A Brewery Block Party, Mimosa Fest and Shakespeare

Enlightened Brewing Company, 2020 W. Allis St. Photo by Dave Reid.

Summerfest continues this weekend, but there’s still much to do and see outside of The Big Gig. Enlightened Brewing Company is throwing its annual Summer Block Party, featuring live music, food from Sweet Smoke BBQ and special beer releases. Get your brunch on with Milwaukee Mimosa Fest, and check out the reopening of beloved Brookfield bar and restaurant The Elbow Room.

June 27-30: Summerfest Weekend Two

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. We’re on week two, and headliners include Keith Urban, Eve 6 and MUNA. Be sure to catch some Milwaukee talent performing as well, including Steve Da Stoner, DJ Bizzon and Something to Do. 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 28-29: The Elbow Room Grand Reopening

In May, news broke that CC’s Elbow Room, a beloved Brookfield bar and restaurant, had been sold to two Brookfield residents and would be rebranded as The Elbow Room. The bar and restaurant is celebrating its grand reopening with a weekend long party. Starting on Friday, The Elbow Room will host a ‘90s-themed party that will feature live music, grilled food and more. Saturday will feature bourbon and beer tasting, live music and sports on multiple TVs. On Sunday, guests can participate in mimosa tasting and the party will end with a keg blow out, where all taps are $5 until the kegs are gone. For a complete schedule of each day, visit the event’s Facebook page.

June 29: Enlightened Summer Block Party

Enlightened Brewing Company is throwing its annual block party, featuring live music, food and new beer. Sweet Smoke BBQ and Kyote’s Bar & Grill will be on site for lunch and dinner, and Joy Ice Cream Social will provide snacks and dessert. Driveway Thriftdwellers and Free Dirt will perform live music starting at 5 p.m. Enlightened Brewing Company will release three new beers from its Rough Draught Series, and the brewery is now serving wine, cider and canned cocktails as part of its new menu. The Enlightened Brewing Company Summer Block Party is free to attend and will run from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m.

June 29: Milwaukee Mimosa Fest

Instead of kicking off your day with one mimosa, why not start with many mimosas? The Milwaukee Mimosa Fest will give attendees the opportunity to sample mimosas at five different venues while enjoying brunch bites, photo opps and chances to win prizes. The party will begin at Brothers Bar & Grill and from there, guests can choose their own adventure as they bounce from venue to venue. General admission for Milwaukee Mimosa Fest is $25 and includes access to exclusive brunch bites and brunch cocktails. A VIP pass is available for $65, which includes access to Mimosa Fest an hour early as well as free brunch bites. Milwaukee Mimosa Fest will start at 12 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Bar Crawl Nation website.

June 29-30: Optimist Theatre’s Shakespeare in the City

Optimist Theatre’s popular Shakespeare in the Park show series has returned, this time with additional shows. The theater has expanded its programming, and in an effort to reach a broader audience, has rebranded the show series to Shakespeare in the City. The theater’s 2024 shows include Hamlet, Another Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Comedy of Romeo and Juliet: Kinda Sorta, Macbeth, and The PLAY’s The Thing. Shows will continue throughout the summer – for a complete schedule of performances, visit Optimist Theatre’s website.

June 30: Girls Rock MKE June Camp Showcase

Girls Rock MKE, a nonprofit organization that empowers marginalized communities through musical education and performance, is putting on a showcase that will feature performances by its June campers. The show will take place at Turner Hall Ballroom and will feature Girls Rock MKE campers performing original songs. Doors for the show will open at 11:30 a.m. and the show will begin at noon and end at 2 p.m. Tickets are sold between $10 and $20 on a sliding scale, and children ages 10 and under will be admitted for free.