Milwaukee’s fresh (water) festival
This week, Milwaukee’s Lakeshore State Park hosts a landmark event: the Gathering Waters Festival, featuring dozens of fun activities, demonstrations and hands-on exhibits that promote the wellness of our city’s freshwater resources.
Those making this free and family-friendly event possible include the Wisconsin DNR, Milwaukee Water Works, UWM’s Great Lakes WATER Institute, Discovery World, the Historic Third Ward Association and (of course) ThirdCoast Digest, to name a few. It even has an endorsement from the office of the Mayor.
“This festival celebrates two of Milwaukee’s greatest assets: Lake Michigan and our new Lakeshore State Park,” Mayor Tom Barrett said in a press release. “It provides an opportunity for all Milwaukeeans to visit the Park and experience the recreational opportunities that abound in the city.”
On Saturday, June 13, those recreational opportunities will be diverse, sure to pique the interest of any outdoorsy, environmentally-conscious folks living in the urban setting. Families looking for a reason to get out and enjoy the lake and summer weather will be pleased with what the event has to offer.
Attendees may also borrow fishing poles and try their luck in the Park’s lagoon. Adjacent to the lagoon, a rock wall will tempt curious climbers. Beyond the wall will be a kite station with the high flyers provided.
Not keen on staying land-bound? You can hop into a kayak from REI and take it for a test paddle, free of charge. You can do the same with a canoe, or if you don’t feel like propelling the craft yourself, you can enjoy pontoon and catamaran rides in the bay.
According to Kae DonLevy, the Gathering Waters Festival Coordinator, there will be about 20 different types of vessels anchored at the Park’s docks. These include crafts used by the Coast Guard, Police and Fire Departments, as well as research vessels used by the EPA, DNR and Great Lakes WATER Institute.
In addition to the sites and activities there will be an abundance of hands-on demonstrations. For the technologically-inclined, one demo will involve geocaching, a way of hunting for treasure with a handheld GPS receiver.
Other exhibits focus on the wellness of our bodies, and will provide demos on healthy cooking and the health benefits of water. The Green Solutions area explains what citizens can do to make a difference in water conservation and quality. Rain gardens, green roofs, composting and tree planting are among the prominent topics. Rain barrels, painted by local artists, will be auctioned off to support the Park.
Interactive exhibits will also be offered at Gathering Waters. One will illustrate the concerns surrounding Milwaukee’s three rivers, while another focuses on where these lead: Lake Michigan. Here you can learn about drinking water, wastewater treatment, beaches and animal life abounding in the lake.
Gathering Waters Festival is providing a soundtrack for attendees as they learn, experience demos and have fun at the Park. The folk singer David Drake is expected to play some tunes, as well as the interactive percussion group One Drum.
Although food and specialty supplies like fishing poles will be provided, festival-goers are encouraged to bring what they please, including picnic lunches, kites, kayaks or any means of conveyance they feel like using on the 1.7 mile trail — bicycles, recumbents, inline skates or skateboards. Don’t go too fast though, because you’ll miss out on the tremendous view of the lake.
The Gathering Waters Festival is meant to generate interest and awareness of Lakeshore Park, which is a manmade, 17-acre island adjacent to the Summerfest Grounds and Discovery World. It is also Wisconsin’s only urban state park, and the first new one to attain official status since 1978. It opened in 2007.
Questions and comments about the event can be directed to the Friends of Lakeshore Park’s website: www.friendslsp.com.
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