Wauwatosa’s biggest street party is turning 50, and the anniversary edition is bringing enough music, beer and cheese curds to make the Village feel like one giant block party. TosaFest returns Sept. 11-12 with live bands, food vendors, Oktoberfest, family activities and a few delightfully competitive ways to spend the weekend.
Founded in 1976, TosaFest grew from its early days on North Avenue into a signature Milwaukee-area festival. This year’s celebration will also include a “History of TosaFest” exhibit, according to OnMilwaukee, giving longtime attendees a chance to see how the event evolved over five decades.
The festival will take over State Street between Harmonee Avenue and Wauwatosa Avenue, along with sections of Underwood and Harwood avenues. Organizers are planning three music stages, five beer gardens, a food court, marketplace vendors, a Kids Zone with free inflatables and Oktoberfest from Draft & Vessel, according to the Village of Wauwatosa.
Music, Oktoberfest And A Very Wisconsin Competition
The live-music schedule jumps across decades and genres, with Circa 79, Louie & The Flashbombs, Indigo Canyon and the Rat River Boys set for Friday. Saturday brings Shattered, The Taxmen, The Spazmatics, Social Cig, the Terry Sims Band and more, according to the festival’s official schedule.
There will also be plenty to do between sets, including an annual cheese curd eating contest, cribbage and pull-tab tournaments, Old Fashioned flights, floral and fall-wreath workshops, and other ticketed experiences. Draft & Vessel’s Oktoberfest will run throughout both festival days, because apparently one celebration was not enough for Wauwatosa.
Friday’s festival hours are 5 to 11 p.m., while Saturday runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is free, and Visit Milwaukee lists the event as taking place on State Street, Harwood Avenue and Underwood Avenue.
Road Closures And Parking Details
Road closures are expected to begin at 10 a.m. Friday and continue through noon Sunday, covering portions of State Street, Underwood Avenue and Harwood Avenue. The festival’s parking guide lists several free lots within walking distance, including spaces near Hart Park, the Harmonee Bridge and the public garage at 74th and State.
The City of Wauwatosa lists TosaFest for Friday, Sept. 11, from 5 to 11 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 12, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The city’s calendar identifies Wauwatosa Village as the event location, with the 50th anniversary serving as the weekend’s main attraction—and a strong excuse to order one more round of cheese curds.
