Dine Downtown this Weekend

Chef Counter at Mason Street Grill. Photo courtesy of Marcus Restaurant Group.

There’s plenty to do in Milwaukee this weekend. Experience a unique perspective on downtown Milwaukee history with the Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s SoundStage Audio Walking Tour — a combination of audio plays and a city tour. Do you prefer your margaritas on the rocks or blended? Whatever your preference, head on over to Margarita Fest 2021 to sample and vote on your favorite Milwaukee margaritas. And join community organizers for a PRIDE and Black Lives Matter march that will start at the Summerfest grounds and end with a block party in Juneau Park.

June 11-13: Downtown Dining Weekend 

Its not too late to enjoy the numerous offerings of Downtown Dining Week, which will continue through the weekend and end on Sunday. For this modified version of Downtown Dining Week, guests can enjoy lunch for $13, dinner for $25 or $35 and a new large family option at some of the downtown area’s most popular restaurants. Restaurants are doing both dine-in and takeout. For a complete list of participating restaurants, click here.

From May through September on the second Saturday of each month, Summer Crafternoons will take place in downtown West Allis. Each iteration of this free outdoor event will see a different West Allis side street set up with 20 arts and crafts vendors. June’s Summer Crafternoon will take place on 72nd St., North and South of Greenfield Ave.

June 12: SoundStage MKE Audio Walking Tour

The Milwaukee Rep is putting on an event called SoundStage MKE. It will be equal parts audio-play and walking tour. The walking show offers an immersive exploration of Downtown Milwaukee, where participants will listen to plays and “Soundbytes” that reveal information about various landmarks throughout the walk. The June 12 event is a special one-day only organized tour featuring members of the Milwaukee Rep staff guiding you along the tour. The tour can also be done on your own time — the audio files are available for free on Milwaukee Rep’s website and will remain on there until Summer of 2023. Click here for more information.

June 12: Gray VS Grey Summer Slam Tour at Boone & Crockett

Craft cocktail spot Boone & Crockett is having a house-music patio party. Artists Asher Gray, Greyhound and special guest Richard Galling will play from 9 p.m. until bar close, guests can expect to hear feel-good house music, disco and more. Although the event is outdoors, masks are still encouraged for this free event.

June 12: Margarita Fest 2021

The Shepherd Express is hosting the Fourth Annual Margarita Fest at the Bottle House 42. Get a taste of what Milwaukee’s best margarita-makers have to offer, and then vote on your favorite Julio Blanco or Cazadores Reposado margarita, with a winner being announced at the end of the night. The event will also feature a performance by Voces de America. Tickets are $28 per session, with the event being split into two groups. Group one will start at 11 a.m. and group two will start at 2 p.m. To purchase tickets, click here.

The East Side Market is returning to the East Side Art Lot, a parking lot on the East Side that transforms into a seating area decorated with beautiful art. The market will feature over 12 vendors each day plus live local music. Makers this time around include Thom Ertl Designs, Sassy Beans and Lit MKE. Want to know more about the Art Lot? Check out Urban Milwaukee’s coverage.

June 13: Day Two of UPAF Ride for the Arts 

UPAF Ride for the Arts 2021 continues this weekend with its second day. This time, participants will meet at the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts in Brookfield.  Riders will begin their trip on their own schedule, following directions on the Ride Spot app. Rides will be completed at some point between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Upon completing the ride, cyclists will receive a Miller Lite drawstring backpack full of gifts, and a variety of UPAF artists will perform. To register for the ride or donate, click here.

June 16: Urban Ecology Healthy Cooking Demonstration

Lyncoya Ilion, founder of the popular cooking Facebook group “Cooking with Coya,” is teaming up with the Urban Ecology center for an online event that will break down a healthy recipe and demonstrate how to properly cook it. For this event, Ilion will teach viewers how to cook chicken piccata, fettucine and asparagus. The event is free and open to the public but registration is required. The event is entirely virtual, and will run from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Click here for more information.