Bicycles, Brady Street and Brews

Riders at the start-finish line of the 2014 Riverwest 24. Photo by Dave Reid.

Tune up your bikes and stock up on caffeinated beverages – the Riverwest 24 is here! For 24 hours straight, the Riverwest neighborhood will transform into a community-wide bike race course. Also, Brady Street Festival will host a full day of live music and entertainment. If you’d rather watch Daschunds race instead of cyclists, German Fest will put on one of the largest celebrations of traditional German culture in North America.

July 28-29: Riverwest 24

The annual 24-hour bike race that takes over Milwaukee’s Riverwest neighborhood is here. The Riverwest 24 was born through community block watches, and has evolved into an event aimed at strengthening the neighborhood while encouraging biking in an urban environment. Stop by one of the many participating businesses in the area to participate in a variety of planned activities, or hang outside and watch as the racers speed past. Even if you aren’t registered to ride, the Riverwest 24 encourages you to ride for fun along the race’s route. The Riverwest 24 will run from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday. For more information, check out the Riverwest 24 website.

July 28-30: German Fest

A Milwaukee tradition held at the Summerfest grounds, German Fest is one of the largest German festivals in North America. The festival will celebrate German tradition and culture through live music, food, dancing and more. Root for your favorite wiener dog at the adorable Dachshund Derby, or stop by the Musikgarten Stage, where acts like Polka Joel Kieckhaefer and Karen Carmody will perform. Tickets to German Fest are $18 at the gate, or $15 in advance. Reduced price tickets are available for seniors and students. For more information on what to expect at German Fest, visit the German Fest website.

July 29: Brady Street Festival

Brady Street will be closed from N. Van Buren Street to N. Cambridge Avenue for the annual Brady Street Festival. The festival features live music, retail vendors and plenty of food and beverages. Headliners include Milwaukee hip-hop favorite Klassik and singer-songwriter Abby Jeanne, who is returning to Milwaukee from New York to perform. This year’s festival will feature two new indoor stages – one at Liliput Records, the record store that took over the old Exclusive Company location, and one at Country-themed bar and restaurant Nashville North. Brady Street Festival will run from 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. For a complete list of performers, visit the Brady Street website.

July 29: Milwaukee Brewfest

Craft beer enthusiasts rejoice. The 13th Milwaukee Brewfest is here. One of the Midwest’s premier beer sampling events, Milwaukee Brewfest will allow attendees an unlimited amount of sampling from dozens of participating breweries. The event will also feature live music and a variety of food from local restaurants and vendors. Guests will also leave Milwaukee Brewfest with a commemorative pint glass. Milwaukee Brewfest will take place at Mckinley Park, 1600 N. Lincoln Dr., and will run from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. VIP tickets will grant attendees early entry at 2 p.m. General admission tickets run from $65-75. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Milwaukee Brewfest website.

July 29: South Shore Farmer’s Market 25th Anniversary Celebration

The South Shore Farmer’s Market is celebrating its 25th anniversary this weekend. What started as a small market in 1999 has grown and flourished into a thriving, popular weekly event. The anniversary celebration will feature live music by TistheBand as well as a number of community groups on site. There will be facepainting from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and the usual market vendors will be set up for business as usual. The market and celebration will run from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., with a short program taking place at 9:30 a.m.

July 29: Cat Conservation Day at Milwaukee County Zoo

The Milwaukee County Zoo is celebrating the zoo’s feline friends with Cat Conservation Day. Families will have the chance to watch the lions receive enrichment and take part in crafts and games from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Florence Borchert Big Cat Country Building. Various vendors will set up shop with all proceeds being donated to the Tiger Conservation Campaign. Access to all Cat Conservation Day activities is included with the price of admission to the zoo.