This summer, Oconto County is the place to be for three events that range from genuinely wild to legitimately world-class, and all of them are exactly the kind of thing that makes people say, “wait, where did you say that was?”
Dirt City Off Road Nationals | Lena | July 25-26 (Thunder on Main, July 24)
Dirt City Motorplex, about 30 miles north of Green Bay, is one of the most unique motorsports venues in the Midwest. The natural viewing area wraps around a purpose-built short-course track designed so that vehicles fly high directly in front of the crowd. This year’s Off-Road Nationals fills the track with everything from full-size race trucks to side-by-sides, competing across two days of dirt-slinging, wheel-to-wheel action.
The weekend kicks off early with Thunder on Main on Friday, July 24. The Village of Lena hosts a free street party on Main Street featuring hundreds of racers and fans, food trucks, live music, autographs, and photos with the actual race vehicles. The parade of trucks rolls from Dirt City to Main Street at 5:30 p.m.
On-site camping is available right outside the pit area, along with a gas station, race fuel, a parts store, and the Dairy Barn Restaurant on the complex.
Dirt City Motorplex, Lena, WI | Thunder on Main: July 24, 5:30–8 p.m. (FREE) | Races: July 25–26
More information: https://dirtcitylmc.com/
National Walleye Tour | Bay of Green Bay, Oconto | July 30-31
One of the most prestigious competitive fishing circuits in the country is making its only Wisconsin stop right here in Oconto. Launching from Oconto’s Breakwater Park on the Bay of Green Bay, the Bass Pro Shops & Cabela’s National Walleye Tour draws elite pro and co-anglers competing for serious payouts on one of the finest walleye fisheries in the Midwest.
Pro and co-anglers hit the water at 7 a.m. each day before returning for the afternoon weigh-in at Breakwater Park where the real spectator action is. Admission is free. Come early, bring the kids, and watch the pros haul in their limits.
Oconto Breakwater Park, 1301 Harbor Rd., Oconto | Weigh-in approximately 3–4 p.m. daily
More information: https://outdoorteamworks.com/
Testicle Festival | Arrowhead Saloon, Breed | August 8
Every August, the tiny block-long community of Breed becomes the most talked-about spot in Oconto County. The Arrowhead Saloon’s annual Testicle Festival is a no-frills, high-energy community party that’s part cookout, part concert, and entirely unforgettable with deep-fried Rocky Mountain Oysters as the specialty of the house.
The Arrowhead Saloon sits right on the ATV trail, making it a natural stop for riders. This year’s live music comes from 18 Days, playing 2 to 6 p.m., rounded with a mechanical bull and corn roast.
13486 County Road AA, Suring, WI | Starts at Noon
More information: Arrowhead Saloon
PLAN YOUR SUMMER
Three events. Three completely different flavors of Oconto County.