Check the Heater. Before you actually start depending on your heater every day, make sure it’s working correctly. Schedule an appointment with a heating and cooling specialist and have your system checked out once a year each fall.

Plug up leaks. To prevent your home from losing heat once the weather cools down, check how tightly sealed your windows and doors are. A good test is to place a lit candle near the window or door – if the flame flickers, you should caulk or place weather-stripping around them. You’ll also want to replace any screen doors with storm doors at this time.

Up on the roof. Either you or a roofer should inspect your roof this fall. Check for missing shingles and make sure the gutters are clean. You’ll also want to trim any tree branches that may hang over your roof. Heavy snow or ice could easily knock these down, badly damaging the roof.

Stop the water. Shut off the valve to any outside faucets and disconnect all garden hoses around your home to prevent freezing and cracking.

Plant spring bulbs. Before the ground freezes, plant spring bulbs around your home. Once the snow melts and the earth warms, you’ll have some beautiful reminders popping up that it will be time to get outside for summer fun soon again.

Friday – Sunday

The Wisconsin Highland Games (Waukesha Expo Grounds)

The Wisconsin Highland Games is a weekend of Celtic fun for the entire family, featuring plenty of exciting activities spanning the whole weekend. Take in Scottish & Irish Heavy Athletics, Champion Supreme Pipes & Drums competitions, Highland Dancing competitions, Live traditional and contemporary Celtic music, Rugby tournaments, Scottish, Irish & American foods, St. Andrew’s Pub Tent, Longbow tournaments and free instruction, Battle axe & knife throwing and more! The Games also features a cultural Area, where festival goers can experience Celtic arts, crafts, history, and lore.

Tickets are $8 at the gate, $5 in advance and kids 12 and under are free. The festival runs 5pm-10pm Friday, 9am-10pm Saturday and 9am-9pm Sunday. For more information, click here.

Did we miss a festival going on in your area? Let us know in the comments section!

You want your home and those within it to be protected from day one. Taking care of disaster preparedness early means you can focus your time and energy on all of your other move-in tasks with peace of mind.

Consider these recommendations:

• Smoke out fire hazards. Keep a fire extinguisher, one that works on any kind of fire, handy in the kitchen, which is the most common site for home fires.  The Home Safety Council recommends placing smoke detectors on every floor of the home, including the basement and near sleeping areas. Test them monthly and change the batteries twice a year – the changing of the clocks is a good reminder.
• Chemical matters. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas we cannot see or smell, so CO detectors are best positioned near bedrooms and the furnace to warn when the gas collects in high levels. It is required by state law to have at least one detector in your home. Also find a secure place for medicines and household cleaners to keep these substances out of reach of children.  
• Road map. Create safety plans for your new home and make sure every member of the family is on board. Outline escape routes from bedrooms, be sure everyone knows how to unlock doors and windows, and create a common spot for emergency phone numbers such as fire, police and poison control.

Friday-Sunday

Mexican Fiesta (Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee)

Spice up your life with authentic Mexican food, rousing mariachi bands, the foot-stomping rhythms and colorful swirl of traditional dancers, and the handmade treasures of the marketplace. You can do more than just be a spectator at the fiesta by participating in the handful of contests taking place, including dancing competitions, cultural costume contests and even a jalapeno-eating contests, truly not for the faint of heart.

Stop by the Cultural Village, which showcases beautiful Mexican arts, crafts and textiles. Here, you’ll also find the Tequila Expo, where you’ll be able to see and learn about beautiful bottled tequilas and celebrate Mexico’s most famous liquor.

And of course, what would a Mexican Fiesta be without delicious food? Local restaurants El Campesino, Tres Hermanos and more offer their delectable cuisine throughout the entire festival.

The Festival runs Friday 11am-11:30pm, and Saturday & Sunday from noon-11:30pm. To learn more, click here.

Saturday

Silver City’s Asian Festival (National Avenue, Milwaukee)

Milwaukee’s only Asian Festival celebrates the many diverse cultures of the world’s largest continent. Enjoy Asian culture, food, dance, family fun, live music, martial arts shows, a host of performers, games and more! And don’t miss out on the first annual dance competition sponsored by Medical College of Wisconsin, with prizes up to $500.

