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Without reservation
If there's a big festival in your future, stake out space as soon as possible.
In summer, only the foolhardy travel without reservations.
Big events can eat up every room and campsite in an entire region, especially if the event is in a small town — say, the
central Wisconsin town of Iola, which has a population of only 1,300 but will bring 135,000 people to its Iola Old Car Show July 10-13, 2008.
In northwest Iowa, 100,000 people go to Tulip Festival in Orange City, May 15-17.
In northeast Iowa, 75,000 people will come for Decorah's Nordic Fest, July 24-26,
filling rooms between Lanesboro and La Crosse.
Bigger cities can absorb more people. Still, plan ahead for the Chicago Air & Water Show Aug. 16-17. It attracts 2.2 million people in a regular year, but this is its 50th anniversary. In Milwaukee, 1 million people will go to Summerfest June 26-July 6. And more than 200,000 people browse through Madison's Art Fair on the Square, which celebrates its 50th anniversary July 12-13.
And then there are the really big events. If you're going through eastern Wisconsin between July 28 and Aug. 3, you'd better
know about the EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, which draws 700,000 to 750,000 people. Or
maybe you're planning a vacation in the Black Hills in early August — and so are 250,000 people on Harleys, in the
area for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Aug. 4-10.
These festivals got so big, of course, because they're fun and people like them. So go, but plan ahead (for tips, see Serious reservations).
If you're looking for more ideas in this region, here's what the American Bus Association chose in 2008 for the Top 100 events
in North America.
May 15-17, Orange City Tulip Festival, Orange City, Iowa.
June 6-8, Fort Sisseton Historical Festival, Sisseton, S.D.
June 12-15, Glenn Miller Festival, Clarinda, Iowa.
June 20-22, Polish Fest, Milwaukee.
July 5-12, National Cherry Festival, Traverse City, Mich.
July 10-13, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
July 31-Aug. 10, Wisconsin State Fair, West Allis (Milwaukee).
Aug. 16-17, 50th annual Chicago Air & Water Show on the lakefront with appearances by the Navy's Blue Angels, the Air Force's Thunderbirds and the Army's Golden Knights, a parachute team.
Sept. 3-7, Defeat of Jesse James Days in Northfield, Minn.
Sept. 5-6, North Dakota Rodeo Association Championships, Watford City.
Sept. 20-21, Hill City Western Heritage Festival, Hill City, S.D.
Sept. 26-28, International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Ill.
Last updated on July 18, 2008