Fall in Wisconsin: Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice

By Carrie Mantey

Fall is upon us—one week away to be exact. Beyond pumpkin spice lattes and bonfires, Wisconsin offers a prime opportunity to get outside in the crisp, fresh air and enjoy the changing of the seasons before the tundra freezes.

If you’re looking to liven up your meeting or event, while promoting team building, take it to the street with the following fall musts in Wisconsin:

• Oktoberfest.
  With its predominantly German heritage, Wisconsin offers a lot of Oktoberfest celebrations, including in Milwaukee, Lake Geneva, Appleton, New Glarus, Germantown and more. But there is only one official Oktoberfest USA and it runs from September 26 to 29 in La Crosse. Whether your group attends for the parade, the cuisine, the garb or the spectacle, it’s sure to be memorable.
• Hayrides.
  Give Apple Holler of Sturtevant a holler if your group of 20+ would rather brainstorm from a seat on a hay bale than a conference room chair. With a panoramic view of more than 20,000 apple trees and an enchanted forest, the event is bound to be not only unique, but also refreshing. After their journey, the group can relax around a warm campfire with some hot or cold cider to conclude.
• Corn mazes.
  In Poynette, Creek Bed Country Farmacy boast Wisconsin’s largest corn maze with 18 acres of twists and turns, and 6 miles of paths. Participants can compare their maze completion times with others by scanning a QR code at each of 10 checkpoints, which is sure to spur competition within your group. There is one caveat, though: With that much area to wander in, we suggest a head count after the maze, especially for a group of up to 35 people.
• Orchards.
  For a fun and educational event, contact The Elegant Farmer in Mukwonago for a one-hour hayride and apple orchard tour, which includes getting to pick one apple and one pumpkin for your group of 20 or more.
  If Mukwonago is too off the beaten path for you, check out this list of orchards in Wisconsin.