Bikes, Floating Babies and The Big Gig

Some of the first patrons inside 2024 Summerfest. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

If you head down to the lakefront this weekend, you’ll likely hear some live music courtesy of Summerfest. If you head down to the lakefront specifically at sunset on Friday, you might also see a giant hot air balloon resembling a newborn baby.

Summertime in Milwaukee is in full swing with The Big Gig, Greek Fest, Tacos and Tequila Fest and more all happening in one weekend. Want to learn more about Milwaukee’s history with the typewriter? Check out QWERTYFEST MKE. Do you need inspiration to get back out there on your bicycle? The Downer Classic will feature a full day of racing on Downer Ave.

June 20-23: Summerfest Weekend One

Summerfest is here, and The Big Gig is once again adopting its new weekend-only format. That means that the world’s largest music festival will run for three weekends rather than its originally two-week format. Highlights in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater this weekend include SZA, Tyler Childers and Carly Rae Jepsen. Be sure to catch some Milwaukee talent that’s performing as well, including Trapper Schoepp, De La Buena, Diet Lite and more. There’s also plenty of non-musical activities to check out, like magic shows and BMX stunt shows. General admission to Summerfest is $28. For a complete schedule and for information on special admission prices, visit the Summerfest website.

June 21-23: Greek Fest

Celebrate traditional Greek food, music and culture at Greek Fest, an annual event put on by the Greek Orthodox Church. The fest will feature a marketplace selling Greek spices, clothing, artwork and more, and will feature performances by Greek dancers as well as live bands. Try traditional Greek eats, like baklava or dolmades, or if you’re in a hurry, take a pass through the whole chicken drive-thru. This year, Greek Fest has partnered up with the Hunger Task Force, and anyone who brings two canned goods for donation will receive a free Spanakopita or Tiropita. Greek Fest is free to attend and will take palace at the Wisconsin State Fair Park grounds from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Visit the Wisconsin State Fair Park website for more information.

June 21-23: QWERTYFEST MKE

Did you know that Milwaukee is the birthplace of the typewriter and the QWERTY keyboard configuration? Honoring that fact is QWERTYFEST MKE, a weekend-long event featuring parties, live music, tours, presentations, workshops and more. The fest will kickoff with the Typewriter Ball at Turner Hall Ballroom on Friday, featuring 12 vendors, live music, OnMilwaukee typing stations, a typing contest and more. On Saturday, QWERTYFEST MKE will be set up at Charles Allis Art Museum and will feature presentations on Dungeons & Dragons and typewriters as well as live music and poetry. On Sunday, QWERTYFEST MKE will take place at multiple locations, including a Typewriter Brunch Open Jam at X-Ray Arcade and a tour exploring the legacy of Milwaukee inventors that starts at the Forest Home Cemetery. Price of admission varies between events. For more information. Visit the QWERTYFEST MKE website.

June 21: Baby You Milwaukee

Those bizarre headlines you kept seeing were not lying – a giant baby will rise over Milwaukee on Friday. Baby You Milwaukee will feature a 112-foot long hot air balloon shaped like a sleeping newborn. The balloon will rise as singers gather in Veterans Park to sing a new a capella choral work by composer Michael Schacter conducted by Lee Stovall. The event will kick off at 4 p.m. with games, a reading room and music. At 6 p.m., those interested in participating in the choir will have the opportunity to rehearse as a group. Then, at 7 p.m., the baby will take to the skies and the performance will begin. For more information, visit the Make Music Day website.

June 22: Downer Classic 

The 45th Annual Cafe Hollander Otto Wenz Downer Classic will feature a full day of cycling on Downer Avenue courtesy of Tour of America’s Dairyland. The packed schedule of racing includes a popular kids’ race as well as the Dairyland Mile running race. The first race will kick off at 10:50 a.m., with races occurring throughout the day until the professional finale at 7 p.m. For a complete schedule of races and for more information, visit the Downer Avenue website.

June 22: Tacos and Tequila Festival

While the name promises delicious food and drink, Tacos and Tequila Festival will actually feature much more than just tacos and tequila. Other than enjoying food from some of the area’s best taco chefs as well as hand-crafted margaritas, guests can check out a chihuahua beauty pageant, an exotic car showcase, Lucha Libe wrestling and more. There will art installations with photo opportunities, as well as a lineup of big-name hip-hop acts such as Ludacris, T.I., Chamillionaire and more. General admission to the festival is $59. Tacos and Tequila Festival will run from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, visit the Tacos and Tequila Festival website.