Family events in Milwaukee County, WI

When school is out, children can spend the day in a safe, supervised setting that keeps them moving and engaged. Staff lead hands-on experiences that blend fun, creativity, and adventure, with activities such as swimming, sports, arts and crafts, and group games. The schedule is packed with chances to learn, play, and build friendships. Open to ages 4 to 13 at $60 per student for the day. Capacity is limited.

This relaxed open gym is designed for toddlers, preschoolers, and homeschool families at Infinite Gymnastics in Brown Deer. Children can jump, climb, tumble, and explore real gymnastics equipment, with space to move and chances to meet other local families. No gymnastics experience is needed, and it offers a simple playdate without the mess at home. If local schools are closed that Friday, all ages are welcome.

This weekly gathering centers on official Pokémon gameplay with prize support from Pokémon, including prize packs supplied by Pokémon. Every third Friday features Challenges or Cups.

Ghostbusters returns to the big screen with a live orchestral twist. The 1984 favorite plays on a large HD cinema screen while an orchestra performs the score in real time, precisely synced to every scene. Hear the Academy Award winning composer’s thrilling music performed on stage as the film unfolds, creating an immersive movie concert that lets fans experience the ghostbusting adventure in a new way.

Taking place at Schlossmann Honda City, this free car show welcomes all kinds of vehicles, including hot rods, sleek imports, custom builds, timeless classics, and motorcycles. Free coffee will be available as attendees browse the lineup, swap stories, and meet fellow enthusiasts. Owners can display a car, truck, or motorcycle without advance registration. Pets are welcome.

Milwaukee Mile hosts a full day of racing built around a Cash Days and Grudge Class, with 16 additional classes running alongside it and a car show display. The current Cash Days pot stands at $1,500, with $1,000 contributed by the organizer and an additional $500 from the MKE Takeover River Redemption Race Series. General admission is $15. Kids tickets are $5, and children 5 and under are free. Parking is $13, although racers do not pay for parking. Entry for the Grudge Class is $50 per car. Other racing classes are $25 per class and competitors may enter multiple classes. Car show display entry is $25. A power wheels class for kids is planned with a small entry fee, and details will be shared soon. Grudge Class quick rules, subject to change, include burnouts allowed, a 15 to 30 minute cooldown between rounds, all wheel drive allowed, any tire allowed, and a single elimination format. All other classes do not allow burnouts, will be run back to back, and use a double elimination format. Every class awards a trophy to the winner. Racing options include rear wheel drive, rear wheel drive on 200-plus street tires, all wheel drive, front wheel drive, an all-motor category, import performance, family four door, open class, high school, old-school vehicles from 1980 or earlier, manual transmission, trucks, SUVs, motorcycles and ATVs, modern, and Detroit iron for street cars from before the 1980s. Additional prize money may be added to select classes with larger car counts. More information, official rules, entry details, class specifics, and payout updates are coming soon. Season sponsors include Speedy Peedy Towing, Impulse. Cameras, AG Concrete Construction LLC, Wisco Speed and Performance, Hale Park Auto, Import Performance & Repair LLC, Motorplex, IBEW Local 494 - Milwaukee, and UA Local 601 - Steamfitters.

For more than a decade, this family-friendly, open-air market has uplifted local farmers, food makers, and artisans while encouraging a more sustainable community in the heart of Tosa. Alongside fresh produce, visitors can enjoy live music, outdoor yoga, kids activities, cooking demonstrations, and other rotating features. Details about programs are available at the market’s Info Booth. FoodShare benefits are accepted. Shoppers using SNAP/QUEST can swipe a QUEST card at the Info Booth to receive tokens that function like cash with vendors, and any remaining tokens can be saved for future visits since they do not expire.

At Summerfest in Milwaukee, a community walk brings together people across Wisconsin to honor resilience and work toward ending breast cancer for everyone. For more than three decades, this noncompetitive event has offered 1.5 and 3 mile routes and has grown into the country’s largest and most far reaching breast cancer movement, creating a welcoming space for survivors, metastatic thrivers, caregivers, and families. Attendance is free and open to those impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis and their loved ones. The atmosphere centers on strength and community, with photo opportunities, a Survivor and Thriver tent, food trucks, family friendly games and crafts, DJ music, special moments that highlight the American Cancer Society’s mission, event merchandise, and opportunities to connect with local Milwaukee businesses. Opening ceremonies lead into a festive walk. The American Cancer Society is the largest non governmental funder of cancer research and the only organization addressing cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support, working to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive.

