The Wisconsin State Fair is a Fair of icons. Think the Original Cream Puffs, the Milk House, the Giant Slide, and anything and everything deep-fried and on-a-stick. But the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair (August 1-11) will sadly see the departure of an icon: the family of the Fair’s longest-running food concession, Mille’s Italian Sausage.

Yes, after 93 years of business—and 93 years of selling sausages at the State Fair—Mille’s is being sold by the Mille family. According to a press release, the sale comes “with the goal of new ownership continuing to offer the same beloved Mille family Italian sausage and personal touch,” both at the State Fair and beyond.

“It is with bittersweet feelings that the Mille family today announces the approaching end of our family’s 93 year run with this wonderful business that has been such a part of the lives of five generations of Milles,” says Antoinette Mille in the press release. “We cherish the wonderful memories of serving so many of our extraordinary customers who often shared their personal stories of coming to the Fair every year to get their Mille’s sausage sandwich. At the same time we are hopeful of passing the torch—or, rather, sausage spit—to new ownership committed to taking our Mille’s name and proprietary recipe and continuing the Mille’s tradition.”

Amatore Mille tells Milwaukee Record the sale is due to many family members being spread out across the country, as well as the natural progression of time.

“All our lives we have worked at Wisconsin State Fair. It’s a family reunion of sorts when we come together from wherever we are,” he says. “But basically, we’re all older, and all the kids and grandkids are involved in their own careers and life directions. It’s just time to fold the tent.”

The press release continues:

Mille’s Italian Sausage is the oldest food concession at the Wisconsin State Fair, having been started by the Mille’s Italian immigrant grandparents and father in 1932. A multi-generational favorite of Wisconsin State Fair attendees, Mille’s features Italian sausages skewered on long steel spits suspended over a unique vertical charcoal grill invented by Michael Mille Sr. in the 1930s. Over its many years, the Mille’s Italian Sausage operation has been featured in many local and national media programs, including The Travel Channel’s production on State Fair Foods. Five generations of Mille’s have participated in the Mille’s operation—a very special family tradition that was documented by Mille’s Partner Amatore Mille in his acclaimed 2007 memoir, Eleven Days In August – A Chronicle of Summers.

“We have such fond memories and wonderful relationships with so many people over all those years, and we’ll miss that,” Amatore says. “But for us it’s very, very important that who we sell to is committed to continuing the business—keeping the sausage the same, the same secret recipe, the same buns, doing the peppers the same way.”

Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.