Free root beer floats, a Celtic bake-off and the opening of Oktoberfest are in season
Free floats at Root Beer Bash
Root beer floats from Sprecher Brewery and Cedar Crest Ice Cream will be available during the Root Beer Bash Aug. 28 in Glendale's Richard E. Maslowski Community Park, 2200 W. Bender Road.
From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., root beerthemed foods and desserts will be available from food trucks and vendors. Dig into root beer baked beans and ribs, pulled pork and brisket with a root beer BBQ sauce from Junior's Smoked BBQ food truck, or slurp a root beer slushie between bits of fried cheese curds with root beer sauce from the Wisconsin Fried Cheese Curds food truck. The Dr. Dawg food truck is offering Sprecher spicy brown beer mustard and root beer barbecue sauce on its sausages, and Carrie's Crispies is offering a root beer float Rice Krispie treat.
All attendees will be treated to a free float at the Great Sprecher Root Beer Floatilla from 3:30 to 5 p.m., located on the far west-end of the park. Visit sprecherbrewery.com
Bakers wanted for Celtic Bake-Off
The Wisconsin Highland Games invite home bakers to enter the Celtic Bake-Off on Sept. 5 at the Waukesha County Expo Center.
The baking categories include: pie/ tart, cake, cookies/bars/shortbreads, bread/biscuits/scones, cheesecake/ mousse/trifle, and the Clan Challenge for 2021 which is a Scottish gingerbread loaf with hard sauce, made by creaming or beating butter and sugar with rum, brandy, whiskey, sherry, vanilla or other flavorings. Submit your recipe with its origin or family story, and then bring your baked item to the games for judging. The contest is open to anyone 12 years old and above. Registration forms can be completed online at wisconsin scottish.org.
For those interested in learning more about Celtic baking, demonstrations will be held in the Cultural Area, in the arena on the Expo grounds. The Wisconsin Highland Games are held from 510 p.m. Sept. 3, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Sept. 4, and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Sept. 5, at 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha.
More than just pork at the WMSE BBQ
Spread out the picnic blanket for local food and tunes at the WMSE Backyard BBQ and taste a lineup of locally sourced foods for both meat-eaters and vegans on Aug. 28.
Maxie's will dish out its Southern-inspired white cheddar Mac 'n Cheese, Eastern North Carolina style barbecue pork smoked and served with a simple vinegar based sauce, and both regular jambalaya and vegetarian jambalaya made with smoked tofu, pecans, spinach and red beans. Twisted Plants will serve plant-based burgers and sandwiches, and Pig Tailz will add some heat to lunch plates with Mexican street corn, tacos and nachos. Popsicles from Pete's Pops and beverages from Lakefront
Brewery will help people stay cool.
WMSE's celebration of Milwaukee music is from noon to 8 p.m. in Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave. For more information visit
Willkommen to the wurste
The Bavarian Bierhaus rolls out Oktoberfest Sept. 2 in Heidelberg Park at 700 W. Lexington Blvd. in Glendale, for a monthlong celebration of German food, beer and gemütlichkeit.
From Thursdays to Sundays through Oct. 3, raise a stein to over 60 years of Bavarian food specialties and beverages. Traditional favorites include a fish fry and rainbow trout on Fridays, spanferkel and rotisserie chicken Fridays and Saturdays, in addition to the regular Biergarten menu, which includes desserts, pretzels and more than 10 sausage specialties. The wurste list includes Usinger's Oktoberfest pork brat, the spicy smoked pork and beef Hungarian brat, and the pork and beef Bavarian Weiner.
Admission is free on Thursdays and Sundays; $5 Fridays; $10 Saturdays.
Purchase tickets and make table reservations online at thebavarianbierhaus. com/oktoberfest-info
Showdown at Old Fashioned Fest
Tickets are on sale now for an oldfashioned showdown between whiskey and brandy during Old Fashioned Fest Sept. 10 at Turner Hall, 1040 N. Phillips Ave.
Sample classic versions of the cocktail and new adaptations of Wisconsin's favorite drink, complete with unique garnishes. Vote on your favorite whiskey or brandy Old Fashioned, and a winner will be announced at the end of the night. General admission includes.sampling of old fashioned cocktails from local bars and restaurants, food samples and musical entertainment. The VIP admission includes one extra hour of sampling, a handrolled cigar and a muffin tin to hold your drinks.
Advance purchase online is recommended. Prices before taxes and fees are $32 general admission, and $45 for the VIP ticket. Doors will open at 5 p.m. for VIP tickets, and 6 p.m. for general admission. Visit