Milwaukee Tradition Continues: BMO Harris Bank Display Opens December 2

BMO Harris Bank today announced the opening of this year’s annual Holiday Display, Holiday Busytown, will take place on Monday, Dec. 2 at the BMO Harris Bank location in downtown Milwaukee located at 770 N. Water St. The display is free and open to the public.

Celebrating its 41st year, this annual holiday tradition transforms the BMO Harris downtown lobby into a children’s story land, featuring the famous, fictional town and more than 150 life-sized Steiff animals dressed as the well-known characters illustrated in various children’s books by Richard Scarry.

“This is a time of the year where special traditions are created and we continue to hear about how so many families have made our Holiday Display one of their favorites,” said Kara Kaiser, Regional President, BMO Harris Bank. “We look forward once again to welcoming families to share in the excitement of our beloved holiday tradition and help fight hunger in our community through our partnership with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.”

For each visitor to the display, BMO Harris Bank will contribute $5 to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, the state’s largest food bank. With the goal of donating $30,000, Holiday Display donations will help Feeding America in its efforts to alleviate hunger throughout eastern Wisconsin during the holiday season.

“We are filled with gratitude that BMO Harris has once again extended its hand to the community,” said Bonnie Bellehumeur, President of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. “The Holiday Display donation will provide food for many families in need this time of year, and we’re grateful for their continued commitment to hunger relief in our community.”

Display hours:
BMO Harris Bank’s holiday display, located in the lobby of the BMO Harris location at 770 N. Water St., will be open from Monday, Dec. 2 through Monday, Jan. 6, 2014. It is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. On weekends, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day, the display will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Special note:
The lobby will be closed at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14 and Tuesday, Dec. 24; and at 5 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 6. Please also visit www.bmoharris.com/holiday for hours and directions.

Display History
The BMO Harris Bank (formerly M&I Bank) holiday collection of animals began in 1972, when 30 life-sized Steiff animals were discovered at the world’s largest toy store, FAO Schwartz in New York City. BMO Harris’s collection of Steiff animals has steadily grown to more than 150. Steiff animals are collectors’ items originally made in Germany by Margarete Steiff, who hand-stitched the first tiny elephant and stuffed it with straw. Many of the figures are no longer being made. The world-renowned Steiff Company made the original teddy bear in 1903. Over the past 40 years, the annual holiday displays have included a fishing tugboat, a Victorian park, an igloo at the North Pole, a Yukon train, an ice palace, a candy factory, and 1950s nostalgia featuring antique Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

About BMO Harris Bank

BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through more than 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Arizona and Florida. BMO Harris Bank’s commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S. For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet. Banking products and services are provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. and are subject to bank or credit approval. BMO Harris Bank® is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and CDN $549 billion in assets (as of July 31, 2013).

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.

Recent Press Releases by Press Release

The World’s Tallest Glass Tree, Halfway Completed, Prepares for Big Final Weekend

Dec 10th, 2024 by Press Release

Annual holiday spectacle gathers 20,000+ people over December 6-8 and 13-15

ModifyHealth Raises $13.5M in Funding to Expand Food-as-Medicine Solutions

Dec 4th, 2024 by Press Release

Lead Investor Dohmen Company Foundation and Existing Investors to Support ModifyHealth’s Growth and Tech Initiatives

Removing Downtown Section of I-794 Would Generate Billions in Disposable Income, Hundreds of Millions in Taxes, Add 3,000+ Housing Units and Improve Long-Term Outlook of Region, New Report Shows

Nov 21st, 2024 by Press Release

Distinguished Urban Planner Larry Witzling Estimates Huge Economic Value for Milwaukee by Removing I-794 through Downtown