Waukesha Unlocked will be held every other year! Save the date for October 12 and 13, 2024! The doors to businesses, organizations, churches and City buildings will be open for you to take tours, participate in special activities, learn and explore! It’s a special weekend for you to participate in over 80 different opportunities and see “behind the scenes” in Waukesha. With over 80 activities, attendees can go behind the scenes as places like the historic Andrew Frame House, Aries Industries, Husco International, Alloy Products, and many more. The weekend will also feature a variety of outdoor activities, including historical walking tours of Cutler Park and a public art tour.

Back by popular demand, the City will be hosting Waukesha Unlocked on Saturday and Sunday, October 12-13 from 10am-4pm. During this event, residents and visitors will have the rare opportunity to tour businesses, organizations, churches, and City buildings—many of which are usually closed to the public.

All sites are free, however, a few sites require pre-registration. Pre-registration is open now. Head to the website (link below) to start planning your weekend itinerary. The City of Waukesha is excited to work with the community to showcase our businesses, properties and organizations through tours and activities.

Registration is now open for these tours:

• City of Waukesha Booster Pumping Station
• City of Waukesha Clean Water Plant
• Downtown Waukesha Food Tour (fee for this activity)
• Fox River Exploration
• Tree Walk & Basic Tree Identification
• Watercolor crayon drawing
• Raised Grain Brewing Company
• Walking History Tour
• Springs Historic Bus Tour

Each site can tell their own story, inspired by architecture, community, history or operations as we share all that the City has to offer.

Waukesha Unlocked: Planning Ideas

• Event headquarters will be located at Waukesha City Hall (201 Delafield St). New this year in 2024, participants can pick up a Bingo card at City Hall to complete during their tours for a chance to win prizes.
• Make an itinerary. Use the list of locations to plan out your day. Use the digital map to help plot out points of interest, or print off the listing and highlight the locations you want to visit. The printer-friendly listing lists locations, addresses, and participation hours to help you navigate from one location to another.
• Plan Your Parking. Most locations have parking on-site, but some Downtown Waukesha locations may not have as much parking readily available due to the increased crowds. Downtown Waukesha has 12 public parking lots and 2 parking structures that offer free 2-hour parking. The parking structures also offer 1-day parking for $3 for the entire day! For additional information about lot locations, visit waukesha-wi.gov/parking.
• Program cancellations/changes, event information and important updates will be communicated through the info line: 1-262-522-9356.
• Sites open and close at the time listed.  Please plan tour time accordingly.

Waukesha Unlocked: Family Fun

Families will find plenty to do as well, with kid-friendly activities such as a Touch-A-Truck event at City Hall, and open houses at the Fire and Police Departments.

• Touch a Truck- Head to the Waukesha City Hall parking lot where you can see and explore the City’s trucks, vehicles, and equipment. You can also create a flowerpot and turn in your completed Playground Passport for a playground game kit.
• Waukesha Fire Department- kid’s fire safety house tour and other fun activities
• Waukesha Police Department- meet police officers, see police vehicles, meet a K-9 officer and more!
• First Student- Check out the big yellow school buses and fun activities
• Innio Waukesha Gas Engines- Face painting, a bounce house, pumpkin painting, Waukesha engine coloring books, and more
• La Casa de Esperanza – Watch student drum and dance performances and enjoy authentic Latin American appetizer samples.

This is just a sampling of the fun you can have at Waukesha Unlocked! Make sure to check the website for all the specific details and times

Waukesha Unlocked: Parish Passport

New to Waukesha Unlocked this year is the Parish Passport. The Parish Passport gives you an opportunity to visit many of the historic parishes that call Waukesha home in a convenient walking tour format. Begin the walking tour at any of the participating churches, explore the architecture and history of each location and earn a reward for visiting three or more of locations.

More details can be found on the Waukesha Unlocked Page.

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