Freshwater Food & Wine Festival is a new lakefront celebration of food, wine, hospitality, music, and culture debuting September 19–20, 2026, at Milwaukee's iconic Henry Maier Festival Park.
Designed with the energy of a great music festival and the heart of a world-class culinary event, Freshwater brings together celebrated chefs, award-winning restaurants, global wine regions, artisan makers, local musicians, and immersive experiences for one unforgettable weekend on the shores of Lake Michigan.
Guests can explore Restaurant Row featuring some of the area's most acclaimed dining destinations, discover wines from seven globally celebrated wine regions, attend live demonstrations from nationally recognized celebrity and award winning chefs, enjoy intimate tasting experiences, shop curated artisan marketplaces, and experience live music throughout the festival grounds.
At its core, Freshwater is a celebration of hospitality: the people, places, flavors, and stories that bring us together and break bread. Inspired by Milwaukee's rich festival tradition and growing culinary reputation, Freshwater offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to taste the world while celebrating the Midwest.
Whether you're a passionate foodie, wine enthusiast, hospitality professional, or simply someone who loves discovering something new, Freshwater Food & Wine Festival invites you to gather, explore, and celebrate the very best of food, drink, and community.
Build Your Own Freshwater Experience
Freshwater is designed a little differently — and intentionally so.
Your General Admission ticket gives you access to the festival grounds, Mainstage programming, live entertainment, marketplace, experiences and more. From there, the participating restaurants, bars, wine regions and specialty beverage experiences are available à la carte, giving you the freedom to create a festival day that matches your own tastes, interests and appetite.
Want to sample your way through several wine regions, discover a new restaurant, catch a chef demo and linger over one perfect cocktail? You can. Prefer to explore the marketplace, enjoy the music and grab a favorite bite along the way? That works too.
With approachable price points and plenty to discover, Freshwater is built to let you enjoy as much or as little as you choose, while still leaving room to try something new.
Marketplace vendors and select partners may offer complimentary samples throughout the weekend, but the festival’s curated food, wine and spirits experiences are designed to put you in control of your experience.
