NEW Spirit Lake Trail opens in Mequon

The NEW Spirit Lake Trail opens on Thursday, August 21 in Mequon, connecting Rotary Park’s Pukaite Woods to the 155-acre Spirit Lake Nature Preserve. The preserve features forests, marshes, meadows, and restored grassland—home to wildlife like sandhill cranes, bald eagles, frogs, and deer. Celebrate the new trail from 5-7:30 p.m. at Rotary Park’s Reuter Pavilion, with guided hikes and refreshments. See construction photos here.

Mexican Fiesta 2025

Mexican Fiesta runs from August 22-24 at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park. It's become the Midwest's largest Hispanic paid-entrance festival for good reason. See our guide to the food, entertainment, car show, run/walk and more.

ArtBlaze returns to McKinley Beach

ArtBlaze is back, bringing art, music, and hands-on fun to Milwaukee’s McKinley Beach on Thursday, Aug. 21 from 4–9:30 p.m. This free, family-friendly series transforms the beach into a creative playground. Kids and adults can get involved with interactive art stations, tie-dye shirts, make s’mores by the water, and enjoy bubbles with Poppy. A highlight will be the massive “HydroBloom” inflatable sculptures by FuzzPop Workshop and UWM architecture students, which made a huge splash last year. These colorful installations stretch across the sand and light up in response to your movements—a must-see after sunset. See our guide.

Dog Swims at Brown Deer Pond

Let your pup splash, run, and play in the fully enclosed Brown Deer Pond! The final dog swims of the summer take place August 23 & 24 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Don’t miss the bonus swim during the Farmer’s Market Dog Days of Summer on August 27 from 12–5 p.m. $5 per dog. Friendly, well-socialized dogs only; please follow posted guidelines. Here’s a full list of local places to take your dog for a swim at the end of summer.

More North Shore Adventures

Shorewood UnPlastic Solutions Workshop on Tuesday, August 19, 6 - 7:30 pm at Shorewood Village Center

Whitefish Bay Farmers Market Tasty Tuesday Popup on Tuesday, 3 - 6 p.m. at Schoolhouse Park, 5445 N Marlborough Dr.

Accredited Investor Meet & Greet with THE ARGO Founders on Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 - 8 pm at Keller Williams, 205 East Silver Spring Drive Whitefish Bay

Eats & Beats Concert with The LoveMonkeys: Thursday, August 21, 5–9 pm at Thiensville Village Park

Friday Night Lights returns on Aug. 22. Here’s the local football schedule.

Whitefish Bay Night Market: Saturday, August 23, 5–9 pm on Silver Spring Drive

Shorewood Farmers Market: Sunday, August 24, 9:30 am–1:30 pm at Estabrook Park

Sprecher 40th Anniversary Bash – August 24, 11 am – 6 pm, Sprecher Brewery, 701 W. Glendale Ave, Glendale

North Shore History: Cloud Red Returns to its Roots

Cloud Red announces MORE FREE BURGERS!! The Shorewood restaurant shared this message: "Not many people know this, but our building used to be a George Webb's. And George made a promise: 12 wins = free burgers. We're not George. And our burgers aren't George Webb's. But we've got a grill — and a strange sense of civic responsibility… You don't get a 12-game streak often. And you don't get many second chances in life. If you missed your free burger on Oakland Ave in 1987, this one's for you." When: Tuesday, August 19, 2–4 PM (or till they're out!)

See you out there,
North Shore Family Adventures

P.S. Forward this guide to anyone still asking, “So what should we do before summer ends??” Encourage them to subscribe! Find more SUMMER GUIDES and 93 Free Summer Adventures in Milwaukee’s North Shore.