Bust out the sweaters and cute boots because October has arrived! This is what we’ve been training for, folks. Pumpkin EVERYTHING, trick or treating, fall festivals, Oktoberfest beer events, and more! We have a whole heap of resources ready and waiting for you go make your fall planning simpler! If you’re looking for some creative ideas to kick things off, start with our Milwaukee Fall Bucket List – a list of over 100 fun ideas to enjoy this fall in Milwaukee!
Our Favorite Milwaukee Area Pumpkin Farms
Our Favorite Milwaukee Area Apple Orchards
Our Favorite Milwaukee Fall Festivals 2018
15 Fall Road Trips for Milwaukee Families
Milwaukee Guide to Indoor Play
100 Day Trips for Milwaukee Families
October Spotlights:
October 5th – Glow Blue and Gold 5K Run/Walk & Family Fun 1K & Lakefront Bash :: Join in on Marquette’s Homecoming Celebration as we light up the lakefront with a party unlike any other! First, join in the festivities of the Lakefront Bash, complete with food trucks, face painting and fun for the whole family. Then, explore one of Milwaukee’s most iconic sites, Veterans Park, during a Glow Blue and Gold 5K run and walk, including a family fun 1K option, open to the whole community! Proceeds from this event will support Marquette’s Midnight Run, a volunteer service program focused on the particular needs of the hungry and homeless people living in the community around Marquette. Sign up HERE!
October 10th – Fall Style Social Ladies Night with Scout & Molly’s Boutique :: Grab your girlfriends and join us on Wednesday, October 10th from 6-9 p.m. at Scout & Molly’s for a Moms’ Night Out! Enjoy all things Fall with the fashion tips offered by the Scout & Molly’s team, from a denim showcase to sweaters and more. We’ll learn all about some of the best fall denim trends and styles, all at under $100! Plus, giveaways and pampering, plus the hottest in fall fashions. Guests can also enjoy a complimentary massage from Hand & Stone Massage – Waukesha!
What to Expect: Tickets are $10. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and beverages and receive a $20 gift card when you arrive at the event. All ticket sales and 15% of all purchases made during the event will benefit Hope Center of Waukesha. Come any time in the 6 to 9 pm window to be entered to win amazing giveaways, which will be drawn at 6, 7 and 8 pm.
GET YOUR TICKET NOW!
Here is a list of more events happening in the Milwaukee area in October 2018. Know of an event that we forgot? Leave it in the comments and we will be sure to add it to the list.
September 7th- October 6th – Oktoberfest– :: Oktoberfest hosted by the Bavarian Bierhaus. Authentic German Bier and food such as spanferkel, hendl, rollbraten and brats will be served. This family-friendly festival will entertain over 20,000 people (over five weekends) for a true “Gemutlichkeit” at Heidelberg Park’s outdoor event venue (700 W. Lexington Blvd. in Glendale). Traditional music by German Bands will play in the old German Hall. Children’s carnival games and polka dancing enhance the night’s theme. This event operates rain or shine!
October 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, and 29th – Mitchell Park Domes :: Free Entry for MKE Residents every Monday from 9am-noon. Experience a desert oasis, a tropical jungle and floral gardens . . .all in one afternoon! The Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservatory, better known as The Domes, is one of the most unique destinations in Milwaukee. Discover cacti, succulents, shrubs and desert palms in the Desert Dome. Enjoy five seasonal shows each year in the Floral Dome and walk among 1,200 species of rainforest plants in the Tropical Dome. The Domes are open every day of the year and host special events and educational programs throughout the year.
October 4th – Kohl’s Thank You Thursday, Free Admission to the Milwaukee Public Museum :: ALL visitors receive FREE access to the permanent exhibits of MPM on the first Thursday of every month during Kohl’s Thank You Thursday.
October 4th – Free Admission to Milwaukee Art Museum :: Admission is free the first Thursday of the month, sponsored by Meijer.
October 5th – Glow Blue and Gold 5K Run/Walk & Family Fun 1K & Lakefront Bash :: Join in on Marquette’s Homecoming Celebration as we light up the lakefront with a party unlike any other! First, join in the festivities of the Lakefront Bash, complete with food trucks, face painting and fun for the whole family. Then, explore one of Milwaukee’s most iconic sites, Veterans Park, during a Glow Blue and Gold 5K run and walk, including a family fun 1K option, open to the whole community! Proceeds from this event will support Marquette’s Midnight Run, a volunteer service program focused on the particular needs of the hungry and homeless people living in the community around Marquette. Sign up HERE!
