Category: 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.
Sturgeon Bay Harvest Fest
September 18, 2021
Sturgeon Bay
Usher in the spirit of autumn with a bountiful day on Third Avenue. Features include a classic car show, craft show, food booths, in-store specials, children’s activities, and live entertainment. Preview unique street art and attend the live auction at 5:30pm.
Bailey’s Harbor AutumnFest
September 25, 2021, Baileys Harbor
Baileys Harbor celebrates the fall with live music, food and drinks, arts and crafts, a Classic Auto and Motorcycle Show, plus the Hey Hey 5k Run at Door County Brewing Co. on Saturday morning. Check out the farm market on Sunday from 9am-1pm.
AutumnFest’s car show. Photo courtesy of the Baileys Harbor Community Association.
Autumn Lighthouse Festival
Oct. 1-3, 2021
The Door County Maritime Museum is offering a couple of its most popular tours Columbus Day weekend.
Egg Harbor Pumpkin Patch Festival
October 9-10, 2021, Egg Harbor
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, food, refreshments and more.
Townline Art Fair
October 9-10, 2021, Ephraim
Enjoy the display and sale of visual arts and fine crafts featuring over 80 professional juried artists from across the Midwest at Fine Line Designs Gallery in Ephraim.
Sister Bay Fall Festival
October 15-17, 2021, Sister Bay
Sister Bay’s annual end-of-season bash features live music all over the village, a huge arts and crafts fair, games and activities for kids, amazing street food and beverages.
2016 Sister Bay Fall Festival. Photo by Len Villano.
Jack O’Lantern Days
Oct. 29-31, 2021
Both visitors and locals look forward to Fish Creek’s annual Jack O’Lantern Days every year. Enjoy family mask-making, live owls, a costume contest and parade, and trick-or-treating.
Thrills on Third
Oct. 30, 2021, Sturgeon Bay
Watch out for the spooky characters you may come across at the 6th annual Thrills on Third event happening throughout historic Third Avenue in Sturgeon Bay on Oct. 28. Enjoy family-friendly activities like pumpkin painting, slime making, the Boys & Girls Club haunted house, and the famous costume parade.
Sturgeon Bay Christmas by the Bay
Nov. 20-21, 2021
Join Sturgeon Bay as they usher in the holiday season during the annual Christmas by the Bay Celebration! This holiday celebration includes a tree lighting ceremony on historic Third Avenue, horse drawn wagon rides, a festive holiday parade and breakfast with Santa.
Sister Bay Capture the Spirit Festival
Nov. 26, 2021
Warm up your holiday spirit, tune up your caroling voice, bundle up the kids and join the festivities at the Sister Bay Capture the Spirit event! The downtown will glow with luminaries as you and your family enjoy the Village Christmas tree lighting, storytelling and crafts with Santa, holiday cookie decorating and a holiday arts and crafts show.
Egg Harbor Holly Days
Nov. 26, 2021
An exciting old-fashioned winter weekend including Breakfast with Santa, an elf hunt for children, Mistle Dough shopping contest, tree lighting & caroling, horse-drawn wagon rides, and more.
Ephraim Christmas in the Village
December 2020
Featuring fun family crafts, soup and chili, and a meet-and-greet with Santa and his sled dogs.
Harbor Holiday in Baileys Harbor
December 2020
Join us for a great community event including a Christmas parade, arts & crafts and a tree lighting ceremony!
Celebrating Winter on Washington Island
2022
Take part in a week long celebration of ice and snow with food, fun, adventure and entertainment at the biggest of the winter Door County festivals. Sample chili entries for $5 at the annual Chili Cook Off, enter a photo contest, or register with the Lions Club to participate in the Fishing Derby and more! Don’t forget the local food specials, bake sales, live music, Island Players performances, and a “surprize” event!
Sturgeon Bay Fire & Ice Festival
2022
Stroll around town or climb aboard the Door County Trolley for a complimentary tour of the community. Witness novice, intermediate, advanced and professional carvers transform blocks of snow and ice into works of art. On Saturday evening, join us for the annual Fire & Ice Dinner, Dance and Auction at Stone Harbor Resort with live music.
