Christmas Block Party in Riverwest

Santasy

The 60 degree weather this past week may have confused you, but we’re only about a week away from Christmas. That means the weekend is packed with plenty of holiday-themed events, like an ugly-Christmas-themed sweater event at The Cooperage, or the Brewery District’s Holiday Pop-up. Past and current members of Motown groups will be making a stop in Milwaukee, singing legendary Motown tunes as well as holiday classics at the Riverside Theater.

December 17: A Motown Christmas 

Featuring a vocal group comprised of members of Motown’s most legendary groups, including Ali Woodson’s Temptations, The Miracles and The Contours, A Motown Christmas is a family-friendly show that will combine Motown’s legendary hits with the holiday classics. The tour will be making its Milwaukee stop at the Riverside Theatre and the show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $49 to $59.50 and can be purchased here.

Milwaukee musicians Zach Pieper and Didier Leplae are the duo that make up Peeper & Le Play, a genre-defying pop group that has been a collaboration effort between the two since 2014. Now, the group is gearing up to celebrate its latest album titled We Buy Gold, but also to say farewell as the band is put to rest (Leplae has moved to Portugal.) The show will take place at Cactus Club and will begin at 9 p.m. and admission is $10.

December 17: Ugly Christmas Sweater Battle of the Bands

Enlightened Brewing Company is sponsoring an ugly-Christmas-sweater-themed show with a rock vs funk theme at The Cooperage, 822 S. Water St. Celebrate the holidays with performances by Modern Joey, Wonderful Bluffer and Wurk. One lucky attendee will receive a keg of Enlightened Brewing’s flagship beer Cream City Brix. The event will begin at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.

December 17-18: Santa Camp 

For one weekend only, Turner’s Alley, the cobblestone walkway off of N. Old World Third St., will transform into “Santa Camp,” a festive pop-up promising an ice bar crafted by Art Below Zero, hot apple cider, hot cocoa and more. Attendees will experience multiple holiday-themed photo opportunities, as well as the chance to purchase some stocking stuffers from Pop’s Kettle Corn and Pop’s Marketplace. The event will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Dec. 17 and 18.

December 18: Santasy at Gathering Place Brewing

Marketing itself as “Milwaukee’s Christmas Block Party,” the Santasy event will feature over a hundred light-up Santas outside of Gathering Place Brewing Company, 811 E. Vienna Ave. The event will feature outdoor holiday music, and the taproom will be festively decorated. The Meat on the Street food truck will be parked outside, and the Meat & Co. pop-up will be posted up indoors. Gathering Place’s popular Storm & Stress beer will also make a comeback for this event. Santasy will run from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Milwaukee area artists will gather in the Brewery District for an arts and crafts pop-up featuring handmade goods, clothing, decor and more. Featured vendors include Fern & Nettle, More Than A Sparrow Pottery, Happy Buddha Boutique and many others. Heirloom MKE will be parked outside serving food, and a cash bar will provide refreshments indoors. Attendees will enter the pop-up through the Grand Hall located at 923 W. Juneau Ave. Admission is free and the event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

December 19: Found Footage Festival

Hilarious corporate training videos and outrageous commercial outtakes are just a couple of the odd clips you’ll see at the Found Footage Festival, an event created by Wisconsin natives Joe Pickett, Nick Prueher and Geoff Haas in 2004. The three friends got their start collecting old VHS tapes form garage sales, dumpster diving and thrifting and began compiling the funniest clips. This event promises clips from a tape called “bonion sergery,” clips from the 1987 Miss Junior American Wisconsin pageant and a fitness video called Skiercise. The Found Footage Festival is making its Milwaukee stop at the Back Room at Colectivo and will start at 8 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here for between $15 and $17.