October 5th-6th – Fall Into Grafton :: Fall Into Grafton is a free family event held at and around Paramount Plaza in Downtown Grafton. Fall Into Grafton features an Oktoberfest Beer Garden at night on Friday where people can come and taste beer, enjoy food from Atlas BBQ, and listen to live music. Saturday will be filled with fun events such as the annual Pumpkin Derby, Scavenger Hunt, Pumpkin Painting, Cookie Decorating, Live Entertainment, and much more! Don’t forget Saturday’s Pancake Breakfast at Atlas BBQ, and Pumpkin Cross down at Lime Kiln Park!
October 6th –Historic Beer Brewing at Old World Wisconsin– :: Old World Wisconsin and the Museum of Beer and Brewing are partnering and bringing to life 19th-century brews. See the brewers use equipment and techniques from the late 1800s and learn about heirloom hops and barley.
October 6th – Sci-Fi Family Day– :: This is a day of family fun! See magnificent costumes, props, and displays while interacting with your favorite characters from the sci-fi world! Get into the sci-fi spirit by dressing up in costume!*
October 7th – Applefest– :: The New Berlin Historical Society is hosting its annual APPLEFEST on Sunday, Oct. 7th from 1-4pm at the Historical Park, 19765 W. National Avenue. Enjoy refreshments while strolling the grounds. Kids can decorate a pumpkin, shell corn and press apples. Docents will be in the 1800s houses, the school house and log house to hare our local history. Try the Player Piano and listen to the Happy Music of the Band Organ. Heirloom apples from Weston’s Antique Apple Orchard will be for sale along with pumpkins, corn stalks and honey. Visit our Museum for farm, military, police and fire departments history. This is a free event.
October 10th –Fall Style Social Ladies Night with Scout & Molly’s Boutique :: Grab your girlfriends and join us on Wednesday, October 10th from 6-9 p.m. at Scout & Molly’s for a Moms’ Night Out! Enjoy all things Fall with the fashion tips offered by the Scout & Molly’s team, from a denim showcase to sweaters and more. We’ll learn all about some of the best fall denim trends and styles, all at under $100! Plus, giveaways and pampering, plus the hottest in fall fashions. What to Expect: Tickets are $10. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and beverages and receive a $20 gift card when you arrive at the event. All ticket sales and 15% of all purchases made during the event will benefit Hope Center of Waukesha. Come any time in the 6 to 9 pm window to be entered to win amazing giveaways, which will be drawn at 6, 7 and 8 pm.
October 13th-14th – Holy Hill Art & Farm Market– :: Over 200 Artists, Crafters and Farmers. Come meet our Market Folks See their work and talk with them about custom work. Go back to the basics… Sit and enjoy coffee,hot sandwiches, bakery and other refreshments. Bring family and friends to enjoy lunch and our live musicians while taking your time to Shop – Relax – Create on our 80 acre 160 year old farm homestead in the heart of the Kettle Moraine Always Free Parking and Admission
October 13th – 14th – Cedarburg Oktoberfest :: Oktoberfest means authentic German music- Pommersche Tanzdeel Dancers, Tuba Dan, the Alte Kameraden Band, D’Lustig’n Wendlstoana Dancers and the Cedarburg Civic Band plus a wooden dance floor for Polka fans. And, if you’ve never seen a live Glockenspiel Show (Cuckoo Clock), this delightful, goofy event will make you laugh as it reappears every two hours. You will find German foods and beers, wines and German desserts. Festivals of Cedarburg will dish up authentic German dishes along with specialty beers such as Hofbrau, Hacker Pschorr, Leinenkugel Oktoberfest and Bluemoon. We will also be serving award winning wines from Cedar Creek Winery and speciality beer from The Fermentorium. Silly contests with prize awards include Saturday’s Best Lederhosen/Dirndl Judging Contest, and Sauerkraut Eating Contest and Sunday’s German Spelling Bee from Ault to Zither (A-Z). Come on up to Cedarburg, wear your Lederhosen or Dirndl, and be prepared for authentic, German fun
October 18th – Neighborhood Night Out – Betty Brinn Children’s Museum :: Join the Betty Brinn Children’s Museum for FREE admission, courtesy of our sponsors, from 5-8 p.m. on the third Thursday of every month! Enjoy access to all of the Museum’s hands-on exhibits, and stop by our Be A Maker space to find tools, materials and techniques for endless ways to experiment and create.
October 19th-21st – Jurassic Quest– :: Jurassic Quest is a dinosaur adventure for the whole family. The main dinosaur exhibit features ultra-realistic, life-size, animatronic dinosaurs; over 80 life-size dinosaurs in all. Visitors can interact with these huge creatures, learn about them, and even ride a few. The show features realistic scenes, enormous dinosaurs, cute baby dinosaurs and lots of fun activities for kids of all ages. There are fossil digs where young paleontologists can uncover long hidden dinosaur bones, the “Dino Bounce” area with several towering, dinosaur-theme inflatable mazes, face painting, dino crafts and much more!
