Between the Bars

Milwaukee Film Festival – Don't Miss It!

Promising a diversity of films from around the world, along with swanky parties and must-see appearances by filmmakers, the Milwaukee Film Festival opened last Thursday, September 24 and will run until Sunday, October 4.

It’s a privilege to have a first-class film festival back in Milwaukee. We lost our festival for one year after the demise of the Milwaukee International Film Festival. Thankfully, Milwaukee Film, the newly formed independent organization that took the place of the collapsed MIFF, brings new entertainment to local film fanatics with the Milwaukee Film Festival and I’m ecstatic!

Already moving on to its eighth day, the Milwaukee Film Festival is an incredible opportunity to see movies that, for the most part, you wouldn’t otherwise be able to see on the big screen. Of course, there’s the added support and value it brings to our arts community and the positive attention it brings to Milwaukee, too.

Naturally, our very own city will be well represented at the festival with 26 Milwaukee filmmakers adding six feature films, six short films in competition and 15 short films out of competition to the extensive lineup.

Other films at the festival include: "Waterlife," a Canadian film about the Great Lakes; "William Shatner's Gonzo Ballet," about a program staged by the Milwaukee Ballet in 2007; "Medicine for Melancholy," an African-American love story with Wyatt Cenac of "The Daily Show"; "Art & Copy," a documentary about the ad industry by Madison native Doug Pray; "The Messenger," with Woody Harrelson, about soldiers who inform military families about the death of their loved ones; "Afghan Star," a documentary about an "American Idol"-type show in culturally restrictive Afghanistan; and the Sundance Film Festival-winning documentary "We Live in Public." (via JSOnline)

More than 100 films will be shown within its 11 day run; they'll be shown at both the Marcus North Shore and the Oriental Theaters, giving you twice the opportunity to see the hefty lineup of films.

Tickets for each flick are $10 and are available at the festival's website, www.milwaukee-film.org, and the Oriental box office, as well as the theater on the day of each screening. The website also has a schedule, trailers and more.

Again, the Milwaukee Film Festival ends this Sunday, October 4. You don’t want to miss it!

Photo comes from gettyimages.com.

Wisconsin State Fair: The Food!

The 158th Wisconsin State Fair just came to a close, yet I’m still suffering from a food hangover.

Promising over 30 different foods on a stick, the Wisconsin State Fair, for many, means one thing: food. It’s one of the major reasons why folks attend the Fair. It's part of the experience. After all, it’s food you don't eat any other time because if you did, you’d probably keel over.

The tradition of gorging on junk food at the Fair is something that never really appealed to me. But, this year while making my annual trip with Justin, I decided to go all out. We ditch our diets and relished a deep-fried food fest that left us literally stuffed for days.

Upon entering through the main gates late in the afternoon, the blend of grilled and fried food smells – oh, the wonderful smells – permeated my nostrils and swirled in my lungs, making my stomach flip in excitement. It was time to see what all of the non-calorie counters were flocking to the Fair for.

Basically, there’s lots and lots of food, often deep fried, on a stick, or deep fried and on a stick. There are bratwurst and pork chops and corn on the cob and cream puffs and mammoth pickles. Then there’s the food on a stick – I’m always surprised by what new calorie-laden meal is put on a stick – running the gamut from caramel apples to cheddar cheese to corn dogs. And, of course, there’s the more obscure sticked foods like deep-fried Snickers bars and cheesecakes, cherry pies and cookie dough, fried peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and macaroni and cheese. Oh, and don't forget about this year’s hype, chocolate-covered bacon on a stick!

Justin and I got to taste an assortment of Fair favorites, but when you're from Wisconsin, you've got to start things off right – with a frosty brew. We ordered up two Milwaukee Ale House Louie’s Demise and made our rounds, perusing the many food options while doing a little people watching and peeking in at some of the animals inside the various Ag pavilions. But, like I said, the smells are wonderful – I’m talkin’ food here, folks. Please. – so you get pretty hungry walking around.

Once our first beer was gone, our bellies were ready to tackle the rest of the Fair.