Neighbors, friends, and family are invited to a casual meet-up at South Shore Farmers Market in Milwaukee. There is no set agenda, just a chance to connect and enjoy the market together. Pick up your favorite coffee, breakfast, or treats from market vendors, find the group gathered on blankets, and settle in for an easygoing morning. Come as you are, bring anyone you like, and arrive or leave whenever it suits you. The gathering spot is mid market under a dark leafed maple tree, west across the street from the Park Pavilion and close to where organ player John Miller performs.

A free, pet-friendly day on the lakefront brings together pups and the people who love them at Henry Maier Festival Park in Milwaukee. From the team behind Doggy Day at Deer District, this fall edition pairs canine fun with seasonal touches, featuring local vendors, a raffle with prizes for both humans and their dogs, tasty options from area food trucks, fall-themed treats and drinks, music and entertainment, and activities such as a lure course. Dogs must be well socialized and kept on a non-retractable leash no longer than six feet, and aversive training collars are discouraged. A signed waiver is required for each animal, with forms available ahead of time for quicker entry as well as on site at the entrance. Parking is free. Produced by and benefiting Winston’s Wishes, a volunteer-run nonprofit that supports dogs who struggle in busy shelters, senior dogs, and dogs with additional medical needs, this event also highlights the group’s role as a MADACC transfer partner focused on helping local Milwaukee pups find lasting homes. Details are tentative and may change as planning continues, and information for vendors and sponsors will be posted when applications become available.

Returning to the Products Pavilion (WI Building) at WI State Fair Park, this long-running comic convention brings together comics, toys, art, cosplay, and guests.

Dorene will be on hand for the Toyland grand opening taking place at Blain’s Farm & Fleet in Oak Creek.

Bayshore Fall Fest transforms Bayshore Center in Glendale, Wisconsin into a lively celebration of the season, filled with original art, handmade crafts, live music, and plenty of food and drinks. Families will find games and hands-on kids art activities, including pumpkin decorating, along with a dedicated Kid Zone offering face painting, henna, art-themed games, creative workshops, and kid-friendly art tents. Start with a coffee or light bite from Bayshore’s eateries, then wander a curated marketplace of artists and makers, watch live art demonstrations, enjoy the music, and explore tasty options in Food Truck Alley. Admission is free, the grounds are accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, and convenient free street parking makes getting there simple.

A free puppy hour at Central Bark Oak Creek gives young dogs a chance to romp, explore new scents, and meet other pups. Intended for puppies 8 to 16 weeks old, this playtime supports early socialization in a friendly setting. Space is limited, and spots can be reserved in advance.

Two AKC Temperament Tests will be available, allowing dogs to be evaluated twice in a single day. Dogs that pass both tests can earn the ATT title that same day. Rosettes will be awarded. The ATT is designed to emphasize and measure canine temperament by observing how a dog responds to a range of stimuli.

Lively Irish social dance fills the floor at these monthly céilí gatherings at the CelticMKE Center in the Village of Wauwatosa. Everyone is welcome, including first timers and families, and instruction is offered throughout the event so newcomers can step in with confidence. This edition features live music from Frogwater with Gary Alexander calling to guide the figures and keep the energy high. The series takes place on Saturdays once a month. Admission is paid at the door, with adults at $10, students ages 13 to 18 with ID at $5, and children 12 and under admitted free. Cash and credit are accepted. Parking is generally available along Lincoln and in public lots in the Village. Please leave the lot behind the building for guests with limited mobility, as community lot availability can change. Presented by the Milwaukee Irish Fest School of Music.

Gather & Grow Market is a community-centered outdoor marketplace that brings together local businesses and playful activities. Browse a thoughtfully curated mix of apparel, jewelry, handmade gifts, baked goods, and books for both adults and kids, and enjoy sips and snacks from a patio bar. Kid-friendly activities and live music create a cheerful atmosphere, making it easy to shop, nibble, play, and connect with neighbors. The first 75 people who RSVP through the event website and attend receive a complimentary tote bag. A few vendor spots remain, and applications are being accepted through an online form.

