1. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
ALL WEEKEND | RACINE THEATER GUILD
Stephen Sondheim’s stellar (and somewhat queasy) musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is opening at the Racine Theater Guild this weekend and runs through June 4. Revenge, retribution and strong family ties all play a role in this one-of-a-kind story by one of Broadway’s most prolific creators.
2. WMSE’s Friday Night Freak Show – The Fifth Element
FRIDAY AT 6:30 P.M. | TIMES CINEMA
Times Cinema’s Friday Night Freak Show is back for this month’s installment of their vintage flick series. It’ll be screening The Fifth Element, a dystopian sci-fi film starring Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman and Chris Tucker. Get there at 6:30 to enjoy an hour of thematic tunes spun by Transcentral DJ Jayx, or at 7:30 to sneak in just in time for the movie.
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3. Company Brewing’s Anniversary Party
SATURDAY AT 11 A.M. | COMPANY BREWING
The folks at Company Brewing are celebrating an amazing eight years in the Riverwest neighborhood. The brewery and restaurant will have 40 goats – yes, live goats – from New Beginning Ranch for visitors to pet and feed. There also will be inflatable games and live flash tattooing from artist Yasmeena Dee. And the celebration wouldn’t be complete without lots of special beer tappings to commemorate the anniversary.
4. All Butts are Good Butts Book Release Party
SATURDAY FROM 4-6 P.M. | LION’S TOOTH
Viral butt-illustrator Rachal Duggan (aka @radillustrates) is releasing a new posterior-themed book, All Butts Are Good Butts: Celebrate Your Derriere with Booty Affirmations, As*trology, Tushie Trivia, and More. If you’re a fan of her work, or just want to celebrate some beautiful behinds, Duggan is hosting a book release party at Lion’s Tooth. The event includes a Q+A, book signing and lots of merch to browse and shop.
5. Patti LaBelle
SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. | RIVERSIDE THEATER
This Saturday is your chance to see R&B legend Patti LaBelle in person at the beautiful Riverside Theater. Her dynamic hits including On My Own and Lady Marmalade have made her a household name for over 50 years. She’s returning to the theater with special guest Jeff Bradshaw, soul-jazz musician and trombone aficionado.
6. Billy Porter: Black Mona Lisa
SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. | BRADLEY SYMPHONY CENTER
Billy Porter is spending a night in Brew City for his Black Mona Lisa tour. This night is a walk down memory lane for fans of Porter’s work. He will be performing songs from his early R&B career, several of his Broadway hits and a number of gospel songs, as well as previewing tunes from his upcoming album Black Mona Lisa.
7. Diet Lite, Scam Likely & North Warren
SATURDAY AT 8 P.M. | SHANK HALL
Celebrate the latest generation of Milwaukee talent at the historic Shank Hall this weekend with a set by the local Diet Lite, Scam Likely and North Warren. This show is fresh off of the release of Diet Lite’s latest record, Into The Pudding. All three of these bands have been hustling and this is a great opportunity to see this local lineup before summer festival season is in full swing.
8. Guzi’s Hunt for the Cure 5K Run/Walk
SUNDAY AT 8 A.M. | LAKE VISTA PARK
For the third year in a row, Guzi’s “Hunt for the Cure” 5K Run/Walk is back to support the Huntington’s Disease Society of America – Wisconsin Chapter and its mission to improve the lives of all those affected by the degenerative disease and to find a cure for future generations. If you’re not into the run/walk part of the event, you can still go to cheer on the participants and support the mission.
9. Native Plant Sale
SUNDAY FROM 9 A.M.-1 P.M. | URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER
It’s been a rainy spring. If you haven’t started your summer garden, this weekend’s Native Plant Sale may give you the inspiration you need to get started! The Urban Ecology Center is partnering with Prairie Future Seed Company to sell local ecotype herbaceous plant species that local birds, bees and pollinators rely on. There will “bee” some experts on site to help answer any questions about your garden. A portion of the proceeds will support the mission of the Urban Ecology Center.
10. Maifest 2023
SUNDAY FROM 11 A.M.-3 P.M. | LAKEFRONT BREWERY
Maifest is back at Lakefront Brewery and the whole she-bang is gluten free. Nine food vendors, including Pedro’s South American Cuisine, Pina Mexican Eats and Greek Street Eats, are serving up gluten free bites paired with lots of gluten free beers and other drinks. This festival is also a kid-friendly spring festival with live entertainment, lots of vendors and glitter tattoos for the little ones.
11. Gaudy Streets Market
SUNDAY FROM NOON-6 P.M. | LINCOLN WAREHOUSE
Local vintage stores House of Gaud and Stories of the Streets are hosting this Sunday’s Gaudy Streets Market, featuring lots of vintage goodies from local shops. Warehouse breweries Torzala, Component and New Barons will supply the refreshments, and food trucks will be serving up bites for hungry shoppers.
12. “Hot Ones” Trivia Challenge
SUNDAY AT 1 P.M. | NEW BARONS BREWING COOPERATIVE
Have you ever thought you had what it takes to win a “Hot Ones” game? The concept is simple but challenging, celebrities are interviewed while eating chicken wings. Sounds easy, but the twist is that the sauce on each of the wings gets increasingly spicy, with some of the sauces hitting two million on the Scoville scale. If you can take the heat, sign up for the Hot Ones Trivia Challenge at New Barons Brewing Cooperative to see how many rounds you can survive!
13. John Ridley and Kimi Hill on Chiura Obata
SUNDAY AT 1 P.M. | MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM
Academy Award–winning screenwriter, director and novelist and Milwaukee native John Ridley is speaking with author Kimi Hill this Sunday at the Milwaukee Art Museum as a part of their Expert Series. They are in conversation about Hill’s grandfather, Chiura Obata, a prominent west-coast artist who lived through the Japanese internment tragedies during the second world war. Obata’s art not only reflected his coastal environment, but commented on the growing anti-immigration laws of his time and living through mass incarcerations.
14. Giovannie and the Hired Guns
SUNDAY AT 8 P.M. | THE RAVE
Texas-based alternative rock and pop-punk band, Giovannie and the Hired Guns, is making a Northern stop on its Tejano Punk Boyz tour this Sunday at The Rave. Show goers should expect a high-energy performance that has rock, Latin and country roots, but transformed into something completely their own. The band recently won “Best New Alternative & Rock Artist) at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
