Name: 2025 Holiday Folk Fair International
Start: 2025-11-21T14:00:00-06:00
End: 2025-11-21T21:00:00-06:00
Location: Wisconsin Exposition Center At State Fair Park

The 82nd Holiday Folk Fair International will be held Fri., Nov. 21 – Sun., Nov. 23, 2024, at the Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis, Wis.
Hours:
• 2 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 21
• 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Sat., Nov. 22
• 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Sun., Nov. 23
Advance tickets are available at folkfair.org/admission – $13 each for those eight years old to age 61, and $12 each for those age 62 and up. Tickets can also be purchased from all participating ethnic groups. Groups of 20 or more may purchase tickets at $11 each. There are no refunds. Admission at the gate will be $16 for ages 8 – 61, with children up to age seven admitted at no charge. Those 62 and over will be admitted for $14, and all military personnel with a military ID card will be admitted free.
A program of the International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW), Holiday Folk Fair International celebrates the cultural heritage of the people living in southeastern Wisconsin. This year’s theme, “Celebrate the Culture of Traditional Music,” will allow Fairgoers to explore how traditional music represents one’s cultural heritage.
For the 2025 event, the featured food will be Celebratory Cultural Foods. “Food is social. In all areas of the world, humans use food as a tool to bond, socialize, and connect,” Trebian said. “Foods and recipes passed down from generation to generation are about more than just nutrition; they are living links to cultural heritage and traditions. Food is symbolic of celebration and an integral part of any celebration in many cultures.
“There’s nothing that brings people together like food. It’s the vessel that helps introduce people from different backgrounds and helps us understand one another.”
Special attractions include invited international performers and artisans, photographic exhibits, cultural murals produced by Milwaukee Public Schools students, the Artisan Corner, the Dirty Kettle Native American interactive display, the Wisconsin Woodturners, a Children’s Area, a bonsai exhibit, a Naturalization Ceremony on Nov. 21, a Youth Chess Tournament on Nov. 22, and an Interdenominational Religious Service on Nov. 23.
The three-day event features the All Nations Theater with traditional music and dance; the World Café offering traditional dishes; the Tanzhauz, where attendees dance and sing along with a variety of musical stylings; the Coffee House, where patrons enjoy a beverage and baked goods while listening to talented musicians; Heritage Lane with unique traditions and customs through interactive exhibits; the International Bazaar, where cultural artifacts create a unique shopping experience; and the American Culinary Federation Chef’s Stage presented by TightSeal Exteriors and Baths featuring local chefs preparing traditional cuisine.
For more information on the 2025 Holiday Folk Fair International, visit www.folkfair.org or call 414-225-6225.