Sheboygan, Wisconsin – August 4, 2025 – The City of Sheboygan is gearing up for the highly anticipated 3rd Annual Sheboygan Midwest Challenge, sponsored by Mercury Racing, from August 8th-10th. This event promises a thrilling and fan-packed weekend with the highest caliber of U.S. powerboat racing and, for the first time, AquaX Jet Ski racing on our very own Lake Michigan. The competition will take place alongside festivities across the City all weekend. Important updates regarding road closures to impact the surrounding area and event logistics are detailed below to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for all residents and attendees.
Event Highlights:
Block Party (August 8th): The Midwest Challenge will commence on Friday, August 8th, with the Downtown Block Party. Beginning at 6:00 PM, the Block Party will feature displayed powerboats and watercraft, a variety of food and drink options, and live music. Road closures begin at 3:00 PM to support the movement of the powerboats and watercraft to the Block Party at City Green!
- Beverages may be purchased at participating vendors within the Block Party.
- The consumption of alcohol outside of the Block Party parameter is strictly prohibited.
- Enjoy the Block Party responsibly, be respectful of residents and businesses, and never drink and drive.
- The City of Sheboygan is committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for all participants. Additional police presence and waste collection will be provided to maintain public order and cleanliness.
Deland Park Pit Space (August 8th-10th): Come face-to-face with the roaring powerboats and watercraft at the Harbor Center Marina, where the “Pit Space” has transformed into a bustling hub of activity. From 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on August 8th-9th and 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM on August 10th, you can explore this exclusive area to witness the powerboats, meet the race teams, and observe the crews as they prepare for high-speed competition. Navigate the Pit Space with ease by using the Fan Zone tab on the Midwest Challenge event map, ensuring you don’t miss any of the excitement.
- Please be mindful of road closures and restricted areas to ensure a safe and seamless experience for all.
South Pier (August 9th & 10th): The excitement continues on Saturday and Sunday with over 50 race teams, including Class 1 teams reaching speeds up to 160 mph, competing in the Monster Energy P1 Offshore Triple Crown and P1 Aquax National Championship. Viewing areas will be situated around our lakefront, stretching from the Marina to the tip of South Pier to South Beach to King Park and Lakeshore Drive. Bring your chairs, blankets, food, non-alcoholic beverages and watch the races on the six-mile offshore course along Sheboygan shoreline!
King Park (August 9th & 10th): Boats, Bites N’ Brews will take place at King Park from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Saturday, August 9th and 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM on Sunday, August 10th. This event, sponsored by 3 Sheeps Brewing and the City of Sheboygan, will feature a vendor market with local sellers, live music, 3 Sheeps beer, a brat fry, food trucks, and more. Enjoy these amenities while you catch a great view of the day’s races from the shoreline!
- Alcohol possession and consumption is PROHIBITED ON ANY BEACH area in the city.
- This excludes the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) district delineated on South Pier and King Park.
The Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA) will be active in the South Pier district and King Park from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM on August 9th and 10th, allowing for the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages within designated areas. There is an additional DORA for the Block Party between 4:00 PM and 11:00 PM on Friday, August 8th.
- DORA beverages should be purchased at participating vendor establishments.
- Stay inside the DORA boundaries.
- Finish your drink before entering another establishment.
- Drinks should be in unbreakable transparent or semi-transparent containers or their original packaging; however, NO GLASS ALLOWED.
- Enjoy DORA responsibly, be respectful of residents and businesses and never drink and drive.
The City of Sheboygan is committed to ensuring a safe and enjoyable environment for all attendees. Additional police presence and waste collection will be in place.
Shuttle Service and Event Trolley Route:
Special Service and Route on August 9th and 10th for the P1 Midwest Challenge Powerboat Races. Shuttle Service and the Event Trolley Route are free and open to all customers. The event trolley will run from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on Saturday and from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Sunday.
- Shuttle service is provided to and from outlying free parking lots via shuttle buses that run at the mark of the hour (South High School and 3 Sheeps Brewing) or at the mark of every half hour (King Park). Please wait by the designated sign located within the parking lot.
