Navigation

Category: Door County Festivals

2023 Door County Festivals

Door County festivals offer great opportunities to sample food from the area’s amazing restaurants, find beautiful arts and crafts, pick up fine artwork from more than 100 galleries, or just enjoy a day strolling with friends in the sun.

Door County Festival of Nature: May 26-28

Join the Ridges Sanctuary for the 21st Annual Door County Festival of Nature May 26-28.  Discover all Door County’s nature has to offer through guided field trips with titles ranging from Birding by Ear and The Sex Life of Plants.

 

Jacksonport Maifest: May 27 & 28

Celebrate the 5oth anniversary of Jacksonport Maifest May 27 and 28. The weekend kicks off with an art fair and parade Saturday morning, and will feature face-painting, games, and a memorial day ceremony. Fireworks on the beach and a performance by the Sevastopol Senior Choir end the day. Sunday, May 28, the festival opens with the 40th annual Maifest 10k run, and continues with more live music, and a horse stunt performance.

Door County Lighthouse Fest: June 9-11

Discover Door County’s 11 lighthouses by land, air, and boat June 9-11. Visitors will have access to unique excursions and exclusive access to lighthouses that aren’t typically open to the public, including Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point lighthouses. A portion of proceeds will go to the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Roofing of the Goats & Goat Fest: June 10

Welcome the famous goats back to the roof of Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant with a parade! Saturday, June 10, watch the goat’s trip down Highway 42 and up onto the roof. This year’s Parade will be followed by the 6th Annual Goat Fest next store at Stabbur with live music and a Swedish Pancake-Eating Contest.

Fyr Bal Festival: June 17

Ephraim Fyr Bal festival is set for June 17 – but the celebration will kick off with three June 16 concerts at the Ephraim Moravian Church. Festivities will include a yoga class at Anderson Dock, a pancake breakfast at Ephraim Village Hall and a pet parade. The highlight of the festival is the chieftain ceremony, fireworks and the lighting of the Fyr Bal pyr.

Door County Beer Festival: June 17

Celebrate father’s day weekend with craft beer, culinary artisans, and live music on the shores of Baileys Harbor. Sample over 150 beers from dozens of Door County, Wisconsin, Michigan and Midwest breweries, enjoy food from some of the best restaurants on the peninsula, and enjoy live music at the Maxwelton Braes grounds. The Peninsula Century Spring Classic bike ride takes place in conjunction with the festival.

Door County Wine Fest: June 24

The Door County Wine Fest, located on the grounds of Maxwelton Braes, showcases the eight wineries on the Door County Wine Trail. Tickets include unlimited tasting of up to 58 different kinds of wine. There will be food trucks and live music throughout the event, from 12pm – 4pm.

Fourth of July Celebrations

Egg Harbor 4th of July Parade and Celebration: July 3 & 4

Enjoy live music (5-9pm), food & refreshments (4-9pm), and fireworks (dusk) on July 3. On the 4th, come watch the Parade, which runs south along Hwy 42 from the north end of Church Street to Hwy T at 1:30. Food and Refreshments all day.

Baileys Harbor Celebrates the 4th: July 4

Celebrate our country’s birthday the Baileys Harbor way! The day starts with a Fire Department pancake breakfast from 7:30 am – 10 am at 2404 Park Road. The Independence Day Parade starts at 10 am, and runs from Ridges Road to Summit Road on Hwy 42. Stick around for an arts and crafts fair, food, and music all day at Kendall Park. Enjoy fireworks, live music,  beer and food vendors at Anclam Park at dusk to end the fun-filled day!

Sturgeon Bay Independence Day Celebration: July 4

Sturgeon Bay Celebrates presented with Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding —Join the 4th of July fun and festivities at Sunset Park! Food and drinks available beginning at 5 pm along with live reggae music by Unity leading up to a spectacular firework display at dusk!

Gills Rock Celebrates: July 4

Celebrate the 4th with music, food & drink, a fish fry fundraiser for the Deaths Door Maritime Museum and of course FIREWORKS! The celebration begins around 5pm. The boat parade is typically about an hour or so before sunset and the fireworks begin at dusk.

Door County Plein Air Festival: July 23-29

Watch artists from across the country paint Door County from July 23 to 29. Artists will be on location 11am – 2pm at Edgewood Orchard Galleries, Fish Creek and The Hardy Gallery, Ephraim July 24, July 25 at Jacksonport Farmer’s Market, Downtown Jacksonport and Downtown Baileys Harbor, July 26 at Horseshoe Bay Farm, Egg Harbor and The Garden Door – UW Extension, Sturgeon Bay, and July 27 at Downtown Ellison Bay and Hidden Acres Farm, Beach Rd, Sister Bay. End the weekend with a quick paint from 9am – 11am in Fish Creek, and live auction at 12:30.

