The old one-day fish fry is now Thursday to Saturday in July: a veterans night, reunion night, then the parade, two stages, fish and chips and fireworks over the lake.
Every July the Port Washington lakefront turns into one long fish fry with a parade attached, and Port Washington Fish Day, the Saturday that started it, now anchors a three-day festival called Fish Days. In 2026 it ran Thursday to Saturday, July 16 to 18, with free admission.
For more than 50 years it was a single Saturday billed as the World's Largest Outdoor One Day Fish Fry, and 2025 was its third year in the expanded three-day form, per the Ozaukee Press. Check the festival's own site, portfishdays.com, in the spring for next year's dates.
Sponsored
What happens on each day
The schedule builds from a quiet Thursday to a packed Saturday; this is how the days ran in 2025.
Thursday: Fish-giving
Thursday is Fish-giving, a night for veterans and seniors at Veterans Park, where veterans and Port Washington Senior Center members got a free fish fry in 2025. That year an Elvis tribute act played from 4 to 7 p.m., followed by a local band until 10, and Lake Street opened that day only so older visitors could park close.
Friday: Fishmas Eve
Friday is Fishmas Eve, built around class reunions for area alumni, with two bands from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. in 2025.
Saturday: Fish Day itself
Saturday is the big day: in 2025 it opened with the 40th Portal Run Walk and Roll, a 5K starting at Coal Dock Park, then the 11 a.m. parade, music on two stages through the afternoon and fireworks at dusk. North Shore Family Adventures lists Saturday activities from 8 a.m. in 2026, with Thursday and Friday running 4 to 10 p.m.
The parade and the fireworks
The parade steps off at 11 a.m. on Saturday and runs through downtown. In 2025 it started at Wisconsin and Dodge streets, came down St. Mary's Hill and ended just past Wisconsin and Milwaukee streets.
The fireworks go up over Lake Michigan at dusk. The Ozaukee Press said they were shot from Coal Dock Park in 2025, and North Shore Family Adventures listed 9:30 to 10 p.m. viewed from Rotary Park for 2026, so pick a spot along the lakefront between the two.
Where it happens
Fish Days spreads across downtown and the lakefront parks: Coal Dock Park, Veterans Park, Upper Lake Park and Rotary Park all had a role in 2026, per North Shore Family Adventures.
The park's listing notes that no animals are allowed, which on festival day means leaving the dog at home.
The park's inclusive playground, built by volunteers sits right there too, which makes Upper Lake Park the easiest base for families with small children.
Down at water level, the marina sits between Coal Dock Park and the downtown streets, so the whole festival is walkable once you are parked.
Fish and chips, the reason it started
Fish and chips is the signature food, served at Veterans Park, and the Press also lists a beer garden.
The festival is the town's largest fundraiser, and the fish is fried and served by civic groups whose proceeds fund community projects and scholarships.
On a regular Friday the rest of the year, a Port Washington fish fry means perch and bluegill at Seven Hills or a supper club plate downtown.
Parking and shuttles
Downtown parking is scarce on the Saturday, so use the shuttles.
In 2026, North Shore Family Adventures listed shuttles from the Ozaukee County Justice Center west lot and the I-43 Park & Ride at exit 100, running 1 to 11 p.m., plus a loop between Veterans Park and Upper Lake Park from 1 to 7:30. The shuttles start after the morning run and parade, so arrive early and walk if you want to see the parade.
Tips for the day
The day starts early and ends late, so pace it around the three fixed points: the 5K in the morning, the parade at 11 and the fireworks at dusk.
Claim a patch of grass on the bluff before mid-afternoon if you want a fireworks view without a crowd in front of you. Bring sunscreen and water for the lakefront, and a jacket for after dark, when it cools off by the lake.
If smoke or heat is in the forecast, check the festival's social media; in 2026 organizers posted an air quality warning there.
Who runs it
Fish Days is run by volunteers from Port Washington's civic groups.
The Ozaukee Press listed the Greater Port Washington Kiwanis Club, the St. John XXIII Men's Club, the Port Lions and Rotary clubs, Be3, the Port Yacht Club, Port Washington Baseball and Softball, and the Masons among the groups in 2025. In 2026 the festival opened under wildfire smoke, and organizer Wendy Braam told TMJ4 that volunteers took shorter shifts and water breaks.
Staying for the weekend
Book early for the festival weekend.
The downtown and highway hotels are compared in Port Washington hotels by trip.
The historical society's page has listed the 1860 Light Station as closed on Fish Day (call 262-284-7240 to confirm), so visit the lighthouses on Friday or Sunday instead.
The Saturday Port Washington farmers market also runs downtown in July, so check its calendar for the festival weekend.
The rest of the year has plenty going on too, and what to do in Port Washington runs from preserves to galleries.
Frequently asked questions
Published September 28, 2026
