Tattoos, Beets and a Pet Parade?

Pet Parade with Samba da Vida. File photo by Jack Fennimore.

The Milwaukee Brewers may have been knocked out of the MLB postseason, but there’s still plenty to be excited about this weekend in Milwaukee. Have you been itching for a new tattoo? The Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Festival will take over the Baird Center all weekend, inviting artists from all across the country to come and show off their work. The Brady Street Pet Parade will show off the looks and talents of Milwaukee’s furry and scaly residents, and Curd Fest will give Wisconsinites the perfect way to chase away their sorrows from the Brewers’ loss – by eating lots and lots of cheese curds.

October 6-8: 13th Annual Milwaukee Oktoberfest

Swarmm Events, the folks behind the popular Shamrock Shuffle, are throwing a weekend-long Oktoberfest celebration in Cathedral Square Park. Enjoy authentic German food and beer from of Kegel’s Inn, and participate in a variety of traditional German games and competitions, such as stein hoisting and cornhole. Put your stomach to the test for the chance to win $500 in the Usinger’s Brat Eating Competition, or kick back and enjoy the adorable Weiner Dog Pageant. Each day will feature a different lineup of live music and events, so check out the Milwaukee Oktoberfest Website to help plan out your weekend. Milwaukee Oktoberfest is free to attend, and will run from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

October 6-8: Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Festival

Itching to fill in some of that blank space on your skin? The Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Festival is coming to the Baird Center. Dozens of tattoo artists from all over the country will set up booths and tattoo clients on the spot. The festival offers a chance to get tattooed by out-of-state talent without having to travel, and there’s plenty to see for those who just want to hang out. There will be live painting talent shows, tattoo competitions and more. The Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Festival will run from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $20 for a single day or $40 for a three-day pass. For more information or to purchase tickets ahead of time, visit the Villain Arts website.

October 7: Beet Street

Cactus Club is throwing the 8th Annual Beet Street, a block party that takes over S. Wentworth Avenue between E. Potter and E. Russell avenues and promotes local arts and community building. The block party will feature a punk-rock rummage sale, face painting, a juried pie contest and more. Inside, Cactus Club will be showing local music videos while a lineup of WMSE DJs rotates through the DJ booth. Starting at 7 p.m., Cactus Club will host an after-party featuring live music by Population Control, Wave Chappelle, Pixel Grip and more. Beet Street begins at noon and is free to attend for all ages. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

October 7: Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival

Take a walk on the wild side at the Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival, an event celebrating the Milwaukee River and the wildlife that surrounds it. The 9th Annual Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival offers the chance to wade in the river while salmon swim upstream, watch fly fishing courtesy of Trout Unlimited and see a variety of reptiles and birds up close. There will be kids’ activities as well, including face painting, bee house making, birdhouse painting and more. The Hubbard Park Lodge will host live music and serve food and beverages. Shorewood Fish & Feather Festival runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hubbard Park.

October 7: Blocktoberfest 2023

The West Allis Cheese & Sausage Shop is hosting the 3rd Annual Blocktoberfest at the Blocks of Becher, the stretch of shops and restaurants between the 68th and 70th blocks of Becher St. in West Allis. Blocktoberfest will feature a full day of live music, food and activities, starting at 12 p.m. and running until 8 p.m. The music lineup features performances by Kid Elephant, Paddygrass and Driveway Thriftdwellers. The event will host a Lakefront Firkin tapping at 1 p.m., and a variety of vendors will be set up selling their wares. A Kids Activity Area courtesy of West Allis-West Milwaukee Recreation Department ensures that the event will have something for the whole family. For more information, check out the Blocktoberfest 2023 Facebook event page. 

October 7: Curd Fest 2023

Wisconsin takes cheese curds very seriously, so of course there’s a big event surrounding National Cheese Curd Day. Drink Wisconsinbly Pub is hosting Curd Fest 2023, an event that offers the chance to try some of the best locally-made cheese curds. Tickets to the event are $10 and include admission into the event, a Curd Fest coozie and cheese curd samples from local vendors. Show off how Wisconsin you truly are in the Cheese Curd eating competition, or just enjoy the food while listening to music courtesy of Keith Stras & the Polka Confetti. To purchase tickets, visit the Eventbrite website.

October 8: Brady Street Pet Parade

Humans have had their chance to party on Brady Street for the past few months. This weekend, pets get their turn. The Brady Street Pet Festival is welcoming Milwaukee’s dogs, cats, lizards, raccoons and more to the eastern end of Brady Street, where the Pet Parade will host a variety of contests and vendors from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Contests include “Best Costume,” “Best Pet/Owner Look-a-like” and “Best Trick.” Lilliput Records will provide live music, and attendees can grab food or drink from the variety of nearby Brady Street businesses. The Brady Street Pet Parade is free to attend. If you’d like to enter your pet into one of the contests, tickets are required and can be purchased on Eventbrite’s website.