Featured Events
1. Tlalok Tequila Trio
SUNDAY FROM NOON-3 P.M. | ZÓCALO FOOD PARK
Celebrate Día de los Muertos with a multi-genre live soundtrack at Zócalo Food Park this Sunday. The show features three local artists — Tlalok joins Roi Evans and Johnny Padilla as the Tlalok Tequila Trio. Get excited for a mix of Latin, funk and hip-hop, and grab a bite from the food trucks to enjoy alongside the music. Better yet, it’s a free way to get active in the community while supporting local musicianship!
2. Great Pumpkin Festival
ALL WEEKEND | SCHOOLHOUSE PARK
Let the jack-o-lanterns light the way to Whitefish Bay’s Great Pumpkin Festival. Celebrating its 40th year at Schoolhouse Park (or ghoulhouse, in this case), this free, all-ages and family-friendly event returns Oct. 28-31 with community-carved pumpkins lit-up and on display. Live music, drinks and food will be available for purchase. Saturday also brings with it the festival’s first 50-50 raffle. Hosted by the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation, festivities run from 6-9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 6-10 p.m. on Halloween night. No ticket required!
3. Desolate Acres
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY FROM 7-11 P.M. | WAUKESHA COUNTY EXPO
Is Halloween truly complete without a good scare? It’s the last weekend to experience Desolate Acres in Waukesha. Built around the spooky tale of an old, cursed farmhouse, sinister twins and their outlaw crew. The all-indoor haunted house brings the story to the Waukesha County Expo Grounds. Gather your bravest group and put your courage to the test — it’s the perfect weekend for it. General admission tickets are $25 each, with early bird tickets available online for $20 and fast passes for $30, all available here.
Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!
Other Events
4. Skulloween
THURSDAY FROM 5-9 P.M. | HARLEY DAVIDSON MUSEUM
Rev up the start to your Halloweekend at the Harley Davidson MOTOR Bar & Restaurant with a jam-packed costume party. DJ Joey Hollywood will spin live music as guests enjoy Halloween-themed food and cocktail specials, outdoor fire pits and raffle drawings. Come in costume to take a swing at gift cards and Harley Davidson swag. Make sure to cheer on your favorites during the costume contest. Plus, this Milwaukee-style celebration is free to attend! For more fun beforehand, the Museum will be open from 10 A.M.-5 P.M., with free admission for members.
5. Botanical Broom Workshop
THURSDAY FROM 6-9:30 P.M. | STROKE OF GENIUS PAINT & SIP
Make a super witchy (and natural) accessory at Stroke of Genius Paint & Sip’s Botanical Broom Workshop. Head to the Waukesha studio on Thursday to turn a 36-inch natural broom into seasonal decor with dried flowers, eucalyptus, pinecones, dried oranges, ribbons and charms. Materials and step-by-step guidance are included with the process, with room to take creative liberty in regards to the broom’s vibe. Wine, cocktails, mocktails and other beverages are available for purchase. Tickets are $80 here.
6. Footloose The Musical
ALL WEEKEND | MILWAUKEE REP
Kick off your Sunday shoes before the Milwaukee Rep’s “Footloose” run makes its final performances. It’s the last weekend to catch the musical about Ren, a teen who moves to a small town where dancing is banned and challenges the community to rebel against this rule. Directed and choreographed by Stephen Mear, the production pairs classic dance numbers with ’80s favorites like “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” and “Holding Out for a Hero.” Catch it at the Milwaukee Rep through Sunday. Tickets vary in price and can be purchased here — get them before the curtain call!
7. Gargoyles, Grotesques & Dragons Tour
FRIDAY FROM 1-3 P.M. | THE GRAIN EXCHANGE
Gargoyles, grotesques and dragons, oh my! Grab your trustiest binoculars and discover the beasts hiding above downtown Milwaukee on the Gargoyles, Grotesques & Dragons Tour. Volunteer docents lead the 1.6-mile walk, explaining the symbolism and craftsmanship behind the figures carved into historic churches and buildings. The tour starts at the Grain Exchange, then leads participants on a tour through the beasts that lurk among us. The event is family-friendly, and tickets are $20 for ages 13 and up and $8 for children ages 5-12 here.
