Anime Convention Will Draw 20,000 To Baird Center

The Baird Center in May 2024. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Whether you like experiencing the great outdoors or staying in and watching anime, there’s a little bit of something for everyone in this weekend’s list of events. Anime Milwaukee will once again take over the Baird Center, giving guests the opportunity to dress up as their favorite anime and manga characters and immerse themselves in Asian culture. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s 84th annual Sports Show will celebrate all things outdoors at the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center, including fishing, ax throwing, hunting and more. Learn about the history of maple sugar in North America with the Wehr Nature Center, and drink for charity as part of the Shamrock Shuffle.

March 7-9: Anime Milwaukee

Wisconsin’s largest anime convention is back at the Baird Center this year with a Cottagecore theme. Guests will have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in many different aspects of Asian culture – from anime to manga, from K-pop to cosplaying and more. Guests will also have the opportunity to meet voice actors from their favorite shows and catch live performances from a lineup of anime and gaming-themed DJs. The event will also host a showroom filled with vendors selling manga, figures, artwork and more. Single day passes are $50 on Friday, $60 on Saturday and $45 on Sunday. For more information, visit the Anime Milwaukee website.

March 7: 2025 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Sports Show

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel is putting on its 84th annual Sports Show, a celebration of outdoor sporting activities at the Wisconsin State Fair Exposition Center. Guests can interact with outdoor and lifestyle exhibitors, witness sporting demonstrations, meet special guests and more. Check out the Lumberjack Stage, where dogs from the Milwaukee Dog Training Club will compete in the Fastest Retriever Contest and the Timberworks Lumberjacks Show will pit a lineup of athletes against one another in contests like ax throwing and a chainsaw race. The Sports Show will run from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

March 8-April 6: ‘Finding Nemo’

One of the most beloved Disney/Pixar films of all time, Finding Nemo, leaps from the screen to the stage in a production from First Stage and hosted by the Marcus Performing Arts Center that will run through the beginning of April. Experience the story of clownfish Marlin as he teams up with blue tang fish Dory to find his missing son Nemo. The production will run at the Todd Wehr Theater. For more information on showtimes and ticket pricing, visit the Marcus Performing Arts Center website.

March 8: Shamrock Shuffle

Green-shirt-wearing bar crawlers will descend upon the Water Street, N. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Brady Street and Walker’s Point areas for the annual Shamrock Shuffle, an alcohol-infused charity event in its 16th year. Billed as “The Best St. Patrick’s Day Party of Your Life,” the shufflers will receive t-shirts, food and drink specials and free cover at participating bars. The Shamrock Shuffle will run from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.

March 8-9: 45th Annual Maple Sugar Days

The Wehr Nature Center is hosting the 45th Annual Maple Sugar Days, an event that explores the history behind maple sugar. Learn how the indigenous people of North America created the first maple sugar and follow that story all the way to Wisconsin, where you’ll discover how syrup was created in the early days of the state. Guests will enjoy a warm pancake topped with Wisconsin maple syrup and sample a flight of syrups to experience a variety in flavors. Tickets are $12 per person or $10 for Wehr members. Children ages 2 and under will be admitted for free. For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

March 9: Tap Into Milwaukee

Sample the best beers Milwaukee has to offer at Tap Into Milwaukee, an event hosted by Pilot Project Brewing that features a lineup of 70 beers, seltzers and ciders from 28 different vendors. Pilot Project Brewing will also offer food from its regular menu, and guests can participate in games and raffles while enjoying live music. Artist Brian Hibbard will also be on site doing a live painting session. Tap Into Milwaukee will run from noon to 4 p.m. For more information, visit the Shepherd Express website.