1.
Chicago Wolves at Milwaukee Admirals
NOV. 2 | UW-MILWAUKEE PANTHER ARENA
Chicago’s hockey team (no, not the Blackhawks – the city’s other hockey team) is venturing to our home turf for the first time this season. The last time the two teams played here, the Admirals won 4-3, earning their seventh straight victory and all but ensuring them a spot in the playoffs.
2.
Bridal Expo Milwaukee
NOV. 3 | SHERATON HOTEL, BROOKFIELD
The average Wisconsin wedding now costs nearly $20,000. But you can save a little money on your nuptials by pricing out vendor services at expos like this one – and by scooping up as many free samples as you can carry.
3.
Jurassic World Live Tour
NOV. 8-10 | FISERV FORUM
Yup, one of the top-grossing movie franchises of all time has been turned into a live-action arena show, with 24 life-sized dinosaurs – including an animatronic Tyrannosaurus rex that’s 40 feet from snout to tail – stomping across the stage. High-tech projections, strobes, fog machines and impressively acrobatic actors abound, too.
4.
Bloomin’ Holidays
NOV. 8-10 | MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART, WEST BEND
The Museum of Wisconsin Art is always worth a visit, but it’s especially inviting this time of year, when floral designers from around the state bring in arrangements inspired by the art on display. The $15 admission fee gets you access to all of the exhibits, including a can’t-miss career retrospective on painter Tom Uttech, plus museum membership for a year.
5.
White Rabbit, Red Rabbit
NOV. 9 AND 30 | ARC THEATRE AT SAINT KATE – THE ARTS HOTEL
There’s no director, and no rehearsal time, either. Just a sealed script sitting on an empty stage, waiting for an actor to open it for the first time in front of a large audience. Two local theatrical legends – James Pickering and Laura Gordon – will take up the challenge on Nov. 9 and Nov. 30, respectively.
6.
Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival
NOV. 21-JAN. 1 | DOWNTOWN MILWAUKEE | FREE
It’s been running for 21 years for a reason. Even the glummest among us can’t help but smile at the sight of more than half a million lights strung up around some of the city’s prettiest parks. You can see many of them from The Hop, but you won’t regret shelling out $2 for a Jingle Bus ticket – the volunteers who narrate the 40-minute bus tours really know what they’re talking about, and their enthusiasm is contagious.
7.
Present Music: Thanksgiving
NOV. 17 | CATHEDRAL OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST
Present Music’s annual Thanksgiving concert, and the holiday cheer it brings to the city, always makes us feel thankful. This year’s show features a friendship dance led by the Bucks Native American Singing and Drumming Group, as well as music by several contemporary composers, including teenage Milwaukee musician Lauren Barta.
8.
Chicken Wire Empire
NOV. 15-16 | THE BACK ROOM AT COLECTIVO
One of Wisconsin’s best-known jam bands, Chicken Wire Empire has opened for some of the biggest names in the bluegrass world, such as Yonder Mountain String Band and The Big Wu. But its five Milwaukee-based members still make time for local shows. And their dance-worthy latest album, What Moves Mountains, proves they put in plenty of studio time, too.
9.
Laughter on the 23rd Floor
NOV. 21-DEC. 15 | NEXT ACT THEATRE
Early in his career, Neil Simon worked alongside comedic heavyweights Mel Brooks and Woody Allen on Sid Caesar’s variety television show. He borrowed heavily from that experience to pen this play about the inner workings of a 1953 New York writer’s room. It should be one of several standout shows staged during Next Act’s 30th anniversary season.
10.
Tux & Chucks Milwaukee
NOV. 23 | CROWNE PLAZA MILWAUKEE WEST
If you love getting dressed up but hate uncomfortable footwear, then you won’t want to miss this annual dance party. Women may wear “sexy and tasteful” clothing in a range of styles, but men won’t be let in unless they’re wearing a tuxedo (or tuxedo-style blazer) and Converse All Stars, aka Chuck Taylors. DJ Bizzon will spin records while comedian D-Rock emcees. And a cash prize will be awarded to the dancer with the best shoes