This year’s festival also features the Milwaukee’s Best Egg Roll Competition!  The winning entry receives the title of Milwaukee’s Best Egg Roll, as well as a $250 prize. The Silver City Asian Festival runs from 10am to 6pm Saturday. Admission is free.

Thursday – Sunday

Irish Fest (Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee)
The nation’s largest Irish festival celebrates its 30th birthday this year with more than 300 entertainers on 17 stages, children’s activities, Irish food and spirits, canines and more! Visit the Cultural Village and be transported to Ireland without even leaving the lakefront. Here, you’ll learn about Irish heritage, gander and shop Celtic wares and crafts and of course clap, stomp and sing along to hearty Irish music.

The kids can get into the action in the Children’s Area where they can make crafts, play games, see live puppet shows and even play a round of miniature golf! Outside of the Children’s Area, the entire family will love visiting the Celtic Canines where you can see, pet and learn about nine different breeds of dog specific to Ireland.

Other highlights include daily parades, contests, sporting events, Sunday Mass, dozens of food vendors and of course beer!

The festival runs Thursday from 5-10pm, Friday from 4pm-midnight, Saturday noon-midnight and Sunday 11am-10pm. For more information, click here.

Friday & Saturday

The Milwaukee Wine Festival (Milwaukee Art Museum)
The Milwaukee Wine Festival is two-day, outdoor event, which provides festival-goers an opportunity to sample more than 200 fine wines from around the globe. There will be wine seminars and cooking demonstrations conducted by event sponsors, exhibiting wineries, area chefs and restaurateurs. While sipping on wine, you can enjoy live music from the festival stage as well as taste some delicious food from local restaurants.

Adult Wine Tasting Tickets are $25 in advance and $35 at the gate. Advance tickets can be purchased through Thursday, August 19th. This ticket price includes a souvenir wine glass, 10 tastings, a Festival Program and food and wine demonstrations and musical entertainment. Additional tasting coupons may be purchased at the festival.

The Festival runs Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. For more information, click here.

Friday – Sunday

Milwaukee Domes Art Festival (Mitchell Park Horticultural Conservancy Domes)
The Milwaukee Domes Art Festival features nearly 100 of the top fine artists in Wisconsin and across the country. Artists will have booths with art for sale in addition to an art auction benefiting the Milwaukee Domes. Plein Air painters will be capturing portraits of the grounds of the domes (Bid on the finished paintings at the art auction!). Aside from viewing beautiful artwork, enjoy the live bands and performance artists that will be performing throughout the weekend at the Milwaukee Domes stage. There will be a variety of activities for kids in the children’s art tent. In addition to hosting Wisconsin’s best art, the Milwaukee Domes Art Show will also be host to some of Wisconsin’s finest cuisine for any palette, from wine and cheese to burgers and beer.

Admission is $5 (children under 5 admitted free) with the availability of a discounted Mitchell Park Domes pass of just $5 (normally $6.50). The festival run Friday from noon-7pm, Saturday from 10am-7pm and Sunday 10am-4pm. For more information click here.

Recently, REALTOR Magazine visited the Betty Brinn Museum to observe and videotape children playing and pretending in The Real Estate Office. The magazine has posted the edited video on their online site, titled “The Future of Real Estate.” You can watch the video yourself below!

The Real Estate Office will be exhibited at the Betty Brinn Museum through October 3rd, and will return in 2011.

While you may not have the skills to play alongside Tiger & Co. this weekend, you can take advantage the many nationally-ranked golf courses around the state of Wisconsin. Forget the notion that all the best golfing is in the south; to see the Dairyland’s most prestigious courses, click here. And if you want to dig in even deeper for a hole-by-hole approach, click here for Wisconsin’s “18 Dream Holes,” click here.

Learning and speaking the language of home buying and selling will only help you have more confidence in the process. Your Realtor will assist you along the way, but it’s important to understand the basics. Here are some basic real estate terms that people are often confused about. Study up and you’ll be able to keep up with the conversation:

• Title. This means ownership of a property. A ‘clear’ title is one that doesn’t have any outstanding liens against it. A ‘cloud’ on a title means there are dibs on the property that may hinder closing or transfer of ownership to the buyer.

