🥨 Best Midwest Food Festivals Happening This September (Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan)
- Kari Lynn
- Sep 10
- 3 min read
September in the Midwest means one thing: food, festivals, and plenty of reasons to gather with family and friends. From crisp apples and fresh cider to giant pretzels and craft beer, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan host some of the best fall food celebrations around.
Whether you’re craving the cozy flavors of autumn or looking for a fun day trip, here are the must-visit food festivals happening this September in the Midwest.
🍎 Minnesota Food Festivals
Applefest – La Crescent, MN
📅 September 20–22, 2025
Known as the “Apple Capital of Minnesota,” La Crescent celebrates its apple-growing heritage with this annual festival. Expect apple pie, caramel apples, apple cider, and even apple-themed contests. Beyond the food, you’ll find parades, craft shows, and live music.
Don’t Miss: A slice of homemade apple pie from a local vendor.
Duluth Oktoberfestival – Duluth, MN
📅 September 13–15, 2025
Set against the backdrop of Lake Superior, Duluth’s Oktoberfestival is one of the most scenic German celebrations in the Midwest. Feast on bratwursts, pretzels, and German pastries while sipping on seasonal beers.
Don’t Miss: The polka dancing and stein-holding competitions—classic Oktoberfest fun.
Wild Rice Festival – Deer River, MN
📅 September 19–21, 2025
Celebrate one of Minnesota’s signature foods: wild rice. This festival features wild rice dishes, a parade, powwow, and live entertainment. It’s a unique cultural event highlighting Native traditions and local food.
Don’t Miss: A warm bowl of wild rice soup—it’s a Minnesota classic.
🥨 Wisconsin Food Festivals
Oktoberfest – La Crosse, WI
📅 September 25–28, 2025
La Crosse hosts one of the biggest Oktoberfest celebrations in the U.S. Expect German beer tents, traditional foods like schnitzel and spaetzle, and parades that bring the whole city out.
Don’t Miss: A giant pretzel with beer cheese dip—an Oktoberfest essential.
Warrens Cranberry Festival – Warrens, WI
📅 September 26–28, 2025
The world’s largest cranberry festival takes place in the “Cranberry Capital of Wisconsin.” With cranberry treats of every kind—pies, salsas, jams, and even cranberry wine—it’s a foodie’s dream. Plus, there are 1,000+ craft booths and tours of cranberry marshes.
Don’t Miss: Cranberry cream puffs (trust me, they’re worth the wait).
Door County Harvest Festival – Sturgeon Bay, WI
📅 September 14, 2025
This one-day event combines fall flavors with small-town charm. You’ll find apple cider donuts, seasonal craft beers, and food vendors lining the waterfront. Add in live music and shopping from local artisans, and it’s the perfect day trip.
Don’t Miss: A glass of fresh-pressed apple cider while browsing the festival booths.
🍺 Michigan Food Festivals
Frankenmuth Oktoberfest – Frankenmuth, MI
📅 September 18–21, 2025
Frankenmuth, known as “Michigan’s Little Bavaria,” is the ultimate spot for Oktoberfest. The festival is so authentic it was the first Oktoberfest outside Germany to receive approval from the original Oktoberfest organizers in Munich. Expect bratwursts, sauerkraut, and German beers flowing all weekend.
Don’t Miss: A Bavarian pretzel bigger than your head.
Bellaire Harvest Festival – Bellaire, MI
📅 September 27, 2025
Tucked away in Northern Michigan, Bellaire’s Harvest Festival is a cozy small-town celebration filled with fall flavors and family fun. Downtown comes alive with scarecrow displays, live music, local food vendors, and plenty of activities for kids. It’s the kind of festival that makes you feel like you’ve stepped right into the heart of autumn.
Don’t Miss: Warm apple cider donuts and a seasonal pint from Short’s Brewing Company—perfect for enjoying while strolling the streets lined with craft booths and fall décor.
Apple Festival – Niles, MI
📅 September 25–28, 2025
This apple-packed celebration features everything from apple pie baking contests to parades and live music. Families love the carnival rides and kids’ activities, while foodies come for the endless apple treats.
Don’t Miss: Fresh apple cider donuts—warm and sugary straight out of the fryer.
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September in the Midwest is more than just a change of seasons—it’s a celebration of food, harvest, and community. Whether you’re savoring wild rice soup on Minnesota’s Iron Range, sampling cranberry cream puffs in Wisconsin, or stomping grapes in Michigan, there’s a festival to suit every taste.
👉 So pack your appetite, grab your friends, and hit the road for one (or several) of these incredible Midwest food festivals this September!
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