Summer Fun in Racine: 2024 Edition

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Photo via Downtown Racine Corporation

6th Street in Downtown Racine

6th Street in Downtown Racine

What a difference two years makes. There have been many changes that have come to Racine ever since the 2022 Shepherd Express edition of “Summertime in Racine.” Whether you are planning a day trip, a weekend away, or a “staycation,” there’s no better place  to spend some time with friends and family in summer than in Racine, Wisconsin

To begin, there’s a lot of community development happening. According to Downtown Racine Corporation Director Kelly Kruse, Sixth Street is being redesigned into the “Racine Artisan District” featuring businesses such as a forthcoming vintage bookstore, a new art gallery, and two cocktail lounges. In addition, Festival Hall and Memorial Hall are getting makeovers thanks to the new local management company, 5kevents. In March, the company put out a call to local garden clubs to enhance the beauty and attraction of the surrounding park in hopes to foster a sense of community. The refurbishing is due to be completed in time for the annual Salmon a Rama beginning July 13, which draws hundreds of competitive fishermen from throughout the Midwest

The arrival of these new developments complements the new Monument Square events that hope to bring people together and promote the town’s businesses.  If families are looking for a child friendly, less crowded summer alternative to the seasonal Saturday Sounds on the Square and Friday Music on the Monument, this is sure to be a fun night out. The aforementioned summer events will also be returning with a fashion show on June 29. In addition to these other Racine traditions, the third annual Harbor Market returned on May 30 with recurring events on the first and third Thursdays of the summer months through August. 

Diverse Spirit of America

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Photo via Downtown Racine Corporation

The harbor in Racine

The harbor in Racine

Next to perhaps Salmon A Rama, the most popular event in Racine is the Annual Fourth of July Parade with 80,000-100,000 people in attendance each year. The parade not only displays the spirit of America, but also brings together the businesses and organizations that make Racine diverse. It is recommended guests who wish to park close reserve a spot as early as 5 a.m. as the streets fully close at 8 a.m. for the 8:30 pre parade followed by the official parade starting at 9 a.m., but there is always room along the route. For more information on reservations and to reserve a spot, please call the Racine 4th Fest office at (262) 994-0538. 

In addition to new events, Monument Square is also home to some new and revived businesses that are looking to become essential summer destinations. An art deco structure encompassing 80 rooms, the Hotel Verdant opened in August of 2023 with a local art interior décor and an Italian Restaurant, Marguerite. So far in its eight months of existence, the most popular feature of the hotel is the rooftop bar, Eave, which overlooks the entire city. Here, guests can sip drinks and sample unique appetizers such as devilled eggs with avocado. Eave is the perfect late afternoon destination after a day of fun at the beach or anywhere in downtown Racine.

Across the street from Monument Square is the Racine Art Museum (RAM). For the artist in the family, the museum has the largest collection of contemporary crafts in the United States and receives 60,000 visitors per year. This summer, they are offering exhibitions that demonstrate the flexibility of artists and examine the designs of post war glass art. One particular highlight is “The Frances and Michael Higgins Collection” which displays the unique diverse work of jewelry, bowls and other trinkets from the married artist couple. The Higgins introduced glass fusing, the practice of two pieces of glass being fused together through heat, to post war society. Another highlighted featured artist is Carol Eckert, whose detailed, constructed sketches of the “Kingdom of Birds” is on display alongside the piece itself, a triptych of tropical birds constructed from dyed cotton, wire, and glass beads. Also exhibited is Cynthia Topps who demonstrates a diverse use of polymer clay to make necklaces, as seen with 1997’s Anemone  and a slice of life portrait with 2007’s Story Time. These exhibitions will be up through the summer months. Contact Racine Art Museum at (262) 638-8300  for more information about  admission and other exhibitions.

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Photo via Downtown Racine Corporation

Racine Art Museum

Racine Art Museum

The other major Racine museum, the Racine Heritage Museum, is also exploring artistic mediums but with an architectural bent. The newest exhibit, “Wright before the Lloyd: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Search for Himself,” explores the history of the architect and his mentor, Cecil Sherman Corwin. This exhibition is sure to be an insightful look at the nature of collaboration and influence. The museum also touches on many different eras of the city; visitors can learn about the Racine Belles, an all-women World War II era baseball team in the Sports hall of Fame or take a peek at “Malty,” a mummy brought to Racine in 1902 by William Horlick Jr, son of William Horlick, the founder of the Horlick food company. The museum offers walking tours on Saturdays during the summer which cover Racine’s immigration history, architecture and much more in a beautiful 90 minute walk along the lakefront. For more information, visitors can visit RacineHeritageMuseum.org or call (262) 636- 3926.

