Watch Out For The Milwaukee Marathon

The 2024 Milwaukee Marathon. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

There are plenty of events this weekend to help brighten up the gloominess we’ve been experiencing in Milwaukee this week. The Spring Gallery Night MKE event will transform local bars, restaurants and shops throughout the city into miniature art galleries, offering a unique way to simultaneously experience Milwaukee’s diverse art and food scene. Life-size dinosaur animatronics are taking over the Baird Center for Dinosaur Adventure, and the Pettit National Ice Center will be filled with high-flying drones for the Ice Storm Drone Races.

April 11-12: Spring Gallery Night MKE

Milwaukee’s original gallery hop event returns for its spring season! Local restaurants, bars and shops will incorporate small art galleries into their usual operations, allowing guests to experience Milwaukee’s diverse art scene as well as check out a variety of businesses throughout the city. Participating neighborhoods include the Historic Third Ward, East Town, Walker’s Point and Downtown. To better plan your Gallery Night adventure, the Gallery Night MKE website has an interactive feature that allows you to track participating venues.

April 11-13: Milwaukee Ballet’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’

Milwaukee Ballet’s Michael Pink is putting on a retelling of the timeless ballet classic Sleeping Beauty. A fairy tale filled with romance, Sleepy Beauty tells the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed to eternal rest on her sixteenth birthday. The only cure: a kiss from a prince. The ballet will feature live music by the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra and will run at the Marcus Performing Arts Center. To purchase tickets as well as a full schedule, visit the Milwaukee Ballet website.

April 11-13: Ice Storm Drone Races

Milwaukee’s largest drone racing competition will pit school teams and professional pilots against one another inside of the Pettit National Ice Center. Contestants will participate in a variety of races, including the Drone Drag Race, the Gated Course Race (featuring two Olympic ice rinks connected by a tunnel) and the Pit Challenge. For a complete schedule and to purchase tickets, visit the Ice Storm Drone Racing website.

April 12: Milwaukee Marathon

The Milwaukee Marathon gives runners a chance to participate in marathon, half marathon and 5K events. This event is aimed at celebrating Milwaukee’s diverse neighborhoods, with the marathon and half marathon beginning at Harbor Drive and finishing at Humboldt Park and the 5K starting and finishing at Washington Park. There will also be a post-race celebration at Humboldt Park with live music and craft beer. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Marathon website.

April 12-13: Dinosaur Adventure

Travel back in time to the prehistoric age at the Baird Center, where life-size dinosaur animatronics will give families a realistic representation of the creatures that roamed the planet long before us. Dinosaur Adventure will also feature interactive stations such as Fossil Digs, Gemstone Mining, Face Painting and more. Admission is $27 for adults and $32 for children. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Dinosaur Adventure website.

April 13: 414Flea

414Flea will set up shop at Zocolo Food Truck Park and will feature over 40 unique vendors selling handcrafted goods, vintage items and more. The park’s food trucks will be open for business, and a live DJ will provide the soundtrack to your shopping. The event is free to attend and will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.