Milwaukee is known for its many events and festivals, celebrating everything from food and beer to music and art. And although the "City of Festivals" is home to some of America's largest and best-known gatherings — Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Milwaukee Film Festival among them — it also holds a great number of smaller festivals, where locals come together to celebrate community, harvest and creativity. The Our Lady of Lourdes Oktoberfest Artisan Fair is one of those events.
Held every year in October, the Our Lady of Lourdes Oktoberfest Artisan Fair is a great way for locals to gather over food and specialty beers to the sound of polka. The family-friendly event also offers children's activities, story-telling, raffles, an old-fashioned cake walk, the Milwaukee Brewers' Racing Sausages, and much more. If you're after something truly unique, artisans are on hand all weekend selling top-quality arts and crafts. The festival begins on Friday afternoon and runs through the weekend. Here is the schedule of the Oktoberfest Artisan Fair, so you can get an idea of what to expect:
Friday
- Events begin at 4 pm, with fried fish available
- Evening meeting of the local Boy Scout Troop
- A live band plays your favorite polka tunes
- The Beer Garden opens in the afternoon, pouring a variety of specialty beers
Saturday
- Festivities start at 11 am as the Beer Garden opens
- Artisans sell hand-made arts and crafts all day
- Art guild craft table open noon – 3 pm for anyone wanting to learn the craft
- Live polka music through afternoon and evening
- Cake Walk at 3 – 4 pm, and again 7 – 8 pm
- Polka Mass in the church at 5 pm
- Hot dogs and brats all day; beef tips and noodles for dinner
Sunday
- The day opens with Polka Mass at 10:30 am
- Indoor tailgate party for football fans — the game on the big screen
- Kids' activities and board games for families in Parish Hall
- Raffle winners announced at 3 pm
In the City of Festivals, the small ones matter too — locals come together to celebrate community, harvest and creativity.
Good to know
- Held every October at the Our Lady of Lourdes parish, Milwaukee
- Family-friendly: story-telling, raffles, cake walks, Racing Sausages
- Artisan stalls with top-quality arts and crafts all weekend