8. Sugar Skull! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure
FRIDAY AT 7:00 P.M. | MARCUS PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
Celebrate Día de Muertos with music, magic and a lively skeleton. “Sugar Skull! A Día de Muertos Musical Adventure” follows 12-year-old Vita Flores, who doesn’t understand why her family wants to celebrate loved ones who have died. When a candy skeleton comes to life, the two go on a journey that changes Vita’s view on the tradition. With regional Mexican music and dance, this bilingual musical invites young ones and families along for the show at the Marcus Performing Arts Center on Friday. Tickets vary in price and can be purchased here.
9. Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 1
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY | BRADLEY SYMPHONY CENTER
Give your weekend a classical twist with Beethoven at the Bradley Symphony Center. Pianist Orli Shaham will join the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra on Friday and Saturday to launch its season-long cycle of all five Beethoven piano concertos. Guest conductor Kristiina Poska will pair Piano Concerto No. 1 with the water-inspired “Proteus Pulse” and Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, inspired by the Rhine River in Germany. Performances begin at 11:15 a.m. Friday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, with a free pre-concert talk offered one hour before each show. Tickets vary in price and can be purchased here.
10. Kelly Ryan at The Laughing Tap
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AT VARIOUS TIMES | THE LAUGHING TAP
With all the Halloween frights and screams, it’s important not to forget the laughs this weekend. Kelly Ryan is sure to deliver among the intimate atmosphere at The Laughing Tap. Her witty, sharp quips and jokes have earned her achievements like Portland’s Funniest Person 2021 and selected performer of Just for Laughs Montreal 2023. Luckily, there are many opportunities to laugh with Kelly Ryan during this busy weekend — she has one show on Friday and two options on Saturday. Tickets range from $20-25 and are available here.
11. Halloween Weekend at Mo’s Irish Pub
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY at 9 P.M. | MO’S IRISH PUB
Put your singing and style to the test at Mo’s Irish Pub’s downtown Milwaukee location with festive karaoke and a fierce costume contest on Saturday as well. Hopefully you get the luck of the Irish — you may need it to pull together the winning costume. It’s the perfect mix of boozy and spooky, so grab your Halloween crew. No ticket is required.
12. Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers
SATURDAY AT 7 P.M. | FISERV FORUM
Spend Halloween cheering on the Milwaukee Bucks as they take on the Cleveland Cavaliers at Fiserv Forum. Tipoff is at 7 p.m., giving basketball fans a chance to trade the typical spooky festivities for an evening of tricks and treats on the court as this Midwest matchup brings the fun, not the frights. The Brewers are doing great, but the Bucks still need love too! Tickets vary in price and are available here.
13. MCHS Book Sale
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY | MILWAUKEE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Milwaukee County Historical Society’s 10th annual book sale offers a curated collection of books, photographs, postcards and more. The sale will showcase duplicate materials and items outside the society’s collection, along with discounted titles and slightly worn books and frames. Stop by on Saturday or Sunday for a page through the archives. Admission is free, and all purchases support the historical society.
14. Empty Bowls Soup and Ceramics Fest
SUNDAY FROM 11 A.M.-2 P.M. | MSOE KERN CENTER
Taste delicious soup and experience handmade artistry all while fighting local hunger. Empty Bowls Soup and Ceramics Fest returns to the Kern Center this Sunday, where attendees pick out an artisan bowl and use it to taste-test soups from local chefs. This family-friendly event features more than 1,500 bowls donated by Wisconsin artists, woodworkers, pottery schools and arts programs. The event also features artist demonstrations, live music and a silent auction, with all proceeds supporting NourishMKE’s work stocking food pantries and feeding families. General admission is free, and $30 gets you an artisan bowl on-site and two soup sample tickets, with additional soup samples available for $2 each.
15. Warren Miller’s Days Off
SUNDAY AT 5 P.M. | PABST THEATER
With Halloween over on Sunday, it’s officially time for… ski season? Hit the slopes from the comfort of the Pabst Theater when Warren Miller’s “Days Off” screens. The filmmaker’s 77th film follows host Katie Burrell, and elite athletes, showing off how they spend their free time on the snow. It will feature Alaska, the French Alps, Japan and Canada, with mountain adventures and an inside look at skiers’ psyche. Tickets vary in price and can be purchased here.
