The official start of summer is this weekend, and 2026 seems to be going rather fast. Here in the Northwoods, there is no shortage of things to see and do during the warmer weather.
If you are an outdoor enthusiast, there are plenty of public lands which include the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, Ottawa National Forest, Northern Highland State Forest, and numerous county forests, including Vilas County Forest and Oneida County Forest.
If you love music, of course, there’s the Hodag Country Festival July 9th through the 12th. The Hodag Park Concert Series is every other Tuesday night on the shores of Rhinelander’s Boom Lake through September. Concerts at Minocqua’s Torpy Park.
Love Farmer’s Markets and Craft Fairs? There are no shortages here in the Northwoods. There is the Hodag Farmers Market every Saturday at Rhinelander’s Pioneer Park, Minocqua has its farmers market every Friday through October, located near the police station, Eagle River has theirs Wednesdays and Sundays on Michigan Street, and Tomahawk has its Farm & Flea Market Saturday mornings through October.
Love county fairs? Check out the Oneida County Fair at Pioneer Park, July 17-21 at Pioneer Park. If you’re heading south, the Lincoln County Fair August 5th – 9th at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds in Merrill. The following week, check out the Vilas County Fair, August 13th -16th in Eagle River, all featuring a nice variety of live entertainment, rides, games, fair food, and of course, live animals on display! So, get out and enjoy all the activities, definitely quite a variety to choose from, and, oh, by the way, “Happy Father’s Day!”