Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis kicks off its 33rd annual Harvest Fair on Friday, a three-day run packed with live music, racing pigs and ducks, fall food specials and a new wave of family attractions. The event opens Friday at 5 p.m. and continues through Sunday evening, with general admission priced at $5 for anyone 12 and older while kids 11 and under get in free.
According to TMJ4 News, Harvest Fair hours run Friday from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The $5 admission charge itself isn't new this year — organizers introduced it back in 2024 during the 31st annual fair to help offset rising production and public safety costs, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park, while keeping entry free for children 11 and under.
Fairgoers looking to dodge the gate fee entirely have one more option this year: purchasing a 30-pack of Busch or Busch Light beer at participating Wisconsin retailers ahead of or during the event scores a free admission ticket, per the same account. Parking costs $13 per vehicle, with preferred parking and motorcycle parking available for an added charge, the station's report notes, and entry at the parking gates is strictly cashless, accepting only credit or debit cards — though vendors inside the fairgrounds can still take cash.
Pig Races, Lumberjacks and a Giant Slide
Animal racing is a Harvest Fair staple, and this year's fair features pig, duck and goat races, per the same account. The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show brings log rolling, wood chopping, axe throwing and crosscut sawing demonstrations, while So Hot Glass offers glass-blowing demonstrations for anyone curious about the craft.
Other paid attractions include amusement rides, pumpkin bowling, pony rides, bumper boats, paintball activities, the Giant Slide and custom scarecrow making, the station's report indicates. Families with younger kids can also find mini golf, a walking maze, coloring activities and other hands-on experiences at the Kid's Corral inside the Exposition Center.
Live Music and a Craft Beer Hub
The Bank Five Nine Amphitheater lineup includes LP Vinyl Escape: A Tribute to Journey on Friday, Here Come The Mummies on Saturday, and One Louder on Sunday, according to the same report. Beer lovers can also head to Camptoberfest at the Camp Bar, which features live music and German-style beer under an Oktoberfest tent.
For craft beer fans, The Micro — a dedicated open-air pavilion near the Bank Five Nine Amphitheater — pours more than 60 Wisconsin craft beers on tap, including fall seasonals like Pumpkin Ale and Oktoberfest brews, alongside local cheese and sausage platters, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park. The pavilion also operates during the summer State Fair, making it a year-round fixture for the park's adult beverage offerings.
Fall Food and a Pumpkin Patch
Roughly 40 food vendors are serving up seasonal specialties and State Fair favorites, including apple cider mini donuts, pumpkin chai cinnamon roll lumpia, deep-fried apple rings, harvest stew and fall-inspired desserts and drinks, per the same account. Some stands are even dishing out menu items pulled from past finalists and winners of the State Fair's annual Sporkies and Drinkies food competitions, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park.
Original Cream Puffs is offering an Apple Crisp Deluxe and a Pumpkin Spice Harvest Fair flavor, and guests can pre-order for pickup during the event, the station's report adds. Just outside, Mukwonago-based Craigland Farms runs the festival's official pumpkin patch at the corner of Main Street and Grandstand Avenue, selling locally harvested pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks and fresh apple cider.
Bucks Fan Zone and Rules for Teens
The Milwaukee Bucks are setting up a dedicated community fan zone along Central Avenue on Sunday, October 4, complete with cornhole lawn games, giant Halloween character inflatables, photo opportunities and an appearance by mascot Bango, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park. The activation comes ahead of the team's 2026-27 NBA season kickoff.
Fairgoers age 17 and younger must be accompanied after 5 p.m. by a parent, guardian or chaperone age 25 or older, per the station's report. The policy applies throughout the fair's evening hours on all three days.
Harvest Fair unfolds on the same 200-acre West Allis grounds that hosted 925,749 visitors during this year's 175th-anniversary Wisconsin State Fair in August, according to Milwaukee Record. The park is governed by a state board of directors made up of gubernatorial appointees, state legislators, and the cabinet secretaries of tourism and agriculture, per the Wisconsin Department of Administration. The grounds also house the historic Milwaukee Mile speedway, one of the oldest continuously operating motor racing tracks in the country with seating for up to 37,000 spectators, as Hoodline previously reported.