Door County Fair: August 9-13

The 151st Door County Fair is an experience the entire family will love, with old-school, small-town fun. Enjoy carnival rides, food stands, 40H animal barns, and grandstand events. Grandstand attractions include stock car races, a demolition derby, and motorcycle racing. Carnival rides, concession stands & exceptional bands fill the fair midway. Hundreds of art, crafts, and animal entries showcase the talents of Door County exhibitors.

Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week: August

The City of Sturgeon Bay honors its rich maritime heritage.

Attend the Door County Classic & Wooden Boat show August 5 & 6 at the Door County Maritime Museum in Sturgeon Bay.

Celebrate Lake Michigan with the city of Algoma August 11 through 13. Enjoy live music Friday, August 11 from 4pm – 8pm, before the Shanty Days 5k run/walk Saturday, August 12. Enjoy a parade, car cruise and show, 150+ arts and crafts & street fair vendors, a beach volleyball tourney, fireworks, kid’s area, fishing contest, book sale and entertainment for the entire family all day Saturday and Sunday.

Sister Bay Marina Fest: September 2-4

Highlights of the Sister Bay Marina Fest are a vintage boat show and performance by Jerry Voelker and the Jolly Gents Saturday, September 2 at the Sister Bay Marina. This Labor Day celebration includes live music at the Marina, a kids carnival and boatbuilding, and a food court at the Sister Bay Village hall pavilion.

Sturgeon Bay Harvest Fest & Street Art Auction: September 16

Usher in the spirit of autumn on Third Avenue in Sturgeon Bay starting at 8 am. Features include a classic car show, craft show, food booths, in-store specials, the “Tapping of the Firkin” stein holding contest, and live entertainment. Preview the “Bass Around the Bay” Street Art Project at Martin Park before the virtual auction closes at 5 pm.

Baileys Harbor AutumnFest: September 23

Celebrate fall in Baileys Harbor with live music, food and drinks, and and arts and crafts fair. Highlights of Pin-Ups and Pistons day include a Classic Auto and Motorcycle Show and pin-up photoshoot, plus the Hey Hey 5k Run at Door County Brewing Co. Remember to bring your classic car or motorcycle to when you visit Autumnfest!

Autumn Lighthouse Festival: September 29-October 1

Discover Door County’s 11 lighthouses by land, air, and boat again this Columbus Day weekend. Visitors will have access to unique excursions and exclusive access to lighthouses that aren’t typically open to the public, including Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point lighthouses. A portion of proceeds will go to the Door County Maritime Museum & Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Egg Harbor Pumpkin Patch Festival: October 7 & 8

Egg Harbor celebrates fall with one of the year’s largest festivals. Fall food favorites, carnival rides, arts and crafts vendors, silent auction, live music, scarecrow and pumpkin displays, magicians, food, refreshments and more at the Kress Pavilion Lawn and Harbor View Park.

Sister Bay Fall Festival: October 13-15

Close out the season with Sister Bay’s annual fall bash! Featuring live music all over the village, a huge arts and crafts fair, games and activities for kids, and food, including the Lion’s Club Fish Boil and Pancake Breakfast. Join the Fall Fest Parade Saturday morning, and don’t miss Sunday’s annual Ping Pong Ball Drop and Derby Race.

Jack O’Lantern Days: October 28-30

This festival puts the “eek!” in Fish Creek! A true, hometown Halloween festival at Fish Creek’s Top of the Hill Shops,  Jack O’ Lantern Days will entertain little witches and goblins of all ages. Highlights include a festive costume contest, town hall games, town-wide trick-or-treating, a costume parade, live owls, mask making and so much more! This festival is full of surprises and will give your family a Halloween filled with good memories they’ll remember forever.

Thrills and Chills: October 28

A day of festive Halloween fun for the entire family! Start the holiday with a  Costume Parade begins at 10 am from the Old Bell Tower and concludes at Martin Park in Sturgeon Bay. Activities include making your own trick-or-treat bags, costume parade, haunted house, pumpkin carving, and trick-or-treating throughout downtown Sturgeon Bay from 10 am-3 pm.

Sturgeon Bay Christmas by the Bay: November 17-19

Unwrap Sturgeon Bay with Christmas by the Bay Weekend presented in partnership with Door County Daily News. Join in the community car parade as Sturgeon Bay stores “unwrap” their festive storefronts to kick off the holiday season followed by the annual tree lighting ceremony near the Old Bell Tower on Third Avenue on Friday, Nov. 17! The fun continues Saturday, with a parade and  meet and greet with Santa.  The weekend comes to a close during brunch with Santa at Stone Harbor Resort on Sunday.