The food at the Fair is supposed to put you in touch with the agricultural history of the state, and it helps that it often tastes good. Each year the State Fair honors our dairy industry and the best place to taste some of Wisconsin’s fine produce is inside the Wisconsin Products Pavilion. Here we found cheese curds, string cheese, grilled cheese, and other cheese-smothered foods. Yes, we tried it all. It was just too difficult to resist the deep-fried cheese curds and a grilled cheese sammy oozing with Swiss.

While our minds – and stomachs – were focused on great Wisconsin produce, the two of us ventured across the park to Herb Kohl’s Milkhouse where about 160,000 glasses brimming with milk are sold each year. For only 25 cents per 8 oz glass, milk lovers stood in line to sample a variety of unique flavors – banana, vanilla cherry and root beer – and not so unusual flavors like chocolate and strawberry. I guzzled an ice cold cup of thick and creamy root beer-flavored milk and another of banana. I’m pretty sure that just about covered my dairy intake for the next couple of days.

Although we were getting quite full, we weren’t about to call it quits.

Wisconsin State Fair – 158 Edition

Wisconsin State Fair opens at 8 a.m. tomorrow and with it comes one giant slide, hundreds of musical acts, thousands of animals, a couple hundred thousand cream puffs, and almost a million human visitors all packed into the almost 100-acre fairground.

The Wisconsin State Fair has been held at the current fairgrounds, in West Allis (just west of Milwaukee), for the past 117 years. The original Fair, an agricultural event, was held in Janesville, WI in 1851 on the banks of the Rock River. At this time, the Fair was sponsored by the State Agriculture Society and was held for two days in October with approximately 8,000 to 12,000 people in attendance, which, at the time, was the largest reported gathering in the history of Wisconsin.

Since then, the annual Wisconsin State Fair, now in its 158th year, has evolved into a gargantuan event. Organizers expect this year’s Fair to draw somewhere between 800,000 and 900,000 Fair-goers over the course of its 11-day run. Named a “Top 100 Destination in North America” by the American Bus Association, the State Fair features agriculture, horticulture, family attractions, diverse food offerings, a midway, shopping and so much more.

There are many side stages, one amphitheater and a main stage all on the fairgrounds. The roster of more than 100 musical acts includes classic rockers Foreigner (August 6) and Blue Öyster Cult (August 13), as well as Pick Floyd and Abba cover bands, and the return of acts like Davy Jones (August 13) and Rick Springfield (August 14).

Concerts held on any of the side stages or at the Cousins Subs Amphitheater are free with admission – $9 adults, $6 seniors, $4 youth – while those held at the outdoor Time Warner Cable Main Stage require a separate ticket purchase, which you can buy and print instantly at wistatefair.com or purchase at the Fair Box Office at the U.S. Cellular Main Gate.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the State Fair without the scores of animals. Check out the cute bunnies, chickens, goats and other farm animals in the exhibition buildings, which are open daily from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., with the exception of August 16 when they close an hour early.

Also, the Midway offers rides that will spin, throw, jerk, and whirl kids (and kids at heart) all day long from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. And don’t forget the air-conditioned Expo Center where Fair-shoppers can find everything from strange household gizmos, gaudy jewelry, kitschy collectibles, an obscene amount of Packers and Badgers paraphernalia, pet supplies, books, toys, and even the kitchen sink!

Outside the Expo Center is the Cream Puff Parlor where the Wisconsin Bakers Association began selling the famous Wisconsin State Fair Cream Puffs in 1924, making these light and airy desserts the longest selling and most highly anticipated item at the Fair. Cream Puffs, considered a Wisconsin State Fair “must,” are the heartthrob of the gluttonous masses attending the Fair, which is why hundreds of thousand of these sinfully delicious Puffs are sold each year, causing far too many Wisconsin pants splitting episodes to even mention. For more fun facts about Cream Puffs and the Wisconsin State Fair, take a look at my list of useless facts.

What are you looking forward to this year? Those tantalizing Cream Puffs? Milking a cow? Main Stage entertainment? Maybe a ride down the giant slide or another Midway ride?

