Stoughton marks its place as the home of the American coffee break every August with the Coffee Break Festival. This year, that’s happening August 15, and the festival is also getting a new companion event. Just up the street, Stoughton’s newest creative space is opening its doors for an event that turns the whole district into a reason to linger.
Learn about the origin of the coffee break here.
Stoughton Coffee Break Festival — August 15
The Coffee Break Festival runs 8am to 2pm at Mandt Park, with a Coffee Brew-Off; the Cup O’ Joe All-Wheels Show; an open-air Arts and Crafts Fair; and Lifting a Latte, a women’s-only showcase of strength. Free admission, rain or shine — a nominal fee gets you a tasting cup for the brew-off, or you can choose a commemorative cup for a bit more. Both options get you unlimited tastings — though you may get cut off if you get too jittery from the joe.
Creative Market @ Depot Hill Creative— August 14–15
Running alongside the Coffee Break Festival this year, Depot Hill Creative is hosting its inaugural Creative Market, a two-day event spread across several stops in the Depot Hill Historic District: Depot Hill Creative itself, Abel Gallery, the Stoughton Innovation Center, Grand Inspired, and Wildwood Café.
The centerpiece is the Grand Inspired Mug Show, a returning annual sale of handmade mugs from ceramic artists across southern Wisconsin — a natural pairing with a festival built around coffee in Stoughton. Check with the gallery for exact hours. Depot Hill Creative will run its own Maker’s Market alongside it, with artist demonstrations and activities at the participating locations, plus food and drinks from neighborhood partners.
Between the two events, it’s a full district’s worth of things to do within a few blocks — coffee, cars, ceramics, and an exciting new creative hub just getting off the ground in Stoughton.
Need a place to stay for Stoughton Coffee Break Festival weekend? Book your stay at the Goose Crown Inn — a short walk from Mandt Park and the Depot Hill district.
