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It’s time to mark your calendars for the Milwaukee Public Market’s longest-standing tradition: the 19th Anniversary Harvest Festival, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 12 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverwalk Commons, located just across the street from the Market along the Milwaukee River.
The free, family-friendly event offers something for everyone from a pumpkin carving station and scarecrow building, s'mores roasting and apple cider pressing.
Among the ongoing traditions for guests 21+ is the free tasting of Lakefront Brewery's Pumpkin Lager, which will be tapped straight from the giant pumpkin. There will also be food and beverages, plus live music from the Bluegrass Allstars and Barred Owl String Band.
New mini harvest market
For the first time, the Harvest Festival will also be hosting a mini harvest market featuring local producers and growers. Festivalgoers will have the opportunity to sample and shop unique products, including Hundred Acre Farm's Hydroponic Basil Pesto, boozy cider, Wisconsin cheese, Milwaukee honey, apples and more.
Milwaukee Public Market vendors, including Anodyne Coffee Co., Freese’s Candy Shoppe, Margarita Paradise, Brew City Brand and David Alan Alan’s Smokehouse (which opens soon at the market) will also have a presence at the event.
Inside the Market, additional vendors will offer special promotions, such as 20% off fall-favorite flavors at Oro di Oliva and West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe's seasonal Pumpkin Spice Cheddar cheese.
Support families in need
But that's not all. In a new community-focused initiative, the Milwaukee Public Market has partnered with the Hunger Task Force and local author Lori Fredrich to support local families in need.
Attendees are encouraged to contribute to this cause through donations of non-perishable food items or monetary gifts, which will be collected at the event. For each donation to Hunger Task Force, attendees will receive a recipe from Lori Fredrich’s cookbook, "Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State."
For guests who'd like to purchase copies of the cookbook, Lori Fredrich will donate $5 from every signed cookbook sold during the festival directly to Hunger Task Force, helping raise both food and funds for the community.
"Each year, Harvest Fest serves as a reminder of the strong community the Market has built,” said Paul Schwartz, executive director of the Milwaukee Public Market and Business Improvement District #2. "It’s a moment for us to thank the people who support our mission by offering a day filled with food, music and fun, while celebrating the family-focused culture we’ve embraced for nearly 20 years."
Sponsors for this year's Harvest Festival include 333 Water,
Hundred Acre Farms, Radio Milwaukee, and Beer Capitol Distributing.
As a passionate champion of the local dining scene, Lori has reimagined the restaurant critic's role into that of a trusted dining concierge, guiding food lovers to delightful culinary discoveries and memorable experiences.
Lori is an avid cook whose accrual of condiments and spices is rivaled only by her cookbook collection. Her passion for the culinary industry was birthed while balancing A&W root beer mugs as a teenage carhop, fed by insatiable curiosity and fueled by the people whose stories entwine with every dish. Lori is the author of two books: the "Wisconsin Field to Fork" cookbook and "Milwaukee Food". Her work has garnered journalism awards from entities including the Milwaukee Press Club. In 2024, Lori was honored with a "Top 20 Women in Hospitality to Watch" award by the Wisconsin Restaurant Association.
When she’s not eating, photographing food, writing or planning for TV and radio spots, you’ll find Lori seeking out adventures with her husband Paul, traveling, cooking, reading, learning, snuggling with her cats and looking for ways to make a difference.