As you can tell, there’s so much to see, do and eat! So much, in fact, that I encourage you to check out my list of Things to Do at Wisconsin State Fair – it’s from last year, but I’ll update it.

The State Fair runs from August 6 to the 16, so you’ll have plenty of time to experience all it has to offer once, twice or even 11 times!

Milwaukee Air and Water Show

After last weekend, the city had an overall calmer feeling. Of course, it wasn’t because this weekend offered fewer activities or events; in fact, there still was a pretty full slate of things going on in the Milwaukee area this weekend.

My guess is that the city’s tranquility was due to the fact that there weren’t U.S. fighter jets flying overhead, rattling buildings and beckoning droves of people to the lakefront. That’s just a guess, though.

The rumbling sound of thunderstorms rolling in on the East Side awoke us on Saturday morning. With the sun peeking through the blinds and the sound of birds chirping it dawned on me – that isn’t thunder, those are jets.

Resuming this year after a two-year hiatus, the Milwaukee Air and Water Show (formerly the Milwaukee Air Expo) kicked off Saturday, July 25 and continued on through Sunday, July 26. The elite U.S. parachute team, the Golden Knights, co-headlined the show with the exhilarating U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Fourteen other spectacular military and civilian aerial acts ranging from jets to acrobatic planes were featured, as well as the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy who made up the one-hour water portion of the show.

One great thing about an air show is that there are no bad seats, and therefore, no need to show up hours early. At least, that was our philosophy as Eric and I didn’t make our way down to Bradford Beach until sometime after noon. Certainly, people still flocked to the lakefront early and spent the entire day there, but seriously, as long as you could see the sky, you could see the show. After all, no matter where you were – between Bradford and McKinley Beaches, on the East Side, or near the Summerfest grounds – you were right in the middle of the action.

As we walked from my apartment near North Avenue, we couldn’t help but get startled by every passing jet that cut through the sky above us. With each thunderous flyby, the entire city seemed to come to a standstill. Everyone, no matter what they were in the middle of, would stop dead in their tracks and gape at the planes zooming overhead, and nobody would move until the magnificent aircrafts moved out of sight.

 

Walking along we passed picnicking folks that conjugated atop St. Mary’s Hill with binoculars in hand. Looking passed the trees and down over the hill, an astonishing number of people literally covered the sandy beaches like some sort of massive patchwork quilt, and they stretched down the shoreline as far as the eye could see. Tens of thousands of people secured their spot at picnic tables, beneath trees, on folding chairs or picnic blankets. They grilled and chatted, but with every pass of a booming jet, they’d pause, look up and gaze at the planes.

Eric and I ascended the wooden staircase that jutted out from the hillside, crossed Lincoln Memorial Drive, and made our way onto the beach where we grabbed a patch of sand within the sea of people and kicked off our shoes. By now, the Golden Knights had just leaped from their plane, free-falling from about 12,000 feet. An American flag hung from one parachute and the National Anthem played. I knew this was the start of something awesome.

Brady Street Cheesefest

Over the years, the Brady Street Festival has gone through several name changes. The once hippie utopia that focused on returning to nature also changed its focus to today’s more mainstream concern – the need for us urban folk to reconnect with our food sources and our neighbors.

Wisconsin is actually pretty well positioned in this area, since the state is increasingly being recognized as a forerunner in sustainable agriculture and innovative artisan foods. And with a neighborhood so steeped in history and so tightly knit, there’s no better place to unite our native food and our diverse community than at the annual Brady Street Festival.

With more than 60 different vendors and multiple entertainment stages, the Brady Street Festival turns the East Side neighborhood into a street-wide summer marketplace, gourmand food fest, and family-friendly event.

By 11:30 Saturday morning, Brady Street was already teeming with people as Eric and I weaved our way around the barriers closing off Brady Street at Farwell Avenue. From there we made our way up the road and passed the neighborhood’s array of high- and low-end shops and endless bars, restaurants and coffee hubs until we met up with Jon. All along the urban street, artist and jewelry makers were just finishing setting up their stands while live bands did their final sound check before beginning a full day of entertainment.

