Milwaukee Makers Market at Discovery World
Plus, the 50th annual Juneteenth Day parade, a community rummage sale, drag racing and a free poetry event.
Discovery World. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Need to figure out your Father’s Day weekend plans? There’s plenty to do in Milwaukee this weekend, and Urban Milwaukee has some fun suggestions for you. The Milwaukee County Zoo is acknowledging all of the dads out there with free admission on Sunday, and if your dad is a car guy, check out the Saturday night Milwaukee Mile Street Drag event at the Wisconsin State Fair grounds. Saturday is also Juneteenth Day, and with the day recently being declared as a federal holiday, the Annual Juneteenth Day Parade & Celebration will likely be one to remember.
June 17: Skyline Poetry at No Studios
Courtier House and No Studios have put together a poetry open mic event called Skyline Poetry, inviting any and all poets to come and share their writing. The free event begins at 5 p.m. and poetry readings begin at 7p.m. Chicago poet HoodRaised will be in attendance and will share some of their poetry during the open mic session.
Mid Coast’s series of monthly benefit shows continues in June with an event that will benefit The Butterfly Collective, an organization that raises funds for trans people of color in Milwaukee, putting on events like Queer Skate Nights and various clothing drives. The event is entirely virtual and will begin at 8:30 p.m. Donation and streaming links can be found here.
June 19: Girls Rock MKE Rummage Sale
Girls Rock MKE, an nonprofit mentorship program that helps young women start bands and get involved in their communities through music, is hosting its fifth annual Community Rummage Sale at The Sugar Maple in Bay View. The sale will take place on the bar’s patio, with every dollar raised going towards Girls Rock MKE. The sale will include clothing, jewelry, shoes, music, record, instruments, music equipment and household items. Girls Rock camp coordinators will be on site for an interactive workshop activity that will walk you through how to craft your own DIY zine and buttons. Sugar Maple will be serving from its extensive craft beer menu as well. The event is free and will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
June 19: 50th Anniversary Juneteenth Day Parade and Celebration
Milwaukee is celebrating its 50th annual Juneteenth Day Parade and Celebration, which will start at 8 a.m. and travel from 14th and Atkinson to Burleigh and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Opening ceremonies will kick off at 9:30 a.m., with various festivities running along King Drive All attendees are required to wear face masks, and volunteers will provide free masks when needed. For those unable to attend, the celebration will be broadcast live on Milwaukee’s TMJ4. Juneteenth Day is a celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. It commemorates a date roughly two months after the official end of the Civil War when some of the last people still living in slavery were freed in Galveston, Texas by the U.S. Army.
June 19: Saturday Night Milwaukee Mile Street Drags
Head down to the Wisconsin State Fair grounds for a drag racing event featuring more than 20 different brackets of drivers with varying skill levels. Anyone is encouraged to sign up and participate in the event, and each entry into a bracket will cost $15. After the race, a Shine & Show contest will take place, where judges will determine which hot rods are the prettiest. General admission into the event is $12. The event will begin at 5 p.m.
June 19: Milwaukee Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival
Summer time is for food trucks and outdoor beers, and what better way to experience that than at the Fourth Annual Milwaukee Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival? The festival, which will feature Milwaukee food and drink but will take place at the Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Rd., will showcase twenty of Milwaukee’s favorite food trucks and over 50 national, regional and local craft beers. Familiar names like Twisted Plants and Riley’s Good Dog’s will be in attendance, and breweries such as Eagle Park, Third Space Brewing and Good City will be serving up their delicious brews. The event will run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is $5 if bought in advance or $10 if purchased at the door. VIP packages are also available. For more information, click here.
June 20: Father’s Day at the Milwaukee County Zoo
The Milwaukee County Zoo, 10001 W. Bluemound Rd., is showing its appreciation for all the dads out there by putting on a Father’s Day special sponsored by Prairie Farms Dairy, meaning that all dads will get free admission into the zoo. On top of all of the animal exhibits, on display will be the Sean Kenney’s Animals Super Powers exhibit, featuring animal sculptures crafted entirely out of LEGO bricks.
June 20: Milwaukee Maker’s Market at Discovery World
The Milwaukee Maker’s Market returns with an appearance at Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Dr., on the city’s lakefront. Shop the hand-made wares of over 30 local small businesses from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the event and parking are both free and masks will be required. Food trucks will be on site as well.