Sturgeon Bay Shipyard Tours
May 2022
For one day each year, Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and CenterPointe Yacht Services open their doors to the public for tours of the shipbuilding industry.
RESCHEDULED – Door County Festival of Nature
Jacksonport Maifest
May 23-24 2022
The first of the summer Door County festivals includes a parade Saturday morning with Flag Ceremony honoring our servicemen and women to follow, plus children’s activities, live music, horsepull, 10K and 2 mile fun run, a variety of food and beverages, and of course, the art fair.
Roping with Chewy at the Jacksonport Maifest.
Blessing of the Fleet Festival
June 6 2022
Celebrate the Blessing of the Fleet with activities in Baileys Harbor. Tour the Baileys Harbor Range Lights, enjoy an arts and crafts fair, stock up at the farmer’s market, and enjoy the annual Scottie Dog Rally through town.
The blessing of the fleet ceremony takes place at the marina at noon, followed by music and food throughout the afternoon! Learn about the fisheries with presentations from longtime fishermen Dennis Hickey and Charlie Henriksen, plus author Trygvie Jensen.
Door County Lighthouse Festival
June 12-14 2020
Boat excursions and guided land-based tours to all 11 historic Door County lighthouses giving visitors access to lighthouses that aren’t typically open to the public, including Chambers Island, Plum Island and Sherwood Point lighthouses.
Roofing of the Goats & Goat Fest
June, 2022
Live music outside by Cardinal Harbor, fun kids games, Swedish pancake eating contest, goat drop contest, food and beverages available.
Photo by Justin Anderson.
Fyr Bal Festival
June, 2022
Artists, food, musical entertainment and family activities along the picturesque shoreline of Eagle Harbor welcome the arrival of summer. Hop on the trolley or stroll through the village and visit Ephraim’s iconic landmarks, shops, galleries and restaurants.
Photo by Len Villano.
Door County Beer Festival
June 18, 2022
A celebration of craft beer, culinary artisans, and live music on the shores of Baileys Harbor. Meet Wisconsin’s leading brewers, Door County’s top chefs, and expand your ale horizons. Sample from more than 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. Cyclists can join the fun in the morning at the 31st annual Peninsula Century Spring Classic ride that takes place in conjunction with the festival.
Beer Fest. Photo by Len Villano.
Uncork Summer
June 25, 2022
Celebrate the county’s great selection of food, wine, beer, cider and music at the fourth annual Uncork Summer, taking place at the Wickman House in Ellison Bay.
Door County Wine Fest
June 25, 2022
Enjoy unlimited tasting of award-winning Door County wines from eight local wineries and live music. This year’s event will be held at Sunset Park in Sturgeon Bay. For more information visit doorcountywinefest.com.
Egg Harbor 4th of July Parade and Celebration
July 3-4, 2022
Annual parade, fireworks, food and beverages on the bay at Harbor View Park. Visit eggharbordorcounty.org for details.
The Main Street Market crew performs “death-defying” stunts at the 2017 Egg Harbor 4th of July parade. Photo by Len Villano.
Baileys Harbor 4th of July Celebration
July 4, 2022
Kick off the fourth in Baileys Harbor with the 4th of July parade, live music, great food, arts, and crafts.
The 4th of July Parade in Baileys Harbor draws thousands. Photo by Myles Dannhausen Jr.
Belgian Days
July, 2022
Excitement and fun for all ages. Big Dogs baseball tournament, coed volleyball tournament, Cooyah Card tournament, live music, parade, food & beverages, and 1, 2, and 4 mile walk/run. $2 raffle ticket to enter grounds. All profits go to charitable causes.
Door County Plein Air Festival
July-August 2022
Free events throughout the week at various Door County locations provide attendees the opportunity to meet featured artists at their easels; this includes the Featured Artists’ Quick Paint, followed by a live auction at noon of the festival artists’ freshly created work. Among ticketed events are the Collector’s Preview and Gala Auction.
