Lifest rolls into Sunnyview Expo Center for four days starting today, The Burroughs bring their self-described "sweaty soul music" to Appleton Music Factory Saturday, and there's a mud run, a pool party, and a free community fun fest if that's more your speed. Here's everything worth your time this weekend.
⭐ Weekender Picks
🎪 Lifest 2026 — Sunnyview Expo Center, Oshkosh
Four days of Christian music at Sunnyview Expo Center, running through Saturday. Rend Collective, KB, Skillet and Leanna Crawford headline Thursday, Josiah Queen and Megan Woods take over Friday, and Allison Eide closes things out Saturday. One of the bigger festival draws on the calendar this week if it's your genre.
🎤 The Burroughs — Appleton Music Factory, Appleton
Touring soul outfit The Burroughs — self-described "sweaty soul music" — plays Appleton Music Factory Saturday at 8pm. High-energy, horn-driven live show, a good pick if you want more groove than the usual bar-band lineup this weekend.
👨👩👧 Splash Spectacular Pool Party — Kaukauna Aquatic Center, Kaukauna
Kaukauna Aquatic Center opens up for an all-afternoon pool party Friday, 1 to 7pm, with open swim and extra activities for the occasion. Easy way to burn off the kids' energy on a summer afternoon without planning much else.
🎉 Summer Fun Fest with Evergreen Credit Union — Evergreen Credit Union, Neenah
Free community fun fest at Evergreen Credit Union's Neenah branch Friday afternoon, 2 to 6pm. Games and giveaways for the family — a low-key, no-cost stop if you're already out and about downtown that afternoon.
🏃 Filthy Fun Run — O'Hauser Park, Neenah
Obstacle course meets mud run at O'Hauser Park Saturday, $20 to $40 to register depending on when you sign up. Come dressed to get dirty — a solid pick if you want something more active than another beer tent this weekend.
Thursday Events
⭐ Lifest 2026 — Rend Collective, KB, Skillet, Leanna Crawford — Oshkosh 🎪 | Thu Jul 9 | 6:00pm | Sunnyview Expo Center | Day 1 of the 4-day Christian music festival Lifest, running Wed 7/8–Sat 7/11. · details →
Heid Music Summer Concert Series — Appleton 🎤 | Thu Jul 9 | 5:30pm–8:30pm | Jones Park | Weekly free Thursday night concert series presented by U.S. Venture. · details →
Wine Down Thursday at Whistler's Knoll Vineyard — Hortonville 🍴 | Thu Jul 9 | 4:00pm–9:00pm | Whistler's Knoll Vineyard | Relax at the vineyard for an elevated midweek night out. · details →
Russ Reiser — Menasha 🎤 | Thu Jul 9 | 5:30pm–9:00pm | Waverly Beach Bar & Grille | Veteran Fox Valley guitarist performing live. · details →
Friday Events
⭐ Lifest 2026 — Josiah Queen, Megan Woods — Oshkosh 🎪 | Fri Jul 10 | 5:45pm–9:15pm | Sunnyview Expo Center | Day 2 of the 4-day Christian music festival Lifest. · details →
Eddie Ifft — Appleton 😂 | Fri Jul 10 | TBA | Skyline Comedy Club | Touring stand-up comedian live on stage. · details →
Electric Eden — Oshkosh 🎨 | Fri Jul 10 | TBA | The Grand Oshkosh | An immersive performance experience. · details →
⭐ Splash Spectacular Pool Party — Kaukauna 👨👩👧 | Fri Jul 10 | 1:00pm–7:00pm | Kaukauna Aquatic Center | Pool party fun for the whole family. · details →
1000 Little Wonders — Kaukauna 👨👩👧 | Fri Jul 10 | 9:30am–10:30am | 1000 Islands Environmental Center | Nature-based educational program for young children. · details →
⭐ Summer Fun Fest with Evergreen Credit Union — Neenah 🎉 | Fri Jul 10 | 2:00pm–6:00pm | Evergreen Credit Union | Free community summer fun fest. · details →
Saturday Events
⭐ The Burroughs — Appleton 🎤 | Sat Jul 11 | 8:00pm | Appleton Music Factory | Touring soul band live at Appleton Music Factory. · tickets →
