You ’re well - versed on Milwaukee Summerfest , Lollapalooza , and Taste of Chicago . Heck , you ’ve believably attended every small town Fourth of July solemnisation within an time of day radius of your home base . This summertime , it ’s time to skip the local yield - theme festival and furcate out a little further . Hit the road and see to it out these Midwestern festivals that launch the gamut from fun and fascinating to downright bizarre ( looking at you , Testicle Fest ) .
Hustle hard at Movement Electronic Music Festival
Stop and smell the flowers (and gourmet food) at Lilac Festival
Have a ball (or two) at Testicle Festival
Enjoy blues with a view at Chicago Blues Festival
Get artsy ‘til the break of dawn at Northern Spark
Party like it’s 1876 at Wild Bill Days
Say “Uff-Da!” at the Scandinavian Hjemkomst and Midwest Viking Festivals
Attend Des Moines Arts Festival: one of the country’s most diverse art festivals
Celebrate the start of summer at Solstice 2016
Celebrate love at Chicago’s Pride Parade
Celebrate Independence Day at Fair St. Louis
Stuff your face at Pierogi Fest
Party like it’s 1599 at Bristol Renaissance Faire
Bring your best mullet to the Iowa State Fair
Get tipsy on Midwestern vino at Nebraska Wine & Balloon Festival
Avoid eating the “pie” at Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw
Explore Native American culture at The United Tribes International Powwow
Chicago Blues Festival | Adam Alexander Photography/Courtesy of Choose Chicago (edited)
Movement Festival | Flickr/Zender agenda
Chicago Blues Festival | Flickr/Bryan Alexander
Northern Spark | Flickr/Northern Spark
Cleveland Solstice | Flickr/The Zender Agenda
Chicago Pride Parade | Flickr/Jamie bernstein
Fair St. Louis | Flickr/Dave herholz
Iowa State Fair | Flickr/ieph (edited)
Nebraska Wine and Balloon Festival | Flickr/John Carrel
Wisconsin State Cow Chip Throw | Flickr/Marc Buehler