WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Cranberry Blossom Festival kicks off this week in Wisconsin Rapids.
The annual festival runs June 18-21 and will include a variety of events throughout the area, including an outdoor movie night, a water ski show, fishing events, an ice cream social, baseball, a carnival, live music and more.
Check out this year’s lineup and mark your calendars for a weekend of fun.
Thursday, June 18
Lunch by the River: Lunch by the River will kick off the festival from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at Veteran’s Memorial Park, along the east side of the river, between Grand Avenue and Jackson Street bridges. Max Benitz will perform. This week is sponsored by Mid-State Technical College, Renaissance by Rennes and the Wisconsin Rapids Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Cinema Under the Stars: Cinema Under the Stars will open at 6 p.m. Thursday on First Avenue, between Grand Avenue and Goggins Street. The movie, Disney’s “Aladdin,” will start at dusk. Admission is free thanks to Wisconsin Rapids Sunrise Rotary, but there will be snacks and food available to purchase at the event. Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.
Wisconsin Rapids Aqua Skiers Water Ski Show: The Wisconsin Rapids Aqua Skiers will offer a free water ski show to the theme of “The Great Wisconsin Road Trip.” The pre-show begins at 6 p.m. Thursday at Lake Wazeecha’s Red Sands Beach at 6411 South Park Road in Grand Rapids, and the hour-long show is family friendly and will highlight music, dancing, barefoot skiing, jumping, pyramids, ballet and swivel skiing.
McMillan Concert Series: Gladius, an electric flamenco guitarist, will perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at McMillan Memorial Library, 490 E. Grand Ave. in Wisconsin Rapids as part of the library’s concert series.
Friday, June 19
Dairy Berry Pancake Breakfast: The Grand Rapids Lions Club will host the Dairy Berry Pancake Breakfast from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Friday at Lincoln High School’s cafeteria at 1801 16th St. S. in Wisconsin Rapids. Breakfast will include pancakes and sausage for $10 for adults, $7 for children between the ages of 5-12, and children 4 years old and younger can attend for free. Guests are asked to pay cash only and to park in the student parking lot between the football field and the Performing Arts Center.
Downtown on Tap: Current Young Professionals – Wisconsin Rapids will host its annual Downtown on Tap from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday in Veteran’s Memorial Park along the Wisconsin River. Face painting will be available until 7 p.m., and food trucks and beverages will be available to purchase, including sealed beverages from downtown establishments. No carry-ins will be allowed. Guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets and enjoy live music by Ben Chitek & Three Quarters.
Saturday, June 20
Indigenous Cultural Event: McMillan Memorial Library, the Waagax Hakiruxaeaxara Hosto, the Ho-Chunk Nation Cultural Resources Division and the Johnson O’Mally Wisconsin Rapids Parent Committee will host an Indigenous Cultural Event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at McMillan Memorial Library. The event will offer traditional games, crafts and food as guests explore Indigenous culture.
Cranberry Blossom Festival Arts & Crafts Vendor Fair: The Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce will host the Cranberry Blossom Festival Arts & Crafts Vendor Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday along West Grand Avenue between the Grand Avenue bridge and Third Avenue South. The fair will be set up rain or shine and will showcase more than 60 vendors from all over the state. A variety of food options will be available at the event, as well.
Kids Learn to Fish: Children will be able to learn how to fish and tie fishing knots at a catch-and-release event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Rapids Lions Club. Children of all ages are welcome at the free event, and gear will be provided, or guests can bring their own.
Ice Cream Social: The South Wood County Historical Museum will host its annual Ice Cream Social from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 540 Third St. S. in Wisconsin Rapids, offering vanilla ice cream with cranberry toppings. Guests can also check out the museum during this event.
Mid West Fest: Mid West Fest will be set up from 3 to 9 p.m. at Riverside Park, 916 Prospect Ave. in Nekoosa. The free family festival will offer live music by local artists, free games, bounce houses, axe throwing, mini golf, corn hole, face painting and batting cages. Food vendors will have food available for purchase at this event, as well.
Grand Rapids Lions Club Concert: Richrath Project Reo will perform with special guest Jerry Unger with The Fog from 5 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at the Grand Rapids Lions Club. Parking will open at 4:30 p.m. and will cost $10 per vehicle. Music will start at 5 p.m., and guests can also enjoy food and beverages available at the event.
Sunday, June 21
Kids’ Fishing Contest: The Wisconsin Rapids Professional Police Association will host the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department’s Kids’ Fishing Contest from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday along the eastern Wisconsin River riverbank south of East Grand Avenue, near the former Elk’s Club. The event is free and open to children 14 years old and younger. Snacks and drinks will be available, and prizes will be awarded to participants.
Cranberry Blossom Festival Parade: The Heart of Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce will host “Summer Splash,” the Cranberry Blossom Festival Parade from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday, starting at the South Wood County YMCA and traveling east down East Grand Avenue to Ninth Street South. Guests can enjoy a variety of themed floats, live music and candy.
Ongoing events
Cranberry Blossom Festival Carnival: The Cranberry Blossom Festival Carnival will be set up all four days of the festival at the Grand Rapids Lions Club, 2411 36th St. S. in Grand Rapids. Tri-State Amusements will offer a variety of rides, games, food and fun at the carnival. Parking will be $5 cash per vehicle and will benefit local Boy Scouts of America troops. Four-hour unlimited ride wristbands are $25 at the ticket booth at the gates and are good for one four-hour time slot any day. A $75 mega band will also be available for the entire weekend. The carnival will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. Thursday, 1 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Berry Fest Raffle: Guests at any and all Cranberry Blossom Festival events can have a chance to win up to $500 cash. Women from the Wisconsin Rapids Lioness Club will be at the events wearing purple vests and selling $5 tickets throughout the festival. Winners will be drawn at 12:45 p.m. Sunday, June 21, at St. John’s Episcopal Church. Winners do not need to be present to win.
Material Girls Quilt Show: The Material Girls Quilt Club will host the Material Girls Quilt Show from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Assumption High School, 445 Chestnut St. in Wisconsin Rapids. The show will feature a quilted car, quilt and basket raffles, various special displays, vendors, food and more. The Historic Point Basse group will be manually quilting at the event, guests can vote for the Viewers Choice quilt or check out the Silent Bid Quilts. Brubakers will be at the event and available to clean sewing machines. A “Quilt of Honor” will be presented at 11 a.m. Saturday, as well.
Wisconsin Rapids Rafters Baseball: The Wisconsin Rapids Rafters will play the La Crosse Loggers starting at 6:35 p.m. Friday. The Rafters will play the Green Bay Rockers at 6:35 p.m. Saturday and at 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Witter Field, 521 Lincoln St. in Wisconsin Rapids.
For more information, visit blossomfest.com or find Cranberry Blossom Festival on Facebook.
Contact Caitlin at cshuda@usatodayco.com or follow her on Twitter @CaitlinShuda.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Your guide to the 2026 Cranberry Blossom Festival in Wisconsin Rapids
Reporting by Caitlin Shuda, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune / Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Caitlin Shuda, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune | USA TODAY Network
