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| Photo by Coree Coppinger. |
Sometimes, there is just too much fun to be had in the summer. This weekend is no exception. Overbooking is a naughty habit, but I have a solution so that you can do it all.
Start off in Riverwest Friday night to catch the Riverwest 24-Hour Bike Race (or RW24 if you’re hip), then head to Brew Fest at the lakefront on Saturday afternoon to sample some amazing adult beverages and spend the evening on Brady St. for music, food and more. See what each event is all about below.
Riverwest 24-Hour Bike Race (RW24) – July 29, 7 p.m.– July 30, 7 p.m.
Just as much a community event to showcase Riverwest as it is a sports competition; this urban bike race was born through community block watches four years ago. Anyone can participate in the event; you needn’t be a bike racer.
Registration filled up in May, but you could technically try and tag along since riders are crusin’ on city streets. There is still plenty of need for volunteers.
“This year we have over 600 riders and almost 200 volunteers; it’s grown from 188 riders and just keeps growing every year. We would like to keep growing as long as we have enough volunteers to handle the logistics of it all,” says Steve Whitlow, one of the event organizers.
The Riverwest 24 organizing committee explains the real purpose of the event best: “It is a way for our neighborhood to welcome new people, strengthen relationships within the community (and beyond), and show everyone why Riverwest is amazing.”
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| Photo courtesy of Inferno Marketing. |
Milwaukee Brew Fest – Saturday July 30, 3-7 p.m.
It’s a no brainer. Milwaukee makes beer. Well. Milwaukeeans like beer. A lot. Surprisingly, it wasn’t until last year that Inferno Marketing presented Milwaukee Brew Fest to over 3,000 thirsty people. This year, they are coming back with three times more beer to impress and intoxicate the 4,000 people they are expecting. Good thing the event only runs for four hours, because attendees get unlimited sampling of over 100 craft beers and micro brews from around the world.
“We started the festival because we’re all big beer geeks,” said Bill Hoag, one of Milwaukee Brewfest’s coordinators. “The flavor of some of these beers available now, whether they’re wheat beers or hoppy beers, it is just astonishing. There are so many craft beers to choose from.”
There will be more than 180 craft beers available at the festival, tough Hoag admits this year they really focused their efforts on Wisconsin and Midwest breweries. “We are happy to welcome August Schell Brewing Company, Great Dane and Pangaea, along with perennial favorites, Capitol Brewery, Potosi and our Milwaukee staples like Lakefront Brewery and Milwaukee Brewing Company,” remarks Hoag.
There will also be craft brews from out of state, including many uncommon ones that aren’t available for retail purchase in Milwaukee, such as a Colorado beer made with peanut butter. You can pretty much put peanut butter in anything and it will taste good, in my opinion.
Other festival highlights include:
· Home brewing demonstrations
· Live music from Jon Stone and the Wanted Men and Chicago’s favorite The Polkaholics
· Keg barrel race, bingo and ring toss
· Crowning of 2011 Miss Brewfest
· Silent auction to benefit Children’s Oncology Services
The event takes place at Coast Guard Pavilion in McKinley Park (1600 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr.), right across from Alterra at the Lake. Tickets for Milwaukee Brewfest are $40 in advance (or $45 the day of) Feeling VIP? Get into the fest an hour earlier and enjoy free parking for $55 in advance (or $60 the day of) Click here to purchase tickets.
Each ticket to the event is also good for entrance to German Fest. There will be a row dedicated to German beers so you can whet your pallet if you choose to attend German Fest as well.
Brady Street Festival – Saturday, July 30, 11 a.m.-11 p.m
The Brady Street area is one of those neighborhoods that makes a city truly unique. Where else can you ride a camel, jump in the ring with a pro female wrestler and see a drag show? Brady Street Festival, a glorious tradition since the ‘70s, is back for the fifth year in row (after a brief hiatus in the ‘80s due to a mass migration to the suburbs).
There will be three stages: two filled with music and one stage dedicated to entertainment acts like the Aarabhi Bollywood Dance Team and (back by popular demand) the Boys Will Be Girlz Drag Queen Show.
Dr. Chow’s Love Medicine is headlining the Humboldt Locals Stage, and De La Buena and Milwaukee’s favorite soul/funk band Kings Go Forth will get people groovin’ at the Nomad World Music Stage. If you’ve never heard this musician collective live, this is a great chance to see them up-close and personal.
Stephanie Salvia is the first full-time director of the Brady St. BID, hosting events and working with the merchants to promote commerce. “Other than generating revenue, the festival is a great way for people to rediscover Brady Street and to try the food from all the restaurants,” she says. “There is always something new, Brady Street is in a constant state of motion.”
Got a sweet tooth? Thankfully, Berry Me, a frozen yogurt shop just opened in the former spot of Aala Reed so now there is exactly everything you will ever need on Brady Street (though it was very sad to see both Detour and Aala Reed close this year). Rumor has it; The World of Beers will soon be filling the spot of the vacant Detour storefront on the corner of Arlington and Brady.
I was serious about the wrestling and the camel rides; they will be located on the west end of Brady, near Casablanca restaurant. Also, don’t miss the rock climbing wall, Division BMX Stunt Team and all the local artists, food vendors and artisan cheese makers.
The festival is family friendly, probably only up until about 9 p.m., judging from my past escapades there. For more information and to see the full entertainment lineup, click here. Oh, and I forgot to mention, it’s free!
One more not to miss: Gallery Night July 29 – 30 – It’s that time again for the quarterly installment of Gallery Night (and Day) hosted by the Historic Third Ward. Check out some fabulous art in a variety of mediums at more than 50 venues throughout downtown Milwaukee.
Follow me on twitter @jkashou for more insider tips, events and happenings around town. Or, tip me off to an event you know of that you’d like me to cover.
