Remember when a giant inflatable moon graced the Third Ward’s Catalano Square one fateful summer in 2019?
Museum of the Moon – the 23-foot installation by British artist Luke Jerram – is returning to the Milwaukee neighborhood this August as part of a new festival organized by the Historic Third Ward Association.
The Third Ward Moon Festival will run for three days from Aug. 7-9 at Catalano Square and extending onto Menomonee Street and Broadway. It’ll feature live music, dance, art, fashion, wellness experiences and family-friendly activities while encouraging visitors to explore the neighborhood’s restaurants and businesses.
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The association says the festival comes as part of a wider celebration of the association’s 50th anniversary. Museum of the Moon first appeared in the Third Ward for the Under One Moon festival in 2019, organized by the association and Black Box Fund (now Joy Engine).
“The Third Ward Moon Festival is about creating a sense of wonder, bringing people together under a shared experience that feels both intimate and expansive in the heart of the neighborhood,” said Jim Plaisted, executive director of the Historic Third Ward Association, in a press release.
The traveling installation at the center of the festival uses high-resolution NASA imagery of the moon printed onto an inflatable sculpture. The sculpture is illuminated from the inside and paired with a surrounding sound experience. Since it was created in 2016, Museum of the Moon has shown at festivals around the world; other appearances this year include the United Kingdom, Spain, and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
The free festival will also offer a mix of programming across all three days. “Friday will focus on celebration, Saturday will highlight the neighborhood’s cultural roots, and Sunday will center on wellness and community,” according to the press release. More details and a full lineup will be announced in the coming weeks.
Founded in 1976, the Historic Third Ward Association represents the district’s businesses and resident groups and sponsors events such as Gallery Night MKE. Its mission is to “guide the district as an innovative, livable, and exciting mixed-use neighborhood while preserving its historic and creative character.”
