The Milwaukee Public Market is in the new class of city institutions that simultaneously feel like they just got here yesterday while still somehow being here forever. In fact, the do-it-all space has occupied the corner of Water Street and St. Paul Avenue for 19 years and will give a nod to that nearly two decades at its annual Harvest Festival this Saturday, Oct. 12.
"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, in a press release. "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."
The food (and drink) portion of that triumvirate will occupy a major portion of the event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverwalk Commons, right across the street from the market. That includes a first-time feature: a mini-Harvest Market that invites local producers and growers to show off their wares — from boozy cider to Milwaukee honey and more.
A few market familiars will also grab a spot at the outdoor part of the event, including Anodyne Coffee, Margarita Paradise and Brew City Brand, plus two of the market’s newer vendors: Freese’s Candy Shoppe and the about-to-open David Alan Alan’s Smokehouse. Visitors will also find special promotions inside the market, including 20% off fall flavors at Oro di Oliva and, and seasonal items like pumpkin spice cheddar cheese from West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shoppe.
Other food-and-drink additions for the event include free tastings of Lakefront Brewery’s pumpkin lager tapped from a giant pumpkin, fresh apple cider manual pressed on-site and s’mores roasting. There will also be other family-friendly activities like a pumpkin-carving station and scarecrow building, plus live music from the Bluegrass Allstars and Barred Owl Stringband.
This year’s event will, for the first time, feature a partnership with the Hunger Task Force and food writer Lori Fredrich that will give back to the community in two ways. Attendees are invited to make a financial or non-perishable food donation, and in exchange they’ll receive a free recipe from Fredrich’s cookbook, Wisconsin Field to Fork. The book itself will be available for purchase as well, with $5 from every sale going to Hunger Task Force.
For more information on this year’s Harvest Festival, go to the event page on the Milwaukee Public Market’s website.