- Shuttle service links outlying parking lots to the Shoreline Metro Bus Station where customers may then board the Event Trolley Route to and from the event, area restaurants and local businesses (see Event Shuttle Route Schedule).
- Enjoy trips to and from the event, area restaurants and local businesses. Take the route between event locations at King Park, South Pier Deland Park/Marina, and Downtown. Please wait by the designated Route Stop signs located along the route.
- All event buses will utilize the Southbound Lane at the Shoreline Metro Bus Station (please look for signs).
- Use the Midwest Challenge Trolley Route map all weekend!
Road Closure Announcement:
Block Party (August 8)
Please be advised that the following roads will be closed starting at 3:00 PM on Friday, August 8th, and will reopen at 11:00 PM:
- N 8th St – from Center Ave to Niagara Ave
- N 7th St – from Center Ave to Niagara Ave
- New York Ave – from N 8th St to N 6th St
- Wisconsin Ave – from N 7th St to N 6th St
All Weekend (August 8-10)
The following roads will be closed starting at 6:00 AM on Friday, August 8th and will reopen upon the completion of the event on Sunday, August 10th:
- Broughton Dr – from Pennsylvania Ave to Ontario Ave
- Pennsylvania Ave – from N 4th St to the Lake Michigan shoreline
No parking notices at these locations on Pennsylvania Ave and between Wisconsin Ave and Pennsylvania Ave on Broughton Dr will be posted by 6:00 AM on Thursday, August 7th.
Lakeshore Drive
Lakeshore drive will be closed on August 9th from 6:00 AM until the conclusion of the event on August 10th at approximately 6:00 PM. This closure extends from Georgia Ave to Ashland Avenue. No parking notices at these locations will be posted by 6:00 AM on Friday, August 8th.
South Pier Drive
South Pier drive will also be impacted:
- South Pier Dr Circle will close on Saturday, August 9th at 6:00 AM and will remain closed until the conclusion of the event on Sunday, August 10th.
- From the intersection of Blue Harbor Dr and South Pier Dr to South Pier Dr Circle, the road will close on August 9th at 6:00 AM and remain closed until the end of the event on August 10th.
- The northbound lane of S Pier Dr from Fisherman’s Row to Lakeview Dr will close on August 9th at 6:00 AM and reopen following the end of the day’s events. On August 10th, this section will close again starting at 6:00 AM and will reopen after the event concludes.
Marina, Beach, and Boat Ramp Closures:
- To allow for the arrival and the easy launch of event watercraft, the marina and lakefront boat ramp will be closed from Wednesday, August 6th to the morning of Monday, August 11th.
- Boaters should instead use the ramp located on 8th Street as an alternative launch site.
- The southern point of North Side Municipal Beach (Deland Beach) will be closed to public access from the morning of Saturday, August 9th to the conclusion of events on Sunday, August 10th to allow for the launch of competing jet skis.
Additional Information:
- Handicap Parking: Available on South Pier Drive.
- VIP Parking: Managed by Powerboat P1 Offshore, with details available online.
- Food Trucks: Located on South Pier Drive and at King Park for the Food Truck Party; check the event map for exact locations.
- Pets: Pets are prohibited in all city parks and beaches except those designated and posted as being either on-leash or off-leash, Sec. 8-16. This includes pets being prohibited in both Deland and King Parks and their beaches.
- First Aid: There will be roaming medical personnel throughout event locations to assist in the event of an emergency.
Applicable Links:
►Use the Midwest Challenge event map all weekend!
►Official Midwest Challenge Website
►Visit Sheboygan
►Midwest Challenge Event Map: DORA District
►Blue Harbor Resort Events & Parking
►Shuttle Service/Event Trolley Schedule
►Designated Outdoor Refreshment Area (DORA)
For more information about the Midwest Challenge, please contact Marie Foss in the City Administrator’s Office at 920-459-3287.