• Title Insurance. This type of insurance protects from claims against the title such as outstanding loans, forgeries or fraud that could cause financial loss.

• Comparable Market Analysis (CMA). Buyers and Sellers can learn the value of a home when their Realtor performs a CMA, which compares and adjusts the prices of similar homes in the same geographic area.

• Contingency. These are conditions that must be met before a contract is legally binding. For example, many homebuyers include a contingency that specifies that the contract is not secure until the purchaser obtains a home inspection.

• Escrow. This occurs when an impartial third party oversees the transfer of ownership and is responsible for handling the paperwork and fund distribution.

• Closing Costs. Not to be confused with down payment money, the funds required at closing, which can equate to around 3 percent to 5 percent of the home price.

The Wisconsin State Fair kicks off tomorrow, August 5^th and runs through August 15^th. The fair will draw nearly a million people, and offers plenty more entertainment than just hog shows and chocolate-covered bacon on a stick (though you can take in both while there). Check out our State Fair Guide for a few highlights you won’t want to miss in the next week and a half:

The Rides

Rides at that fair are always a popular attraction, whether you’re shrieking with delight, or testing the strength of your stomach. To tackle more than 30 amusement rides, head on over to Jack’s Pizza Spectacular Midway & Kiddie Kingdom. There are rides for all ages, but be aware that height and weight restrictions are subject to each ride. Each ride has an individual fee, but you can also purchase a ride-all-day wristband for $25. While you’re there, don’t miss out on the largest portable steel roller coaster in the USA: Jack’s Pizza Comet II; it’s over 60 feet high and has four large drops!

And what trip to the fair would be complete without a run down the Giant Slide? This ever-popular attraction is nearly 200 feet high, and is continuously a “must do” at the Wisconsin State Fair for all ages.

Special Attractions

Fairgoers young and old and marvel at this year’s special Days of the Dinosaur attraction in the Big Backyard. This unbelievable 6,700 square-foot exhibit puts you right at the center of a dozen life-sized, state-of-the-art animatronic dinosaurs. The Days of the Dinosaur features multiple exhibits, showing off the lifelike sights and sounds of these astounding creatures, and offers an educational and entertaining experience. With admission just $1, you won’t want to miss this!

You’ll also want to make sure you check out Saz’s Racing Pigs, which is one of the most popular events at the fair each year. Pigs race daily at 11am, 1, 3:30, 6 and 8pm. You’re sure to squeal along with them as they race for their “coveted frosted oatmeal cookie.” Check it out on Second Street and Badger Avenue.

Agriculture

The Wisconsin State Fair is really all about celebrating and learning about our state’s agriculture. Throughout the fair, an average of 10,000 animals are exhibited, shown and judged. Both youth and adults show all kinds of livestock, from cattle and swine to rabbits and even llamas! A highlight of the fair is the annual Governor’s Red, White and Blue Ribbon Livestock Auction, where people can bid on Champion Market Steer, Lamb and Barrow. The auction’s proceeds contribute to youth agriculture programs and scholarships. Click here to learn more.

Horticulture, Crafts & Culinary Pavilion

The judging doesn’t stop with the animals – visit the Horticulture, Crafts & Culinary pavilion for a look at blue-ribbon apple pies, gigantic vegetables, beautifully-crafted quilts, impressive photography and more! There will be educational “how-to” presentations daily on the Horticultural Stage, so you can learn enough to win a blue ribbon at a future state fair!

Food

Oftentimes, fairgoers’ main concern when entering the gates is indulging in the decadent, sinfully tasty fair foods. From the traditional cotton candy and elephant ears to the more refined seared scallops on a stick, every kind of foodie will revel in the array of treats offered. Recently, fairgoers can’t get enough foods on sticks, and this year you can find more than 60 varieties, including deep-fried PB&J, cherry pie, S’mores, the infamous chocolate-covered bacon and even your traditional, plain ol’ candy apple. To see the entire list of food on a stick offered this year, click here.