Though this fest manages to host enough entertainment to give attendees ample choices, the three of us were on a mission to find one particular spot along the festival grounds: the West Allis Cheese and Sausage Shoppe tent. You see, the one-day event is also known by another name – Cheesefest. This festival-within-a-festival promises thousands of pounds of award-winning artisan cheeses from local and regional specialty cheesemakers. Last year, the stuff sold out in mere hours.

   

Considering Cheesefest has been the Brady Street event’s most popular element for the last two years, we weren’t surprised to see a massive line of festival-goers who were already winding around the perimeter of the white and red striped tent, popping various cubes of cheese into their mouths. I was really proud to see the Brady Street neighborhood coming together to celebrate and support locally made food, even if it’s purely for the free dairy. Without hesitation, we followed suit and filed in.

Stationed at folding tables were about a dozen cheesemakers, including Carr Valley, Sartori Foods, and Saxon Homestead Creamery, who traveled to Milwaukee from places like La Valle, Dodgeville, Monroe or Plymouth. Here the cheesemakers hung out from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., offering complimentary samples or blocks of their cheese for purchase, or simply talking about all things cheese.

Each vendor proudly displayed their Best in Show awards and ribbons, along with pamphlets of information about their cheeses. Of course, they also proudly shared their wares. As Jon, Eric and I circled the tent, dozens of varieties of delicious cheese kept emerging from insulated boxes. Volunteers would slice and dice each pound, and then pile the cubes high on platters for folks to try.

Each vendor offered up about three or four different types of goat and cow milk cheeses to taste, everything from German style Blue to Cheddar to Gruyere to Fontina, and with great names like Big Eds and Green Fields – one spread was even made with Lakefront Brewery’s East Side Dark.

Festa!

My experience at Festa Italiana last Friday night drove home the fact that summertime in Milwaukee simply ROCKS. In fact, it was one of the most fun nights I’ve had this summer.

Of all the ethnic festivals in the city, this is the biggest event to take place on the Summerfest grounds since, well, Summerfest. Festa, as locals proudly call it, is renowned for its Italian-inspired cuisine, vivacious entertainment, and authentic traditions.

I’m nearly half Italian, so besides having an affinity for all things Italian, I’m always excited to celebrate my heritage at Festa, and even more thrilled to share the fun with Eric this year.

The night was clear and cool as Eric and I road our bikes the five miles or so down to the festival grounds. Upon entering through the main gate, Eric and I were greeted by the crooning of “Mambo Italiano” blaring from a nearby stage, along with a gigantic replica of Michelangelo’s David complete with flowing locks, bulging pectorals, and, well, you know. But, David was just one example of all of the fun things on hand at Festa this year, and we were eager to explore the festival’s offerings further.

As we made our way into the festival grounds, we were engulfed by the sea of green, white and red as plenty of people were sporting their Italian gear. The crowd was pretty substantial, but not unmanageable like it can sometimes get at Summerfest.

  

One of the best parts of Festa is all of the random activities and sights you’ll unavoidably stumble upon while just walking around. For instance, as Eric and I stood next to David trying to decide which direction to go first, a small parade of marching trumpets, tubas, and snare drums lead the way for a group of young flag throwers direct from the Umbria region of Italy. Clad in vibrantly colored leotards and capes, the young Italian flag throwers would pause every few feet, launch their colorful flags into the air high above them, and then catch them in one hand with ease.

While the random activities and sights are some of the best things about Festa, food is definitely number one here. Immediately en route to find dinner, we noticed the wealth of options. There were so many restaurants ready to fuel the masses by whipping up a variety of bona fide Italian dishes. It was a difficult decision to make – eggplant parmigiano, baked ziti, handmade ravioli, toasted paninis, fried calamari, juicy meatballs, and Italian beef sandwiches – and that was just entrees. Desserts were also abundant – cannolis, éclairs, tiramisu, cheese cake, amaretto puffs, ice cream – of course we HAD to try at least one.

