The Return of Bastille Days
Plus: music, art, dancing, food trucks and flying machines.
Bastille Days 2019. Photo by Jack Fennimore.
The summertime festivals continue this weekend with the return of Bastille Days. After a two-year hiatus, North America’s largest French-themed outdoor event is back for a weekend filled with live music, good food and family-friendly activities. If you’re looking for something a bit more whacky and extreme, the Red Bull Flugtag event is making its first Milwaukee appearance. Watch as engineers attempt to build flying machines and then launch them over Lake Michigan with the hopes that they’ll fly. And if you need some new art for your walls, the WMSE 6th Annual Art & Music Festival is auctioning off almost 200 pieces of original artwork made by local and national artists.
July 14-17: Bastille Days
North America’s largest French-themed outdoor festival returns after a two-year hiatus. Bastille Days will take place this weekend in downtown Milwaukee, offering attendees the chance to enjoy French cuisine and live entertainment as well as the opportunity to take part in the Storm the Bastille Run/Walk. The festival will feature performances by Nineteen Thirteen, The Spiders from Milwaukee, The First Wave and dozens of other artists. The festival will run Thursday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Friday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The Storm the Bastille 5k Run/Walk will take place on Thursday at 9 p.m.
Music on the Beerline returns for three iterations this summer, and July 15 marks the first show. The event, now in its fourth year, is a free outdoor music event held on the Beerline Plaza performance stage located at 3350 N. Holton St. Aside from live music, the event also features food trucks, local vendors and an assortment of family-friendly activities. This month’s performance features hip-hop artist Twan Mack and DJ Bizzon. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
July 15: WMSE 6th Annual Art & Music Festival
The WMSE Art & Music Festival is celebrating its sixth year, featuring an auction that will sell off around 200 pieces of locally and nationally made artworks. This year’s featured artist, whose work can be seen on the Art & Music Festival fliers, is visual artist and muralist Emma Daisy Gertel. The event will also feature instruments provided by Music Go Round Greenfield, where visitors can take a photo in their best rock-and-roll pose. Tickets to the event are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The event will run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.
July 16: Stranger Things Dance Party
Thanks to the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, everyone is freaking out about the ‘80s, Metalllica and Kate Bush all over again. X-Ray Arcade is hopping on the trend with a Stranger Things-themed dance party, featuring props, monsters and music ripped straight from the show. Dress up as your favorite character, or just throw on your favorite ‘80s outfit and join in on the fun starting at 9 p.m. The show is free, and is a 21-and-older event.
The Redbull Flugtag event hits Milwaukee for the first time ever this weekend, featuring engineers of varying skill levels attempting to build whacky flying machines and then take to the skies and/or crash into the lake. The event will take place at Veteran’s Park, with opening ceremonies starting at 1 p.m. The first flight will take off at 1:10 p.m., so get there early.
July 16: Riverwest Food Truck Rally
The fourth annual Riverwest Food Truck Rally will take place at Gathering Place Brewing Co. The event will feature nearly 20 food trucks and pop-ups, such as Meat on the Street, Chillwaukee, Riley’s Good Dogs and more. The Riverwest Food Truck Rally will not only feature beer from Gathering Place, but from other members of the Riverwest Syndicate Brewery group, such as Amorphic Beer, Black Husky Brewing, Company Brewing and Lakefront Brewery. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
July 19: Northside Garden Walk
A new garden walk event will showcase the gardens of three northside organizations. Participants can start at any of the three sites, which includes Adams Garden Park at 1836 W. Fon du Lac Ave., Alice’s Garden Urban Farm at 2136 N. 21st St. and St. Ann Center’s Bucyrus Campus at 2450 W. North Ave. Each area will feature different activities as well as the history behind each area. The family-friendly event will run from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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