Door County Contemporary, an art fair in Fish Creek, Wisconsin, was created by Milwaukee artist and curator Shane McAdams along with Josh Hintz, Shane Walsh, and Jaymee Harvey Willms. The inaugural event in 2025 attracted 3,400 attendees and 20 galleries from Wisconsin and the Midwest. The 2026 edition runs June 4-7 at the Peninsula School of Art, maintaining the same number of galleries but expanding internationally with participants like CANADA gallery from New York City and HAGD Contemporary from Denmark. New features include a live podcast by Bad at Sports, inflatable sculptures by artist-in-residence Claire Ashley, and after-hours gatherings at Björklunden, Lawrence University's northern campus in Baileys Harbor, which will lodge attendees and exhibitors.
This fair matters because it aims to elevate the profile of Wisconsin's art scene by creating a destination experience that combines art collecting with vacation. By situating the fair in the tranquil Door County peninsula—already home to established galleries like Edgewood Orchard Galleries and Cappaert Contemporary Gallery—McAdams and his team are tapping into a growing trend of collectors seeking immersive, leisure-oriented art events outside major urban centers. The fair's success in attracting international galleries and thousands of visitors demonstrates a viable model for regional art scenes to gain visibility and connect with a broader audience.