    

Round one of dinner consisted of a piping meat and cheese stuffed rice ball from Libiamo, which we shared. Next, I chose my usual, spinach lasagna from Cataldo’s, while Eric ordered a hearty meatball sandwich from Mille’s for round two. And round three was the sugar covered sfingi with cannoli cream filling.

While we dove into our food, we grabbed a spot on the bleachers at the Bartolotta Festa Stage and stayed to watch a troupe of lively dancers. Dressed in pretty dresses and crowns of flowers, the women danced in a rotating circle and sang various songs. They danced with so much gusto and even invited spectators to join in, carefully teaching every new group the correct steps and songs so that they could follow along.

Bastille Days is Actually Sort of French

I’ve attended Bastille Days, one of Milwaukee’s oldest festivals, several times previously, yet each year I’m amazed by all of the questionably French things found there.

Giving it one last shot this year, Eric and I decided to scour East Town and ferret out all of the things that make Bastille Days the supposed “Parisian playground.”

For 28 years, the free four-day festival has been held annually in Cathedral Square, located in Milwaukee’s East Town district. As it turns out, Cathedral Square is an ideal spot for all of the festivities, considering the land was once owned by Milwaukee’s first mayor Solomon Juneau, who originally hailed from – wait for it – FRANCE.

I always admire East Town’s charming downtown location as it provides a unique setting for the various vendors and music stages, and the conspicuous 43-foot Eiffel Tower replica.

Illuminating the center of the festival, the schmaltzy charm of the mini Tower was the first thing I saw – you can’t miss it – as I entered from Jackson Street. This miniature model has been the focal point of Bastille Days, just like the original in Paris, for years now. But while the Eiffel Tower is unmistakably French, surely there has to be more.

  

On Friday evening, all of Cathedral Square was brimming with people who were either trolling from music stage to music stage or from food vendor to food vendor. Eric and I merged with the crowd and made a quick lap around the festival grounds, scoping out all of the food and beverage stands.

Festival food pretty much runs the gamut from Qdoba burritos to roasted corn. (Of course it makes perfect sense that there would be burritos on hand at Bastille Days, because there’s nothing more French than beef, bean, cheese, and pico de gallo stuffed tortillas.) Among the more than 30 vendors situated throughout the festival grounds, there also were some local restaurants that offer, if not French food, their own specialties. The profusion of American fried foods, German schnitzel, Middle Eastern falafel, and Chinese egg rolls was slightly confusing; I swore I was attending a Parisian-themed event, not perusing a local food court.

Thankfully for those whom the term “culture” holds a primary focus, this year’s Bastille Days also featured a couple of vendors that offered some real French-influenced food. Cedarburg’s Cream & Crepe Café featured a variety of delectable dessert crepes and East Side’s very own Trocadero served up fried calamari, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, and a cone filled with French fries (if French fries really count). Additionally, Milwaukee’s Alliance Francaise dished up bona fide French fare, including beignets, a fancy French donut, as well as cheese plates and ham sandwiches provided by Larry’s Brown Deer Market.

I also saw an abundance of hardier Cajun dishes from indie restaurants such as Bayou and Crawdaddy’s. Considering Cajuns are decedents of France, I suppose jambalaya counts as French food. Still, that doesn’t mean there are any real correlations between fried alligator on a stick and fine French cuisine. Maybe if it was called “le gator”? Whatever, I’ll let it slide this time.

At any rate, Eric and I were starving, so we opted for the sandwich at Trocadero and an order of fries. As Eric and I stood patiently waiting for our food, I noticed a mime dressed in the standard bowl hat and white gloves with a painted face. He was crouched down and playing peek-a-boo with a toddler in a stroller nearby. I had read that Bastille Days features impromptu European street performers, roaming minstrels, and other interactive entertainment, but this was the first time I had actually seen one!

So far, so good.

South Shore Frolics

Milwaukee has been dubbed the City of Festivals. However, I’ve noticed that even though we have such a celebrated nickname, many of Milwaukee’s festivals have become homogeneous.

