The Fox Valley finally feels like it’s waking up for summer. This weekend brings the return of outdoor markets, packed live music calendars, comedy headliners, street parties, festivals, family events, and one of the busiest local lineups we’ve had in weeks. From downtown Appleton to Oshkosh, Neenah, Kaukauna, and Fond du Lac — there’s something happening nearly every night. Here’s what’s worth checking out this weekend.
⭐ Weekender Picks
🎤 Uncle Lucius: 20th Anniversary Tour with The Point — Appleton Music Factory, Appleton
Texas Americana mainstay Uncle Lucius rolls into the Appleton Music Factory tonight on their 20th-anniversary tour, with Wisconsin's own The Point opening. Doors 7:30, show 8. If you missed the original run, this is the second chance — the band reunited a few years back and is touring hard. Worth being out on a Thursday.
🎉 Light the Night Market — Downtown Appleton (College Avenue, between Superior and Appleton Streets / Houdini Plaza)
Downtown Appleton's biggest evening market returns to Houdini Plaza Friday night with local makers, food, live music, and the kind of golden-hour energy that says summer is officially on. Free, family-friendly, runs 5–10pm. If you skipped it last year, don't this time — it's one of the easiest good Friday nights in the Fox Valley.
👨👩👧 Mutts Gone Nuts — Unleashed! — The Grand Oshkosh, Oshkosh
Touring family act Mutts Gone Nuts brings their rescued-dog stunt-and-comedy show to The Grand Oshkosh on Saturday — matinee at 2, evening at 7. America's Got Talent semifinalists and Cirque du Soleil alumni; kid-approved without being kid-only. The Grand's the perfect room for it.
Thursday Events
Don McMillan — Appleton 😂 | Thu May 14 | 7:30pm | Skyline Comedy Club | PowerPoint comedian (America's Got Talent) one-night-only. · details →
⭐ Uncle Lucius: 20th Anniversary Tour with The Point — Appleton 🎤 | Thu May 14 | 8:00pm | Appleton Music Factory | Texas Americana act on milestone tour. · tickets →
Mac 'n Brew — Oshkosh 🍴 | Thu May 14 | 6:00pm | Oshkosh Arena · details →
WIR Spring Classic — FREE Preseason Pit Party — Kaukauna 🏃 | Thu May 14 | 4:00pm | Wisconsin International Raceway | Free pit party kicks off the Spring Classic race weekend. · details →
Cheese, Please! — WAA Fox Valley "Cheesy" Community Celebration — Neenah 🍴 | Thu May 14 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | Neenah Public Library | Cheese-tasting and pairing program at the library. · details →
Brews on 'Bago (May kickoff) — Menasha 🎉 | Thu May 14 | (eve) | Jefferson Park · details →
Mosquitos & Mojitos — Appleton 🎉 | Thu May 14 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | Bubolz Nature Preserve | 21+ outdoor evening of cocktails, painting, and plants. · details →
Friday Events
⭐ Light the Night Market — between Superior and Appleton Streets / Houdini Plaza) 🎉 | Fri May 15 | 5:00pm – 10:00pm | Downtown Appleton (College Avenue · details →
Leanne Morgan: Working It Out, Y'all (Night 1) — Appleton 😂 | Fri May 15 | 7:00pm & 9:30pm | Skyline Comedy Club | Touring stand-up star opens her three-night Skyline run. · details →
Wisconsin Arm Wrestling State Tournament (Day 1) — Oshkosh 🏃 | Fri May 15 | (all day) | Oshkosh Arena · details →
WIR Spring Classic — 1/4 Mile Showcase + Crown Vics on the 1/2 Mile — Kaukauna 🏃 | Fri May 15 | (eve) | Wisconsin International Raceway · details →
ARTEMIS feat. Renee Rosnes, Ingrid Jensen, Nicole Glover, Noriko Ueda, Allison Miller — Appleton 🎤 | Fri May 15 | 7:30pm – 9:30pm | Lawrence Memorial Chapel | Acclaimed all-women jazz quintet at Lawrence. · details →
Campfire with Cops — Neenah 👨👩👧 | Fri May 15 | 5:30pm – 7:00pm | Memorial Park (George Scherck Shelter) · details →
Jim Hoehn live at Sherrytown Station — Neenah 🎤 | Fri May 15 | (eve) | Sherrytown Station | Career journalist and songwriter performing originals. · details →
Saturday Events
Festival of Spring at the Paine — Oshkosh 🎉 | Sat May 16 | 9:00am – 4:00pm | Paine Art Center & Gardens · details →
⭐ Mutts Gone Nuts — Unleashed! — Oshkosh 👨👩👧 | Sat May 16 | 2:00pm & 7:00pm | The Grand Oshkosh | Comedy dog show, family series. · details →
Center Stage High School Musical Theater Showcase — Appleton 🎭 | Sat May 16 | (eve) | Fox Cities Performing Arts Center | Annual showcase of Fox Cities-area high school musicals. · details →
Neenah Animal Shelter Garden Party — Neenah 🎉 | Sat May 16 | 9:00am – 2:00pm | Neenah Animal Shelter · details →
Neenah Street Party — Neenah 🎉 | Sat May 16 | 2:00pm – 10:00pm | Greene's Pour House (Church St) | Outdoor block party kickoff to summer with bands and food. · details →