Carlsville Day
July 2022
Parade, craft fair, music, food, pie eating contest, doggie contest, cherry stomp, free waterslides, pet psychic readings and more fun for the whole family.
Door County Fair
July 2022
John Miles County Park, Sturgeon Bay
Old-school, small-town fun at the fair. Carnival rides, food stands, 4-H animal barns, grandstand events, kids and family tents.
Sturgeon Bay Maritime Week
August 2022
The City of Sturgeon Bay will once again honor its rich maritime heritage with a diverse collection of entertaining and fun-filled events.
August 2022
Featuring a parade, car cruise and show, 150+ arts and crafts & street fair vendors, 5k walk/run as part of the Bellin Title Town Series, food, beach volleyball tourney, fireworks, kid’s area, fishing contest, book sale and entertainment for the entire family.
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Fyr Bal Festival Canceled for Second Year
The Ephraim Business Council will not be holding the Fyr Bal Festival in 2021 out of concern for the health and safety of the community and visitors. It was a difficult decision to postpone the event for a second year, but the council looks forward to safely bringing back the music, artisans, games, dancers, chieftain, […]
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Easter Egg Hunt April 3 at Sister Bay Sports Complex
Head to the Sister Bay Sports Complex, 2155 Autumn Court, for an Easter egg hunt (sisterbay.com) April 3, 10:30 am. Get your photo taken with the Easter bunny, hunt for colorful eggs with candy inside and find a Golden Ticket egg to win a special prize basket! Participants should take their own baskets or bags […]
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Jacksonport’s Maifest Canceled for Second Year
Since 1973, Jacksonport has hosted Maifest – Door County’s unofficial summer kickoff festival during Memorial Day weekend at Lakeside Park. Pandemic-related public-health concerns forced organizers to cancel the 2020 event and, now, the 2021 event as well. Leaders of the Jacksonport Advancement Corporation hope the parade, arts-and-crafts fair, food booths, kids’ activities, live music, run and […]
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Ice carvers braved the chilly elements Feb. 13 during the Fire & Ice ice-carving contest to create original “ice-terpieces” out of 300-pound ice blocks, and judges walked the streets of Sturgeon Bay to determine the winning sculptures. In the beginner category, Collin Richter received first place for his gnome sculpture; Meghan Lampereur took second for […]
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Baileys Harbor Cautiously OKs Celebrations
With no certainty about the containment of COVID-19 this season, the Baileys Harbor Town Board instructed its community association to proceed cautiously with event planning for 2021. The board gave the go-ahead on Monday for Brynn Swanson, Baileys Harbor Community Association (BHCA) director, to take reservations from vendors and food-truck operators for a July Fourth […]
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Don’t Miss Fire & Ice Festivities Feb. 12-13
The annual Fire & Ice weekend will kick off Feb. 12 with the Candlelight Ski & Snowshoe at Crossroads at Big Creek, 6-8 pm. Then on Feb. 13, join or watch the 16th annual Fire & Ice ice-carving competition in downtown Sturgeon Bay. Between 9 am and 2 pm, individual carvers and carving teams of […]
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Fish Creek Cancels Winter Festival, Launches Winter Tour of Lights
The Fish Creek Civic Association has canceled the annual Fish Creek Winter Festival, planned for Feb. 5-7, and all associated events have been canceled as well because of COVID-19 concerns. Despite the cancellation, the association still promises a bright and merry winter season through its self-guided Winter Tour of Lights. After a successful fundraising campaign […]
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Ephraim Alters Dec. 5 Christmas in the Village
Because of recent health advisories, the Ephraim Business Council has made changes to the Dec. 5 Christmas in the Village celebration. Instead of the tree-lighting ceremony, Santa will spread holiday cheer from the porch of the Ephraim Village Hall, 5-5:30 pm. Please remain in your vehicle and drive by to wave to Santa. Eagle Harbor […]
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Ephraim Modifies Christmas in the Village
The Ephraim Business Council will hold a modified Christmas in the Village celebration Dec. 5. Santa Claus will arrive in Harborside Park at 5 pm in an Ephraim Fire Department vehicle, and he’ll light the Christmas tree in the gazebo to welcome the holiday season. Attendees should wear masks and maintain social distancing. Eagle Harbor […]