Formerly known as the South Shore Water Frolics, this three-day festival is one of the oldest festivals in the city of Milwaukee and, unlike many, it still embraces the same simplicity, charm and character as it did years ago.

On Sunday afternoon, Eric and I spent a little over an hour perusing the South Shore Frolics festival offerings that spanned several blocks in the quaint neighborhood of Bay View.

Located in the picturesque South Shore Park, the 60th annual South Shore Frolics boasts typical Milwaukee festival entertainment – food, beer, live music, fireworks, people watching – paired with classic, hometown charisma that’s expressed through the yearly Friday Fish Fry, movie on the beach, kid’s games, and one of the city’s best parades.

The afternoon was beautiful as we drove the 15 minutes from my place on the East Side to Bay View with the windows down in my new car. We easily found street parking and made our way toward the blaring live music and droves of people.

I was surprised at first by the crowd that afternoon, but then it donned on me that perhaps attendance didn’t suffer here like it did at some of the earlier Milwaukee festivals – which was blamed on the tough economy and weather – because this family-friendly festival is free and the weekend weather couldn't have been better.

Eric and I strolled along the beautiful tree-lined paths that were scatter with food vendors and children’s games. I caught myself laughing at the kids beaming each other square in the head with enormous water balloons. They reminded me of when my older brother used to ambush my sister and me while we played outside as kids.

I digress.

Our first stop was the 11th Annual Classic Car Show where we inspected the Novas and Chevelles with glossy paint jobs and their hoods popped. Many of the car owners were spending the late afternoon tailgating, grilling up brats and cracking cans of beer as locals peered through the windows of their four-wheeled babies and gushed over their hefty engines.

Next, we made a beeline for the myriad of white tents that looked like a small village lining the winding sidewalk. Along the way, we passed several carnival games amid towering inflatable bouncers that provided endless fun for youngsters who hopped inside a springy castle, skipped across a soft octopus, or leaped around a two-mast pirate ship –  I’m sure this was any kid’s dream come true!

Milwaukee has been dubbed the City of Festivals. However, I’ve noticed that even though we have such a celebrated nickname, many of Milwaukee’s festivals have become homogeneous.

Formerly known as the South Shore Water Frolics, this three-day festival is one of the oldest festivals in the city of Milwaukee and, unlike many, it still embraces the same simplicity, charm and character as it did years ago.

On Sunday afternoon, Eric and I spent a little over an hour perusing the South Shore Frolics festival offerings that spanned several blocks in the quaint neighborhood of Bay View.

Located in the picturesque South Shore Park, the 60th annual South Shore Frolics boasts typical Milwaukee festival entertainment – food, beer, live music, fireworks, people watching – paired with classic, hometown charisma that’s expressed through the yearly Friday Fish Fry, movie on the beach, kid’s games, and one of the city’s best parades.

The afternoon was beautiful as we drove the 15 minutes from my place on the East Side to Bay View with the windows down in my new car. We easily found street parking and made our way toward the blaring live music and droves of people.

I was surprised at first by the crowd that afternoon, but then it donned on me that perhaps attendance didn’t suffer here like it did at some of the earlier Milwaukee festivals – which was blamed on the tough economy and weather – because this family-friendly festival is free and the weekend weather couldn't have been better.

Eric and I strolled along the beautiful tree-lined paths that were scatter with food vendors and children’s games. I caught myself laughing at the kids beaming each other square in the head with enormous water balloons. They reminded me of when my older brother used to ambush my sister and me while we played outside as kids.

I digress.

Our first stop was the 11th Annual Classic Car Show where we inspected the Novas and Chevelles with glossy paint jobs and their hoods popped. Many of the car owners were spending the late afternoon tailgating, grilling up brats and cracking cans of beer as locals peered through the windows of their four-wheeled babies and gushed over their hefty engines.

Next, we made a beeline for the myriad of white tents that looked like a small village lining the winding sidewalk. Along the way, we passed several carnival games amid towering inflatable bouncers that provided endless fun for youngsters who hopped inside a springy castle, skipped across a soft octopus, or leaped around a two-mast pirate ship –  I’m sure this was any kid’s dream come true!