Roll Out the Events

A few blocks away on the lakefront, stands Festival Hall, Festival Park, and Memorial Hall. As mentioned in the introduction, 5kEvents has acquired management of these venues and intends to roll out the new summer phase with notable events at each location. Festival Hall will ring in the summer with a food Truck rally on June 14-15. Festival Park will be holding the annual LightHouse Run to benefit the Racine Family YMCA. The weeklong Salmon A Rama event from July 13-July 21 will mark the official debut of the new Festival Hall which is scheduled to feature fireworks, food trucks, vendors and fish boils. This will be followed on August 3 by the Racine River Fest at Festival Park which will feature a pancake breakfast and craft fair. These events are sure to please everyone from the outdoors fan to the artistic minded. 

Go north on Lake Michigan about a quarter mile and you’ll find North Beach which has summer traditions of its own: setting up the volleyball nets on the first day of summer, putting out deck chairs on the dunes, and during Friday nights and weekends, Beachside Oasis books a local band to play on its stage. North Beach is an incredible place that surprises anyone on their first visit and always has something new that makes people return each summer.

The popularity of the beach and its offerings seems to have also influenced the revival of surrounding restaurants as well. As of last year, the long dormant Chartroom reopened in September under new ownership and recently, the longtime venue George’s, just north of downtown, gained a new caretaker with the owner of Festival Hall’s Neighbor, Smok’d on the Water. Located right around the harbor, these two food and entertainment businesses are kindred spirits of being a hotspot for live performances, great food and beverages, and mainstays for summer gatherings. George’s, for one, has been one of the participating venues for the Thoughts for Food event since 1993 in addition to other shows such as Bonk! Poetry readings. Smok’d on the Water, meanwhile, hosts music performances Friday through Sunday during the summer along with hosting The Origins of Hip Hop showcase each August. 

Next to North Beach, the Racine Zoo may be the most popular ongoing outdoor attraction in the city. For the 2024 summer season, the zoo not only has new animals such as Changbai, an Amur Tiger, but is also rolling out new events for the summer months. For adults, there are charity social events such as Bears, Booze, and Bingo on June 20 and July 18’s Cigar Dinner. On the family side of events, there’s the Cardboard Boat Race on August 3 along with monthly animal days such as International Tiger Day on July 27 in which children can learn about the animal featured through games and hands on activities. The seminal Animal Crackers Concert series returns on July 10 and there will also be tribute shows to Abba and Aretha Franklin on June 26 and July 31, respectively. For the complete list of events and information, readers can visit  Racinezoo.org or call 262 636-9189.

More to Enjoy

An energetic family could spend a couple of hours sunning at North Beach, have a great lunch in the harbor area, visit the zoo and art museum and have a lovely summer  dinner all in one day. But there’s more to enjoy as well!

In the dramatic field of arts, the Racine Theater Guild is bringing the romantic comedy First Date. Running from July 19-July 28, this character driven tale explores two people, one who is new to the dating game and the other a veteran, as they navigate the world of courtship together. This is sure to be a crowd-pleasing favorite perfect for both long married couples and newly dating couples alike.  

The uptown area of Racine is coming into its own as well. Thanks to the popularity of artist Scott Terry’s Mahogany Gallery and the 16th street Gallery, the area has become a small hub where  businesses and restaurants are beginning to flourish. One of the major new expansions in Uptown has been the plant store Rooted. Since its opening in 2021, the store has teamed up with The Branch for Wednesday summer cookouts and recently, the revival kickoff of the business networking group, “Whatsup Racine.” With their bigger space, Rooted sells plants, offers gardening advice, and hosts craft nights in which they do such things as design terrariums and make macramé plant holders. With their two tortoises, Fern and Walter in tow, Rooted has also established a tattoo parlor and is also operating a record shop, having acquired the record collection of Jada Pffarr (after she retired from her position as the owner of LongShot Vinyl on Sixth Street). The variety of services and products in this friendly, artistic atmosphere is worth a visit for a summer day trip. Rooted is open Wednesdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition to galleries and stores, Uptown has a number of beautiful, lush murals along the brick walls designed by local artists that are inspired by Racine’s local poets such as Kelsey Marie Harris or the late Aaron Lundquist. Along with a nice lunch at the Pakistani restaurant, Kebab and Grill or carry out at Dragon Pitt BBQ, Uptown makes for a nice two-hour summer trip. 

Racine is an industrial town, a boating destination, a local arts hub, and home to one of the best beaches on Lake Michigan. This summer feels as if new businesses are off to a great start; there are dozens of fun restaurants, several great museums, and the friendliest atmosphere you can imagine. See you this summer!