Mad Planet Hosting Virtual 80’s Dance Party

Mad Planet. Photo taken April 12th, 2013 by Dave Reid.

There’s plenty to do in Milwaukee this week while practicing safe social distancing. You can join Mad Planet as the club travels back to the 1980’s and celebrates the early years of MTV with a music video night, try some new Broken Bat Brewery beer as the brewery finally gets a chance to celebrate its big move, and learn about the process of making maple syrup with a guided hike at the Wehr Nature Center.

Ongoing: Winter Chalets at South Shore Park

The winter chalets at South Shore Terrace in South Shore Park (2900 S. Shore Dr.) are still open for reservation. 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.

March 25: Harley-Davidson Virtual Gallery Talk

The Harley-Davidson Museum continues its virtual gallery talk series with a presentation called “The Eagle Soars Alone.” Follow the story of how 13 Harley-Davidson executives pooled together their money in an attempt to buy back ownership of the company from American Machine & Foundry in 1981. The gallery talk will also explore how the company avoided bankruptcy and skyrocketed to ringing the bell on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. The gallery talk will last for 45 minutes and will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased here.

March 26: Virtual ‘80s Music Video Night at Mad Planet

Travel back to the early days of MTV (and a time when we could safely dance with one another) with an ‘80s virtual dance party hosted by DJ Synthia and Mad Planet! Get your groove on to classics from David Bowie, Depeche Mode, Talking Heads, A Flock of Seagulls and many more. The event is free and will be streamed via Mad Planet’s Twitch page, which you can access here. The party begins at 9 p.m. and will run until 1 a.m.

Broken Bat Brewing never got a chance to officially say “farewell” to its old taproom location due to the pandemic. The brewery is putting on a “curtain call” party at Wizard Works Brewing (231 E. Buffalo St.). Capacity and safety restrictions will be in place, and guests will need to reserve ticketed time-slots. Four Broken Bat beers will be on tap including a special sneak-peek of an anniversary beer. Tickets are $27 and get you entry to the taproom with four 10oz draft pours and a branded pint glass from both Broken Bat and Wizard Works to take home. Wizard Works will also have seven of its own beers on tap. Tickets must be purchased through the Broken Bat website here.

March 27: Milwaukee Winter Farmers Market

Despite the melting snow, the Winter Farmers Market is still on. 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.

Satisfy your sweet tooth cravings with a program presented by Wehr Nature Center, 9701 W. College Ave., Franklin, focusing on the process and history of making maple syrup. Guests will visit the sugarbush and experience a boil-down demonstration while learning about the Native American origins of creating maple syrup. The guided hikes will begin at 11 a.m. and continue every 15 minutes until 4 p.m. Participants will leave with some authentic Wisconsin maple syrup and a family-friendly craft kid.

March 28: Cactus Club Moving Image Series with Britany Gunderson

This year, Milwaukee’s FemFest has pivoted to a virtual format. Cactus Club’s Moving Image Series will feature a guest programmer Britany Gunderson, who will showcase the third FemFest Video series. The program will feature video work from Milwaukee artists exploring gender and identity through performance, history and storytelling. The video will be available starting March 28 at 7 p.m., but can be viewed for a week after that. For more information, click here.