A Circus, A Commemoration and Cinco de Mayo

Bay View Massacre commemoration in 2019. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

There was plenty of excitement with Alice Cooper in town this week, but there’s still much to do and see in Mill-e-wah-que this weekend. The Tripoli Shrine Circus is in town, offering guests the chance to see high-flying stunts at the Wisconsin State Fair Park. Bands from all over the world will gather at The Cooperage for Milwaukee Psyche Fest, and El Conquistador Latino Newspaper is throwing its annual Cinco de Mayo Festival at UMOS.

May 4-6: Milwaukee Psyche Fest

Milwaukee Psyche Fest returns to The Cooperage for its eighth installment, featuring three days packed full of live psychedelic-tinged rock-and-roll. On Thursday, all bands will perform indoors, but on Friday and Saturday, the event will have both an indoor and outdoor stage. Bands will be traveling from all over the world, including from Japan and Australia, and there will be plenty of local support as well. Tickets are $20 for Thursday, $30 for Friday and $40 for Saturday. A three-day pass can be purchased for $75. To purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite website.

The Tony-Award-winning musical Hadestown is in Milwaukee at the Uihlein Hall this week. The musical, a collaboration between singer-songwriter Anais Mitchell and director Rachel Chavkin, puts a unique spin on the Greek mythology tale of Orpheus and Eurydice – a love story that sees both heading down into the depths of the underworld to save their love. Hadestown will run all weekend, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, 8 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. and 8 p.m on Saturday and 1 p.m and 6:30 p.m. on Sunday. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Broadway website.

May 5-7: Tripoli Shrine Circus

The Tripoli Shrine Circus will bring acrobats, aerialists and daredevils to the Wisconsin State Fair Park this weekend. Attendees can expect to see jump roping break dancers, contortionists, foot juggling and more. An hour before the show, guests can meet the performers, ride the animals and participate in a number of interactive activities. Tickets range from $10 to $35 and can be purchased on the Wisconsin State Fair website.

May 6: Cinco de Mayo Festival

El Conquistador Latino Newspaper is hosting its annual Cinco de Mayo Festival at UMOS, 2701 S. Chase Ave. The all-day event will feature live music, dancing, plenty of food and other entertainment, such as a Chihuahua beauty pageant and a hot tamale eating contest. The celebration will begin at 11 a.m.

A common misconception, Cinco de May isn’t actually Mexican Independence Day – it is a celebration commemorating the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in the 1862 Battle of Puebla.

May 6: The Science of Science Fiction

The sci-fi celebration doesn’t end after May 4 this week. Coffee and science fiction enthusiasts will gather at Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. to explore the science behind legendary films such as Interstellar, Back to the Future and Arrival. Members of the Leonard E. Parker Center for Gravitation, Cosmology and Astrophysics will lead the lecture, helping the audience understand how our favorite scenes work. The event is free to attend.

In 1886, around 1,500 laborers marched toward the Bay View Rolling Mill to fight for shorter work hours. The peaceful campaign quickly turned violent when state troops stationed at the site fired into the crowd, injuring many and ultimately killing seven people. Every year, Bay View commemorates the lives of those seven workers who marched for an eight-hour work day. The 137th anniversary of the Bay View tragedy will take place at the Bay View Rolling Mill Historical Marker at S. Superior St. and E. Russell Ave. The event will include live music by Craig Siemsen, Jahmes Finlayson and Raging Grannies, as well as a reenactment of the event, featuring large puppets and professional actors reading speeches. The event is free and will begin at 3 p.m.

May 7: Family Hours at Up-Down

Up-Down, a popular video-game bar on Brady Street, is giving families a unique opportunity to play games and hang out regardless of age. The bar’s Family Hours event will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and allow gamers of all ages to enjoy Up-Down’s collection of classic arcade games, pinball machines, skee ball lanes and more. Pizza will be available by the slice, as well as soda and other non-alcoholic drinks for those under 21. Games can be played for 25 cents or by using one token. This event will recur on the first Sunday of every month.