October 19th-27th – Halloween Legends and Lore at Old World Wisconsin :: Tonight the veil is thin between this world and the next. Troves of supernatural tales brought to Wisconsin over the generations come to life as you venture into the dark of the woods, encounter traveling performers around their fire, hear eerie tales performed by lantern light, and attempt a haunted maze under the light of the moon.
October 20th – Halloween Fun Fest– :: Dress your family in your best Halloween costumes, and come to downtown Pewaukee for games, crafts, and fun from local nonprofits, churches, and businesses. Then trick or treat at the downtown merchants. Dog costume contest in front of End of the Leash at noon. They will have downtown trick or treating with the merchants along with vendors on the sidewalks.
October 20th – Fall Family Night Fun– :: Join us after dinner for a special autumn celebration at Riverside Park! We’ll carve pumpkins, take a night hike and end with roasting marshmallows around a campfire. Take home your pumpkin to enjoy!
October 20th – Halloween in Delafield – :: Join us for the 2018 Halloween in Delafield & The Grand Pumpkin Illumination on Saturday, October 20th for a day of fall fun! Taking place on Saturday, October 20th from 1PM – 8PM, the Harvest Festival will offer activities for the entire family. Hayrides, Live Music, Downtown Business Trick or Treating, Chili Cookoff, Craft Beer Sampling Tent, Annual Pumpkin Illumination on The Square, PLUS a Kids Zone with laser tag, rock wall, Lake Country Fire & Rescue, and face painting.
October 20th-21st – Great Pumpkin Chuckin Fest :: Don’t miss out on this smashing fun time! Returning this year is The Best of the Midwest BBQ Cook Off. Over 50 teams will compete for $7,000 in prize money and the title of “The Best of the Midwest”. There will be Costume contests for Kids,, pumpkin baking contest and much more. Prizes will be awarded! This 2-day event will feature Pumpkin Chuckin Competitions, where teams will catapult pumpkins as far as the eye can see! More Exciting Events Taking Place at the Great Pumpkin Chuckin Fest. Multiple Stage Performances by the Racine Zoo, Food, Vendors, Seasonal Beers, Free Kids Games and Activities, Carnival and Hay Rides, Pumpkin Baking Contests, and so much more! Fun for all ages!
October 24th – Makers Market – :: Bringing together more than 50 Wisconsin artisans and craft food producers for an evening of shopping, live music, and great food!
October 25th – Local First Milwaukee’s 5th Annual Food Fright :: Food Fright is Local First Milwaukee’s annual fundraiser, supporting our mission to reach and support small businesses and consumers in Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, Waukesha, and Racine counties. Your ticket includes: Samples of delicious local small-plates from local restaurants and chefs, Dancing, Haunted Brewery Tour, 4 Lakefront beer tokens, and contest/auctions!
October 25th-November 6th –Dia de los Muertos Ofrendas Exhibit– :: Celebrate life with Latino Arts’ annual Day of the Dead exhibition, featuring a dazzling array of ofrendas (altars) prepared by local, regional and international artists.
October 26th – Dia de los Muertos :: The Friends of the Domes is introducing a new event this year to celebrate Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. While this Mexican celebration occurs around the same time of year as Halloween, it is a completely different holiday with rich symbolism and traditions that appeal to people young and old. The Desert Dome will be filled with cheerful candlelight, orange marigolds, and colorful decorations. View traditional ofrendas located throughout the Domes. Guests will enjoy a mariachi band and dancing in the Show Dome. Children will enjoy free crafts such as creating artistic marigolds, painting sugar skulls, or for a fee of $5 building a skull garden. They can interact with and have photos taken with characters in costume. The evening will be infused with educational opportunities to learn about this rich cultural event that is quickly gaining popularity all over the country. Local Mexican restaurants will be on site to sell food and beverages. This is a Friends of the Domes fundraiser. Proceeds will benefit Domes education programs and projects.
October 27th – Pumpkin Carving for Families at the Urban Ecology Center– :: Get in the Halloween spirit and carve some pumpkins! We have tools and pumpkins you can use to create your take home masterpiece.
October 27th – Gallery Trick-or-Treat and Art Making– :: Wear your Halloween costume to MOWA and trick-or-treat for treasures in the art galleries! In the studio, create spooky crafts and paint your own pumpkin to take home.
- Join our MKE Moms Blog Community + Connection group on Facebook for local events hosted by our awesome team of Mombassadors. This summer, we got together for brats and beer at the Traveling Beer Garden and we’ve also done of Mimosas in the Park!
- Make sure you are one of our MkeMB Insiders so you get all the updates each and every week, including exclusive discount codes and event ticket access, a recap of all our content from the week, and more!
- We also have an extensive list of local guides to help you find everything from the best place to have brunch or our favorite kid-friendly restaurants, to family-friendly day trips.
- For ongoing activities, story times, playgroups, and more, check out our calendar.
