Warm Weekend Presents Hot Opportunities

Milwaukee Ballet Company. Genesis – Baroccata by Lorenzo di Loreto, 2024. Photo by Rachel Malehorn/Milwaukee Ballet.

Milwaukee is getting temperatures in the 50s just in time for the weekend, which means it’s time to get out and enjoy some sunshine and happenings around the city. WMSE is hosting a huge art auction at the Pritzlaff Building, where over 200 pieces will be sold off while DJs and bands perform in the background. Brick Fest Live will give families the opportunity to build with Lego bricks in unique and fun ways and Genesis Ballet will see choreographers compete for a chance to work with Milwaukee Ballet.

February 8-11: Genesis Ballet

Milwaukee Ballet Artistic Director Michael Pink selected three talented choreographers to participate in Milwaukee’s favorite choreographic competition. In Genesis Ballet, the choreographers are given three weeks to produce a “dynamic, boundary-stretching” piece. These pieces will be performed at The Pabst Theater from February 8 through February 11. Each night, attendees will have the chance to vote for their favorite performance. At the end of the series of shows, the choreographer with the most votes will have the opportunity to return to Milwaukee Ballet and create another work. Tickets start at $44 and can be purchased on the Pabst Theater’s website. Performances on February 8, 9 and 10 will start at 7:30 p.m. and the performance on February 11 will start at 1:30 p.m.

What the Constitution Means to Me was a Pulitzer Prize finalist after it debuted on Broadway in 2019. The New York Times called it the “…best and most important new play.” The Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Laura Braza is directing a performance of the witty play that’s been sweeping the nation. What the Constitution Means to Me tells the story of Heidi, a young woman who earned her college tuition by winning Constitutional debates across the country. She revisits her fifteen-year-old self in order to examine the lasting impact of the Constitution. For showtimes and ticket pricing, visit the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s website.

February 9: WMSE’s Art & Music

WMSE 91.7FM is putting on its seventh annual Art & Music event, bringing the community together for a huge art auction at the Historic Pritzlaff Building. Over 200 album-sized pieces of art created by both local and national artists will be auctioned off. WMSE DJs will be spinning records, and Nineteen Thirteen will put on a special performance featuring live art. All proceeds from the event go towards supporting WMSE. Tickets to the event are $15 and can be purchased on WMSE’s website.

February 10: Milwaukee Comic Con

Collectors rejoice! The Milwaukee Comic Con is returning to the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center. Over 200 tables displaying comics, cards, figures and more will be set up. Meet with vendors, artists, creators, voice actors and other special guests and hang out with like-minded hobbyists at one of Milwaukee’s largest pop-culture events. Milwaukee Comic Con will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets are $8 and children ages 12 and under will be admitted for free. Visit the Wisconsin State Fair Park’s website to purchase tickets.

There’s fun for the whole family at Brick Fest Live – you’re never too old to play with Legos. Brick Fest Live is an interactive event where guests have the opportunity to build with Legos in unique ways, see life-size models made from Legos and jump into a Lego pit filled with over 200,000 bricks. Check out the Glow Zone, where guests can build with bricks that glow under a blacklight for a fun glow-in-the-dark experience. Assemble your best brick vehicle and race it on a 35-foot-long track. Brick Fest will take place at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center and will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets range between $19.99 and $39.99 and can be purchased on the Universe website.

February 10: Third Annual Downtown Ice CAPE-ade

Families will have the opportunity to dress up as their favorite superheroes and ice skate with real-life heroes at the Third Annual Downtown Ice CAPE-ade. The event will take place at Red Arrow Park and will feature free ice skating as well as opportunities to meet workers from the Milwaukee Fire Department and Milwaukee Police Department. Five-time Olympic Gold Medalist Bonnie Blair and four-time Olympian Dave Cruikshank will be in attendance. Free capes and ice skate rentals will be provided while supplies last. The Third Annual Downtown Ice CAPE-ade will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Watch the Milwaukee Downtown website for weather updates – if the weather is too warm, the event will be canceled.

February 10, 14: Romancing the Stars!

What’s more romantic than exploring the universe with a loved one? The Milwaukee Public Museum is celebrating Valentine’s Day with special tours of the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium. Attendees will receive complimentary red roses and boxes of chocolates while learning about the various constellations of love. Tickets are $25 per couple and the program will run at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. on both days.