Monday, August 17, 2026
Friday, June 5, 2026
What's happening in Racine County this summer?
The summer months have arrived and it’s time to start thinking of what to do and where to go to keep yourselves occupied.
There are many local events planned in Racine County this summer, including several which will continue for a number of weeks that may be of interest.
Among Racine and Racine County events are:
- Burlington Farmers Market (June 4 – Sept. 24): The Burlington Farmers Market, 517 Congress St., Burlington, will be held from June – September every Thursday from 3 – 7 p.m. Admission is free. The market will have various food items, food trucks, as well as weekly live music.
- Racine Farmers Market (May – Oct. 24): The Racine Farmers Market held at Festival Park, 5 Fifth St., Racine, began on May 9 and will run every Saturday through Oct. 24, with over 60 vendors offering a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables and other delicacies. It is located at Festival Park, 5 Fifth St. in Racine.
- Fun & Food on First (June through Sept. 28): Fun & Foot on First will run through every Monday through Sept. 28 in Waterford, 100 First St. from 5 – 8 p.m. The annual tradition offers food trucks, vendor markets, and weekly entertainment.
- Bend & Brew (through Sept. 30): Bend & Brew is back for its ninth season in Racine. The events consist of free yoga every Wednesday and Saturday overlooking Lake Michigan. It will be held at the Reefpoint Marina’s grassy park area from 6-6:45 p.m. Wednesdays and from 8-8:45 a.m. Saturdays. Following each session, a certificate will be provided for a free coffee, beer, or drink at 10-plus local participating businesses.
- Free Kids’ Day: Art “250” at the Wustum Museum (Friday, June 12): This one-day event at the museum in Racine runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will offer hands-on projects, scavenger hunts, and games in and outside the museum revolving around 250 years of handcrafted creativity.
- Racine Harborfest (Friday, June 12, Saturday, June 13): Racine Harborfest, re-established in 2025, is back for a two-day music festival held at Festival Park from 4-11 p.m., including food and beverages. All money will go towards Pink Paddling Power, which provides education and support for breast cancer survivors throughout Racine and Racine County, and Relay for Life of Southeast Wisconsin (No One Faces Cancer Alone).
- Greater Racine BBQ Invitational (Saturday, June 27): The fourth annual Greater Racine BBQ will be held at Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave, from 2-9 p.m. on Saturday, June 27. The event supports the Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin. Award-winning barbeque vendors will be in attendance, as well as live music, craft beer, and yard games. No carry-in alcohol is allowed.
- Saturday Sounds (Saturdays, June 27 to Aug. 29): Saturday Sounds is an opportunity to jam out to some free, live music in Monument Square, 502 Main St, Racine, from 4:30-7:30 p.m. each Saturday. Tables and chairs will be provided, as well as drinks that are available for purchase.
- Summer Camp at the Wisconsin Humane Society (Monday, July 6, to Friday, Aug. 24): Available for kids first-nighth grade,animal lovers can enjoy crafts, games, and meet and interact with several animals throughout the week. Camp Critters (first- third grade) will be offered July 13-17 and Aug. 10-14. Camp Unleased (fourth-sixth grade) runs from July 6-10 and July 20-24. Junior Veterinary Camp (sixth-ninth grade) will be held Aug. 3-7. Location: 8900 16th St., Mt. Pleasant.
- Salmon-A-Rama (Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 19): The nine-day fishing tournament in Racine is open Lake Michigan-wide. The grand prize is $50,000 with a nearly a total of $200,000 in prize payouts. Held at Festival Park for 10 consecutive days, there will be two bands (The Cheap Shots, Broken Forty5), raffles, kid’s games, fireworks, kids fishing pond and food and beverages.
- Taco Fest of Racine (Saturday, July 18): Franksville Memorial Park, 9614 Northwestern Ave, will hold the seventh annual Taco Fest from 1-9 p.m. Taco trucks and Taco restaurants are invited and there will be 20-plus craft beers on tap. Live music will be playing throughout the day. Admission is free.
- Midwest Beach Championships (Saturday, Aug. 1): Open to junior teams and boys and girls, Epic Volleyball Club will be hosting the Midwest Beach Championships on North Beach in Racine from 8 a.m. 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 1. Great Lakes Watercross will also be hosting a jet ski closed course through Aug. 1-2.
- Car, Truck, & Bike Show (Thursday, Aug. 5): The Racine Zoo, 2131 N. Main St., will be hosting the Car, Truck, & Bike Show for all ages from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be more than 250 vehicles with a total of 75 awards being handed out. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Friday, March 27, 2026
Racine-based Burn Pit BBQ coming to Wisconsin Walmart stores in April
Business grew out of pandemic-era hobby
Burn Pit BBQ, a small Racine-based barbeque seasoning business, is moving into the world's largest brick-and-mortar retail chain.
Walmart will carry Burn Pit BBQ's garlic seasoning and Memphis-style barbeque rubs at 70 Wisconsin stores starting April 19. It's a dramatic expansion for a business that grew out of a pandemic-era hobby.
Founders Ben Kreple and Greg Fischer, former soccer teammates at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, bonded after graduation over a shared love for grilling.
"It was a way to continue to get our families together," Kreple told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Racine residents saw more neighbors fire up their backyard grills, some for the first time. So, they started a blog offering recipes and tips.
"When Greg and I first started grilling together, we would reach out to ask questions, and there'd be times you'd get trounced on for asking certain questions," Kreple said. "Our vision was to have something for the newer, beginning grillers to feel free to ask questions."
Soon, Kreple and Fischer began experimenting with their own recipes. They opened an online store, Burn Pit BBQ, in 2020.
Burn Pit BBQ specializes in barbeque sauces, seasonings, and hot sauces. Sauces and seasonings run $12 per bottle, and hot sauces cost $15 per bottle.
The business boasts all-natural ingredients and gluten-free options. Kreple and Fischer said they wanted to offer a healthy, Wisconsin-made option for new grillers and enthusiasts alike.
After a couple years of online sales growth, Burn Pit BBQ expanded to a few local retailers. Among them are Metcalfe's Market in Wauwatosa, Butcher Block Meat Market in Oak Creek, and Harry Hansen Meat Service in Caledonia.
Walmart's Open Call program provided an opportunity
Last spring, a friend made Kreple and Fischer aware of Walmart's Open Call program, which invites small businesses to pitch for a chance to put their products on the retail giant's shelves. They applied online and were invited to meet with a buyer at Walmart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas.
"We got 30 minutes to pitch our brand and our products, and after that 30
minutes, we were told that they'd like to give us a shot," Fischer said.
The pair run Burn Pit BBQ with the help of partner distributors and co-packers, but this new expansion has them looking bring on more people in the next few years. If all goes well, they hope to grow regionally.
"We want to focus on our backyard," Kreple said. "That's always been our goal – focus really heavily on Wisconsin, where we're from, and the Midwest."
Kreple and Fischer, both of whom served in the U.S. military, also host an annual "Back Yard Bash" fundraiser at Greendale's Explorium Brewpub to support local veterans' organizations. The event has raised more than $30,000 since it began five years ago.
"Being a veteran-owned business, it's very important for us to continue to remember our service as well as those that have served and continue to serve," Fischer said.
During this period of rapid growth, Kreple and Fischer want to keep accessibility central to Burn Pit BBQ.
Each online product description offers a rundown of flavor profile and which meats are best paired with it. Burn Pit BBQ's blog posts weekly recipes and grilling advice.
It's a part of helping others continue to bond over the grill, they said.
Francesca Pica can be reached at fpica@usatodayco.com.
Posts
