Hop on The Hop at Bastille Days This Weekend
Public invited to walk inside Milwaukee’s new streetcar at the Cathedral Square platform on Kilbourn Avenue from 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday
The Hop’s first vehicle making its inaugural trip to the maintenance facility. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.
Milwaukee – Milwaukee’s free French festival – Bastille Days – returns to Cathedral Square Park this weekend and The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, will be one of many special attractions. While festival-goers won’t be able to ride The Hop to Bastille Days until next summer, attendees will have the opportunity to board the new streetcar from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons at the Cathedral Square platform, located on Kilbourn Avenue between Jefferson and Jackson Streets.
In addition to opening the streetcar doors to the public, Hop Helpers will be on hand to answer questions about the new streetcar, hand out information on how to HopSmart and share Milwaukee’s roads, and share the long-term vision for where we’ll be hopping next. For the first time, T-shirts featuring The Hop logo will also be available for sale. The Hop will be stationary during the event, with ADA-compliant level boarding on the platform to provide easy access to the vehicle for everyone.
“Bastille Days is always a highlight of the summer in Milwaukee, and we’re thrilled to add to the excitement with this unique opportunity to be among the first to climb on board The Hop,” Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said. “We’ve worked closely with Bastille Days staff and the East Town Association to ensure that The Hop will serve as a convenient transportation option for festival-goers in the years ahead.”
Two of five vehicles for The Hop have already arrived in Milwaukee from Brookville, Penn.-based Brookville Equipment Corp., with the remaining three vehicles set to be delivered in the coming months. The Hop vehicles are now undergoing on-street testing along the route, which will continue throughout summer. For more information regarding The Hop, visit thehopmke.com.
The public is expected to first be able to ride The Hop in November. Rides will be free for the first year, thanks to Potawatomi Hotel & Casino’s generous 12-year, $10 million sponsorship deal.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Milwaukee Streetcar
For more project details, including the project timeline, financing, route and possible extensions, see our extensive past coverage.
- Alderman, State Allies Seek Federal Help to Kill the Streetcar - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 28th, 2025
- Streetcar Service Suspended Following Truck Crash - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 21st, 2025
- One Alderman’s Quest To Defund The Streetcar - Jeramey Jannene - Oct 18th, 2025
- Another Streetcar Collision - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 27th, 2025
- Streetcar Hit By Apparent Red Light Runner - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 16th, 2025
- Streetcar Will Run On Consolidated Route During Summerfest - Jeramey Jannene - Jun 11th, 2025
- City Hall: Milwaukee Must Replace Failing Streetcar Switches - Jeramey Jannene - Feb 24th, 2025
- Streetcar Confronts Limited Funding, Operations Challenges - Evan Casey - Jan 22nd, 2025
- Council Kills Streetcar’s ‘Festivals Line’ - Jeramey Jannene - Jul 31st, 2024
- Streetcar Will Use Festivals-Oriented Route Through Summer - Jeramey Jannene - Jul 9th, 2024
Read more about Milwaukee Streetcar here
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