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See a Show of Scarecrows in Egg Harbor
Although the annual Pumpkin Patch Festival is not happening this year, members of the Egg Harbor Business Association (EHBA) wanted to keep a special tradition alive: the annual pumpkin and scarecrow display contest. “The pumpkin and scarecrow displays are a long-standing tradition of Egg Harbor’s Pumpkin Patch Festival and one that is beloved by residents […]
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Thrills on Third is back, and new this year will be the Sturgeon Bay Spooky Scavenger Hunt! Pick up a scavenger hunt map at the Destination Sturgeon Bay welcome center beginning Oct. 5, and return it to the center no later than Nov. 6 for a chance to win a Destination Sturgeon Bay gift certificate. […]
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Door County Delivered Partners with Sister Bay to Offer Fall Fest in a Box
Sister Bay’s Fall Fest is a beloved annual event for many visitors, and it’s a great way to cap the summer season for locals and seasonal workers. Sadly, it’s another event that has been canceled for 2020, but the Sister Bay Advancement Association came up with a way for would-be fest goers to infuse some […]
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Fall Lighthouse Festival Better Than Ever
The Door County Maritime Museum (dcmm.org) will host the Fall Lighthouse Festival Oct. 3-4: a weekend of air, land, boat and adventure tours that, together, will reach all 11 of the county’s treasured lighthouses. Many of the excursions are exclusive to the festival weekends and provide visitors with lighthouse access that is not typically available […]
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Destination Sturgeon Bay Cancels 2020 Harvest Festival
Destination Sturgeon Bay has canceled the 2020 Harvest Festival in the interest of participants’ safety. The event is a destination festival that can attract up to 7,500 attendees and features more than 50 vendors statewide. Cherries Jubilee – the 20th annual street-art auction – will still take place virtually Sept. 19. More details regarding this live auction […]
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Drive-Through Kermiss at Belgian Heritage Center
The Belgian Heritage Center, 1255 Cty DK in Brussels, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and will host a drive-through kermiss Aug. 16, 11:30 am – 2 pm. Burgers, trippe, jutt and Belgian pies will be on the menu, and the center’s famous booyah will be sold by the bowl, quart and gallon. Find out how […]
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Baileys Harbor Cancels Some Events
The Baileys Harbor Community Association has canceled events through Sept. 30 because of the pandemic. Concerts in the Park, Food Trucks & Floaties, and Autumnfest have been postponed to 2021. The association’s staff and board value the community, visitors, the service industry and medical workers. The Town of Baileys Harbor has passed a resolution supporting […]
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Pumpkin Patch, Other Egg Harbor Events Canceled
The Egg Harbor Village Board of Trustees and Egg Harbor Business Association (EHBA) have canceled the Door County Sports & Classic Car Show on Aug. 8, Egg Harbor AleFest on Sept. 19, and Pumpkin Patch Festival on Oct. 10-11. The safety of visitors, residents, volunteers and staff members was the primary factor in this decision, […]
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Preview: 15th Annual Door County Plein Air Festival
During these times of social distancing, painting “en plein air” (French for “in full or open air”) is, in some ways, the ideal activity. One imagines the solitary artist standing in a field, alone and at one with nature, squinting her or his eyes to better discern blocks of light and holding a paintbrush at […]
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Experiencing Maritime History Aboard the Belafonte
Peering over the sides of the inflatable Belafonte raft, I could see massive, mossy beams stacked underwater like a fallen tower of giant Jenga blocks. The sunken remains of the schooner Grape Shot – sitting under just eight feet of water near Plum Island – seemed close enough to touch. While aboard the Belafonte – captained by Matt […]
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Arguably one of Door County’s most recognizable festivals, Fyr Bal lights up the shore of Eagle Harbor every June. It’s inspired by traditional Norwegian celebrations of the summer solstice, so it marks the end of winter and the triumph of summer – a transition symbolized by the burning of the proverbial “winter witch.” Although the […]