Can’t Beat Milwaukee in the Summer
Normally we would greet you on Monday with an urban advocacy piece, but we were a little too busy enjoying all that urban Milwaukee had to offer this weekend. While normally just one of these events would pass as a big entertainment attraction across every other Wisconsin city, urban Milwaukee had at least eight organized and noteworthy events going on this weekend. In short there were more entertainment options available than one could possibly attend. Please remember that when you champion urbanism, you not only advocate for a great place to work and live, but a great place to play.
In case you missed out here’s a list (in alphabetical order).
- Bradford Beach Jam – A party at the beach need we say more? Yes, there was an airshow overhead.
- Brady Street Festival – Once again Brady Street was full of people wandering from booth to booth.
- Gallery Night – The showcase event for Milwaukee’s art community. Every iteration seems to encompass a greater spread of galleries and the city.
- German Fest – Yet another of Milwaukee’s ethnic festivals that draws people to the city from across the state.
- Milwaukee Air & Water Show – Haven’t seen an official attendance number yet, but the view from my rooftop showed a packed lakefront, and the full city streets afterward indicate a very large crowd.
- Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park – average attendance this year at 38,418
- Riverwest 24 – 24 hour bike race with near 300 participants.
- The Great Downer Avenue Bike Race – 200 bikers doing a 90k race on the East Side.
If you didn’t make it down for the Milwaukee Air & Water Show here’s a video of what you missed.
Couldn’t agree more, what an amazing weekend!
I made it to 5 of 8 on Saturday and would have been interested in 8 of 8 if time would have allowed me to. Could the planners please talk next year. Brady and Downer on the same weekend? c’mon. How about Germanfest in October next year, we’ll call it something clever like Octoberfest.
@Dan Yeah it was crazy busy. Friday I made the very end of Gallery Night, found a great event at the skylight. Saturday hit the air show, Bradford Beach Party, Downer Avenue Bike Race, and Brady St… Fun fun weekend, but wow tiring.
I keep telling my Fox Valley friends that the problem with entertainment in Milwaukee year round, but particularly in the summer, is trying to pick out which event you want to attend. Most of the time it’s like trying to name your favorite child, impossible.
No doubt this city is hopping in the summer. But winter is not too shabby either. There are great shows at the Pabst, Riverside, Turner, Miramar, Cactus and other venues all year round. Gallery Night happens year-round. Good restaurants, family-friendly indoor activities like the Domes, and outdoor winter activities like cross country skiiing, sledding, biking (yes, there is a growing number of people who bike through the winter), etc. etc.
My point is that Milwaukee is a lively city throughout the year. In winter it just takes a little more guile to go out and face the bitter cold to enjoy the many offerings of this great city.
Only hit a couple of the events and still had a bit of sensory overload. Especially well watching the BMX stunt team at Brady Street Fest, while formations of jets streaked through the sky behind them– all-the-while columned by Brady Street’s great architecture and a really bustling crowd (seemed like a lot more people, stands, ect…then prior years).
Also had a movie being filmed in front of my apartment a couple days prior ( No God, No Master, staring David Strathairn), lots of excitement in the city. I wonder how all of the jet noise impacted their shooting?
That this many events can be going at one time and all be well attended, seems to kind of put into question some of the nay-sayers who say that MKE is too small for additional entertainment/ sports venues. MLS team anyone?
@David B Good point about MLS, but unfortunately that window has closed for now…
It pains me to hear about the MLS and the city dropping the ball on doing its best to bring it here.
As for Milwaukee in the summer, its hard to beat. I think this city greatly punches about its weight in sheer number of things to do. And thats just on the lakefront! I really have to applaud what I am seeing at Bradford Beach. While it never was a dead zone in summer, there seems to be a different vibe down there.
@Doug G I’m not sure it’s exactly fair to say the city dropped the ball. It was more that the size of TIF required was much bigger than Milwaukee is used to, so I understand the concern. That said in this case I’d of liked to of seen the gamble made.
everything I read about the MLS bid was that the city wasn’t in the least bit helpful to the group that was looking to bring a team here.
@Doug G I spoke to Peter Wilt (great guy incidentally) about it a few times, and yes the city wasn’t too interested, but it had to do with just how large the TIF would of been. I would of preferred the city gambled on it, but I can understand the resistance.
We’re definitely looking forward to the warm weather in 2010! Thanks for putting forth great material, and check in with us at MilwaukeeScoop.com whenever you have a chance!