Enjoy Yourself, It’s Later Than You Think

Goodkind.

Is winter winding down? We hope so, though it means you might have to hurry to enjoy the BelAir Ice Bar before it melts. Meanwhile there are lots of late February events to warm you up, including a Hot Cocoa fundraiser, a performance by Weird Storm and a Pabst Brewery Neighborhood Virtual Tour.

Ongoing: Winter Chalets at South Shore Park

The winter chalets at South Shore Terrace in South Shore Park (2900 S. Shore Dr.) are open for reservation. This is the county’s first winter beer garden season. The chalets can fit up to six people and there is nearby fire for warming up. Up to six people from the same household or two people from different households can share a chalet for $75, which includes a $50 food and beverage credit and a 90 minute time slot. The chalets are reservations only, and are available seven days a week. To reserve, follow this link or call 414-257-5616.

The Florentine Opera is celebrating music inspired by Shakespeare with performances of classics from Britten, Gounod, Verdi and more. The hour-and-a-half long program will take place in a secret room in a Milwaukee landmark home with ties to England and bootlegging. Historian John Eastberg will make an appearance to provide some historical background. The performance is digital only and can be purchased for $25 by following this link.

Ongoing: The BelAir Ice Bar

Bel Air Cantina’s Brookfield location (250 High St.) has a 30-foot ice bar, made with over 10,000 pounds of ice, located in Market Square. The bar will serve specialty cocktails and there will be fire pits, ice sculptures and photo opportunities. A small food menu featuring Tortilla Soup and Gringo Nachos will also be available. The ice bar will remain until the weather starts getting a little warmer. For more details, visit the BelAir website.

February 25: The History of Black People in Milwaukee

MKE Black, an organization focused on celebrating and promoting Black business, events, culture and advancement in Milwaukee, will host an online discussion titled The History of Black People in Milwaukee.  The event will discuss a general history and the importance and impact of Black people living in Milwaukee, and will feature guest panelist Clayborn Benson from the Wisconsin Black Historical Society. The event will be livestreamed on Zoom and requires registration. To register, click here. The event will begin at 4:30 p.m.

February 25: Harley-Davidson Virtual Gallery Talk

The Harley-Davidson Museum continues its new virtual gallery talk series, with this week’s talk titled “Off-Road Harley-Davidson.” The virtual talk will give a detailed look at Harley-Davidson artifacts and show historical footage pulled from the motorcycle manufacturer’s massive archives collection. “Off-Road Harley Davidson” will explore the history of adventure touring on Harley-Davidson motorcycles with an inside look at bikes dating back to the 1914 H-D Model 10-F up to current bikes. Tickets to the event are $6 and can be purchased here. The event will begin at 7 p.m. and will last around 45 minutes.

Milwaukee Ballet is opening up its doors to the public for the first performance in a year since the pandemic started. To the Pointe is a program that will celebrate scenes from iconic ballets as well as a classical world premiere from Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink. The performance will take place at the Baumgartner Center for Dance but will also be streamed On Demand. In person tickets range from $55 to $70, and On Demand rentals are $20. For more information on showtimes and ticket pricing, click here.

February 26: Warm Hands, Warm Hearts Hot Cocoa Fundraiser with Goodkind

Popular late-night Bay View eatery Goodkind is hosting a “Hot Cocoa for a Cause” drive-thru. Order a hot cocoa drink on Goodkind’s website for curbside pickup and all proceeds will be donated to Artists Working in Education, a group focusing on providing Milwaukee youth with arts enrichment programs. Goodkind’s outstanding full menu will also be available, so take this chance to not only give to a good cause, but to treat yourself as well. Pickup is available from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

February 27: Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market

There may be snow on the ground, but there are still farmers markets to enjoy, such as the Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market. The market, which is celebrating its 12th season, takes place on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Greenhouse Annex at the Mitchell Park Domes (524 S. Layton Blvd.) until March 27th. The market will feature 30 vendors offering fresh local produce, baked goods, cheeses, handmade soaps and more. COVID-19 safety precautions and guidelines will be enforced, including a mandatory mask policy and restrictions on eating and drinking in the market.

February 27: Weird Storm Performs at Riverwest Records

Riverwest Records, a small and personal independently-owned record label, is now giving artists the opportunity to perform a livestreamed set on the label’s Facebook page. Performing bands will receive tips given by viewers via Paypal and Venmo. This week, a relatively new local act that combines math punk with indie pop called Weird Storm will take the stage. The band features members of Rocket Paloma and Partisan. The show will start at 8 p.m. and can be streamed through the Riverwest Records Facebook page. 

Giving Fest, which ran throughout the month of February and encouraged Milwaukee to give to various small businesses, is going out with a Hoan Bridge light show. Parking will be available at the Henry Maier Festival Park, which will give viewers a front row look at the show. Continue the spirit of Giving Fest by grabbing takeout from your favorite local restaurant and enjoy the show starting at 7 p.m.

February 28: Pabst Brewery Neighborhood Virtual Tour

Explore the “Surviving Sixteen” buildings of the Pabst Brewery on a virtual tour led by Best Place at Pabst owner Jim Haertel and tour guide Scott Smith. The tour will explore buildings that date from 1858 to 1899 and point out which buildings are associated with what part of the brewing process. The event will begin at 2:25 p.m. Tickets are $9.99 each and are available online here.