Come hungry and ready to graze on Tuesday, August 10 to “Crazy Grazin’ Day.” Numerous food vendors will offer delicious menu items in smaller portions and at reduced prices so you can go “Crazy Grazin’” through the Fair. Look for vendors with “Crazy Grazin’” posters in the window of their locations.

Of course, cream puffs are the highlight of Wisconsin State Fair food. The fair dishes up hundreds of thousands of these sweet treats each year, and no visit to the fairgrounds is complete without trying one. After you’ve gobbled yours up, why not check out the Celebrity Cream Puff Contest, on Thursday, August 12 at 11:45am in Central Mall. The contest features local personalities from television, radio, sports teams and beauty pageants. Watch these celebrities do their best at scarfing down piles of cream puffs for a chance at the traveling trophy. Click here to see the celebrity lineup.

Contests for Fairgoers

If the competition of the fair sweeps you, why not enter any of the handful of contests open to any fairgoer? There are plenty to choose from, including pizza eating, cookie stacking and even smiling! For the full list of contests, click here.

Concerts

Every year, the Wisconsin State Fair draws popular national musical acts to headline its Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage. This year, a few acts visiting the fair are Lyle Lovett, Jordin Sparks, Montgomery Gentry, Train, “American Idol” winner Kris Allen, and Brett Michaels with Warrant and Firehouse. Each of these headlining concerts require additional admission aside from general fair admission. Click here for the entire list, including performance times.

Hours and Admission:

Hours: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to midnight Friday through Sunday. On Aug. 15, the Fair closes at 9 p.m.

Exhibition buildings are open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., but close at 9 p.m. on Aug. 15. The Midway is open from 10 a.m to 11 p.m. daily, closing at 9 p.m. Aug. 15.

Admission: $9 adults (ages 12-59); $6 for seniors (60 and over) and disabled persons; $4 for youth (ages 7-11); Free for kids ages 6 and under.

Wednesday – Sunday

Racine County Fair (19805 Durrand Ave, Union Grove)

The Racine County Fair promises “blue ribbon fun for everyone” through their countless varieties of entertainment, including tractor pulls, bingo, rides, games, motorcycle stunts, a circus and farm animal judging. Of course, they’ve also got plenty of tasty, traditional fair food to go around, too. There are contests galore, from hay-bale tossing to chocolate-dessert making. Don’t miss local favorite the BoDeans on stage Thursday night, and country music star Rodney Atkins on Saturday.

Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for kids 14 and under and seniors, and kids 7 and under are admitted free.

Thursday-Sunday

Milwaukee Comedy Festival (Off Broadway Theatre: 342 N Water St, Milwaukee)

Some of the best professional comedy from across the country comes into town this weekend to tickle your funny bone during the fifth annual Milwaukee Comedy Festival. Everything from live sketch and improv comedy to stand up and even funny videos will be showcased during this 4-day event. You can get more than just laughs at the fest, as there will be give-a-ways, drink specials and door prizes. For more information on the Comedy Festival, click here.

Friday-Saturday

Taste of Lake Country (Pewaukee’s Lakefront, W Wisconsin Ave)

Stroll along Pewaukee’s beautiful lakefront and sample finest cuisine from nineteen area restaurants. While you’re munching on delicacies, there’s plenty more to keep entertained, with the likes of street performers, a kid’s area, clowns and live music on stage. The festival runs until 10:30 both Friday and Saturday, with a fireworks display ending the event at close Saturday night.

Sunday

African World Festival (Henry Maier Festival Park, Milwaukee)

Know as “The Meeting Place,” the African World Festival boasts itself as not only an entertaining event but an educational experience. There’s plenty to explore at the Henry Maier Festival Park on Sunday, including a cultural village, a variety of ethnic foods, shopping around the Marketplace, a Children’s Village for kids to play and plenty more. Live music throughout the day will be provided by R&B artist Roy Eyers, “Pastor of Hip Hop” Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Choir, vocalist Maysa, flautist Najee and headliner Charlie Wilson, the lead singer of The Gap Band. Admissions is $12 in advance and $15 at the gate. To learn more about the African World Festival, click here.