We all know about Great Taste and its frustrating ticket procurement process, but did you know there’s a Sweet Corn Festival, Vegan Fest and even a bloody mary sampling event? Madison is a city that loves to eat and drink, gathering by its festivals. Here are a bunch of local food and drink fests that should be on your radar this summer. We’ll add more events to this list as they’re announced.
May 6
Maifest
Live music, bier cart with Lakefront, Bell’s, Capital and Hofbrau brews, and the best Maypole dancing this side of the Atlantic. Some proceeds go to the Dane County Humane Society.
Where: Essen Haus parking lot
Tickets: Free
May 7
Sunday Bloody Fun Day
Sample unlimited bloodies from local bars and restaurants, then vote for your favorite. Free cans of Ale Asylum serve as chasers.
Where: Ale Asylum
Tickets: $30 general admission, $40 VIP for early entry and guaranteed seating
May 19-20
Madison Magazine BBQ Festival
Stuff your face full of delicious barbecue and beer. Live music and food demos so you can hang around until you get hungry again for more meat.
Where: Sauk City
Tickets: Free
May 21
WORT Block Party
The No Crap on Tap beer garden makes its 14th annual appearance at this block party featuring an eclectic live music lineup.
Where: 200 block of MLK Jr. Blvd.
Tickets: Free
May 21
Family Food Fest
This community event by non-profit REAP Food Group features family activities, food carts and food-related exhibitors.
Where: Lincoln Elementary
Tickets: Free
May 21
Isthmus Food Cart Fest
This is your excuse to try all the unhealthy options that you won’t allow yourself to have for lunch.
Where: Central Park
Tickets: $30, includes sampling from all trucks
May 26-29
Bratfest
Might as well spend your Memorial Day weekend with George Clinton, Everclear and Johnsonville.
Where: Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center
Tickets: Free
June 2-4
Festa Italia
Snack on calamari, spaghetti and cannoli while you watch teams compete in the most underrated sport in lawn history: bocce ball.
Where: McKee Farms Park, Fitchburg
Tickets: $2 per day
June 3-4
Burgers and Brew
Local restaurants and breweries team up to serve paired burgers and pours. A dozen different restaurants will be serving each day.
Where: Capital Brewery beer garden, Middleton
Tickets: $30, includes 3 quarter-pound burgers and 3 short pours of beer
June 3
Cows on the Concourse
Meet and pet some cows! Eat grilled cheese! Drink milk! Hooray Wisconsin dairy!
Where: Capitol Square
Tickets: Free
June 10
Beer, Bacon & Cheese Festival
You’ll drink a lot, eat a lot, and deal with massive crowds thanks to concurrent events. (Polkafest is always the same weekend.)
Where: Downtown New Glarus
Tickets: $40, but good luck scoring any now
June 17
Mad City Vegan Fest
If this list if too full of meat and cheese, then perhaps Vegan Fest is for you. Vegan food court, free samples from exhibitors, and lots of health-minded speakers.
Where: Alliant Energy Center
Tickets: Free
June 17
Strawberryfest
A 5K/10K race, community rummage sale, raffles, wine tasting and tons of strawberries await you at this event in its 30th year.
Where: Colonial Club, Sun Prairie
Tickets: Free
June 23-25
Midwest Fiery Foods Fest
This outdoor event will have you competing with your friends to see who can handle the hottest salsas.
Where: Angell Park, Sun Prairie
Tickets: Free on Friday and Sunday. Saturday, the event is held in conjunction with Bacon, Brew & BBQ Fest.
June 24
Bacon, Brew & BBQ Fest
Eat and drink your way through 10 acres of bacon-stuffed foods, barbecued meats and plenty of beer.
Where: Angell Park, Sun Prairie
Tickets: $40-$85
July 19-23
Dane County Fair
So it’s not really a food-focused festival, but with all the foods-on-a-stick and funnel cakes you’re going to eat, it might as well be.
Where: Alliant Energy Center
Tickets: $8 per day or $20 for season
August 5
National Mustard Day
Mustard lovers can slather their brats with the yellow stuff, or just sample a bunch to find a new favorite.
Where: National Mustard Museum, Middleton
Tickets: Free
August 6
Yum Yum Fest
Despite the silly name, this food festival brings together chefs from top Madison restaurants for a day of heavy grazing.
Where: Breese Stevens Field
Tickets: $10, plus $5 for each food item
August 12
Great Taste of the Midwest
This giant craft beer fest is so important that it’s got its own eve. Expect around 1,000 beers for sampling.
Where: Olin Park
Tickets: $60 (on sale May 7)
August 17-20
Sweet Corn Festival
Get corny at this festival with live music, family activities, steamed corn and fresh corn available for purchase by the bag full.
Where: Angell Park, Sun Prairie
Tickets: $1
August 20
Makeshift
Brought to you by the Yum Yum Fest people, this fest will celebrate visual and culinary arts together. Artists will create installation pieces, and chefs will create tasty dishes for sampling.
Where: Olbrich Park
Tickets: $10
September 2-3
Taste of Madison
Over 80 restaurants and three entertainment stages draw a quarter of a million people to the Taste every year. It raises $60,000 every year for local charities.
Where: Capitol Square
Tickets: Free
September 9
Thirsty Troll Brewfest
25 craft breweries will be serving over 100 beers at this sampling event. Jorgen the Troll will be making a special celebrity appearance.
Where: Grudahl Park, Mount Horeb
Tickets: $43 for general admission, $78 for VIP
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