Finding Your Adventure Starts At Wisconsin State Fair

WEST ALLIS, Wis. – The Wisconsin State Fair starts this week, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is excited to announce the agency will be there to engage with fairgoers August 5-15. This year's theme is “OutWiGo” with a focus on outdoor recreation across the state.

With 49 state parks, 15 state forests, 44 state trails, 84,000 miles of rivers and streams, and roughly 15,000 lakes, Wisconsin offers residents and visitors countless opportunities to Find Your Adventure and Go Wild In Wisconsin.

State Fair is the perfect place for fairgoers to meet with DNR experts to learn about Wisconsin’s world-class fishing, wildlife, state parks and get the inside scoop on all things outdoor recreation.

"We are so excited to connect with Wisconsinites during the fair and show them how we are putting their hard-earned tax dollars to work," said DNR Secretary Preston Cole. "Come visit us and discover what treasures Wisconsin has to offer. You’ll also see how the work we’re doing now benefits Wisconsinites today and for generations to come."

The DNR display is located in the north building at Exploratory Park located on the south side of Main Street across from the Original Cream Puff Pavilion.

Fairgoers can join DNR staff in fun and educational experiences, including interactive exhibits for all ages. Visitors are also invited to check out our dynamic displays and learn all about our abundant natural resources.

People are connecting with Wisconsin's great outdoors more than ever. DNR staff have logged more than 9.6 million visits to state parks so far this year – that’s an 18% increase over last year and a 36% increase over 2019.

The DNR has also recorded a dramatic uptick in camping reservations, with 511,827 camping nights reserved so far this year compared to 336,467 for the same period in 2019.

Fishing and hunting licenses are selling fast. Fishing licenses are up 9% and spring turkey licenses are up 4% compared to 2019.

The economic impact of outdoor recreation in Wisconsin is especially noteworthy. It adds an estimated $7.8 billion boost to the state's GDP each year and supports more than 93,000 jobs, according to the Wisconsin Department of Tourism.

Visit the DNR website to learn more about how you can OutWiGo around the state.