Brewers’ Home Opener Leads the Way

American Family Field. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

Just on the horizon is the Milwaukee Brewers‘ home opener at American Family Field on Monday, March 31. And while many of us can’t wait to get out there, grill our first brat of the season and watch the Brewers (hopefully) win, there are also plenty of other fun events around the city to check out. Turner Hall Ballroom is hosting the Tiki Takedown, a competition pitting Milwaukee bars against one another for the title of Tiki master. The Cooperage is hosting an official This Is It! farewell party, and the Mitchell Park Domes will set up a steampunk-inspired fair where guests will have the opportunity to dress up and shop unique goods.

March 28: Gather Them: The Official This is It! Closing Party/Benefit Show

After 56 years of business, Milwaukee’s iconic LGBTQIA+ bar This Is It! abruptly shut its doors for good earlier this month. While the bar itself never threw a farewell party, The Cooperage is hosting a closing party and benefit for the workers of the bar called Gather Them. The party will feature drag bingo, a drag show, a dance party and more. The event is free to attend, but donations at the door are strongly encouraged. The party will run from 5 p.m. to midnight.

March 29: Tiki Takedown

We still aren’t getting a whole lot of warm sunshine in Wisconsin, but that’s okay – Turner Hall Ballroom’s Tiki Takedown will at least make you feel like you’re in a tropical paradise. The fifth annual Tiki Takedown features Milwaukee bars competing for the title of Tiki Master. The event will also feature sunshine-inspired tunes and slices from Ian’s Pizza. Participating bars include Finks, Lost Whale, The Outsider and more. Tiki Takedown starts at 1 p.m. and tickets range between $20 and $25. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Pabst Theater Group’s website.

March 29: Gardens & Gears: Steampunk Faire

Travel back in time to a world reimagined with a sci-fi twist, where Victorian aesthetic meets steam-powered technology. The Mitchell Park Domes is hosting Gardens & Gears, a steampunk-inspired fair that will feature artists and makers selling goods inspired by the popular sci-fi genre. The domes will also feature four miniature vignette landscapes and miniature trains traveling through them. Guests are also encouraged to dress the part. The fair will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and admission is included with a regular ticket to the Mitchell Park Domes. For more information, visit the Mitchell Park Domes website.

March 29: Creepy Crawly Day

As Wisconsin begins to thaw, the bugs begin to emerge. In celebration of the coming of spring, Milwaukee Public Museum is hosting a Creepy Crawly Day, an exploration of the many different kinds of insects we encounter and why they’re important. The museum will feature a variety of interactive stations, such as Edible Insects, Butterfly Stop-By, Moth Mayhem and more. Creepy Crawly Day is free with general admission to the museum and will run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Children ages five and under enjoy free admission for the day. For more information, visit the Milwaukee Public Museum’s website.

March 29: MKE LGTBT Community Center Makers Market

The Milwaukee LGBT Community Center is hosting its first ever makers market, where local LGBTQIA+ artists and makers will sell their wares. Guests can shop anything from knitwork and leatherwork to candles and ceramics. The center’s youth group will be on site selling concessions, and the center’s Older Adult group will be selling baked goods. This event is free to attend and runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

March 29: Women of the Pabst Mansion

The Pabst Mansion is celebrating Women’s History Month with a tour that explores lives of the women of the Pabst family as well as the women who have contributed art to and worked in the mansion. The tour will also discuss gendered social norms of the 19th century. This is a ticketed event with only one time slot at 1:30 p.m. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit the Pabst Mansion’s website.