Best Cranberry Festivals in Wisconsin for 2026
Wisconsin cranberry festivals follow the crop from June blossom season into September and October harvest. The official growers association calendar makes it possible to plan without guessing.
Cranberry season is more than one famous weekend
Warrens is the largest and best-known festival in this list, but smaller Northwoods events can be easier to pair with a regional trip. Wisconsin Rapids covers blossom season, Manitowish Waters offers a one-day September event, and Lake Nokomis, Stone Lake, and Eagle River cluster in early October.
Festival programming is separate from commercial marsh tours. If a tour matters, confirm the operator, schedule, cost, and accessibility directly.
Official 2026 Wisconsin cranberry festival calendar
All six dates appear on the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association calendar.
| Festival or event | Published date | Destination | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Blossom Festival | June 18-21, 2026; 2027 date pending | Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin | Early-season cranberry heritage |
| Manitowish Waters Cranberry Harvest Festival | September 19, 2026 | Manitowish Waters, Wisconsin | A one-day Northwoods harvest event |
| Warrens Cranberry Festival | September 25-27, 2026 | Warrens, Wisconsin | A large cranberry harvest celebration |
| Lake Nokomis Cranberry Festival | October 1-4, 2026 | Tomahawk area, Wisconsin | Northwoods cranberry events across several days |
| Stone Lake Cranberry Festival | October 3, 2026 | Stone Lake, Wisconsin | A compact one-day cranberry celebration |
| Eagle River Cranberry Fest | October 2-4, 2026 | Eagle River, Wisconsin | A Northwoods weekend with cranberry food and vendors |
Choose scale, season, and region
Largest harvest event: Warrens. Blossom-season learning: Wisconsin Rapids. One-day Northwoods trip: Manitowish Waters or Stone Lake. Multi-day early October: Lake Nokomis or Eagle River.
The early October events can overlap, but they are not necessarily practical to combine. Choose one primary destination and check distance before adding another.
Six Wisconsin cranberry festivals from blossom to harvest
Use each official source for last-minute changes.
Cranberry Blossom Festival
This June community celebration focuses on the cranberry-growing region during blossom season rather than harvest. It provides a useful counterpoint to the better-known September and October cranberry weekends.
Plan it well: The 2026 event has passed and the 2027 date is not yet published. Use the growers association calendar and local organizer information before planning a future trip.
Manitowish Waters Cranberry Harvest Festival
This one-day Northwoods festival celebrates the cranberry harvest in a smaller community setting. It is a practical choice for travelers who prefer a focused Saturday event over a multi-day crowd.
Plan it well: Because the festival is one day, weather and arrival timing matter. Confirm the daily schedule and any marsh-tour or transportation details before making the drive.
Warrens Cranberry Festival
Warrens centers its long-running festival on Wisconsin cranberry culture, with extensive arts, crafts, flea-market shopping, food, contests, and community programming. Its scale rewards visitors who study the layout before arriving.
Plan it well: Use the official map and parking guidance, wear comfortable shoes, and decide which areas matter most. Tours, vendors, and activities can have separate times or charges.
Lake Nokomis Cranberry Festival
Lake Nokomis extends its cranberry celebration across several days, giving visitors more flexibility than a one-day market. The event connects harvest-season activities with a Northwoods fall trip.
Plan it well: Daily programming varies, so select a day from the organizer schedule rather than assuming every feature runs throughout the full date range.
Stone Lake Cranberry Festival
Stone Lake hosts a one-day harvest festival with community activities, vendors, food, and cranberry-focused traditions. Its concise schedule makes pre-trip planning particularly important.
Plan it well: Review the official schedule, arrive early, and note that road access and parking in a small town may be managed differently during the event.
Eagle River Cranberry Fest
Eagle River’s cranberry weekend combines harvest food, shopping, and community events in a well-known Northwoods destination. It can anchor a broader fall-colors weekend if visitors keep the festival schedule central.
Plan it well: Use the association calendar to confirm dates and follow the destination’s event page for parking, shuttle, and activity updates.
Know what a cranberry festival can and cannot promise
Harvest activity depends on agricultural timing and individual growers. A festival date does not guarantee that every nearby marsh is harvesting or open to the public.
Wear weather-ready shoes, use official parking, and carry both card and cash options. Cranberry food, crafts, demonstrations, and tours may have separate vendors or charges.
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How to use this guide
This page is an independent planning resource. Festival Finder USA reviewed the linked official sources on August 16, 2026. Dates, admission, weather policies, and programs can change after publication, so the organizer’s page remains the final source of truth.
We include a date only when a current official source supports it. When the next date is not available, the table says date pending rather than projecting last year’s calendar. If you organize one of these events and spot an error, please contact the editorial team with an official source.
