Photo via Germantown Maifest - Facebook
Germantown Maifest
Germantown Maifest
Thursday May 15
“El Greco: Ambition and Defiance” at Milwaukee Art Museum
The mysteries surrounding the painter are revealed in his work by way of a talk by Rebecca J, Long, the Art Institute of Chicago's Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Curator of Painting and Sculpture of Europe. The hour-long lecture is presented at 6:15 p.m. in conjunction with the MAM exhibit “The Brilliance of the Spanish World.” Tickets to the presentation may be had here: etix.com/ticket/e/1014112/museum-admission-milwaukee-milwaukee-art-museum-admissions
Friday May 16
12th Annual Cop On A Rooftop Fundraiser For Special Olympics Wisconsin at Dunkin'
The Buzz isn't wont to publicize chain donut & coffee spots. But for a good cause, an exception can be made. The peace officers atop Dunkin' locations throughout Wisconsin will collect donations for the Law Enforcement Torch Run benefitting Special Olympics Wisconsin. The past 11 years of cops atop Badger State Dunkin's has raised $665,000+ for the handicapped athletes' competition. Any donation today merits a free donut; give $10 and get a gratis medium hot or iced coffee. A list of Wisconsin Dunkins' participating in the 6 a.m. to noon promotion may be found here: coponarooftop.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/coar-list-of-locations-wisconsin-2025.pdf
Germantown Maifest
It makes abundant sense that a municipality named Germantown would celebrate the Fatherland's traditional spring festival. So, it does, starting today at 5 p.m., going through Sunday May 18. Among attractions throughout the weekend: food, including Friday fish fry; dance troupes; a Maipole dance; the coronation of the Maifest Queen; a sheepshead tourney; and music including polka, choral, country and rock. More information may be found here: maifestgermantown.org/
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Wisconsin Cheese Fest in Lake Geneva
Anyone with a taste for the fermented milk products for which Wisconsin is known may want to make a trip to Walworth County this weekend. Cheese Fest not only has plenty of its namesake food to sample and purchase, but cheese bingo, trivia and sculpting besides. Additionally, there will be wine, whiskey craft beer and a musical lineup rife with Americana, bluegrass and country. Contests and educational presentations figure into the schedule, too. All the cheesiness commences at 4:30 p.m. today and runs until 3 p.m. Sunday May 18 at Lake Geneva House of Music. Read more details, see a full schedule and purchase tickets by going here: cheesefestwi.com/
Mixtape Bingo at Uptown Society
DJ Heathen promises to keep heads spinning with an unpredictable mix of genres and tempos to fill one's card and, hopefully, win prizes. The biggest catch is a pair of tickets to any Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra concert in their 2025-26 season. If that's not incentive enough, there's complimentary charcuterie by Calla & Asher, a selfie station, and cash bar. Advance tickets for the fun, starting at 6 p.m., are available here: events.mketix.com/events/mixtape-bingo-5-16-2025
Saturday May 17
Armed Forces Day Celebration at The Harley-Davidson Museum
The local repository of motorcycling history concludes Milwaukee Armed Forces Week with the youth and young adult competition Wisconsin Warrior Challenge, interactive military displays, and a Support the Troops Ride (registration begins at 8 a.m.). The honoring of all branches of the military and those serving in them goes from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and more about it may be found here: milwaukeearmedforcesweek.com/
Big Truck Day at Red Arrow Park
The Buzz likes to encourage family outings and knows that many kids enjoy big trucks, The Downtown park will host a slew of those vehicles in celebration of National Public Works week. Among the rigs will be a front-end loader, road patcher, street sweeper, plow truck, BearCat tactical enforcement vehicle and library outreach van. Children will have the opportunity to meet the drivers, too; and if whomever is minding them gets to the park in time, there are construction worker hats and goodie bags to be had. The city's forestry team will also have a tree-climbing demonstration and tropical plant sale. Sensorily sensitive attendees will want to be around for the event's final hour from 1-2 p.m. when no horns or sirens will go off. The trucking fun begins at 11 a.m.
Outpost Co-Ops' Community Creatives
All four locations of the natural food retailer will host what amounts to a quartet of craft fairs in the aisles of the stores from 11 am. to 2 p.m. today. There will be so many vendors and acts playing that The Buzz urges those interest to look here—outpost.coop/community/creatives.php—to get a full grip of what will be going on throughout the Outposts.
Cream City Clay 10th Anniversary: A Decade of Clay
The West Allis pottery studio holds a clay carnival (their words!) from noon to 6 p.m. to fete a decade in business. It's a family-friendly function, with face-painting, and games among other things for kids to participate in. Youngsters and oldsters alike are invited to have at hands-on pottery wheel throwing and firing of raku (Japanese tea ceremony pottery) to raise funds for studio renovation and scholarships for community members. Al Pastor Mexican Restaurant and Perspective Brewing will provide food and drinks. More information on the free birthday party and an RSVP tab for it may be found here: creamcityclay.com/a-decade-of-clay-10th-anniversary-party/
Sunday May 18
Lakefront Brewery Maifest Gluten-Free Festival
Didn't get enough Germanic springtime revelry at Germantown's Maifest? Get another free dose at here. Its emphasis is on gluten-free fair, as provided by a whopping nine food trucks—including Lakefront's own CurdWagon—among 30+ vendors. The food will have more than a Teutonic flair, though, as those trucks run a gamut covering tater tots Mexican, South American, Canadian (as in poutine) and more. Lakefront will also make available its array of gluten-free beers, as well Bloody Marys, wine and soda. Drinks containing gluten will be sold in a separate tent. A 50/50 raffle will benefit the local Gluten Intolerance Group and the Bonnie Lynn Mechanic Celiac Disease Clinic for Children’s Wisconsin. Adding a European air to the proceedings will be the Happy Shotski Polka Combo (formerly the Polish Moon Polka Trio). The fest, going from 10 a.m. to 3 pm., is family-friendly, but well-behaved puppies are welcome, too.
Green Fest MKE Presented by El Conquistador Latino Newspaper & Radio Show
For whatever reason one may want to maintain a conservation-conscious lifestyle, this free showcase at Tripoli Shrine Center presented by Milwaukee's Spanish language paper should be of assistance. The free event features fashion, food, energy, health, garden, home, design and other categories of environmentally conscientious products, Plus, there are promised to be hands-on demonstrations, motivational speakers. Live music and other cultural activities It all goes down from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and more about it may be found out here: facebook.com/events/3930926930557365/
Monday May 19
Downtown Milwaukee Tour Presented by Historic Milwaukee
This guided look around at the city's Downtown architecture and streetscapes may be geared to tourists, but it may also give regular visitors and townies a fresh perspective on the city the already know. The guide will emphasize how the city's founders used Lake Michigan, three rivers, and the harbor for commercial purposes to make Milwaukee the city it became. Historic Milwaukee is also offering a Bay View tour, a HOP Streetcar tour, a Skywaukee tour, a North Point mansions tour, a Riverwalk tour, a Historic Third Ward tour, and a Water to Westown tour. To make reservations and buy tickets (including buy-one/get-one free and buy-two/get-two free deals for adults) for today and the many tours available until Wednesday October 31, direct your cursor here: fareharbor.com/embeds/book/historicmilwaukee/items/?flow=1317100%26asn=visitmilwaukee%26sheet-uuid=05a55157-ad8e-4317-b738-0fe018cbc460%26full-items=yes%26ref=visitmilwaukee
Christopher Moore at Boswell Books
The author of comedic literary sendups comes to the Downer Avenue bookshop to speak about his latest novel. Anima Rising involves Austrian painter Gustav Klimt, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Victor Frankenstein and a hysterical woman found nude in the Danube. Admission for the 7 p.m. event includes a signed copy of the book. Reserve a ticket here: eventbrite.com/e/a-ticketed-event-with-christopher-moore-for-anima-rising-at-boswell-tickets-1234948657679?aff=oddtdtcreator
Tuesday May 20
Celebration Honoring Helen Daniels Bader at Jewish Museum Milwaukee
The legacy of the late philanthropist, who was especially concerned with elder care and Alzheimer's support, will be honored by a variety of programming. That includes free admission to the museum and its programs for Milwaukee County residents, tea & toast with live violin music with Wisconsin Conservatory of Music’s Tatiana Migliaccio, and tours of JMM's current “Choices of Consequence: Denmark and the Holocaust” exhibit. For the full gamut of goings on and to RSVP, click here: jewishmuseummilwaukee.org/event/community-free-day-helen-daniels-bader-tribute/
Wednesday May 21
Karaoke Wednesdays at Pepperpot on MLK
The Jamaican restaurant that was once a take-out place on W. Capitol Drive has what may be a unique take on karaoke for Milwaukee. It's an evening to sing along to R&B and reggae backing tracks. The wonderfully-monikered DJ GidMoney, Trunk Bussa and VIPMKE Crew host and supply the tunes. The free night of hearing folks singing and maybe joining them yourself commences at 6 p.m.
