READ MORE OF OUR 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW STORIES
‘Top Chef’ Wisconsin
It’s got to be “Top Chef” Wisconsin (season 21), large parts of which were filmed in Milwaukee in the summer of 2023. Watching those episodes from week to week was unexpectedly joyful. Plus, we couldn’t have rooted harder for our Dan Jacobs! – Ann Christenson, Dining Editor
That Jam-Packed Lakefront Weekend
I knew the last weekend of July was going to be a wild one – what, with four huge festivals shoulder-to-shoulder on the lake? – but it was something else to actually experience. OK, I didn’t go any of the festivals, just thinking of where to park made me anxious. But I did decide it was a good idea to drive through all them on Lincoln Memorial Drive. People, people, so many people. I had a friend with me from out of town, and slowly cruising past the festivities gave him – and myself – a good idea of what Milwaukee Summers can be like. – Evan Musil, Arts & Culture Editor
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
The Flag Debate Reignites!
The sage of the Milwaukee flag(s) has been long and perilous. There’s the official city flag, a smorgasbord of icons and symbols; and then there’s the “people’s flag,” a graphic sun rising over the water long-promoted by the aesthetically-minded as a better alternative to the much-maligned official one. And the civic debate around these flags gets just as fiery as those over traffic-calming measures or garbage pickup time – people love or hate these flags, man. This year, that debate picked up steam again, as it seemed like Milwaukee might officially ditch the old flag for the new. But predictably, there have been hiccups, including an alternate design presented by Alderman Bob Bauman and the Common Council voting to delay in September. But hey, either way, I love me a good flag, and I love me a spicy flag debate! – Archer Parquette, Managing Editor
That Viral Break Up Video That United Milwaukee Women
We can’t forget the time this spring when Milwaukee women banded together in the comments of this video to lift up and send love to a woman who’s boyfriend broke up with her in public at Huế Vietnamese restaurant in Bay View. I’m pretty sure the woman was never found (if you know otherwise, please DM me, I need the tea), but it sparked a beautiful chain reaction of women helping women who needed a pick-me-up. Local businesses offered to give the original women free stuff, like massages and nail appointments, but when she was nowhere to be found, they started nominating each other in the comments to get the pick-me-ups instead. Ugh! I love it. – Brianna Schubert, Digital Editor
The Beached Yacht
It’s far from the most important or impactful or representative-of-2024 thing that’s happened in Milwaukee this year, but I’ve really enjoyed the saga of the beached yacht near Bradford and McKinley beaches. – Chris Drosner, Executive Editor
‘Top Chef’ (Again!)
I know this one has been said already, but “Top Chef” really was my favorite MKE moment of the year. It felt so gratifying to have Milwaukee put on the map like that. “Top Chef” did a great job highlighting Wisconsin heritage, traditions and culture. It was so cool to see Milwaukee through the lens of a big-league TV network. It made me feel proud to live here and I got to experience it with my favorite people. Cheering Dan on felt like cheering for my own flesh and blood. He was ROBBED, and I will die on this hill. – Sophie Yufa, Editorial Designer
