Fall weekends fill up fast. Start with my five featured picks, then explore fifteen more outings across Southeast Wisconsin. There are free community stops, family-friendly Halloween activities, live performances, and ideas for an evening out. Each listing links directly to the organizer so you can check the latest details before heading over.
My Top Five This Weekend
1. Elkhorn Oktoberfest
Fill a fall Saturday with German food, craft vendors, classic cars and live music around Elkhorn’s downtown square. Bands begin at 11 a.m., while the optional 2-mile/5K walk-run starts at 9:30 a.m. and requires separate registration.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Central
- Venue
- Veterans Park and Downtown Elkhorn
- Address
- 100 W. Walworth Street, Elkhorn, WI 53121
- Price
- Free event admission; food, drinks and optional activities extra
2. Boo at the Zoo
Bring costumes for a trick-or-treat trail, pumpkin animal enrichment, light shows and family entertainment. Saturday now includes daytime activities, and its online-only Boo ticket is required even for Zoo Pass members.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- Fridays 4:30–9 p.m.; Saturdays 9:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Central
- Venue
- Milwaukee County Zoo
- Address
- 10001 W. Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226
- Price
- From $18 adults / $16 ages 3–12; ages 2 and under free; parking included
3. Hunting Moon Pow Wow
Experience Native American dancing, singing and drumming during a three-day celebration at the Baird Center. Admission is free, and guests under 18 must be accompanied by an adult; use the North Building entrance on Kilbourn Avenue.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17 / Sun, Oct 18, 2026
- Time
- Friday Grand Entry 7 p.m. Central; other current public hours not confirmed
- Venue
- Baird Center North Building
- Address
- North entrance: 405 W. Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
- Price
- Free
4. Gallery Night MKE
Make your own art walk through participating Milwaukee galleries in the Historic Third Ward, East Town, Walker’s Point and beyond. Admission is free during event hours, but opening times vary by venue, so check the directory before building your route.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- Hours vary by venue and day; see organizer directory
- Venue
- Participating Milwaukee galleries
- Address
- Multiple participating venues in Milwaukee, WI
- Price
- Free
5. Downtown Racine Fall Wine Walk
Explore downtown Racine through a self-guided tasting route with 20 wine and 10 beer samples at participating businesses. General admission includes a tasting glass, tote and snacks; check the organizer’s current ticket availability before going.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 1–6 p.m. Central
- Venue
- Downtown Racine
- Address
- Participating businesses in Downtown Racine, WI
- Price
- $40 general admission; $70 VIP
15 More Ways to Enjoy the Weekend
6. Halloween Village
Walk through oversized pumpkins and a giant spider, then stop for seasonal photos among illuminated Halloween characters. The outdoor display is free and welcomes daytime visits as well as evening viewing; exact daily opening and closing hours are not published.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17 / Sun, Oct 18, 2026
- Time
- Daytime and evening; exact display hours not published
- Venue
- Baird Community Commons
- Address
- 400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI
- Price
- Free
7. Dinos in the Dark
Explore dinosaur skeletons by flashlight during an after-hours museum visit. Reserve a timed session in advance, because walk-in tickets will not be available.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16, 2026
- Time
- Timed sessions at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. CDT; event ends 9 p.m.
- Venue
- Dinosaur Discovery Museum
- Address
- 5608 10th Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53140
- Price
- $10 nonmembers; $8 members
8. The WhiskeyBelles
The Wisconsin trio brings country, Americana and folk-rooted songs to the Racine Theatre Guild. Expect three-part harmonies, fiddle, guitar and bass, with vintage favorites alongside original songs.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 7 p.m. CDT; end time not confirmed on venue page
- Venue
- Racine Theatre Guild
- Address
- 2519 Northwestern Avenue, Racine, WI 53404
- Price
- $20 adults; $18 seniors 62+; $15 students 21 and under
9. John Scofield’s Electrospective
Jazz guitarist John Scofield revisits his funk and fusion work with Adam Deitch, Larry Goldings and Oteil Burbridge. The program draws on his Blue Matter, A Go Go and Uberjam projects as well as newer music.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 7:30–9:30 p.m. CDT
- Venue
- Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts
- Address
- 3270 Mitchell Park Drive, Brookfield, WI 53045
- Price
- Ticketed; current seat prices not published in reviewed page
10. Florentine Opera: La Traviata
Verdi’s opera follows Violetta and Alfredo through love, social pressure and sacrifice, performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. It is sung in Italian with English supertitles, and a pre-opera talk begins one hour before each performance.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sun, Oct 18, 2026
- Time
- Friday 7:30 p.m.; Sunday 2:30 p.m. CDT; approximately 2 hours 30 minutes including intermission
- Venue
- Uihlein Hall, Marcus Performing Arts Center
- Address
- 929 N. Water Street, Milwaukee, WI 53202
- Price
- Ticketed; current prices not published on organizer page
11. Band on the Run: Paul McCartney & Wings Tribute
Hear a tribute to Paul McCartney and Wings with a horn section, synchronized video and stage effects. The show welcomes all ages; doors open an hour before the performance.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 7 p.m. CDT; doors 6 p.m.
