Cheese Curds and Paranormal Conference Headline Weekend

Lakefront Brewery cheese curds with a side of garlic ranch. Photo courtesy of Lakefront Brewery.

It’s starting to get spooky in Milwaukee as Halloween draws near, starting with the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference that will be taking place all-weekend long. If ghosts aren’t your jam but you still want to learn about iconic dead people, check out Beyond King Tut, a National Geographic immersive exhibit that offers a unique way to learn about a piece of history. If you’ve got some DIY home projects that you’ve been meaning to finish, check out the NARI Home & Remodeling Show, and if you’re in the mood for some comfort food, Lakefront Brewery is celebrating National Cheese Curd Day.

October 13-January 6: Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience

Immersive educational experiences are becoming increasingly popular as evidenced by the success of the recent Beyond Van Gogh exhibit. National Geographic is back with another Beyond exhibit, this time focusing on the 3300 year old story of King Tut. The exhibit will give attendees the chance to descend into King Tut’s tomb where they will explore a recreation of his burial chamber while learning the story of his life, death and discovery. From there, guests will travel to the afterlife, where King Tut faces trials and wonders in the underworld. In the final room of Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience, visitors will have the chance to examine, in unprecedented clarity, the ancient treasures of King Tut. Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience will run at the Baird Center from October 13, 2023 to January 6, 2024. The exhibit is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. To purchase tickets, visit the Beyond King Tut website.

October 13-15: NARI Home & Remodeling Show

Need a little inspiration to finish that DIY project at home? The NARI Home & Remodeling Show is coming to the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center. More than 100 home improvement and remodeling experts will be on site at the show, ready to help you take those next steps to finishing your dream home. The NARI Home & Remodeling Show will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, visit the NARI Milwaukee Home Show website.

October 13-15: Milwaukee Paranormal Conference

Many Milwaukee locations have ties to the paranormal – The Rave, Shaker’s Cigar Bar and the Pfister Hotel are just a few that come to mind. It makes sense that the city would host its own paranormal conference, a celebration of Milwaukee’s ghost stories, urban legends, UFO sightings and more. Milwaukee Paracon will kick off on Friday with a pre party at Falcon Bowl, featuring vendors, live music, an American Ghost Walks costume contest and open bowling. On Saturday, the main event will take place at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center, featuring panel discussions, author presentations and podcast shows. On Sunday, the conference goes city-wide with its Activities Day. Various locations throughout the city will host their own paranormal-themed activities, such as a Witches Faire at Kochanski’s Concertina Beer Hall and a Bigfoot Hike in a disclosed location that will be revealed to ticket holders. For more information on specific happenings at Milwaukee Paracon, visit the Milwaukee Paracon website.

October 13,15: L’Elisir d’Amore/Elixir of Love

The Florentine Opera Company is putting on a performance of L’Elisir D’Amore, also known as Elixir of Love in English. L’Elisir D’Amore is a classic rom-com set in California’s wine country, where a romance sparks after a couple of glasses of wine and word of an inherited fortune gets out. The opera features the talents of soprano Marie-Eve Munger from the Lyric Opera of Chicago, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and the Florentine Opera. L’Elisir d’Amore will take place at the Marcus Performing Arts Center, with pre-show and opening night celebrations happening at Saint Kate The Arts Hotel. For more information, visit the Florentine Opera website.

October 15: National Cheese Curd Day at Lakefront Brewery

It’s a great month for fans of cheese curds. Earlier this month, Culver’s CurderBurger returned to the restaurant chain’s menu and will be available for a limited time. Now, Lakefront Brewery is celebrating National Cheese Curd Day. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lakefront Brewery will serve special cheese curd flavors like Cookies N’ Cream and Street Corn. The brewery will also offer a gluten-free alternative to its famous curds as well as a traditional poutine. Every hour on the hour, a curd-pulling competition will be held, where the team who ends up with the longest stretch of cheese will leave with two free six-packs of Lakefront Brewery beer. National Cheese Curd Day at Lakefront Brewery is free to attend.

October 15: Wolski’s 115th Annual Block Party

Spend enough time in Milwaukee and you’ve likely seen more than a few “I Closed Wolski’s” bumper stickers. You’ve probably even obtained a few of your own by staying late at the iconic Milwaukee bar. People love Wolski’s, so it should come as no surprise that the bar has remained open for 115 years. Wolski’s is celebrating this milestone with a block party featuring live music, food trucks and more. The event will feature performances by HOSTS and Thriftones and food by Hidden Kitchen, Hue and Jandy’s Base Camp. The block party is free to attend and will run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.