Summerfest 101

For many locals, Summerfest kick-starts summer in Milwaukee.

Well, in that case, summer is here! Summerfest opens at noon today and with it comes an eclectic music lineup, a variety of free activities, and 45 food vendors all in a pleasant setting right on Lake Michigan's shoreline.

Milwaukee's annual music festival, now in its 42nd year, has evolved into a gargantuan event. Organizers expect this year's fest to draw somewhere between 830,000 and 930,000 fans over the course of its 11-day run. This is actually smaller than it was at the beginning of this decade, when attendance topped 1 million.

There are 10 stages on the main Summerfest grounds. The roster of more than 700 musical acts includes the Airborne Toxic Event (June 28), Lupe Fiasco (June 29), Spoon (June 29), Buddy Guy (June 30), Femi Kuti (July 2), the Roots (July 3), the English Beat (July 5) and Elvis Costello (July 5).

Concerts held at the outdoor Marcus Amphitheater require a separate ticket purchase, which you can buy and print instantly, with no extra fees, at Summerfest.com. Marcus concert ticket holders also have access to all of the stages on the main Summerfest grounds. So, get there early, see a free show, and then head into the Marcus for the night's headliner.

Among the marquee acts playing the Marcus this year are Bon Jovi (tonight), KISS (June 27), Stevie Wonder (June 28), Bob Dylan (July 1), No Doubt (July 2) and Kid Rock (July 5).

As you can tell, there's so much to see and do! So much, in fact, that I've compiled a list of new and exciting things to check out for those of you planning to go more than once. I've also added some tips for all of you Summerfest newbies out there.

Summerfest continues until July 5, so you'll have plenty of time to experience the "World's Largest Music Festival" – an official designation that was bestowed upon Summerfest by Guinness World Records – once, twice or even 11 times!

1. Learn how to get in for free by clicking here.
2. Print your Summerfest tickets from home with NO fees. Just click here. 
3. Listen to the Emerging Artists Series every day from 3 to 8 p.m. at the U.S. Cellular Connections Stage, and then vote for your favorite band.
4. Take a shuttle from any of the park and ride locations. 
5. Don't miss the Big Bang Fireworks opening night at 9:30 p.m. 
6. Get in for FREE on July 5 from noon until 3 p.m. during We Energies Free Day.
7. People watch – Summerfest brings out EVERYONE.
8. B.Y.O.T.P. (Bring your own toilet paper, of course).
9. Be a VIP on the Captain’s Deck.
10. Score a wristband for free lawn seats at the Marcus Amphitheater.
11. Ride the Skyglider.
12. Sample the local beers from Lakefront and Water Street Breweries.
13. Support local music every day at the Cascio Interstate Music Groove Garage.  
14. Watch a live newscast.
15. If you live less than two miles away, walk to the gates. No, seriously. 
16. Bring ear plugs.
17. Learn how Summerfest has gone green.
18. Party with The Vega Star Monday, June 29 at 5:30 p.m. atthe Cascio Music Garage. 
19. See sports demonstrations from the Milwaukee Bucks, Admirals, Wave and other pro-athletes at the Sentry SportsZone. 
20. Try gator on a stick at Crawdaddy’s.
21. When it's ridiculously crowded, stroll the lake path.
22. Find good parking in greater Downtown by heading over here.
23. Have a martini at Jo Jo's Martini Lounge.
24. Sample everything from Thai beef jerky to shish-ke-bob and sauerbraten sandwiches to tamales at the Ethnic Village.
25. Wear really comfortable shoes that aren't open toe.
26. Text a friend so that everyone can see your message on the Text-2-Screen at the U.S. Cellular Connections Stage.
27. Buy a Summerfest T.
28. Please, leave the really young babies at home. Oh, and the enormous strollers. Thank you.
29. Chuckle at ComedySportz.
30. See your favorite radio DJ broadcast live.
31. Relax in the larger-than-life Legendary Leinenkugel’s Lounger.
32. Be responsible.
33. Tip the street performers.
34. Swing by the MLB Road Show and test your skills in the pitching and batting cages.
35. Ride your Hog and park for FREE.
36. For a sugar high or head freeze eat a giant Hawaiian Shave Ice.
37. Play hooky from work and get in for only $8 before 4 p.m.
38. Enter the Subaru Hole-In-One Contest and tee up three balls for $6 to win great prizes.
39. Watch the water ski show.
40. Dance on a picnic table.
41. Pedal to the grounds, but remember to lock up your bicycle.
42. Chase the kiddies on the jungle gyms and slides at the Children’s PlayZone.
43. Learn about fascinating sea creatures and actually touch them at Discovery Wold's Touch Tank.
44. Gobble up Saz’s mozzarella marinara.
45. Dress in layers. It might be hot during the day, but the lakefront gets quite chilly at night.
46. Wear deodorant – For everybody’s sake!
47. Cool off at the Columbia St. Mary’s Cool Down Lounge.
48. Kick back in a real leather seat found on one of Midwest Airlines Boeing 717s.
49. Get lucky by playing free bingo at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Stage and Pavilion.
50. Wear a big red smile – you know what I'm talkin' about.

