MAY
Bay View Art in the Park
May 14-Sept. 10
Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave.
bvartinthepark.com
This artisan market—taking place every second Saturday during the summer—features works in photography, painting, jewelry, fiber arts, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics and more, as well as artist workshops, children’s demonstrations, live music and food.
Falls Memorial Fest
May 28
Menomonee Falls Historic Village Centre
Downtown Menomonee Falls
262-251-8797
menomoneefallsdowntown.com
The Village Centre of “Wisconsin’s largest village” is anchored at Appleton Avenue and Main Street. To celebrate Memorial Day Weekend, Main Street will be closed to traffic from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. A car show, marketplace vendors and an “Art on the Walk” featuring local artists are planned—along with food, beer and bands.
JUNE
SummerStage
June-September
Kettle Moraine State Forest, Lapham Peak Unit
W329 N846 County Highway C, Delafield
262-337-1560
summerstageofdelafield.org
This stage under the stars at Lapham Peak in Delafield hosts music, theater, comedy, magic, storytelling and dance performances on select weekends all summer long.
Jazz in the Park
June 2-Sept. 1
Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St.
414-271-1416
easttown.com
This weekly summer mainstay draws the Midwest’s finest jazz musicians to Cathedral Square every Thursday from 5-9 p.m. Pack your own picnic basket or sample food and drinks from local vendors and enjoy cool jazz in the summer heat. Musicians featured this year include Milwaukee Soul, In Black N White, Leftover Cuties, The Jimmys and the Charles Walker Band.
Bay View Jazz Fest
June 3
mkejazzvision.org
This free event at various locations in the Bay View community celebrates the flavor of the neighborhood through showcasing Milwaukee’s finest jazz musicians, arts, crafts and local businesses. With curatorial input from Milwaukee Jazz Vision, the 2016 edition will feature multiple jazz groups in a variety of club settings.
Bay View Gallery Night
June 3
bvgn.org
Made in Milwaukee presents a new installment of this celebration of local art, music, business and community at sites throughout Bay View. The list of participating businesses is enormous, and hundreds of local musicians and artists will be showcased.
Historic Mitchell Street Sun Fair
June 3-5
Mitchell Street (between Seventh and 11th streets)
mitchellstreet.com
One of Milwaukee’s most historic neighborhoods celebrates with a free, family oriented street festival that runs 4-10 p.m. on Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and noon to 9 p.m. Sunday with carnival rides, music, food, drink and the participation of Mitchell Street merchants and businesses.
Milwaukee Highland Games/Scottish Fest
June 4
Hart Park, 7300 Chestnut St., Wauwatosa
414-422-9235
milwaukeescottishfest.com
Scottish Fest features a host of authentic entertainment from the Highlands, including bagpipe, drum and dance performances. Grab a meat pie, don your favorite kilt and join the festivities in the Parade of Tartans.
Beer Barons’ World of Beer Festival
June 4
Schwabenhof Pavilion
N56 W14750 Silver Spring Drive, Menomonee Falls
wobfest.com
This festival “by beer nuts, for beer nuts” offers tastes of more than 350 beers, meads and ciders from the area and around the world—handpicked by the Beer Barons of Milwaukee. Savor presentations on beers and home brewing by professionals in the industry and enjoy the famous Schwabenhof pig roast.
Brady Street Art Walk
June 4
Brady Street
414-272-3978
bradystreet.org
The bustle of Brady Street heats up with nearly 30 merchants hosting artists in media from painting and sketching to chalk drawing, pottery and traditional felting. Shop sidewalk sales along with food and drink deals in local restaurants are featured. Visit the website for a list of participating businesses and artists.
Eat & Greet on the Street
June 4
Village of Brown Deer
414-371-3000
browndeerwi.org
From 3-11 p.m., this village street party offers chicken and rib dinners, Italian sausage and spicy Italian beef, grilled Mexican corn, jambalaya, bread pudding, burgers, brats and beer. Music is provided by the Brown Deer High School Marching Band and Drum Line, Buddy Love, The Verdict and Tweed Funk. Other highlights include an inflatable obstacle course, games, sports, an educational exhibit by Schlitz Audubon and a chance to extinguish your own fire under the supervision of the North Shore Fire Department.
UPAF Ride for the Arts
June 5
Downtown Milwaukee
414-276-RIDE
events.upaf.org
Strap on your bike helmet and support the United Performing Arts Fund. Choose from 10-, 25-, 45- and 70-mile routes that begin and end at the Summerfest grounds. Routes tour through Milwaukee’s historic neighborhoods, parks and along the sparkling lakefront. Celebrate at the finish line party complete with food and live entertainment. This year’s ride is sponsored by Miller Lite.