Daizy Roots Band — Menasha 🎤 | Sat May 16 | 7:30pm – 11:00pm | Waverly Beach | Five-piece country/rock cover band. · details →
Wisconsin Arm Wrestling State Tournament (Day 2) — Oshkosh 🏃 | Sat May 16 | (all day) | Oshkosh Arena | Day 2 of the free state arm-wrestling tourney. · details →
Nashville Pipeline with Shotgun Jane — Kaukauna 🎤 | Sat May 16 | 8:00pm | Maloney's, N1994 Maloney Rd | Country touring act with Shotgun Jane. · tickets →
TUNDRA Super Late Model Series Season Opener / Vercauteren Memorial — Kaukauna 🏃 | Sat May 16 | 2:00pm | Wisconsin International Raceway | TUNDRA Super Late Model series 2026 kickoff + memorial race. · details →
Craft Beer Walk — 🍴 | Sat May 16 | 3:00pm – 8:00pm | Various Downtown Appleton businesses · details →
Sour Fest — Appleton 🍴 | Sat May 16 | (afternoon) | Broken Tree Pizza of Appleton | Second annual sour beer fest featuring Midwest breweries. · details →
9th Annual Kids Fishing Outing — Fond du Lac 👨👩👧 | Sat May 16 | 8:00am | Lakeside Park (Oven Island) | Kids' fishing event promoting outdoor fun. · details →
WaterCity WrestlingCon 2026 — Oshkosh 🏃 | Sat May 16 | 4:00pm | Oshkosh Convention Center | Wrestling convention with local and national personalities. · tickets →
Vault Comedy Show — Appleton 😂 | Sat May 16 | 8:00pm | Vault 202 Brewery & Taproom | Headliner Mike Marvell + local lineup. · tickets →
Leanne Morgan: Working It Out, Y'all (Night 2) — Appleton 😂 | Sat May 16 | 4:00pm & 7:00pm | Skyline Comedy Club | Saturday shows of three-night run. · details →
Sundays Events
The Magic of Kevin Spencer — Sensory Friendly Performance — Oshkosh 👨👩👧 | Sun May 17 | 1:00pm | The Grand Oshkosh | Free sensory-friendly community magic show, ArtREACH series. · details →
42nd Annual Nature's Images Art & Craft Fair — Kaukauna 🎭 | Sun May 17 | 9:00am – 3:00pm | 1000 Islands Environmental Center · details →
O'Hauser Park Grand Opening & Take Your Parents to the Playground Day — Fox Crossing 👨👩👧 | Sun May 17 | 10:00am | Fritse Park | Brand-new park grand opening with family activities. · details →
Leanne Morgan: Working It Out, Y'all (Final Show) — Appleton 😂 | Sun May 17 | 3:00pm & 6:00pm | Skyline Comedy Club | Final show of weekend run. · details →
Milly & The Mayhem — Green Day Tribute (Brainstew) — Appleton 🎤 | Sun May 17 | (afternoon) | The Flagstone Bar | Sunday Funday Green Day tribute show. · details →
Upcoming Weekday Events
TUE MAY 19
Sensory Friendly Touch-a-Truck Event — Fond du Lac 👨👩👧 | Tue May 19 | 4:30pm | Fond du Lac County Airport · details →
Stone Arch Sessions: Beth Bombara — Appleton 🎤 | Tue May 19 | 7:00pm | Stone Arch Brewpub · details →
Three Wine Company Wine Dinner with Matt Cline — Appleton 🍴 | Tue May 19 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm | Mondo! on the River | Multi-course pairing dinner with winemaker Matt Cline. · details →
THU MAY 21
The Gala (Fox Cities PAC) — Appleton 🎉 | Thu May 21 | (eve) | Fox Cities Performing Arts Center | PAC's annual fundraising gala. · details →
Liam Cullagh (Night 1 of run) — Appleton 😂 | Thu May 21 | (eve) | Skyline Comedy Club | Stand-up headliner weekend run kickoff. · details →
🌅 On the Horizon
Hmong National Memorial Day Festival (Day 1) — Oshkosh 🎉 | Sat May 23 | 7:00am – 6:00pm | Winnebago County Community Park · details →
Celebrate De Pere — De Pere 🎉 | Sun May 24 | 11:00am – 11:00pm | Voyageur Park · details →
Appleton Memorial Day Parade & Moment of Remembrance — Appleton 🎉 | Mon May 25 | 9:00am | College Ave & Appleton St → Riverside Cemetery · details →
📣 Community News
📰 Mexican restaurant to move into former Stone Arch Tied House in Little Chute. · Source: postcrescent.com
🎉 4 Fox Valley businesses opened or announced closures in April. · Source: postcrescent.com
📰 Roundabout & earth work starting for new Kaukauna middle school near State 55. · Source: postcrescent.com
📰 Light the Night Market returns to downtown Appleton May 15 with fan-favorite attraction. · Source: postcrescent.com
That’s the week, Fox Valley. Summer energy is finally starting to settle in — outdoor markets are back, patios are filling up, and the calendar is packed from Thursday through Sunday. Whether you’re heading downtown for Light the Night, catching live music, taking the family to Mutts Gone Nuts, or just looking for an excuse to get out of the house, there’s no shortage of things happening across the Valley this weekend. Grab some friends, try somewhere local, and enjoy one of the first truly packed weekends of the season.
:::
— Jake