It's getting to be time to hit the road in search of the best food Wisconsin has to offer - out in the streets and parks, under tents, in church basements and at county fairgrounds. Summer festivals celebrate the history of state ethnic groups and the products of local farms. Along with the dunk tank there are pies and cream puffs. After the softball game there is beer and brats. And cheese? Cheese is everywhere at all times.
We recommend confirming event details before making any long drives.
May 13-15, Muscoda
Morels can be hard to find, but instead of spending hours poking under dead leaves for the elusive morsels, head straight to this annual fest. Available fried, or buy a bunch to cook at home. 608-739-3182.
May 27-30, Willow Island, Alliant Energy Center, Madison
Choose from Wisconsin-made Johnsonville brats, Oscar Mayer hot dogs, or veggie Boca brats.
June 3-5, Doyle Park, Little Chute
Dive into the cheese breakfast, cheese curd-eating competition or the sweet cheesecake contest. 920-788-7390.
9 am-10 pm, June 4, Hart Park, Wauwatosa
Try fish and chips, meat pies, sausage rolls, and Scotch eggs. What, no haggis? 414-422-9235.
June 17-19, Henry W. Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee. Noon-midnight Fri. & Sat, noon-10 pm Sun.
It's hard to beat the filled dumplings known as pierogies, and Milwaukee is a stronghold of great pierogies. Or try bigos (hunter's stew), zupa grzybowa (mushroom soup), and czarnina (duck blood soup). 414-529-2140.
June 25-26, Sat. 10 am-6 pm, Sun. 10 am-5 pm, Cedarburg
Berries are available by the quart or atop shortcake, in pie, filling crepes, dotting ice cream or as the basis of wine - or a slushie, your pick. 888-894-4001.
July 16, Port Washington
Billed as the "World's largest outdoor one-day fish fry," Fish Day features deep-fried fish and chips. Plus, ice cream-eating and smoked fish-eating contests. 800-719-4881.
July 28-31, Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee
This is one of the biggies, with brats, potato pancakes, sauerkraut, pastries, tortes, and strudels. Not just any sauerkraut, either: German Fest sauerkraut comes from a secret recipe. 414-464-9444.
August 18-21, Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee
Irish food like soda bread, corned beef and colcannon join other fair fare. 414-476-3378.
September 3-4, Sat. 2-8:30 pm, Sun. 11 am-7 pm, Capitol Square, Madison
Sample food from more than 80 area restaurants. 608-276-9797.
10 am, September 10, Chandler Park, Pardeeville
Free all-you-can-eat watermelon. Did we mention the seed-spitting contest?
Cranberry Festival Apple Festival - Compiled by Linda Falkenstein, Megan Larson and Bob Koch
7 am daily, September 23-25, Warrens
Behold the humble cranberry elevated to something more than just sauce that retains the shape of its can: cranberry cream puffs, cranberry pies, cranberry jam, cranberry fritters, Swedish pancakes with cranberry syrup and cranberries jubilee. 608-378-4200.
September 24-25, Gays Mills
Celebrate the apple with plenty of fresh apples, apple pie and a pancake breakfast. 608-735-4341.