Chill on the Hill
June 7-Aug. 30
Humboldt Park
3000 S. Howell Ave.
bayviewneighborhood.org
The Bay View Neighborhood Association presents Chill on the Hill, the weekly outdoor music series in Humboldt Park featuring local musicians, local eats and a community of people picnicking on the park’s hillside on Tuesday nights from June to August.
River Rhythms
June 8-Aug. 31
Pere Marquette Park
950 N. Old World Third St.
westown.org
The Westown Association hosts free outdoor concerts each Wednesday from 6:30-9 p.m. featuring local music acts in the pavilion along the river in Pere Marquette Park. Acts this summer include Shonn Hinton & ShotGun, Soul Low, The Rad Trads, Dave McElroy and more.
PrideFest
June 10-12
Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive
414-272-3378
pridefest.com
Celebrating the diversity of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture and community, this three-day event features local LGBT-friendly merchants and food vendors, engaging national and local performers and a pageant. This year’s headliners include Sarah Silverman, Deborah Cox, Blondie and Milwaukee’s very own GGOOLLDD.
Rockerbox Motofest
June 10-12
Road America
N7390 Highway 67, Plymouth
800-365-7223
rockerbox.us
This free motorcycle show and street party offers an eclectic mix of Euro, Japanese and American café racers, vintage bikes, sport bikes, street fighters, choppers, super motos, scooters, sidecars and cruisers. The festival focuses on a ride-in bike show and competition, with added attractions of local and national vendors, live music, food and beer.
Grecian Fest
June 10-12
Saints Constantine and Helen Church, 2160 N. Wauwatosa Ave.
414-778-1555
stsconstantinehelenwi.org
Enjoy authentic Greek cuisine, dancing, music, artifacts, jewelry and art at the 48th annual Grecian Fest in Wauwatosa. Children’s games are also featured.
Monument Square Art Festival
June 11-12
Monument Square, Main and Sixth streets, Racine
262-358-0922
monumentsquareartfest.com
In Downtown Racine, 70 artists from around the country will exhibit works in a variety of media during one of Wisconsin’s oldest and most respected fine art fairs. New this year is the Great Lakes Chalk Art Competition on Saturday, in which 24 artists working on Masonite panels will create original chalk artworks, interacting with the public as they work. Awards will be presented on Sunday.
Locust Street Festival of Music and Art
June 12
E. Locust Street (between Holton and Humboldt)
414-899-2302
locuststreetfestival.org
One of the city’s longest-running street parties, the annual Locust Street Festival kicks off with the traditional 1.8-mile Riverwest Beer Run/Walk with four beer stops. More than 30 bands will perform on six outdoor stages. You’ll find more than 100 artists’ and crafts booths, Milwaukee Public Theatre’s popular drum circle, clowns, balloons, puppets and a variety of food and drink from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Community VIBES!
June 15-Aug. 17
Brown Deer Village Park, 4920 W. Green Brook Drive, Brown Deer
414-371-3000
browndeerwi.org
The 6-8:30 p.m. Friday evening summer music series in Brown Deer Village Park opens June 15 with Generation Z. The Eddie Butts Band performs July 20, The Cheap Shots on July 27 and Kojo on Aug. 17.
Capuchins’ Run/Walk for the Hungry
June 17
Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive
414-374-8841, ext. 41
capuchinsrunwalkforthehungry.org
Receive free entry to Polish Fest and support a good cause by participating in a 5K run/2K walk along the lakefront to the Henry Maier Festival Park. Register as a team or individual. Proceeds benefit the St. Ben’s and House of Peace food pantries.
HartFest
June 17-18
Hart Park, 7300 Chestnut St., Wauwatosa
hartfest.com
HartFest offers live music, food, drink and sports at Hart Park in Wauwatosa. Bands this year include The Now, The LoveMonkeys and Pat McCurdy.
Metro Jam
June 17-18
Washington Park
S. 12th and Washington streets, Manitowoc
414-852-5718
metrojam.org
Manitowoc’s celebrated free live music festival features national, regional and local acts in a full spectrum of musical styles. The 38th annual festival features the headlining Pat Travers Band, Joe 2.0 and more.
Lakefront Festival of Art
June 17-19
Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Drive
414-224-3856
lfoa.mam.org
Browse tents full of work from talented national artists while sampling food from local vendors. Stick around for live music before circling back to purchase that perfect piece to complete your living space.
