Trains, Raptors and Vegans

Aubrey Jannene plays with a train at Trainfest 2024. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

It’s going to be really hard to beat the excitement that was flowing through Milwaukee last weekend, but there are at least some great event that will keep that positive energy up as we enter the holiday season.

Milwaukee Vegan Restaurant Week is putting the city’s plant-based restaurants in the spotlight, with favorites like Cloud Red offering specialty menu items through the weekend. The Great Junk Hunt will bring unique vintage goods to the Wisconsin State Fair Park, and the Schlitz Audubon Center is celebrating that hunters of the sky with X-treme Raptor Day, where guests can learn about the owls, eagles, hawks and more that reside in our city’s nature centers.

November 5-8: Milwaukee Vegan Restaurant Week

November is National Vegan Month, and Milwaukee is celebrating by throwing its second annual Milwaukee Vegan Restaurant Week. Featuring an expanded lineup from last year, Milwaukee Vegan Restaurant Week will highlight 35 area restaurants that offer plant-based options. Restaurants like Classic Slice, Cloud Red, Screaming Tuna and more will feature vegan specials like “Vegan for Two” sushi platters and cauliflower ceviche. For more information, check out Urban Milwaukee’s coverage of Milwaukee Vegan Restaurant Week.

November 6-7: The Great Junk Hunt

As the saying goes, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” If you’re a thrifter or antiquer who lives by this ideology, then head down to Wisconsin State Fair Park for The Great Junk Hunt. Advertised as a place for “junkers to come together and buy and sell vintage things,” The Great Junk Hunt will feature curated vendors, cocktails, live music and more. The Great Junk Hunt will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets vary in price with options for early admission to get first pick. For more information, visit The Great Junk Hunt’s website.

November 7-8: Trainfest

If you find yourself romanticizing cross-country train rides, then join Milwaukee train enthusiasts for Trainfest, an annual celebration of transportation, models, STEM and more. Over 250 booths will showcase the latest model trains, and guests can witness over 50 operating model trains in varying scales and sizes. There’s fun for the whole family too – kids will have the opportunity to ride a miniature train. Trainfest will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. each day and admission is $15. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted for free.

November 7: X-Treme Raptor Day

Celebrate the hunters of the sky with the Schlitz Audubon Center for X-Treme Raptor Day, an annual recognition of owls, hawks, falcons and eagles. Guests will get up close and personal with the center’s raptors and learn about their habits, diets and habitats. The event will feature interactive stations throughout the grounds such as photo opportunities, arts and crafts, science experiments and more. There will also be food trucks on site. X-treme Raptor Day will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and admission ranges from $18 to $20. Visit the Schlitz Audubon Center’s website for more information.

November 7: Milwaukee Anime-Fest

Anime is becoming increasingly popular, and as a result, Wisconsin anime fans can now attend several local festivals celebrating their favorite series. One such festival, Milwaukee Anime-Fest, aims to be “Wisconsin’s best and truest anime convention.” Guests will have the opportunity to shop local vendors selling manga, anime media, trading cards and more, as well as meet the voice actors behind their favorite characters. Don’t forget to dress up and enter into the convention’s free cosplay contest. Milwaukee Anime-Fest will take place at the Royle Hotel Milwaukee Airport. Tickets can be purchased online for $12.60 and children ages 11 and under will be admitted for free. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Anime-Fest’s website.

November 8: Handcrafted 

It’s never too early to start shopping for the holidays, and everyone appreciates a unique, handmade gift. Lakefront Brewery is hosting Handcrafted, a free makers market that will feature a curated lineup of over 20 area vendors. The brewery’s usual menus will be available as well as specialty Bloody Marys. Additionally, Lakefront Brewery will be collecting non-perishable food items for donation to Kinship Community Food Center. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.