While we’re on the other side of Labor Day — summer’s unofficial end — and the kids are back in school, we’ve got at least another couple weeks of weather-friendly outdoor enjoyment. Sounds like just the right time for the return of TosaFest, which takes over the village center this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 6-7.
The annual event pretty much occupies the triangle-ish area formed by State Street, Wauwatosa Avenue and Harmonee Avenue, filling it with activities, vendors, food, drinks and something called a SpritzGarden. Let’s roll through it all so you know what to get up to when you head to the picturesque fest this weekend.
TosaFest 2024 activities
Organizers once again set up a nice selection of grownup-driven experiences across the two days, more than a few of which allow you to sip on something in a sophisticated fashion. A quick note: They do ask you to register for these activities in advance, so you’ve got just a little time to squeeze these in before the festival starts Friday.
Arté In the Street Painting Experience with Arté Wine and Painting Studio ($40): Pick from five of Arté’s popular paintings, and you’ll get set up with everything you need to make your masterpiece. Drinks are also available for purchase, and tunes will drift in courtesy of the nearby Wire & Vice Underwood Stage.
Friday Night In the Park with Le Reve and The Ruby Tap ($60): A 90-minute hang that features food from Le Reve and a selection of vino from Ruby Tap. You’ll get five appetizers from the former, paired with five wines from the latter, plus a guaranteed seat for The Squeezettes at the Root Common Stage.
Sangria Under the Stars ($40): It’s history and mixology in one sitting. You’ll get some helpful tips while putting together your own tasty sangria, learn about where the drink comes from and even pick up a paintbrush to decorate a pair of wine glasses.
Cheese Curd Eating Contest ($15): Pretty self-explanatory, really. The Village Cheese Shop will put one pound of the poppable dairy snacks in front of a row of competitors, and whoever finishes first (or eats the most in 5 minutes) is the winner.
Flowers & Rosé with The Ruby Tap and Aromatic Acres ($60): Arguably the best-smelling option of the bunch (non-food category) puts three different varieties of rosé in your hands while you carefully sift through the floral options to create a vase arrangement you can take home.
Pairings On the Park with The Village Cheese Shop and The Ruby Tap ($60): A similar setup to Friday Night in the Park, this experience expertly matches five wines with five cheeses (including some famous ones from the Wisconsin season of Top Chef) and explains why the pairings go together so nicely.
Oktoberfest Stein-Holding Competition ($30): This one falls under the “feats of strength” category” as the most stalwart festival-goers endeavor to hold aloft a full stein of beer. Whoever does it the longest gets a Draft & Vessel gift certificate, but everyone receives a commemorative stein (with discounted refills!) just for trying.
Charcuterie Ultimate Cheese Board Experience ($65 single/$90 couple): If you’ve ever wanted to create an edible masterpiece, you’ll get your chance with this top-to-bottom experience. First, you’ll make design and decorative choices while creating a handsome wood try, and then you’ll fill it with meats, cheeses and other accouterments.
KidsFest (free): Come to the parking lot near the intersection of Wauwatosa and Harmonee avenues from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and find a few things that’ll help your little one feel welcome at the fest. They’ll be able to enjoy huge inflatable slides, toss a game of cornhole and try other activities.
Tosa Bike Garage Balance Bike Village (free): For the littlest two-wheelers out there, there will be a course set up in Hart Park right next to the volleyball courts from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. It’s for riders ages 3 to 6, and helmets are encouraged.
TosaFest 2024 music lineup
State Street Stage
Friday
- 5 p.m. — Sugo (1970s New Orleans-style retro-funk)
- 8:30 p.m. — Joe 2.0 (string quartet rock and pop)
Saturday
- Noon — Brett and The Dandys (three-piece rockabilly from the ‘50s and ‘60s)
- 3:30 p.m. — Brewtown Beat (ska-tribute band with a mix of ‘80s and ‘90s)
- 7 p.m. — Mark Croft Band (roots, pop and Americana singer-songwriter)
Root Common Stage
Friday
- 5:30 p.m. — The Squeezettes (unabashedly geeky, tongue-in-cheek polka)
- 8 p.m. — The Hungry Williams (jump blues and swinging R&B)
Saturday
- 6 p.m. — Third Coast Blues Collective featuring Jay Stulo and Andrew Gelles
- 8:30 p.m. — Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound (funky, soulful, free-swinging music)
Underwood Stage
Friday
- 7 p.m. — MD McNally (combo of classic rock, folk, world, grunge and alt)
- 8:30 p.m. — Landline (live alternative jukebox playing your favorite hits)
Saturday
- 3 p.m. — Hanna Simone w/Ellie Bird (blues vocals with a high-energy rock edge)
- 5:30 p.m. — Acoustix (your favorite songs filtered through guitar, congas and vocals)
- 9 p.m. — Ben Mulwana and The Village (rock and soul sounds)
TosaFest 2024 vendors
The list of restaurants, craftspeople and other businesses setting up shop for TosaFest is quite lengthy. The food-and-beverage providers include many from the surrounding area like Buckatabon Tavern and Supper Club, Leff’s Lucky Town and BelAir Cantina. You’ll also find great tastes from Uyghur Grill, Ćevapčići Chicago and Maxie’s Southern BBQ.
The marketplace of makers and service-providers is even more extensive and ranges from Hidden Gems handmade jewelry to Henna by Priti, and Renewal by Andersen to Rustic Oak Cocktails. The sheer scale of both vendor lists is why the festival set up its own page with the full rundown, complete with links to each one. You can check out all the food-and-drink folks here and the marketplace here.