Sister Bay Capture the Spirit Festival: November 24 & 25

Celebrate the season with a holiday arts and craft fair and cookie decorating at Sister Bay Village Hall, visit with Santa’s elves and reindeer. Watch Santa arrive to turn on the holiday lights and read a wintertime story on Friday, November 24. Create holiday craft projects at Sister Bay Library, Saturday November 25.

Egg Harbor Holly Days: November 24 & 25

Enjoy an old-fashioned winter weekend with children’s activities, horse-draw wagon rides, caroling, tree-lighting, and more. Meet Santa and Egg Harbor’s Therapy Dogs Friday, November 24 for tree lighting and caroling. Saturday, November 25, meet Santa for breakfast and Bingo with the Egg Harbor Historical Society at Kress Pavillion. Join One Barrel Brewing for a fun run, before an elf-hunt, hot chocolate bar, and photos with Santa, and live music.

Ephraim Christmas in the Village: December 2

Celebrate with Santa and his reindeer with holiday crafts and snacks at the Village Hall December 2 from 3-5:30. Take a horse-drawn wagon ride through the village and join Santa at Harborside Park with his elves and reindeer to light the Christmas tree. Visit Ephraim business’s open-houses all day.

Baileys Harbor Holiday & Tree Lighting: December 3

Meet Santa and his elves and reindeer at Baileys Harbor Town Hall. Taking place from 6 – 8 pm Saturday, December 3,  enjoy crafts, family activities, and tree lighting all with hot chocolate and cookies.

Christkindlmarkt: November 24-26, December 1-3, December 8-10

Located at the Corner of the Past Museum in Sister Bay, shop local weavers, knitters, potters, photographers, jewelers, painters, woodworkers, glass blowers and more! At Door County’s traditional European Christmas market, enjoy a warm, spicy mug of Glühwein and delicious winter food. The Market is open from 11am – 7pm Friday and Saturday of weekend’s one and two, and 11am – 6pm weekend three. Hours Sunday’s during the season are 11am – 3pm.

Sister Bay New Year’s Eve Celebration: December 31

Sister Bay celebrates New Year’s Eve with shopping, ice skating, dining specials, fireworks, and a bonfire. The FM 106.9 The Lodge Cherry Drop hosts the evening, with music and fun. Leading up to midnight, watch the giant sparkling cherry cherry drop to welcome the new year!

  • Celebrate County Door at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

    Photos by Len Villano Join the fun of celebrating County Door on March 16, 11 am, when the Sturgeon Bay Visitor Center (SBVC), Kitty O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and the Door County Medical Center present the 26th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Sturgeon Bay. The parade was organized in 1993 by Mike Taylor, John Scanlon, […]

  • Lighthouse Festivals

    The Door County Maritime Museum’s (DCMM, dcmm.org) 2019 spring and fall Door County Lighthouse Festivals will be held June 7-9 and Oct. 12-13, respectively. The festivals include land-based, boat and adventure tours that reach all 11 lighthouses and provide exclusive access to several that are not typically open to the public, including Chambers Island Lighthouse, […]

  • Picton Castle Added to Tall Ships Fleet Coming in July

    The Barque Picton Castle will join the fleet of ships at Nicolet Bank Tall Ships event July 26-28. The Picton Castle, sponsored by North Star Mohican Casino Resort, is a three-masted tall ship based in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada and is best known for its adventurous sail training voyages around the world. It is a fully certified and registered […]

  • All Hail AleFest

    Trying unlimited samples of craft beer while enjoying the beauty of the bay are what you can expect at AleFest on Sept. 14 in Egg Harbor’s Harbor View Park. Tickets are on sale now. Brass Differential will play 12-4 pm, and take advantage of complimentary trolley transportation, 11 am – 7 pm, to and from […]

  • Fire & Ice Festival Carving-Competition Results

    Volunteer ice carvers braved the chilly elements on Feb. 16 to participate in Sturgeon Bay’s Fire & Ice Festival ice-carving competition. Carvers began chipping, sawing and molding ice blocks throughout the city at 9 am. Unique and original sculptures were formed out of 300-pound ice blocks. The ice carvers competed for cash prizes and the […]

  • Winter Wine Fest

    Celebrate our frozen terrain at Parallel 44’s eighth Frozen Tundra Wine Fest – the state’s largest outdoor winter wine fest – on Feb. 23, 12-6 pm. It showcases the winery’s snow-covered vineyard, cold-hardy grape vines and signature line of Frozen Tundra wines. Wine will be served outside under a tent. There will also be an ice bar, […]

  • TAP Winter Play Reading Festival

    Third Avenue Playhouse presents its third annual Winter Play Reading Festival Feb. 15-24. The opening night – Feb. 15 at 7:30 pm – will feature An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen and adapted by Arthur Miller. A small Norwegian town has just begun to win fame and wealth through its medicinal spring waters […]

