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German Fest is a Milwaukee tradition and has been held during the last full weekend in July since 1981. It will return to the Summerfest Grounds in Milwaukee’s lovely Henry Maier Festival Park on July 25, 26 and 27, 2025. Celebrate all things German along the beautiful shoreline of Lake Michigan.
Entertainment
There will be 4 stages with international, national, regional and local musical talent. You’ll see bands, dance groups and singers. This year’s headliners will include
- voXXchub
- Juhe aus Tirol
- Freistadt Alte Kameraden Band
- Alpine Blast
- Die Heinmatklange
- The Biermen
- Tom Scheider & the ⅖ th’s Party Band
- Darf Kapelle
German Food & Drinks
One of the highlights of the German Fest is the authentic German dishes and pastries. Be sure to come hungry so you can enjoy
- Schnitzel – breaded boneless pork cutlet
- Frankfurter – hot dog
- Rollbraten – roasted pork loin with sauteed seasonal onions
- Goulasch – seasoned stew meat sprinkled with paprika and served over noodles
- Knoedel – dumpling
- Wurst – Sausage
- Sauerkraut – pickled cabbage
- German pretzels
- Kuchen – cake
- Strudel – fruit-filled pastry
- Schwarzwaelder Kirschtorte – Black Forest cherry cake
- Bienenstich – German coffee cake filled with a special custard and topped with almonds and honey
And, as you would expect, the German Fest has a German Fest Bier Garden. The new official shot is jagermeister, a coffee flavored cold brew. The beers and the wines are chosen to quench any thirst and satisfy any taste buds. They will be selling a limited supply of half liter steins in addition to the popular 1 liter steins.
Additional Festival Info
German Fest’s Cultural Village has displays featuring pictures, posters and memorabilia of Germany plus a Passport Program to help young people learn more about Germany.
One of the most popular features of the German Fest is the Dachshund race called the Dachshund Derby. This will be happening on Sunday, July 27, 2025, beginning at 2 pm. There will be 6 different racing heats determined by the dog’s age. This is followed by the Dachshund Costume Contest.
Other notable features of the German Fest include
- Marketplatz
- Parades
- Fireworks
- Learn how to play Sheepshead
- Children’s playground
- German dance performances
- Battle of the Mascots
- Children’s Arts & Crafts
- Glockenspiel Show
If you’d like to attend the German Fest and want to look the part, check out these creations for women and these for men.
German Cuisine
If you enjoyed the German food at the fest and would like to learn more about German cooking, try these cookbooks. And you can use our links to see how you can save on each one.
- The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton
- Classic German Baking by Luisa Weiss
- New German Cooking: Recipes for Classics Revisited by Jeremy Nolen & Jessica Nolen
Or you can enjoy German cuisine at the 10 Best German Restaurants in Milwaukee as chosen by the users of TripAdvisor.
- Mader’s
- Old German Beer Hall
- Kegel’s Inn
- Von Trier
- Hofbrau Milwaukee
- Milwaukee Brat House
- Lakefront Brewery Beer Hall
- Foltz Family Market
- Historic Turner Restaurant
- The White House Bay View
If you love German food but can’t get to these restaurants one night, you can get food from Kegel’s Inn delivered by DoorDash. Check out their menu.
German Hotels
If you’d like to visit Milwaukee for the German Fest, you should consider these hotels. They are all offering discounted rates which can save you money on your stay.
If you’re going to be flying to Milwaukee, find out how to save money on your flight here.