Harbor Fest Sets Sail This Weekend

2018 Harbor Fest boat parade. Photo by Jack Fennimore.

Have you ever wanted to take a full tour of your favorite Milwaukee businesses? This weekend, Doors Open Milwaukee will see over 130 buildings open their doors to the public, offering a variety of tour options for the architecturally curious. Celebrate the fur babies in your family at Milwaukee’s Lakefront with Fromm Petfest, and help Dead Bird Brewing and Third Space Brewing Company commemorate their birthdays this weekend with special beer releases and live music. If you’re looking for fun for the family, stop at Harbor Fest at the eastern end of Greenfield Avenue to release a sturgeon, take a boat tour, enjoy some live music or check out some big trucks from the Department of Public Works.

September 23: Fromm Petfest

Fromm Pet Fest is celebrating its 10th year of throwing a family-and-fur friendly event on Milwaukee’s lakefront at the Maier Festival Park. Billed as the only festival to take place on the Summerfest grounds revolving entirely around pets, Fromm Petfest will feature live entertainment, shopping opportunities, food and more. Bring your dog along to participate in dock diving, lure courses and more, or just socialize at the dog park. And if you’re interested in adding to your family, take a walk down Adoption Avenue, where dozens of animal-related non-profits and rescues will be stationed – some even with adoptable animals hanging out. Fromm Petfest will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to attend. For more information, check out the Fromm Petfest website.

September 23-24: Doors Open Milwaukee

Milwaukee is full of great opportunities for checking out beautiful, historic architecture sprinkled throughout the city. But have you ever wondered what those buildings look like on the inside? Doors Open Milwaukee is your ticket in. This two-day, free event will see over 130 buildings opening their doors to the public, offering both self-guided and tours that require reservations. Doors Open Milwaukee will also feature a variety of performances, such as the Artist Eats show at Walker’s Point Center for the Arts and the Performances with Access Contemporary Music at the Milwaukee Art Museum. For a complete list of participating businesses, visit the Historic Milwaukee website.

September 23: Fourth Annual Flock Party

Dead Bird Brewing Co. has been creating high ABV craft beers with locally-sourced vegan ingredients since 2015, but the brewery opened its first taproom here in Milwaukee in 2019. To celebrate its fourth birthday, Dead Bird Brewing Co. is throwing its fourth annual Flock Party – a block party featuring specialty brews, yoga, food trucks, live music and more. The party will kick off at 10 a.m. with Morning Yoga, and live music will begin at 3 p.m. The event is free to attend, and will run until 10 p.m.

September 23: Third Space Brewing Seven Year Anniversary

Dead Bird Brewing Co. isn’t the only brewery birthday this weekend. Third Space Brewing is turning seven, and is celebrating the occasion with a fundraiser event that features live music all day, food trucks, beer releases and more. Third Space Brewing’s anniversary party will raise funds for YMCA Camp Minikani, a residential summer camp located along the shores of Lake Amy Belle in Hubertus. The party will feature performances by Ladybird, Moonglow, Derek Pritzl and more, and will see the release of two specialty beers: a barrel-aged Anniversary Solera and the Super Frog, a Weiss Sour Ale. For more information, visit the Third Space Brewing website.

September 23: Oktoberfest at Black Husky

Tis the season to celebrate Oktoberfest, and Black Husky Brewing is throwing quite the party. Starting at 1 p.m., Black Husky Brewing will kick things off with an Opening Ceremony and firkin tapping, with free firkin beer to all in attendance. Other happenings include a Best Pet Costume contest, a yodeling demonstration and contest and a Masskrugstemmen – a traditional stein-holding competition. And what would an Oktoberfest party be without all-day Hammerschlagen? Black Husky’s Oktoberfest celebration will run from 1 p.m. until close.

September 24: Bean Plant Block Party

Anodyne Coffee Roasting Co. is throwing its second annual Bean Plant Block Party – an outdoor event riddled with skate ramps, obstacles, food trucks and more. Bean Plant Block Party encourages skateboarders, bikers, rollerbladers and anyone else on wheels to participate in the party. The event will also feature live music, local vendors and plenty of coffee. Bean Plant Block Party will take place outside of Anodyne’s Bruce St. location from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is free to attend.

September 24: Harbor Fest

We’re always looking for reasons to celebrate here in Milwaukee, so why not show some love to the city’s harbor? Milwaukee Harbor District, Milwaukee Riverkeeper and Riveredge Nature Center is honoring Milwaukee’s aquatic lifeforms, waterways and ships with Harbor Fest. The fest will feature live music, live dance, vendors and more. Local artist John Kowalcyk will be painting sturgeon art, and there will be free boat tours of the Inner Harbor and rivers from 12 to 3 p.m. Harbor Fest will take place outside of UWM’s School of Freshwater Sciences at 600 E. Greenfield Ave. and will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.