Feel free to share your tips or suggestions below and, perhaps, I'll add them to my list. Let's try to come up with 100 things!

Shooting Disrupts an Otherwise Fun Festival

Over the last three decades, the Locust Street Festival of Music and Art has grown with the Riverwest neighborhood, blossoming from a modest, bohemian-style block party into one of Milwaukee’s most popular outdoor gatherings.

Voted numerous times as “Best Neighborhood Festival” by Shepherd Express readers, the Locust Street Festival, now in its 33rd year, has a reputation as a safe, controlled, family-friendly event. That’s why the shooting that interrupted the festival on Sunday evening came as a shock to many who said that this event would be the last place they’d expect violence.

For years, I've felt safe at the Locust Street Festival, which is why I had no qualms about heading there on Sunday afternoon, hours before the shooting. Around noon, my sister Terry and I made our way to the festival’s central location along a multi-block district that features popular restaurants and bars.

We started by taking a full lap around the grounds, ducking in and out of bars and restaurants, checking out the festival’s offerings, and simply taking in the scene and the people who live there. Drawing more than 15,000 revelers from around the county, the streets were so packed with people that it took us almost an hour to walk just two blocks, but we enjoyed being forced to move at a leisurely pace.

Scattering the streets were an abundance of beer vendors, as well as stands serving up typical festival fare like hot dogs, brats and burgers. Besides the street carts, most of the restaurants along Locust Street were offering tastes from their menus, including dishes ranging from popular barbecue and unique vegan food to novel snacks.

At the corner of Locust and Bremen, we found the Milwaukee Public Theatre’s Drum Circle. Here I took a minute to teach my musically-challenged self how to make those cool African-style rhythms on one of the djembes. Apparently, Terry wasn’t amused and quickly encouraged me to step aside and let a real musician take over or she’d break my wrists. Sisterly love, you gotta like that.

Moving on, Terry and I passed by a couple of youngsters who were striving to become the next Van Gogh at the nearby family arts and crafts area. We also stopped at Woodland Patterns to catch the end of a poetry reading by a Riverwest author. I was extremely impressed by the cornucopia of activities here. There’s really something for everyone.

 

Later on, we found ourselves winding through a cluster of stands that formed a little marketplace. The profusion of temporary stands offered an eclectic assortment of specialty jewelry, contemporary paintings, unique clothing, unusual pottery and many other one-of-a-kind trinkets. Although I never want to pony up the cash to buy anything, I always like admiring the handmade work.

But the Festival’s biggest draw is undoubtedly the music. There are five outdoor stages presented by The Tracks, Linneman’s, Klingers East, Saylece’s, and Lakefront Brewery scattered throughout the local streets that feature music from about 20 bands, including The Championship, Southbound, The Candeliers and Heidi Spence. As we strolled up and down Locust Street, a smorgasbord of music – rock, blues, folk, reggae – rattled the neighboring buildings.