1. Celebrate National Cheese Curd Day at Lakefront Brewery
CHRIS DROSNER | EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Wednesday is National Cheese Curd Day, and despite my curmudgeonliness about National Whatever Days, this is one I can get behind. And, this year at least, there’s no better place to spend it than Lakefront Brewery – a frequent Best Cheese Curds winner in our Readers’ Choice Awards. We’re big fan of Lakefront’s Curd of the Month, in which it gets weird with off-the-wall curd batter/dip flavors, and Wednesday it’s going large with that concept, rolling out three specialty flavors (in addition to their excellent unadorned curd). We’re talking about curds riffing on “Wisconsin supper club prime rib,” mango chile lime and carrot cake, a flavor that continues Lakefront’s (quite successful exploration) of sweet curds. You can also try your hand at a curd-pull competition. 2-9 p.m. Wednesday (Brewers NLCS first pitch is a bit after 7), 1872 N. Commerce St.
2. Sip Black Gold at Central Waters Brewing
CHRIS DROSNER | EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Listen, I know beer releases aren’t all that exciting even for beer people anymore, but great beer is still a thing, and Central Waters just put a bunch of it on. Its annual release of Black Gold was Saturday, and there’s still plenty available on draft and for take-home purchase (in four-packs of cans this year). It’s a beer worth going out for: An incredibly deep, smooth imperial stout aged three years in bourbon barrels. That’s a lot, and the beer shows that time in wood and spirit beautifully, as always. This year’s variant is maple coffee, and neither accent is overdone. 1037 W. Juneau Ave.
Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!
3. Watch Carrie (2026)
ANN CHRISTENSON | DINING EDITOR
The new series adaptation of Carrie, the 1974 Stephen King novel about a teenage girl with telekinetic power, has a modern backdrop but some of the central themes – particularly, pubescent bullying – are no less relevant than they were in the 1970s. Series creator Mike Flanagan really plays up the teen hysteria/mean girls themes in his series released last week on Amazon Prime. It’s hard to do justice to characters first portrayed by Sissy Spacek (as Carrie White) and Piper Laurie (Carrie’s religious fanatic mother, Margaret) in the 1976 film. But the performances, overall, are good, especially the role of the mother, played by Samantha Sloyan (who Flanagan fans will remember from her role, also as a religious fanatic, in Midnight Mass). There is gore in Carrie, but the scariest thing about it is the reality of the female “tropes” it depicts – hysteria, perceptions of wantonness, women bullying women.
4. Explore Milwaukee’s Art Scene at Gallery Night
ARCHER PARQUETTE | MANAGING EDITOR
If you’re interested in learning more about our city’s art scene but feel a little overwhelmed, you are not alone. In fact, I thought about starting a support group years ago when I first started working at Milwaukee Magazine. The working name was People Who Want to Appreciate Milwaukee Art But Feel Like They’re Not Sophisticated Enough and Also Are a Little Overwhelmed by all the Different Galleries and Events and Sometimes Sweat a lot When They’re Nervous Which Could Be Awkward When Visiting Galleries. (The group never got off the ground, but I still think it was a great idea).
Well, listen. Gallery Night (Oct. 16-17, this year) is like Milwaukee Art 101. It makes exploring the scene easy. On the two nights, a bunch of local arts destinations open to welcome visitors. Most of them also host artists on site or hold other special events in conjunction. Just pick a spot or two from the many venues – such as Tory Folliard Gallery, Var Gallery and Walker’s Point Center for the Arts, to name a few – and stop by to learn more and see what’s on display.
5. Listen to Allison Mahal
EVAN MUSIL | ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
Lots of simply stellar Milwaukee music has dropped in the last month, all worthy of their own shout-outs. I’m talking about Josh Evert’s kaleidoscopic glitch rock, Ellie Jackson’s blazingly vulnerable songs, Sunny Lou and 414BigFrank riding the high of September’s electrifying library show, just to name a few. The yellowing of leaves has sent me on an homespun Americana path lately, and singer-songwriter Allison Mahal fits that bill with her latest EP, Backbone. The soaring chorus on “The Knife” carries the daunting emotions that come with a seismic life shift, when what’s to come is terrifying and exciting all the same. “Not want I wanted/But I’m here right now,” she sings defiantly. As I navigate changes in my own life, I find that’s a good mentality to live by. Maybe you’ll find it helpful, too.
6. Cheer for the Brewers at a Sports Bar
JONATHAN JOSEPH | DIGITAL EDITOR
For those who don’t care about baseball, too bad it’s time to care. The Brewers have had a stellar run this season, earning themselves a record setting season and a fighting chance in the playoffs. With a 3-1 victory over the San Diego Padres and currently leading the Los Angeles Dodgers by one, there’s a world where Cream City’s finest finally make it back to the world series since 1982. If you can’t catch the home games, I highly recommend getting out of the house and finding a neighborhood bar to call home. Share a drink, revel in great plays and suffer from defeat, with a stranger. Regardless of how the playoffs go, victory or defeat will be better felt with neighbors. The Tracks in Riverwest will be my home, what will be yours?