  • Fire & Ice Weekend in Sturgeon Bay

    Carve out some time to visit Sturgeon Bay on Feb. 16 for the 14th annual Fire & Ice festival. Enjoy winter’s beauty while watching ice carvers of all skill levels and professional snow sculptors create their masterpieces. Twenty ice blocks and six snow blocks will be carved. From 9 am to 2 pm, volunteer carvers […]

  • Celebrating Winter Week on Washington Island

    Celebrating Winter and Fish Derby, held Feb. 9-17, is a weeklong celebration of ice and snow with food, fun, adventure and entertainment on Washington Island. Sponsored by the Washington Island Chamber of Commerce, the event calendar is anchored in several main events. Anglers who dare to venture onto the ice to get “the big one” […]

  • Making the Most of Snow

    Tips for beginner snow sculptors If you’re getting bored with building run-of-the-mill snowmen, now might be the time to try your hand at snow sculpting. With the unbearably cold temperatures and wind chills out of the forecast (at least for now), get outside and be creative. Here are a few tips for beginner snow sculptors. • Know your snow. […]

  • Peninsula Music Festival Presents February Fest

    Shepherd of the Bay Lutheran Church will host three Peninsula Music Festival (PMF) February Fest concerts on Feb. 9, 16 and 23. Performances begin at 2 pm. The Feb. 9 event features pianists Andrew Armstrong and Inna Faliks, who will showcase their talents on the unique “Omega Double” piano created by Washington Island craftsman, furniture […]

  • Roger Kuhns and ‘Words on Water’ at DCA

    Door Community Auditorium (DCA) is hosting Winter Water Fest through Feb. 2, a weekend of activities inspired by this year’s Celebrate Water Door County initiative. Roger Kuhns will deliver this week’s Door County Talks presentation on Feb. 2, 10 am, in DCA’s Fireside Lobby. He will discuss water, the risks it faces and ways to […]

  • All Invited to Join Groundhog Day Parade

    The eighth annual Ellison Bay Groundhog Day Parade will be held Feb. 2 at 4 pm. Everyone is invited to build a float, decorate a car or walk a dog for the parade. Participants should meet at Nicolet Bank at 3:15 pm. The parade route goes through Ellison Bay and ends at the Mink River […]

  • PenArt Launches Winter Print

    The Peninsula School of Art (PenArt) invites all ages to participate in its first annual Winter Print event: a family-friendly, hands-on art-making event held during Fish Creek’s Winter Festival. Head to the school in Fish Creek on Feb. 2, from 10 am to 2 pm. Participants can choose to do one – or all three […]

  • 10 Years of Short Film Fest

    The 10th annual Door County Short Film Fest (DCSFF) – a grassroots, community-driven event – will take place in the Sister Bay Village Hall on Feb. 15 and 16. This year’s festival will again feature an opening-night party on Friday at 6 pm and the premiere of a Wisconsin-themed feature film, Lake Michigan Monster, directed by […]

  • Fish Creek’s Wacky Winter Fest

    Event schedule for Feb. 1-3 Fish Creek Winter Festival will celebrate its 32nd year in 2019. As the town’s longest-standing tradition and Door County’s most famous winter event, it features live music, quirky games, delicious food, the Fruit Loop Fun Run, a fireworks display and two featured events: an entertaining stumpf fiddle contest and the […]

  • VIDEO: Winter Fest Boot Camp

    Some people take the oddball competitions of Fish Creek Winter Festival a little too seriously. We checked in on Matthew Marcon’s grueling preparation as he practiced for the games of the 32nd annual festival. The festival returns Feb. 1-3.

  • Winter Wine and Cherry Fest

    Discover the fun of winter at Lautenbach’s Orchard Country Winery & Market on Feb. 2, 10 am – 4 pm. The annual Winter Wine and Cherry Fest will include complimentary wine and product tasting – featuring the popular, tart Montmorency cherry in celebration of National Cherry Month – plus an assortment of food and bakery […]

  • 2019 Fish Creek Winter Festival

    Fish Creek’s Winter Festival celebrates 32 years on Feb. 1, 2 and 3. With many eclectic, downright goofy activities and attractions, people can’t help but enjoy themselves. Winter Festival features live music, quirky games, delicious food, the wacky Fruit Loop Fun Run, an entertaining stumpf-fiddle contest, a fireworks display and a Smokin’ Hot Chili Cook-Off. […]

  • Third Coast Percussion in Residence for Winter Water Fest

    Inspired by this year’s Celebrate Water Door County initiative, Door Community Auditorium (DCA) is holding Winter Water Fest, a fun-packed weekend of activities. From Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, Chicago’s classically trained, Grammy-winning ensemble Third Coast Percussion will be in residence at DCA. The residency will consist of school performances on Jan. 30-31, followed by […]