An after-school sensory and play club welcomes children with special or support needs for hands-on activities, creative exploration, and open play in a safe and inclusive setting. Participation is open to anyone, with no affiliation required. Siblings and school friends are welcome, and tickets are needed for each attendee. Families may drop in for any length of time so children can settle in at their own pace. Check-in is straightforward, as families share their family name on arrival for a warm welcome, then once everyone is comfortable, staff complete the full check-in process. Activities are planned by a team that understands the realities of raising a child with special or support needs.

At Franklin Public Library, families can dive into hands-on STEAM projects in the CreateSpace during Tinker Time. This session features a Mad Scientist theme. Activities are designed for children ages 6 and older, though everyone is welcome. No registration is required, and materials are available while supplies last.

MIC and the HIR Wellness Institute host a community potluck celebrating resiliency for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. The gathering features a shared meal where participants can contribute a dish, bingo with prizes, a 50/50 or prize raffle, and a photo booth to capture memories with family and friends. A new clothing giveaway will be available. Red Nation Boyz provide music for listening, singing, and dancing, and the HIR mobile clinic will be on site to share information.

Travel by Hop streetcar while tracing Milwaukee’s story from its early days to today. A guide points out notable commercial landmarks, midcentury planning trends, and freeway construction, tying these forces to the streetcar’s debut and ongoing growth downtown. Plan for a short walk of about one block to reach the streetcar stop. Tour times vary with guide availability, so confirm exact dates and times before you go.

Trace Milwaukee’s beginnings in the heart of downtown, where growth took hold near the intersection of N. Water Street and E. Wisconsin Avenue and expanded as the settlement became a city. This guided walk introduces the area’s history while moving through the commercial core, starting at the riverfront and continuing to modern office buildings along Lake Michigan. Along the way, view a range of architectural styles, including Alexander Eschweiler’s Art Deco Gas Light Building from 1930, the 1892 Federal Building in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, and Northwestern Mutual’s Neoclassical headquarters completed in 1914. Tour times depend on guide availability, with exact scheduling provided online.

Wind down at the end of your Tuesday with a guided meditation course on Udemy, plus coloring and other calming activities that support mindfulness and relaxation. All ages are welcome, and no registration is required. For details, call 414-766-7900.

Give kids practical tools to stay safe with a Stranger Danger session focused on recognizing unsafe situations, understanding who counts as a stranger, and knowing what to do if someone causes discomfort. Through age-appropriate activities and conversation, participants build everyday safety skills and confidence. Parents and guardians are encouraged to attend the final ten minutes to hear what was covered and continue the discussion at home.

Celebrate the music found in stories with an interactive storytime featuring read-alouds, songs, and lots of movement. The session emphasizes rhythm and motion to keep little ones engaged. Geared toward children ages three and younger. Advance registration is encouraged.

Auntie Jennie's Barkery partners with ALT Dog Run to present monthly mobile dog treadmill sessions right outside the barkery. The ALT Dog Run van sets up on site and offers treadmill time for both new and returning clients, with prices starting at $10. Dogs can get their exercise on the treadmills, then head inside for treats and goodies, with opportunities to explore nearby shops in downtown Greendale.

This after-school session invites children with special or support needs to enjoy sensory activities, creative exploration, and open play in a safe and inclusive setting. Participation is not limited to those connected to the organization, and siblings and school friends are welcome; please get tickets for everyone attending. Families can drop in for any length of time so children can get comfortable at their own pace. Check-in is simple: share your family name on arrival, and once everyone feels settled, the full check-in will be completed.

This free game night takes place at Falcon Hall inside Falcon Bowl. It is open to all ages and features a Super Smash Bros. Melee tournament.

Designed for parents and caregivers with little ones from birth through 18 months, this free monthly gathering offers a relaxed place to meet others, exchange stories, and receive encouragement in a welcoming, judgment free setting. In partnership with The Parenting Network, the program includes guided conversations and practical, research backed resources from the Triple P Positive Parenting Program that address common parenting challenges. Space is limited, so reservations are strongly recommended.

Betty Brinn Children's Museum offers complimentary admission for Community Access Day. Admission is free for individual visitors and small parties, while groups of ten or more are not included. Some restrictions may apply, and making a reservation in advance is recommended.