Easter Weekend Offers Plenty of Options

Egg Day. Photo courtesy of the Milwaukee County Zoo.

Happy Easter weekend! There are plenty of events to check out in Milwaukee this weekend before you spend a relaxing day off with your family. Check out the Milwaukee Oddities & Curiosities Expo, where guests can shop strange items such as preserved animals, bones, handmade jewelry and more. The Milwaukee County Zoo is celebrating the holiday with themed events and a Bunny Parade, and the world’s largest Bingo rave is coming to the Turner Hall Ballroom.

April 2: Milwaukee Film Festival Friends & Family Preview Night

The 18th Milwaukee Film Fest is just around the corner, but this weekend, film fanatics can get a sneak peek of what to expect. The Oriental Theatre is hosting a free Milwaukee Film Festival Friends & Family Preview Night, where guests can watch trailers, eat popcorn and pick up an early copy of the festival’s program. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m.

April 4-5: Milwaukee Oddities & Curiosities Expo

Strange. Bizarre. Unusual. If these words pique your interest, head on down to the Baird Center for the Milwaukee Oddities & Curiosities Expo. The “world’s largest traveling oddities” event will showcase artists, vendors, collectors and more showcasing and selling preserved critters, bones, handmade jewelry and everything weird. Guests can also participate in a variety of taxidermy and Entomology classes. The Milwaukee Oddities & Curiosities Expo will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, visit the event’s website.

April 4: Maximiano Record Release Show

Milwaukee-based singer-songwriter Maximiano is celebrating the release of their new album Rokeby, a collection of folk songs written while Maximiano took care of a friend’s dog in the Hudson River Valley. To properly welcome the new album into the world, Maximiano is performing at the Cactus Club and  will receive support from local acts Field Report and Ava Brennan. Tickets are sold on a sliding scale between $10 and $20 and the show will begin at 7 p.m. For more information and to purchase advance tickets, visit the Cactus Club website.

April 4: Bingo Loco

A game of Bingo is generally thought of as a relatively chill experience – you sit in a chair and pay attention to the numbers being called out. But not this game of Bingo. Bingo Loco is the “world’s largest Bingo rave,” where guests will participate in three games of Bingo while participating in dance offs and lip sync battles. Bingo Loco will take place at the Turner Hall Ballroom and is $35 to enter. The event will kick off at 6 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Bingo Loco website.

April 4: DoNot Stop Half Marathon

Eating donuts and running might seem counterintuitive, but not during the DoNot Stop Half Marathon. Runners will participate in either a 5K, 10K or 15K run while eating 12 donut holes and finishing with one whole donut. Those who complete the challenge of eating all the donuts will receive a commemorative pin. Awards will be handed out to the best finishing times, and children can participate in the untimed Kid’s Dash race just for fun. For more information on registering and start times, visit the Run Sign Up website.

April 4: Egg Day at the Zoo

Celebrate Easter a day early with the animals at the Milwaukee County Zoo. Egg Day will invite families to search for eggs, watch animals interact with enrichment items, get their faces painted and more. The zoo will have a variety of themed activities planned, and the Bunny Parade will feature the Easter Bunny himself. Egg Day at the Zoo will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, visit the Milwaukee County Zoo’s website.