Polish Fest
June 17-19
Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive
414-529-2140
polishfest.org
Enjoy three days of authentic food, folk art, traditional dance and music performances at America’s largest Polish festival. Dine on top-notch Polish sausages and other cultural fare, then kick up your heels to a rousing rendition of “Roll Out the Barrel.”
Wisconsin Beer Lovers Festival
June 18
Bayshore Town Center, 5800 N. Bayshore Drive, Glendale
859-492-9492
wisconsinbeerloversfest.com
Wisconsin’s premier beer and food pairing event will host more than 40 Wisconsin breweries offering samples of more than 100 beers alongside tastes from local restaurants and Wisconsin cheese makers.
Waukesha Carl Zach Cycling Classic
June 19
379 W. Main St., Waukesha
414-943-6927
tourofamericasdairyland.com
On day three of the 10-day Tour of America’s Dairyland, professional and amateur cyclists race in the urban heart of Waukesha. This high-energy course features a six-corner Criterium .85 miles in length.
Juneteenth Day
June 19
Martin Luther King Jr. Drive (between Burleigh and Center streets)
414-372-3770
northcotthouse.org
Join the festivities commemorating the date in 1865 on which word of the Emancipation Proclamation finally reached the slaves of Texas. The day will feature delicious soul food, kids’ games and live entertainment.
Schlitz Park Criterium Cycling Event
Schlitz Park Miler Run/Walk
June 21
Just east of N. Second Street on W. Pleasant Street
414-943-6927
tourofamericasdairyland.com
With races for professional and amateurs, day five of the Tour of America’s Dairyland kicks off at 11:40 a.m. at Schlitz Park on the Milwaukee River at N. First and W. Pleasant streets. This is one of the most challenging courses featured on the Tour of America’s Dairyland.
Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic
June 23
Oakland Avenue and E. Lake Bluff Road
414-943-6927
tourofamericasdairyland.com
The Shorewood Criterium Cycling Classic is the seventh of 10 races in the 2016 Tour of America’s Dairyland, the largest competitive cycling event in America. Taking place in the Milwaukee suburb of Shorewood, this race for Pro Men and Pro Women will get your adrenaline going.
Greek Fest
June 24-26
Wisconsin State Fair Park, 640 S. 84th St., West Allis
414-461-9400
annunciationwi.org
The 51st annual Greek Fest will be filled with mouthwatering food like the famous flaming cheese, baklava and other traditional fare—along with music, dancing and carnival rides. Admission is free for this family festival hosted by Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church.
Freeport Music Concerts
June 24, July 22, Aug. 19
430 N. Lake St., Port Washington
414-852-5718
freeportmusic.org
This free live concert series in Downtown Port Washington features a lineup of national and regional entertainers. Each evening runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Downer Classic
June 25
2608 N. Downer Ave.
414-943-6927
tourofamericasdairyland.com
Join the neighborhood on Milwaukee’s East Side for the ninth day of the Tour of America’s Dairyland. Even kids can race and receive prizes in this all-day event.
Summer Soulstice Music Festival
June 25
North Avenue (between Oakland and Prospect avenues)
414-272-5823
theeastside.org
The East Side Business District hosts the 16th annual celebration of the first day of summer, providing a free showcase of live music acts, visual artists, arts fair, creation stations, East Side chefs, dodgeball and BMX stunt bikes, family friendly activities and more.
Cedarburg Strawberry Festival
June 25-26
Downtown Cedarburg
888-894-4001
cedarburgfestival.org
Listen to live music as you sample all things strawberry including strawberry brats, shortcake and wine. Stroll through the Washington Avenue Art Fair, featuring more than 250 local and Midwest artists. Preview exhibits at the new Wisconsin Museum of Quilts and Fiber Arts. Join the Berry Big 5K run/walk on Saturday morning.
Summerfest
June 29-July 3; July 5-10
Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive
414-273-2680
summerfest.com
The world’s largest music festival is bigger than ever and offers an impressive list of headliners. In addition to national and local music, enjoy a nearly overwhelming variety of eats from Milwaukee’s best food vendors. Not to mention beer.
JULY
U.S. Bank Fireworks at the Lakefront
July 3
Veterans Park, 1010 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive
414-257-7275
county.milwaukee.gov
The fireworks at Veterans Park have become a must-see Independence Day celebration. Each year’s display seems to outdo all previous ones. Family festival activities and entertainment begin at noon. The show in the sky begins as darkness falls about 9 p.m., but people come early to stake out the best spots for the hour of “oohs!” and “aahs!
