Independence Day get-togethers just wouldn’t be the same without bread. From buns that house burgers and hot dogs to assorted desserts on backyard folding tables, bakery items have an established role in holiday cookouts.
But on this coming Fourth of July, the carbs and celebration are coming together to begin the day’s festivities, before the charcoal gets lit. Live Laugh Loaves MKE, a local not-for-profit that provides bread for those facing food insecurity in Milwaukee, is bringing back a once-beloved parade to the Jackson Park neighborhood.
“[It will be] heartwarming to see people actually coming together again,” MiquelaRae Artz, founder of Live Laugh Loaves MKE, said.
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For the 19-year-old Artz, the large-scale event will be another accomplishment for her organization just 11 months after its establishment. Growing in community partnerships while it awaits official non-profit status, Live Laugh Loaves MKE will deviate from its usual operations on July 4, serving the neighborhood through a patriotic celebration.
To kick off the festivities, the parade will begin its trek westward at 1 p.m., moving north from Manitoba Park and looping at Cleveland Avenue before finishing at Lyon’s Park.
At the conclusion of the parade, attendees can look forward to an assortment of games and activities, including a live DJ for entertainment. Also available will be a variety of food trucks in addition to popcorn, ice cream and popsicles for the community to gather over.
“This parade isn’t just about festivities – it’s about fostering neighborly connections, uplifting local organizations and creating lasting memories,” the nonprofit said in a press release.
The celebration was sparked by a neighborhood walk with District 11 Alderman Peter Burgelis, Milwaukee County Supervisor Sky Z. Capriolo, Mayor David Crowley and the Jackson Park Association.
That walk, just a few months ago, kicked into motion the resurrection of a parade that spent around a decade on the shelf.
“We met with them and next thing I know we’re in the meeting and we’re getting a parade route,” Mike Artz, MiquelaRae’s father and Live Laugh Loaves MKE partner, said. “From idea to the beginning of the process, it was maybe five minutes.”
Through the planning process, the organization has worked to organize the event and route with the Milwaukee Police Department to ensure a safe setting. Also joining in are volunteers, helping out with barricades and lines at the parade before assisting with operations and games at the Lyon’s Park festivities.
The parade and ensuing celebration will be a large-scale continuum of Live Laugh Loaves MKE’s efforts to have a positive impact on the community, having grown exponentially in its giving over the past year. The organization started with just five boxes of bread in August 2024, and less than a year later, five to seven thousand packages of bread are distributed each week. In addition, the not-for-profit also gives out other essentials such as clothing and furniture.
As the quantity of giving increases, so hope MiquelaRae and Mike that the reach of those items likewise continues to grow, getting to those in Milwaukee that need them.
“There’s a lot of meal programs where you have to qualify [and] a lot of people don’t qualify for them,” Mike said. “We ask no questions; the only thing we ask is to use what you take.”
In the shorter term, Live Laugh Loaves MKE will be on brief hiatus from lining up piles of bread for the local neighborhood. Instead, it will be moving a parade lineup through Milwaukee’s streets to ring in the Fourth of July, and though the handout won’t be baked goods, those attending will take with them a slice of community, wrapped in red, white and blue.
Organizations interested in being a part of the parade can register here.
