Torrential rains and flash flooding wreaked havoc on the Milwaukee area beginning late Saturday night and into Sunday morning, leaving a path of destruction in several communities caught off guard by the storm.
Wauwatosa and West Allis, especially the grounds of the Wisconsin State Fair and surrounding neighborhoods, were among the hardest hit as record-breaking rain inundated the area. Milwaukee’s Northwest Side recorded rainfall totaling more than 14.5 inches, more than an entire summer in a typical year.
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The National Weather Service reported that nearly eight inches of rain fell in Milwaukee, and more than eight inches in Waukesha and West Bend. Other reported totals included 14.5 inches at Milwaukee Timmerman Airport, 11.4 inches in River Hills and 10.3 inches in West Allis.
Cleanup efforts were underway Monday in Wauwatosa’s Village as water from the Menomonee River flooded and caused significant damage at Hart Park, one the community’s most popular gather spots.
Under sunny skies on Monday, crews filled dumpsters outside Café Hollander, a popular bar and eatery in the heart of the Village. Dozens of chairs and tables were stacked outside the business, located at 7677 W. State St. A sign posted on the door stated that Café Hollander “will not be open today. We apologize for the inconvenience and hope to see you back again.”
A sign posted on the door of neighboring José’s Blue Sombrero stated that the Mexican restaurant was closed due to flooding. “We hope to reopen soon,” the notice indicated, while urging customers to visit one of its other area locations.
Buckatabon Tavern & Supper Club, located immediately west of Café Hollander, posted a sign stating that the spot would reopen for regular service on Monday afternoon.
To the east, in Hart Park, flooding caused damage to the softball field, leaving the backstop crumpled. Floodwaters left the artificial turf field at Hart Park Stadium rippled, appearing to sustain major damage with the high school football season set to start. Marquette University High School and Wauwatosa East are among the schools that use the stadium.
Meanwhile, it was business as usual across the street at Leff’s Lucky Town, where a mid-day lunch crowd gathered Monday on the terrace located immediately north of the damaged Hart Park Stadium.
All the entrances into Hart Park remained closed on Monday, with all public traffic, including pedestrians, prohibited. “We are concerned about additional injuries. Avoid the area,” stated a notice on the city’s website.
Currie Golf Course, an 18-hole Milwaukee County layout in Wauwatosa, was among the spots in the city that remained closed on Monday with standing water on portions of the course.
Special curb-side clean-up of flood-related debris began Monday. The city said the pickup would last about a week and could possibly be extended. The city is also opening its Drop Off Center this week with the following hours: Monday-Saturday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 pm., and Wednesday until 7 p.m. There is no fee to drop off flood-related debris.
Yard waste pickup in the city is canceled this week so crews can focus on picking up debris. Garbage and recycling will continue as normal.
A Red Cross Shelter has been set up at Holler Park, 5151 S. 6th St. in Milwaukee, to assist temporarily displaced individuals.
A few miles south, in West Allis, recovery efforts focused on the fairgrounds and the adjacent neighborhoods, which experienced significant flooding.
Floods forced an early closure of the Wisconsin State Fair on Saturday night, including the cancelation of a mainstage performance by Lynyrd Skynyrd. Fair operators then decided to cancel the final day of the fair’s 11-day run on Sunday, including a planned mainstage show featuring the Happy Together tour, a collection of 1960s and 1970s legendary musicians.
The Wisconsin State Fair posted the following message on its website:
“We want to thank you, our loyal Fairgoers, for your patience as we navigate through the unprecedented rains that swept through Southeastern Wisconsin.”
To “make this tough situation a little brighter,” Wisconsin State Fair operators said that fairgoers who planned to attend the fair on Sunday will have the opportunity to exchange their unused admission tickets and vouchers for Original Cream Puffs, bargain books, WonderFair Wheel vouchers, SpinCity 50-Ticket Pack vouchers,and SpinCity Any Day wristbands for equivalent 2026 Wisconsin State Fair vouchers, which will be held Aug. 6-16, 2026.
For fairgoers who purchased Lynyrd Skynyrd tickets or Happy Together tour tickets through Etix, the official ticket provider of the fair, automatic refunds will be issued in the coming days, according to fair operators. Individuals who purchased tickets at the State Fair ticket office using cash can visit the ticket office to receive their refund Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The city’s Municipal Yard, 6300 W. McGeoch Ave., will be open Monday through Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a minimum of two weeks to support flood recovery efforts. Fees will be waived for flood damage-related debris for a minimum of two weeks.
Regular collection for garbage and recycling is on schedule for this week, according to West Allis officials. Residents are urged to keep regular garbage and recycling separated from flood-damaged materials, if possible. Special trucks and loaders will follow the garbage trucks to pick up flood-damaged materials.
The Milwaukee Brewers played their game against the New York Mets on Sunday despite the closure of multiple parking areas due to flooding around the stadium. Despite the challenges, more than 33,700 fans showed up for the game, which was officially a sellout based on tickets sold (42,261) and included a T-shirt giveaway featuring rookie pitching sensation Jacob Misiorowksi.
The Brewers announced on Monday that a second Misiorowski T-shirt gate giveaway has been added to the promotional schedule for Sept. 16 when the Crew takes on the Los Angeles Dodgers at American Family Field.
The additional giveaway comes in response to the unexpected flooding that impacted fan access during the original promotion on Sunday. The Brewers will offer a newly designed Misiorowski T-shirt to the first 10,000 ticketed fans through the gates on Sept. 16.