- Venue
- Geneva Stage
- Address
- 244 Broad Street, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
- Price
- $45–$50 plus processing fees
12. TEDx Oconomowoc
The second annual TEDx Oconomowoc gathers speakers for a day of ideas and storytelling in Lake Country. The organizer describes an intimate 100-seat event, with reservations handled through the Oconomowoc Arts Center box office.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- Speakers begin 10 a.m. CDT; confirm check-in and closing time with organizer
- Venue
- Oconomowoc Arts Center
- Address
- 641 E. Forest Street, Oconomowoc, WI 53066
- Price
- $95 listed by Visit Oconomowoc; confirm final ticket price
13. Leanne Morgan: The Time of Our Lives Tour
Leanne Morgan brings her everyday-family-life storytelling and stand-up comedy to Milwaukee. The venue lists an early 4 p.m. performance with tickets going fast, while the 7 p.m. show is marked sold out.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 4 p.m. CDT; doors 3 p.m. The 7 p.m. show is marked sold out.
- Venue
- Miller High Life Theatre
- Address
- 500 W. Kilbourn Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
- Price
- Ticketed; check official seller for current price
14. Josh Johnson’s Comedy Band Camp
Josh Johnson mixes stand-up and live music in a show built around the camaraderie of band camp. An early 5 p.m. performance has been added, while the 8:30 p.m. performance is marked sold out.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 5 p.m. CDT; doors 4 p.m. The 8:30 p.m. show is marked sold out.
- Venue
- The Riverside Theater
- Address
- 116 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
- Price
- Ticketed; check official seller for current price
15. “Weird Al” Yankovic: Bigger & Weirder Tour
Weird Al brings a full multimedia comedy-rock production featuring familiar parodies and deeper-cut songs. Puddles Pity Party joins as special guest at Fiserv Forum.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 8 p.m. CDT; end time not published
- Venue
- Fiserv Forum
- Address
- 1111 Vel R. Phillips Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
- Price
- $48.25–$222.75 plus taxes, subject to change
16. China Lights: Legends Come Alive
Explore more than 40 illuminated lantern displays with nightly Asian folk-art performances and acrobatics. Tickets are tied to an entry window, and visitors may stay until closing after entering.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17 / Sun, Oct 18, 2026
- Time
- 5:30–10 p.m. CDT; timed entry; last entry 9:15 p.m.
- Venue
- Boerner Botanical Gardens
- Address
- 9400 Boerner Drive, Hales Corners, WI 53130
- Price
- Online Fri/Sat: $32.50 ages 12+, $21 ages 3–11; Sun: $26.50/$19; tax and fees included
17. Halloween Haunts
Meet costumed woodland characters along a trail lit by hundreds of jack-o’-lanterns, with crafts and live animals afterward. Advance tickets are required, and the uneven woodchip-and-boardwalk route does not allow strollers or wagons.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16 / Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- Timed hikes depart 6–8:30 p.m. CDT; walk approximately 45 minutes
- Venue
- Wehr Nature Center
- Address
- 9701 W. College Avenue, Franklin, WI 53132
- Price
- $16 per person; $12 Friends of Wehr members; nonmember parking $5
18. Trick or Treat Trains
Ride from East Troy to Jim Byrnes Memorial Park for trick-or-treating, games and playground time. Children can choose a pumpkin after the return trip; costumes are welcome and advance reservations are required.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16, 2026
- Time
- Departures 5 and 6 p.m. CDT; approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
- Venue
- East Troy Railroad Museum / East Troy Depot
- Address
- 2002 Church Street, East Troy, WI 53120
- Price
- $32.50 ages 15+; $29 ages 3–14; $12 ages 0–2; convenience fee included
19. DEK of Hearts
DEK of Hearts brings a blend of country, pop and bluegrass to Cedarburg’s Visiting Artists Series. The trio is known for three-part harmonies and its appearance on The Voice.
- Date
- Sat, Oct 17, 2026
- Time
- 7:30 p.m. CDT; end time not published
- Venue
- Cedarburg Performing Arts Center
- Address
- W68 N611 Evergreen Boulevard, Cedarburg, WI 53012
- Price
- $55, including processing and delivery fees
20. Ghost Hunting at the Dinosaur Discovery Museum
Join an adult-oriented after-hours program about the museum’s reported ghost stories and paranormal investigations. Organizers share photographs and audio recordings before participants explore; advance registration is required and walk-ins are not available.
- Date
- Fri, Oct 16, 2026
- Time
- 9:30–11 p.m. CDT
- Venue
- Dinosaur Discovery Museum
- Address
- 5608 10th Avenue, Kenosha, WI 53140
- Price
- $20 nonmembers; $16 members
Keep exploring Southeast Wisconsin
Use our events calendar to browse upcoming plans, and submit a local event or business you would like us to consider featuring. Submissions are reviewed before publication.