Family Kite Festival Will Take Over Lakefront

2017 Kite Festival. Photo by Jack Fennimore.

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the long Memorial Day weekend, and thankfully, many of them are outdoors. The IKEA Family Kite Festival will fill the sky above Milwaukee’s lakefront with hundreds of kites of all sizes. The inaugural Morgan Park Picnic will bring live music, food trucks and vendors to one of Milwaukee’s smallest parks, and the Riverwest Petal Parade will see uniquely decorated bikes rolling through the neighborhood.

May 24: Morgan Park Picnic

Milwaukee Record is teaming up with Busby’s for the inaugural Morgan Park Picnic, an outdoor event that will utilize Morgan Park, one of the city’s smallest parks located in Bay View. This family-friendly event is free and will feature live music, local food trucks, Wisconsin craft beer and local retailers. Bands like Scam Likely and Ladybird will perform, and Flour Girl & Flame and more will serve food on site. Morgan Park Picnic will run from noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit Milwaukee Record’s website.

May 24-25: IKEA Family Kite Festival

Gift of Wings is once again hosting the annual IKEA Family Kite Festival at Veterans Park. Hundreds of kites will fill the sky above Milwaukee’s lakefront as guests experience giant-sized kites, precision kite flying and the Grand Launch of over 600 kites. Experienced kite fliers are encouraged to bring their own kite from home and beginners can purchase a kite on site and sign up for lessons. This event is free to attend and will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on May 24 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 25.

May 24: Milwaukee Time Travelers Vintage Expo

Milwaukeeans can travel back in time this weekend when the largest traveling vintage expo in the United States makes its stop at the Baird Center. Dozens of small businesses will set up shop and sell vintage wares such as clothing, home goods, media and more. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 day of the expo. Children ages 12 and under will be admitted for free. This event will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Time Travelers Expo website.

May 24: Riverwest Petal Parade

If you haven’t tuned up your bike yet for the summer, the Riverwest Petal Parade is a good reason to get on it. The third annual parade is a celebration of bikes and flowers, encouraging participants to decorate their bikes for a group ride through the neighborhood. All bike sizes and bike floats are welcome and decorating will begin at 1 p.m. at Riverwest Radio. The parade will roll out at 3 p.m. followed by an alleyway party at 4 p.m.

May 24-25: In Motion Festival

We’ve been cooped up indoors for too long now – it’s time to get outdoors and move! In Motion Festival is a celebration of fun and fitness aimed at getting the entire family outdoors and moving. In Motion Festival will feature a variety of outdoor activities as well as bounce houses. The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.

May 25: 5k Beer Run x Third Space Brewing 

Third Space Brewing is hosting a 5K Beer Run aimed at raising funds for local organizations like MADACC and Veterans Outreach of Wisconsin. Participants will have the chance to win prizes and will receive a souvenir pint glass and free Third Space Brewing beer at the finish line. This is a casual event for runners of all skill levels, so jog, walk or run at your own pace. The run will begin at 11 a.m. at Third Space Brewing. To sign up and purchase tickets, visit the event’s Eventbrite page.