Gallery Night, Zines and Record Store Day

Gallery Night. Photo courtesy of the Historic Third Ward Association.

The Milwaukee Art Museum’s popular Art in Bloom event may be sold out already, but don’t fret – there are plenty of other events to check out this weekend. Spring Gallery Night MKE is here, and restaurants, bars and storefronts around the city will transform into mini art galleries for the weekend. Various record shops will be celebrating Record Store Day with live music, exclusive vinyl offerings and discounts, and Zine Fest is celebrating the world of DIY literature publishing at the Milwaukee Public Library.

April 11-25: Milwaukee Film Festival

Don’t miss the second weekend of the Milwaukee Film Festival. The annual event is gracing theaters throughout the city with over 300 films spanning a diverse range of genres and mediums. There’s something for everyone at the film fest, from kids shorts to skateboarding documentaries; from music videos to feature-length films and everything in between. On top of film screenings, the fest will also feature happy hours, secret shows, workshops, filmmaker conversations and more throughout the city. For a complete list of screenings and events, visit the MKE Film website to download a 2024 festival program.

April 18-20: ‘Spamilton: An American Parody’

Spamilton: An American Parody, a hilarious comedy musical from the creator of Forbidden Broadway, is making its way to Milwaukee at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. Featuring parodies of Broadway hits, celebrity satires, riffs on pop culture and more, Spamilton is a comedy spoof that critics are saying is the “…next best thing to seeing Hamilton.” Spamilton will run for three days at the Marcus Performing Arts Performing Arts Center and tickets start at $57. Thursday’s show begins at 7:30 p.m., Friday’s show begins at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday’s show begins at 2 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Marcus Performing Arts Center’s website.

April 19: Milwaukee Blues Festival

The 11th annual Milwaukee Blues Festival is returning to The Riverside Theater and will feature performances by some of the best artists in the genre such as Tucka, King George and Pokey Bear. Milwaukee Blues Festival will begin at 8 p.m. and tickets range between $59 and $175. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Pabst Theater Group’s website.

April 19-20: Spring Gallery Night MKE

Experience Milwaukee through the lens of an art connoisseur as the city’s businesses transform into mini art galleries for the weekend. Spring Gallery Night MKE will offer attendees the chance to purchase original art and shop in unique boutiques while visiting their favorite restaurants, bars and storefronts. Participating businesses are sprinkled throughout the Historic Third Ward, East Town, Walker’s Point, Bay View and Downtown areas. Spring Gallery Night MKE will run from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday with hours varying by location. For an interactive map of participating businesses and for more information, visit the Gallery Night MKE website.

April 20: Record Store Day

Vinyl enthusiasts bust out your wallets – Record Store Day is here. This nation-wide celebration sees record stores across the country selling unique vinyl releases that are exclusive to Record Store Day. Each storefront is celebrating in its own way – Lilliput Records is hosting DJs, live music and raffles, while Volta Records is offering discounted items and giveaways on top of the usual Record Store Day offerings. If you’re curious about which stores near you will be participating, visit the Record Store Day website.

April 20: Zine Fest 

Celebrate DIY literature at the Milwaukee Public Library this weekend for Zine Fest. Featuring over 100 vendors from all over the country, Zine Fest is a community-oriented event focused on promoting independent publishing, creative writing, art and more. Vendors will have booths set up with zines, comics, pins and more for sale, and the event will host various workshops throughout the day. Zine Fest will take place at the Milwaukee Public Library’s Central location and is free to attend. The event will run from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit The Bindery’s website.

April 20: High Score

Milwaukee Record is putting on its first-ever High Score event – a market aimed at promoting local and regional vendors that offer “botanical, plant-infused products” that are legal to purchase and consume in Wisconsin. Vendors will be selling a variety of THC, CBD and hemp-infused products such as gummies, seltzers and baked goods. The inaugural event will be hosted at X-Ray Arcade, which will serve specialty pizza bagels and drinks. The venue will also have all of its arcade cabinets turned on and ready to play. Tickets to High Score are $12 in advance or $18 at the door. Tickets include free samples of various products. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Milwaukee Record website.