10 Wisconsin Spring & Summer Traditions So Bizarre, You’ll Think We’re Drunk (We Probably Are)

“10 Wisconsin Spring & Summer Traditions So Bizarre, You’ll Think We’re Drunk (We Probably Are)”

By Found in Wisconsin

Ah, springtime in Wisconsin—when the snow melts just enough to reveal the mountain of Busch Light cans in your neighbor’s backyard and that one sock you lost in November. And summer? It’s 3 months of mosquito bites, beer-fueled festivals, and fighting off sunburn like it’s a full-time job.

Here are 10 warm-weather Wisconsin traditions that prove we’re not just America’s Dairyland—we’re its Backyard Party Capital, too.

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1. Wearing Shorts the Moment It Hits 40 Degrees

Is it spring? No. Is there still snow on the ground? Yes. Are we in shorts, grilling bratwursts while yelling “It’s so nice out!” through chattering teeth? Absolutely. And someone’s already in flip-flops with a sunburn. It’s tradition.

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2. Camping…in a Walmart Parking Lot

Real Wisconsin camping means cramming 6 adults, a cooler the size of a bathtub, and 3 dogs into a 1989 pop-up camper. Bonus points if it breaks down before you reach the Dells and you end up “glamping” behind a Kwik Trip.

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3. Turning Any Body of Water Into a Party Zone

Lake? River? Kiddie pool in a farm field? Doesn’t matter—we’ll slap a speaker on a floatie, stock a cooler with Spotted Cow, and call it a yacht club. If you haven’t cannonballed into a lake holding a Miller Lite, are you even from here?

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4. Festivals for Literally Everything

We’ve got Cheese Fest, Brat Fest, Cow Chip Throwing Fest (yes, that’s real), and a festival dedicated to cardboard boat racing. We’ll celebrate anything if there’s beer, questionable live music, and deep-fried Oreos involved.

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5. Day Drinking Like It’s a Competitive Sport

We don’t have brunch—we have Bloody Marys that double as full meals. By noon, someone’s already three White Claws in and arguing about whether Kwik Trip or Culver’s has the best cheese curds (the answer is yes).

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6. Mastering the Art of Mosquito Combat

You haven’t known fear until a June mosquito the size of a golf ball buzzes by your ear during a bonfire. We go to war with citronella, beer spray (yes, it works), and frantic towel-flailing that looks like a weird dance ritual.

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7. The Lawn Chair Olympics

Event 1: Fastest beer-to-hand delivery via golf cart.
Event 2: Most aggressive wave at passing boats.
Event 3: Setting up a canopy tent drunk in 20mph winds.
Wisconsinites are built different—and by different, we mean slightly buzzed and sunburned with incredible upper body strength.

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8. Slip ‘n Slide Engineering That Would Shame NASA

We don’t buy the store-bought slides—we build them. With tarps, dish soap, and a hose connected to the neighbor’s spigot (they don’t need to know). Sometimes there’s a kiddie pool at the end. Sometimes there’s a full keg. It’s about the journey, not the destination.

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9. Yard Games That Turn Violent By Round 3

Bags (aka cornhole) starts friendly. By round 3, Karen’s chucking bean bags like she’s trying out for the Brewers and yelling “I SAID DOUBLE ELIMINATION, TODD.” Same goes for darts, Polish horseshoes, and anything with a beer in one hand.

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10. Tailgating…For No Reason At All

There’s no game. No event. Just a couple of people who pulled into a parking lot, popped a trunk, and busted out folding chairs, a speaker, and a grill. You stop to ask what’s going on—they shrug and say, “Felt like a good day.”

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If you’re planning to visit Wisconsin in the spring or summer, here’s your survival kit: SPF 50, anti-itch cream, three kinds of beer, lawn games, cheese curds, and a cooler with wheels. Bonus if your cooler has a cupholder and a Bluetooth speaker.

So come for the cheese, stay for the chaos—and remember: around here, we don’t tan. We burn first, then brag about it.

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