Patiopalooza: Free Family Fun Every Thursday in Wauwatosa (Summer 2026)
Please help us keep this calendar up to date! If this activity is sold out, canceled, or otherwise needs alteration, email mindy@kidsoutandabout.com so we can update it immediately. If you have a question about the activity itself, please contact the organization administrator listed below.
What is Patiopalooza?
Patiopalooza (aka "Food Truck Thursdays") is Little Village Play Cafe's weekly summer patio party. Every Thursday from May 7 thru late September 2026, the patio transforms into a neighborhood gathering spot with:
- A rotating food truck every week (the full schedule is below)
- Pete's Pops popsicles every single Thursday
- A smoke bubble machine (the kids are obsessed & i don't blame them)
- Music on the patio
- Arts & crafts for the littles
- Kids activities all evening long
- Soda tastings with Lotza
- Adult & Kids Book Swap with Well Red Damsel
- Happy Hour at Little Village from 4 – 8pm ($6 taps & sangria + $11 charcuterie boards)
It's free to attend. Food & drinks & indoor playtime is pay-as-you-go. Bring your kids, bring a friend, bring the whole crew.
Where & When
Where: Little Village Play Cafe, 6505 W North Ave (at 65th Street), Wauwatosa, WI
When: Every Thursday, 4 – 8pm, May thru September 2026 (plus a couple bonus October & November dates)
Cost: Free outdoor admission, food & drink pay-as-you-go
Why Parents Love Patiopalooza
If you've ever tried to plan a weeknight outing with kids, you know the assignment: food everyone will eat, something to entertain the kids, & ideally a place where you can actually sit down with your coffee or a glass of wine.
Patiopalooza checks every box. The food truck lineup rotates each week so you never get bored, & Pete's Pops is a guaranteed win for picky eaters. The smoke bubbles are basically magic. & because it overlaps with Little Village's Happy Hour, the grownups get their moment too.
Plus, it's a real community thing. You'll bump into neighbors, meet other families, & get to know the small businesses that make this stretch of North Ave so good.
*Times, dates, and prices of any activity posted to our calendars are subject to change. Please be sure to click through directly to the organization’s website to verify.