Looking for free things to do in Milwaukee this summer? These 15 festivals offers live music, art, food, cultural celebrations, and more – all with free admission. From kite launches to chalk art to dance performances, there’s something for everyone, and it’s cost a thing to attend.
MAY
Gift of Wings Family Kite Festival
May 24–25, 2025
Veterans Park | Milwaukee
FREE admission & FREE parking
The Gift of Wings Family Kite Festival on the lakefront is one of Milwaukee’s most magical festivals for kids — and it’s totally free! Here’s what makes it a must-visit for families:
- The Grand Launch (Noon each day): Watch 600+ colorful kites fill the sky in a jaw-dropping display.
- Giant Show Kites: Spot a 120-foot trilobite, a humpback whale, and even an IKEA Shark soaring overhead.
- Kids’ Mad Dash: The first 100 kids each day get a free kite and join in a joyful group launch.
- Free kite-flying lessons: Perfect for beginners looking to learn the ropes (or strings).
- Food and kites for sale: Grab a treat and pick out your own kite to keep the fun going all summer long.
With world-class kite flyers, wide open green space, and a relaxing lake breeze, it’s one of the most laid-back and delightful festivals for all ages.
JUNE
🇬🇷 Milwaukee Greek Fest – 60th Anniversary Celebration
📍 Wisconsin State Fair Park, Milwaukee, WI
📅 June 13–15, 2025
🎟️ Free Admission & Free Parking
Opa! Milwaukee Greek Fest celebrates 60 years of tradition, culture, and community at Milwaukee’s longest-running Greek festival. Hosted by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, this family-friendly event features authentic Greek food, live music, traditional dancing, and fun for all ages. What to Expect:
- Famous spit-roasted lamb & chicken
- Expanded drive-thru and new menu items
- Authentic pastries like baklava and loukoumades
- Live Greek music and traditional dance performances
- Carnival rides and games for kids
☀️ Summer Soulstice Music Festival
Saturday, June 14, 2025
East Side of Milwaukee | Presented by the East Side BID #20
FREE Admission
Milwaukee’s official celebration of the Summer Solstice is back! Summer Soulstice Music Festival is a full day of music, food, and fun — and it’s totally free to attend. While the music is the main draw, families will love the daytime atmosphere filled with:
- Arts & crafts booths and creative activities for kids
- Bounce houses and outdoor games
- A mix of live music that’s fun for all ages
- Food vendors with kid-friendly options
✊🏾 Juneteenth Day Celebration
Thursday, June 19, 2025
Parade + Kids Zone (Daytime) | Evening Celebration at Summerfest Grounds
FREE Admission
Milwaukee’s Juneteenth Day celebration is one of the oldest in the nation — and it’s packed with family fun, community pride, and powerful cultural significance. Here’s why it’s a great event for families:
- Juneteenth Jubilee Parade: Colorful floats, marching bands, and dance teams bring the streets to life in an uplifting celebration of freedom, love, and resilience.
- Kids Zone (Martin Luther King Elementary School Playground): Designed for kids ages 5–12, this area features carnival rides, a petting zoo, pony rides, and more — all in a safe, welcoming space.
🍓 Strawberry Festival – Cedarburg
June 28–29, 2025
Downtown Cedarburg & Cedar Creek Park
FREE Admission
An annual celebration of summer’s favorite fruit, Strawberry Festival in Cedarburg is bursting with small-town charm — and it’s packed with things for kids and families to enjoy. Here’s what makes it a sweet pick for families:
- Strawberry everything — from shortcake to slushies to strawberry wine (for the grownups)
- Youth Makers Market (Cedar Creek Park): Budding artists and creators in 12th grade and under get to show and sell their work!
- Kids’ Area in Cedar Creek Park: Expect family-friendly entertainment, a duck race, petting zoo, games, prizes, and more
- Feeding & Changing Station (W63N642 Washington Ave.): A quiet spot for caregivers with little ones
- Lost Child Prevention Booth: Free safety wristbands and stickers to help keep kids safe
- Live music throughout the festival grounds
Waterford Balloonfest – TBD For 2025
JULY
🇫🇷 Bastille Days (FREE!)
July 17–20, 2025
Cathedral Square Park | 825 N. Jefferson St., Milwaukee
Milwaukee’s Bastille Days is one of the largest French-themed festivals in the country — and it’s completely free to attend! At the heart of the event is a 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica that lights up the square hourly, creating a magical atmosphere day and night. Why it’s great for families:
- Kids’ & Family Day (usually Saturday) features hands-on fun like crafts, soccer and dance lessons, and live kid-friendly entertainment
- Street performers and musicians roam the grounds all weekend
- Tasty treats from French pastries to Cajun eats
- Hop streetcar access: Ride for free and get dropped off right in the middle of the festival
🎨 Frida Fest MKE
July 12–13, 2025
4511 S 6th St, Milwaukee, WI 53221
FREE Admission
Celebrate the life, art, and cultural legacy of Frida Kahlo at Frida Fest MKE — a colorful, interactive two-day festival filled with music, dance, art, and community. This family-friendly event celebrates local Latinx artists and offers plenty of opportunities for kids and adults to create, dance, and explore together, including craft workshops, live music and dance performances, food trucks, and more.
