Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley
Through Dec. 16
Quadracci Powerhouse
If you consider Mr. Darcy your ideal man, you’ll want to hitch up your Regency-style skirt, or trousers, and hurry over to the Rep, where the theater company is staging a “sequel” to Jane Austen’s iconic Pride and Prejudice, set in the English countryside.
Andrea Gibson
Dec. 1
Boswell Book Co.
You rarely hear the words “slam poet” and “superstar” used to describe the same person. But they fit Andrea Gibson, who won the first iteration of the Women of the World Poetry Slam and has performed at venues around the country. Reserve a copy of her latest book through Boswell, and she’ll sign it at the event.
Milwaukee Hmong New Year
Dec. 1-2
Wisconsin Expo Center
During this celebration, which takes place around the end of the harvest season, thousands gather to sample traditional Hmong dishes, cheer on ceremonial dancers and singers and take part in activities like pov pob – a ball-tossing game commonly played between young adults looking for love.
Fine Arts Society Holiday Luncheon
Dec. 4
Woman’s Club of Wisconsin
To commemorate the return of the Neapolitan Crèche to the Milwaukee Art Museum galleries (the 18th-century nativity scene hasn’t been on view at the MAM since 2013), curator Tanya Paul will discuss the work and its historic significance.
Hover Craft
Dec. 9
Pritzlaff Building
More than 100 Milwaukee makers gather under one roof – a gorgeously historic roof, at that – every year to offer their wares to holiday shoppers. Stop by if you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind gift for a loved one or a seasonal treat for yourself.
Estas Tonne
Dec. 12
Turner Hall
A Ukrainian-born troubadour who travels the world with his guitar, Estas Tonne finds inspiration in flamenco, Latin and Romani music. If you’re on the fence about attending his Cream City concert, listen to his hit “Song of the Golden Dragon,” which has received more than 50 million plays on YouTube.
Moth Story Slam
Dec. 13
The Back Room @ Colectivo
At this live storytelling competition, contestants get five minutes to tell a story that relates to the theme (this time around, the theme is “instincts”). A panel of judges selects a winner at the end of the night, and the champ gets a chance to compete again.
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert
Dec. 13-16
Riverside Theater
Climb aboard the Hogwarts Express and listen to members of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra perform the score of the third Harry Potter movie live, while the film plays on a giant screen alongside them. Ten points for Gryffindor if you come in costume!
Clara Takes Flight
Dec. 14-16, 21-22
John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan
Watch members of the Wisconsin-based Warped Dance Company reimagine The Nutcracker ballet for a 21st century audience. How? By replacing the classic dance scenes with stunning aerial acrobatics.
Photos by Lauren Schmitt of Double Vision Films
UFC Fight Night
Dec. 15
Fiserv Forum
For the first time in five years, Milwaukee is hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship. Lightweight contenders Kevin Lee and Al Iaquinta will square o in the arena, along with many local fighters.
Handel’s Messiah
Dec. 20-23
Basilica of St. Josaphat
Every year, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra fills one of the city’s most beautiful churches (modeled after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome) with the sounds of one of the most beloved choral works in Western music. Christopher Seaman conducts the symphony, and Cheryl Frazes Hill directs the chorus.
Milwaukee Admirals vs. Chicago Wolves
Dec. 22
UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena
Channel a certain sort of holiday spirit by cheering on our hometown hockey team as they compete against our southern neighbors. Because nothing says Christmas like a free-for-all icy brawl.
Stellar Spark
Dec. 31
The Rave
The Rave claims to put on “the Midwest’s longest-running New Year’s Eve event,” and we aren’t going to argue with them. The Swedish DJ duo Dada Life (who set a Guinness World Record for World’s Largest Pillow Fight at one of their 2013 concerts) headlines the event this year.
Harlem Globetrotters
Dec. 31
Fiserv Forum
The Globetrotters have been shooting hoops since the 1920s, when the Chicago-based players (fun fact: they didn’t actually play in Harlem until 1968) began dazzling crowds with their fancy footwork and hand-eye coordination. Today they’re known as much for their comic high jinks as their athleticism, but they’re still pretty impressive to watch.
