Kids Building Wisconsin

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courtesy Riley Construction

A child with a water bottle and construction hard hat.

media release: Kids Building Wisconsin 2026 is an exciting and free educational event for children, celebrating the world of construction! Now held at its new home — Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI — this event will feature over 70 interactive and hands-on exhibits from local skilled trades and industry professionals.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 9, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM — the Saturday before Mother’s Day! It’s a full day of fun, discovery, and inspiration designed to ignite curiosity and creativity in young minds while showcasing the amazing opportunities within the construction industry. Admission and parking are free, and registration opens in February. Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to explore and engage with the construction industry at #KidsBuild 2026!

Why do I need to register for Kids Building Wisconsin if it is a free event? Kids Building Wisconsin does involve big construction equipment and other activities that have a certain degree of risk. Is KBW dangerous? Not at all, but the lawyers say we need this and also, we like to have contact information in case an emergency would happen. Please make sure when pre-registering that you get 1 ticket per person including each kid you plan on attending with you.

Why register for Kids Building Wisconsin?​ To help alleviate long registration lines we do ask that event goers sign up ahead of time with our simple online registration platform. This helps ensure that we can get everyone in the door in the most timely fashion possible and also provides important information that you will need for the day. Please make sure when pre-registering that you sign up 1 ticket per person including each kid you plan on attending with you.  

What are my parking options for getting to and from the event? Parking at Kids Building Wisconsin 2026 is completely free and easier than ever! With our move to Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center, attendees will enjoy convenient on-site parking just steps away from all the fun. No shuttles, no extra stops — simply park, walk in, and start exploring! The Alliant Energy Center offers plenty of space for families, buses, and large vehicles, making your visit to #KidsBuild 2026 smooth and stress-free from start to finish..  

Please feel free to message us on Facebook or by sending an e-mail to info@kidsbuildingwi.org

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event? We highly encourage you to bring a printed ticket or the QR code on the evntbrite app on your phone.

Are food and drinks free as well? Food and drink at Kids Building Wisconsin are not free.  We will have about 7-8 food trucks and drink vendors on site for drink and food purchase.  We highly encourage people to bring their own water bottles to fill.​

​What is the best time of the day to attend? Afternoon!   Kids Building Wisconsin is traditionally the busiest from 9:00 AM to about 1:00 PM. (We cannot guarantee exhibitor supplies last all day) but also, we know that some popular exhibits get some long lines and have been told to experience it all, it is a day trip.  We will be encouraging our exhibitors to keep the lines moving as fast as they can. Some of the popular exhibits are listed on this page.

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What are other items we should bring? Sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, water bottles and your kids are all good items to bring to Kids Building Wisconsin. 

WHAT YOU CANNOT BRING:   Firearms, weapons, alcohol, tobacco and pets.

We will have three lumberjack shows in 2026

10:00 AM

12:00 PM

2:00 PM

How can I volunteer at Kids Building Wisconsin? We love volunteers and it is how this event works. To help us out on May 9, 2026 just email us at info@kidsbuildingwi.org