of motorcycle rides, such as Ladies Night on Thursday and the Big Unit Poker Run on Sunday, will give riders a chance to meet like-minded folks and raise money for a good cause. For a full list of scheduled activities, visit the event’s Facebook page.

August 30-31: Third Ward Art Festival

The 13th annual Third Ward Art Festival will host over 120 juried artists selling their work in Milwaukee’s Third Ward neighborhood. Attendees can purchase work from a variety of mediums including ceramics, paintings, photography and more. The festival being conveniently located on Broadway also grants easy access to surrounding restaurants and boutiques. Third Ward Art Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and is free to attend.

August 31: Falcon Flea

Shop from over forty vendors at Falcon Flea, a free-to-attend market that will set up shop at Falcon Bowl. Artists and vendors will set up in the hall, beer garden and on Fratney St., offering a variety of vintage items, art, handmade goods and more. Falcon Flea will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

August 31: Black Business Month Marketplace

August is National Black Business Month, and America’s Black Holocaust Museum is closing out the month-long celebration with the Black Business Month, a marketplace that features local merchandise, food vendors and a children’s educational craft corner. The event, which is free to attend and will run from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., will also feature free hourly giveaways throughout. For more information, visit the America’s Black Holocaust Museum’s website.

August 31: Milwaukee Mud Fest

Billed as a “feral Midwest baptism,” the second annual Milwaukee Mud Fest will bring the weird to The Cooperage. While the main attraction is mud wrestling, the event will also feature tattoo artists on site, “freak flag performance,” live music courtesy of Immortal Girlfriend and Mother Fortune and more. The event will run from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. and admission is $25. For more information, visit The Cooperage’s website.

September 1: Laborfest & Labor Day Parade

Labor Day is not just a three-day weekend – it’s a commemoration of the sacrifices made in the fight for workers’ rights. The Milwaukee Area Labor Council celebrates the holiday with Labor Fest, a free event at the Maier Festival Park that features live music, children’s entertainment, a classic care show and more. Laborfest will also feature a Labor Day Parade that will kick off from the Zeidler Union Square at 11 a.m. and end at the festival grounds. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Area Labor Council’s website.

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