Fromm Petfest is Worth the Travel to Milwaukee

Fromm PetFest is Every Dog’s Disneyland – including the long wait times in line…

Fromm PetFest is an all day event from 10AM – 6PM held at Henry Maier Festival Park in downtown Milwaukee. There are lots of activities like Dock Diving, Lure and Agility Courses, Dog Parks, a Doggie Dash speed trial, carnival-themed Crunch Zone games, live music and entertainment, shopping, food and more! With FREE admission with lots of FREE parking, Fromm PetFest is worth the travel.

Note: Certain activities do require tickets that cost $2 per ticket or $10 for 6 tickets (2022 prices).

This festival is exactly like doggie Disneyland, including the long lines and wait times for attractions. But after attending PetFest since 2019, we have learned how to maximize our time…

How to Plan the Day

Here are my top 5 tips and tricks to try during next year’s PetFest:

1. Get there early! Gates open at 10AM. Make sure to sign your pet waiver at the sign-in desk (or bring a pre-signed copy with you). I would suggest signing the waiver at the desk because it only takes a few minutes and there are usually free full-sized Fromm bags of treats to grab after signing the waiver.
2. Lure Course is the most popular “ride” so do this first! After entering the gate, you will need to purchase tickets. This attraction is 3 tickets and the wait time can be over 90 minutes! So make sure to head over here first. Note: Some dogs do not find this attraction amusing. Lilikoi loves chasing birds and playing fetch, so she absolutely loves this “ride” and will do it at least twice throughout the day.
3. Doggie Dash is the 2nd most popular attraction. This “ride” is 2 tickets and it is usually set-up next to the lure course at the South-Gate entrance. So once you do the lure course, head over to the doggie dash to see how fast your dog can sprint! In prior years, the speed was measured in MPH, but this year it was measured in seconds. Last year, Lilikoi ran at about 14 MPH. This year, she sprinted down at 4.81 seconds. Note: We waited at the finishing line of the dash and asked the attendant to hold her back at the starting line so that she would run faster!
4. Get your FREE caricature! There were 2 areas to get a FREE caricature. We waited for ours in Kitty City because we recognized the artist at that station from prior years and felt his work was worth the wait. But each caricature takes about 15-20 mins per dog, which means only 3 people in front of you equates to about an hour wait! So try to get in line early or obtain a wait number (if possible).
5. Plan to attend Ernie’s Birthday Bash at 1PM. The past 2 years have included a birthday party for the mascot, Ernie. The party bash includes free face painting, free photo booth, free cupcakes for humans, and free pupcakes for dogs! The pawty is worth checking out in between other doggie Disneyland fun!

Other Ticket-Based Attractions

• The Agility Course is quick and easy to do. There is usually a short 10-15 min wait, but the lines go quick! And if your dog loves doing agility courses (or just loves getting all the treats throughout the course – like Lilikoi), then this “ride” is worth the 3 tickets.
• Visit the Dog Parks for some off-leash play time. There are 2 areas separated for big dogs and small dogs. It costs 2 tickets per play session. There is no time limit to stay in the play area, but once you leave you will have to pay another 2 tickets to enter again. So make sure to make the most of your time before exiting.
• Visit the Diving dock for dogs who love the water! Lilikoi does not participate in this $20 event, but we always stop by and sit in the spectator stands to watching the other brave daredevil dogs!
• There is a FREE photo booth and one that costs 1 ticket… do the FREE one!
• Play the FREE carnival games in the crunch zone – If you win a game, you’ll receive a ticket to redeem for awesome prizes like full-sized Fromm pet treat products!

Other Things to See and Do

Visit the marketplace filled with pet-focused products as well as adoption avenue where you may see adoptable puppies! Lilikoi almost left the festival with a brother… maybe she will gain a sibling at next year’s festival 🙂

This year also featured a dog food truck, Woofbowl, that served fresh and healthy food made-from-scratch! The owner was very outgoing and friendly. And our picky eater loved her meal.

In all, Fromm PetFest is doggie Disneyland – dogs have a blast while dog owners try to navigate long lines and wait times. But there are ways to plan your day to avoid the headaches and hassle of trying to do and see everything. We hope to see you there next year!

Where to Stay and What to Eat in Milwaukee

If I’ve convinced you that Fromm PetFest is worth the travel, you should think about making a full weekend out of it! See my Milwaukee Eats blog post on what to eat while in Milwaukee.