⭐ Lifest 2026 — Allison Eide + full lineup (Day 3) — Oshkosh 🎪 | Sat Jul 11 | 4:45pm | Sunnyview Expo Center | Final full day of the Lifest Christian music festival. · details →
Downtown Appleton Farm Market — Appleton 🍴 | Sat Jul 11 | 8:00am–12:30pm | College Avenue | 100+ local vendors selling produce, handcrafted goods, baked goods and flowers. · details →
Future Neenah Farmers Market — Neenah 🍴 | Sat Jul 11 | 8:00am–noon | Shattuck Park | Weekly farmers market at Shattuck Park. · details →
Kayla Peters Music — Menasha 🎤 | Sat Jul 11 | 2:30pm–6:00pm | Waverly Beach Bar & Grille | Professional pianist and vocalist performing live. · details →
⭐ Filthy Fun Run — Neenah 🏃 | Sat Jul 11 | All day | O'Hauser Park | Obstacle/mud run. $20–$40. · details →
Take a Walk on the Wild Side — Neenah 🎉 | Sat Jul 11 | 9:00am–11:00am | Wild Ones Center | Guided nature walk. · details →
Sunday Events
Clintonville Farmer's Market — Clintonville 🍴 | Sun Jul 12 | 11:00am–3:00pm | Downtown Clintonville | Bakery, produce and hand-made goods from area vendors. · details →
Pop-Up in the Park — Neenah 🎉 | Sun Jul 12 | 10:30am | Shattuck Park | Pop-up community event at Shattuck Park. · details →
📅 Coming Up This Week
TUE JUL 14
Community Crayfish and Critter Hunt — Kaukauna 👨👩👧 | Tue Jul 14 | 9:30am–11:00am | 1000 Islands Environmental Center | Kids learn about and catch crayfish and other local critters. · details →
Stone Arch Sessions: Todd Albright — Appleton 🎤 | Tue Jul 14 | 7:00pm–9:00pm | Stone Arch Brewpub | Country blues, twelve-string guitar player and vocalist based in Detroit. · details →
WED JUL 15
Farmers Market — Kaukauna 🍴 | Wed Jul 15 | 4:30pm–8:00pm | Downtown Kaukauna | Fresh produce and local products from area vendors. · details →
Live! from Hydro — Kaukauna 🎤 | Wed Jul 15 | 5:30pm–8:30pm | Hydro Park | Live music at Hydro Park. · details →
Fishing Basics — Kaukauna 👨👩👧 | Wed Jul 15 | 9:30am–11:00am | 1000 Islands Environmental Center | Introductory event about fishing for kids. · details →
Open Mic Night w/ Sarah Lynn Huss — Appleton 🎤 | Wed Jul 15 | 7:00pm–9:00pm | McFleshman's Taproom | Weekly open mic for musicians, poets, comedians and storytellers. · details →
THU JUL 16
Downtown Neenah Summer Sales — Neenah 🎉 | Thu Jul 16 | 10:00am–5:00pm | Downtown Neenah | Multi-day downtown sales event, runs through 7/18. · details →
🌅 On the Horizon
7th Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta — Neenah 👨👩👧 | Sat Jul 18 | 2:00pm–5:00pm | Neenah Pool | Annual cardboard boat race. $15. · details →
Sweet Stroll on Broadway — Green Bay 🍴 | Sat Jul 18 | TBD | Broadway District | Ticketed dessert-crawl event featuring 10+ local businesses. · tickets →
49th Anniversary Appleton Old Car Show and Swap Meet — Appleton 🎉 | Sun Jul 19 | 8:00am | Pierce Park | Annual classic car show and swap meet. · details →
EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026 — Oshkosh 🎪 | Begins Mon Jul 20 | runs through 7/26 | EAA AirVenture Grounds | The world's largest fly-in air show and aviation celebration. · details →
📣 Community News
🗿 Sculptures planned for Menasha roundabouts are drawing concerns over cost and historical accuracy. · Source: postcrescent.com
🌊 Northeastern Wisconsin flood victims in Outagamie and Waupaca counties can now apply for FEMA aid. · Source: postcrescent.com
🏈 Discounted registration for the Packers 5K Run at Lambeau Field ended July 8 — price increases from $30 to $35. · Source: wbay.com
Busy stretch heading into the weekend — plenty worth getting out of the house for! If you hit up Lifest or the mud run, hit reply and tell me how it went. See you next Thursday.
— Jake