Weekend Highlights 8/3-8/5

This weekend I’m taking a mini-vacation across Lake Michigan to Chicago for Lollapalooza. I’ve been anticipating this three-day music festival since, well, last year’s Lolla weekend. I’ve been privileged to see several of the bands – Spoon, Silversun Pickups, Son Volt, Blue October, G. Love & Special Sauce, Jack’s Mannequin – already this year at Summerfest.

Even though I’m thrilled to spend a relaxing weekend in a different city listening to some of the best bands around – Muse, Modest Mouse, Interpol, Spoon, The Rapture, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, My Morning Jacket, Kings of Leon, The Cribs – I’m disappointed to be missing an exciting weekend in my favorite city, Milwaukee.

Therefore, I decided to give all of you a quick weekend preview. Maybe you will have the opportunity to check out some of the events throughout Milwaukee. Feel free to fill me in on your weekend happenings also. I’ll do the same when I return to the lower eastside on Monday night to share some of my Lolla fun (even if it’s not Milwaukee related).

Without further delay, the following are weekend highlights:

• See "An American in Paris," starring Gene Kelly, beneath the stars for free on Friday! Bring a picnic dinner with your favorite wine to the lakeside of the Milwaukee Art Museum and dine to the '40s-style jazz music of Suzanne Grzanna before the movie screening at twilight (just before 9 p.m.).
• Many Wisconsinites wait all year to get their annual six-pack of cream puffs. Wisconsin State Fair is here, Milwaukee. