Very relaxing street festival with lots of vendors, activities, food and music. Good entertainment…read moreabounds. Of course it does! So many tastemakers and hip businesses are in Bayview, like the Rush-Mor Records stage. We enjoyed old people bands, young people bands (like No/No), a DJ stage, and a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra segment called name that tune. Two horn players played selections from all walks of music, while people got to guess the tune and win prizes. We enjoyed fresh juices and my son got to try his first Cevapcici! (Chicago Yelpers are well acquainted with Phil and the other Cevap guys, so that was kind of special). Good beer was on hand, thanks to MKE Brewing Company and Lakefront Brewing. Kids! Kids! Kids! This is a kid-friendly festival. There's a bouncy house in the church parking lot, chalk drawing, activities and games. The Bay View Community Association had a tent and was taking donations, but honestly, who wouldn't donate a couple dollars at the entrances? Nice festival!

Over the years, the Bay View Bash has gotten bigger and better and let's be honest, so have I…read more (Well, at least the bigger part...) The Mister and I hadn't been in a few years and were surprised at how big & crowded this street fest has gotten. But that's ok because for the most part things were still super "Bay View" with stands from local businesses, pet rescues, community organizations and stuff that hipsters like. Honestly, it was a great time - I ran into one million people including at least a few lovely Yelpers, I ate delicious empanadas, I watched a really good metal cover band and I petted like 100 cool dogs. Why can't every day be more like BVB? I saw people of every ethnicity, age and viewpoint hanging out, getting along and being neighborly. People supporting local businesses, making new friends and trying new things is awesome. The only thing that isn't awesome - that stank ass portajohn I had to use.

Some may say this is the bridge to nowhere, but I personally think this is the bridge that connects…read morethe Eastside to Riverwest or vice versa. It does all that in style as it was built right below the Holton Street Bridge making it a part of that structure. Not only is this spans' eye appealing but it allows you to see the area in a way you normally could not. Perched well above, or below take your pick, the Milwaukee River and running next to the Mighty Lakefront Brewery this bridge makes pedestrian traffic across the river a breeze. We walk from our Riverwest home down and across the Viaduct regularly. It connects the two sides and are known to some as part of the Oak Leaf Trail or by others as the Marsupial Bridge or to even those as simply the bike path under Holton. Either way this project helped connect two dissociated neighborhoods into an accessible thoroughfare that is used by so many. This is the essence of taking full advantage of the urban landscape and turning it into something so useful.

All I know is Lake Front Brewery is on one side and I felt very animal like as I took the short cut…read moreand scampered up the side of the bridge landing versus taking the long way down east and back up to cross the bridge. If i were more into fitness I would have enjoyed the cardiac value of being chased by street thugs. Be careful at night I don't talk to strangers, so sorry if I seem curt and impolite. As I make my way back home. I have bad memories of billy goats gruff and trolls under the bridge. Not internet trolls the real living breathing diseased, TB flea infested trolls that carry all kinds of hepatitis, STD's and whatnots. I recommend lawful carry for personal safety.

This festival is going on my unique and awesome list for Milwaukee because Rockerbox is rad. All…read morekinds of bikes on display - old ones, new ones, mods, harleys, crazy concoctions, whatever (!) - vendors come in from all over, there are bands, and all kinds of fun stuff going on. Def worth checking out.

Polish fest is a fantastic family friendly event celebrating the rich Polish culture and its ties…read moreto the Milwaukee lakefront. We went in a beautiful Saturday afternoon and explored the three stages with active music and or traditional dance programming. The polka music was exciting and fun to dance to! After grabbing a Tyskie we walked the grounds to explore the several tents showing off the many cultural organizations, arts, and travel experiences to Poland. We also got to taste some really great authentic Polish food. All of it was great but would highly recommend the smoked Polish sausage, paczki, and potato pancakes! All in all it was a fantastic afternoon, the only reason it wasn't a five star review was that the line to get in and through security was really long and there was no daytime/ early bird discount on admission for Saturday.

Polish Fest is full of nostalgia for me - I went every year as a kid with my grandparents. We ate…read morepotato pancakes, I learned the chicken dance and at least once, I was accidentally given liquor filled chocolates. Good times. I hadn't been in years but hit up Polish Fest 2017 to watch a friends kid dance (adorable of course). Most days, you can score free or reduced admission - check their site for promos. Parking cost ranges but I paid $10 and was seriously like 50 steps from the gate. As others have noted - only about 1/2 the grounds are open. That said, there was a good amount to see and do - I did appreciate the cultural tents (agree 100% they should be bigger!!) and was truly amazed at some of the traditional craftsmanship. I also appreciate that you can get actual Polish beer (ahem, German Fest) plus lots of other options like vodka, schnapps and even bloodies! The only thing missing is a brandy old fashioned stand, IMO. Hell, you can even get pull tabs! Food ranges from amazing to uninspired but you won't lack for pierogies, potato pancakes, kielbasa or goblackis. Of course, Venice club has eggplant and Saz's has their festival famous offerings. Prices range widely as well so shop around. Some of the best values can be found at the Old European deli and Polonez stands near the Harley stage. Because I love you all and don't want anyone to suffer bad pierogies, I sampled several places. With confidence, I can tell you that the Stuffed Pierogi truck is #1 with Old European Deli coming in a close #2. Both taste just like what we had in Poland. Run away from Kuchina Polska - gummy and sad. If you're looking for a good band, Box On is a family group from Chicago with a ton of talent and energy. And of course you can't miss Milwaukees own Vern and the Originals! Overall, Polish Fest might not pack in the crowds that Festa Italiana or Irish Fest do, but there's a lot of fun to be had here!

With not a lot of events, attractions etc etc going on I find my self gong to more car shows just…read moreto get out and do something around people again and plus I do have a collector car and I'm a car guy. This show was organized very well and if it was your first time going like me they made it very simple to get in and register with plenty of people directing from the time you enter downtown to where to park your car. $10 entry gets your entry to the show, this year's plaque as a souvenir and a free drink or a beer. Mibbs & Vivs was on the street selling drinks and sandwich's along with various food trucks including bbq and Mexican so drinks and eats were plentiful. The cars were probably In the 300 range but 11am and scattered on streets, grassy lot, parking lots etc so this one was big with a lot of walking. The cars ranged from regular old grocery getter to drag cars and everything in between. Condition ranged from rusty patina to 100% show cars that you could eat off of. Someone even brought a big rig that was better than new condition, 100% show truck. This was just good old fashioned family fun with tons of people from toddlers to seasoned citizens just enjoying the event. My department at work has just 5 people and three of us have collector cars so I ran into my co worker while enjoy the cars and the beautiful day. This was a great car show and one of the best ones in the area so far this year with so many being cancelled and I'm just glad that it was not canceled because people need to get out and start living life again.

I love old cars. The people that own them are very special. A car show like this can be a wonderful…read morething. Using it to raise money for the community is fine. But if you are going to have a "Pancake Breakfast" and charge $11.00 for it, then it should be worth it. Two tiny rubbery pancakes, an ice cream scoop of nasty powdered eggs and sausages that have more salt than the Bonneville salt flats, well it was disgusting to say the least! I could have got 3 times better for 1/2 the price at McDonalds. Next is the number of obnoxious cars with straight headers out the side, they should not be allowed, period. These "A-holes" do not impress anyone but rather annoy people and scare children. They have no respect. Then to be sure about the "A-hole" factor, they start these nasty cars up every 45 minutes. Obnoxious cars do not belong at a show like this. We also have a serious problem with the parking attendants. Seriously, map out a plan ahead of time rather than hap hazard plopping of cars anywhere with people setting up tents and such where ever they feel. And the most dangerous element is that no thought what so ever was given to foot traffic. Cars and people were fighting for the same entry and exit space. You need a clear foot path away form cars. Somebody is going to get hurt! Come on folks, you can do much better!!

Around 25 years back, Milwaukee was invaded by three six-foot-tall ladybugs. They found an…read moreattractive building, installed themselves, and they've been here every since. These fiberglass ladybugs are bout six feet tall and about three feet deep. They were the concept of the owner of the property management company Burke Properties that owns and manages the Milwaukee Building, John J. Burke. And from reading a few articles, he designed and placed them himself with a little help from two others. And if you've come this far, you should know that the ladybugs aren't the only art on - or in - the this building. Take the elevator up to the second floor, and you walk into a modern art gallery, which also houses the offices of Burke Properties. The ladybugs are visible 24x7. They are lit up at night. [Review 15664 overall - 178 in Wisconsin - 1168 of 2021.]

Art fills the streets of Milwaukee. I'm amazed that it doesn't get destroyed being outside &…read moreexposed to the elements. No one has stolen or destroyed all of the unique & beautiful pieces. Every corner had a box with maps & descriptions. Found the life size statue of the Fonz here because Happy Days took place in Milwaukee. I think Laverne & Shirley were more iconic Milwaukee's; they need a statue!

Sculpture Milwaukee is an annual world class sculpture installation along Wisconsin Avenue, and is…read moregreat for self-guided walking tours. We hit up the installation every year, and the fourth annual event in 2020 had more than a few stellar pieces. Standouts were Nari Ward's Apollo/Poll neon, Alex Katz Park Avenue Departure, pieces by Thomas J. Price and Julian Opie, and Tony Tasset's Blob Monster was a visual show stopper. There's plenty of signage to help you learn about the artwork, and with pieces installed from MAM to the Wisconsin Center, it's a nice easy two mile round trip walking tour. Audio Tours and even a musical audio pairing can be found on Sculpture Milwaukee's website. Guided docent tours or trolley tours seem to be offered from time to time, as well as curated virtual talks with the artists. A few pieces have ended up in the permanent collection, installed around City Hall, or around Wisconsin Avenue such as Roxy Paine's "Cleft" metallic tree. This is a world class annual installation, and definitely deserving of more awareness and Milwaukee's attention.

This event is so much fun! Each year, restaurant professionals come together to compete in one of…read morethe greatest chili cook-offs spanning the Milwaukee area, all in the name of charity for WMSE! This event is run like a well-oiled machine with plenty of staff and volunteers to tackle thousands of attendees that pass through the doors in a single day. From the queue to get in to drink and ticket stations, this event inside the Kern Center feels like a seamlessly connected experience with ample room to navigate even the most popular of chili lines. The ticket prices are fair and the hype is real...where else can you sample dozens of creative and custom chili recipes under one roof?! If Rockabilly Chili isn't already on your radar, add it now, and catch the next annual event. You won't regret it!

While chili knows no seasonal bounds for me - it just hits differently during the winter months and…read moreI look forward to this event every year. Various restaurants and catering companies across the greater Milwaukee area converge for one afternoon to present their top chili recipes to eager tasters. To maximize efficiency, I suggest bringing a cupcake tin and if you forgot one - you can purchase for one ticket ($1 per ticket). As Lakefront brewery is a sponsor of the event, participants use one of their beers to be featured in the chili. Before leaving, you get the chance to cast your own vote in various categories.