This Week in Milwaukee: June 23-29, 2022

Here are the Milwaukee events we are looking forward to coming up this week.

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Bike races on Brady Street, The Big Gig opens, Ukraine awareness benefit, Kenosha Harmony Fest, Peter Mulvey’s uplifting consciousness-raising songs at the outdoor market, master Dobro picker Jerry Douglas and more—This Week in Milwaukee!

Thursday, June 23

The Great Brady St. Bike Race @ Brady St., 11 a.m.

The Brady Street Business Improvement District has teamed up with the Midwest Cycling Series to join this year’s Tour of America’s Dairyland by adding the unique Great Brady St. Bike Race. The full day of racing begins at 11 a.m. and culminates with the pro race at 7 p.m. Races feature amateur and professional male, female and youth riders and teams from all over the world.

The course includes a dogleg down Pulaski Street in front of Wolski’s Tavern that ends at the base of the hill to climb back up to Brady via Humboldt Avenue where riders will take a final turn to sprint towards the start/finish line at Arlington and Brady.

The “Tour da Flats” bar crawl begins after the jerseys are awarded to the night’s top riders. The 12 participating bars from the Tarbender 200 variety race will be featured and those who complete the tour will be entered into a raffle for a local loaded gift basket.

Summerfest @ Henry Maier Festival Park

The Big Gig returns for three weekends: June 23-25, June 30- July 2 and July 7-9, with 12 stages of live music and entertainment ranging from local acts you’ve never heard of performing along the lake path to icons who have become household names headlining the American Family Insurance Amphitheater.

The eclectic lineup unfolds on Thursday with Afrobeat by Femi Kuti & The Positive Force, old-school R&B from The Hungry Williams, Modest Mouse, Brett Newski & The No Tomorrow and a country triple bill of Jason Aldean, Gabby Barrett and John Morgan.

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See our Summerfest coverage here: shepherdexpress.com/summerfest.

Friday, June 24

“Slava Accord” Fundraiser for Ukraine @ Anodyne, 4 p.m.

"Slava Accord" is an all-ages, peace-related fundraiser music festival sponsored by Breaking and Entering, the Bindery, Lilliput Records and St. Northgate Recordings, working to emphasize the multimodality of the harsh impact of the war in Ukraine. Ticket sales will financially contribute to fund "Razom," which sends medical supplies as well as communication devices to the country during these trying times.

Performances by: Bug Moment, Cameron Spann Quartet, Izzy Veta, Jacob Slade, John Justus (of Hallowtribe), Knights, LoBi, Lunar Moth, Micah Emrich, Moonglow, Scam Likely, Shell Bells, Sozuppy, West Nile Crows, Wonderful Bluffer and more.

More info here: eventbrite.com/e/slava-accord-fundraiser-for-ukraine-tickets-348028872727.

Kenosha Harmony Fest @ Pennoyer Park Bandshell (3601 7th Ave., Kenosha), 6 p.m.

New Orleans trumpeter Shamarr Allen and The Underdawgs offer music for this event aiming to bring peace and harmony back to Kenosha; 100% of proceeds will go to local charities.

The pay what you can platform will raise awareness and funds for The Education Foundation of Kenosha and Kenosha COR – Coalition Organizing Resolution. Shamarr is a role model and pioneer of “Trumpet Is My Weapon”—a gun-for-trumpet exchange program—where at risk kids can turn in guns to police in exchange for a trumpet. The program snowballed with great support from the New Orleans music community where thousands of dollars and instruments have been donated to help keep guns off the street.

More info here: facebook.com/events/1071750843698916.

Present Music, “26 Little Deaths” @ Jan Serr Studio, 7:30 p.m.

Carla Kihlstedt’s song cycle inspired by “Gashlycrumb,” “26 Little Deaths,” receives its world premiere from Milwaukee’s Present Music in the season finale. “The Gashlycrumb Tinies,” one of several “volumes of moral instruction” penned by Edward Gorey, the 20th century American writer-artist who cultivated an eccentric oeuvre of gaslit Edwardian manners and mores. David Luhrssen previewed it here: shepherdexpress.com/culture/classical-music/edward-gorey-set-to-music-at-present-musics-season-finale.

Also Saturday. More info here: presentmusic.org/events.

Saturday, June 25

Peter Mulvey @ South Shore Farmer’s Market (2900 S. Shore Dr.), 10 a.m.

Peter Mulvey’s mom helped found this event, so it’s fitting that he returns to his old stomping grounds. With 19 albums and the annual holiday Lamplighter sessions to his credit, Mulvey never gets above his raising.

As he tells it, “when I play farmers markets, it can be among the most transcendent of musical experiences. I think I know why: that gig is eight thousand years old. I’m no longer Peter Mulvey. I’m the musician at the place where the farmers have brought their food, and where the people have come to buy it. There are dogs, there are children. I play ‘Rubber Ducky, You're the One.’ There are old people. I play ‘It’s Only a Paper Moon.’”

With any luck Mulvey might pay tribute to his late running-buddy Kelly Joe Phelps as well as preview songs from his upcoming album with SistaStrings, Love Is The Only Thing,

Strawberry Festival at The Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement (N70 W6340 Bridge Road), Cedarburg, noon.

After a long COVID postponement the annual Strawberry Festival is back. The Shops of Cedar Creek Settlement and Cedar Creek Winery were the founders of Strawberry Festival 37 years ago to highlight the luscious Strawberry Blush wine. The Winery is famous as well as the bountiful harvest of locally grown strawberries. This free, family-friendly festival at the Settlement and downtown Cedarburg features strawberry foods and desserts, grilled specialty foods, wine, arts and crafts booths, shopping and kids activities.

Live music on stage both days features rock classics from The Hit Men at noon on Saturday followed by the up-tempo songs and music of Kevin Kennedy from 4-6 p.m. On Sunday, Livin’ the Dream play at noon following the 11 a.m. pancake breakfast.

Also Sunday. More info here: cedarcreeksettlement.com.

Sunday, June 26

World Refugee Day @ Lynden Sculpture Garden, 11 a.m.

Lynden Sculpture Garden invites attendees to observe World Refugee Day in a series of outdoor events and programs that celebrate Milwaukee’s refugee communities through art, food, fashion, and performance. HOME is the theme of their work with refugee community leaders, community members, Call & Response artists, and allies. The HOME Refugee Steering Committee is building a space of leading, coming together, and celebrating refugees.

More info here: lyndensculpturegarden.org/calendar/home-world-refugee-day-2022.

The Jerry Douglas Band @ Shank Hall, 7 p.m.

Jerry Douglas is recognized as a master Dobro player—that acoustic guitar with the tin pan resonator played with a slide. This is an opportunity to see Douglas at work and play, up close. The 14-time Grammy winner has collaborated with the likes of Alison Krauss, Earl Scruggs and Ray Charles. His sound “incorporates elements of country, bluegrass, rock, jazz, blues, and Celtic into his distinctive musical vision.”