🌈 Rainbow Summer
July 14-20, 2025
Peck Pavilion at the Marcus Performing Arts Center | Milwaukee
Rainbow Summer is a free, family-friendly celebration that transforms downtown Milwaukee into a hub of color, creativity, and community joy. From interactive art installations to live performances, it’s designed to delight all ages — including your fur-babies! What to Expect:
- Pet-friendly spaces to include your four-legged family members
- Live shows and performances in the open-air Peck Pavilion
- Art exhibits and hands-on activities 25 artist lineup coming soon!)
- Beautiful riverfront setting perfect for picnics, photos, and downtown fun
- Bubbles, dancing, and family games to keep kids engaged
✈️ WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show
July 19–20, 2025
Milwaukee Lakefront | FREE Admission
Milwaukee’s skies will come alive with the roar of jets and the splash of lakefront stunts during the Water & Air Show, one of the city’s most awe-inspiring—and free!—summer traditions. Families flock to the lakefront to witness the precision and power of military and civilian aircraft, including the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, F-22 Raptor Demo Team, C-130 “Fat Albert,” and many more.
Pro Tip: This event gets loud—noise-cancelling headphones are a must for sensitive kids!
Looking for the best places to watch the show with your family? Check out our reader-recommended list of the Best Spots to View the Milwaukee Air & Water Show — from Bradford Beach to Discovery World, and even the top of North Point Lighthouse!
AUGUST
🎡 Ozaukee County Fair (FREE!)
July 30 – August 3, 2025
Firemen’s Park | Cedarburg, WI
As one of the last free fairs in the state, the Ozaukee County Fair is a beloved tradition in Cedarburg. Expect carnival rides, games, farm animals, live music, and classic fair food. Special events like the Truck & Tractor Pull and Demolition Derby require admission, but the rest of the fun is free and perfect for families.
🐉 Milwaukee Dragon Boat Festival (FREE!)
July 12, 2025
Lakeshore State Park | Milwaukee, WI
Watch colorful boats race across the water in this exciting celebration of Chinese culture. At the Milwaukee Dragon Boat Festival, families can enjoy martial arts, music, folk dance, and interactive cultural exhibits like lantern-making and traditional games.
🏖️ ArtBlaze
Thursdays: July 24, August 7, August 21, 2025 | 4:00–9:30 PM
McKinley Beach
Free admission and all-ages welcome
Get ready for a one-of-a-kind beach party meets public art experience! Joy Engine’s ArtBlaze is back—this time at the newly renovated McKinley Beach and on Thursday evenings. Expect live music (like The Quilz and DJ Gemini Gilly), arts activities, vendors, waterside s’mores, and a Silent Disco as the sun sets.
But the real showstopper? The towering, glowing HydroBloom inflatable sculptures – stretching nearly 1,000 feet across the beach and water – that respond to your movements with pulses of light.
🎨 MOWA Art & Chalk Fest (FREE!)
August 16–17, 2025
Museum of Wisconsin Art | West Bend, WI
The MOWA Art & Chalk Fest features live chalk art, pottery, glass blowing demos, henna tattoos, caricatures, and a kids’ activity area. Walk away with a flower crown or enjoy a poetry reading. It’s an easygoing, hands-on event for creative families.
Bronzeville Week
August 2–9, 2025
Bronzeville Week honors African-American culture through music, art, history, and commerce. The highlight for families is often the trolley rides and the Bronzeville Cultural & Arts Festival — expect local food, kid-friendly activities, music, and community vendors.
🍺 Root Beer Bash (FREE!)
August 2, 2025
More info »
The Root Beer Bash features live music, kids’ activities, shopping, and of course, root beer floats! Don’t miss the art and makers market, giveaways, and the all-ages fun brewed just for summer.
SEPTEMBER
🎨 Third Ward Art Festival
August 30 – 31, 2025
Historic Third Ward | Milwaukee, WI
The open-air Third Ward Art Festival includes work from over 130 juried artists, live music on two stages, a kid’s art tent, face painting, and food from local vendors. It’s dog-friendly, stroller-accessible, and a great way to end summer on a creative note.
Related: 5 Hot Air Balloon Festivals Happening in Wisconsin
Calie Herbst, Editor-in-Chief of Milwaukee With Kids, has spent over a decade combining her experiences as a parent of three to create a hub for Milwaukee’s family adventures.
Her decade-long teaching career in Milwaukee Public Schools and academic background, including a Master’s in Teaching from Marquette University and dual B.A.s in Sociology and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin – Madison, fuel her passion for inclusive and engaging family content.
Calie is also a recognized voice in local media, contributing to WISN Channel 12 News, WTMJ Wisconsin Morning News, Fox 6’s Real Milwaukee, and B93.3.
Discover more about Calie’s journey and editorial approach on her About Page and Editorial Policy Page.
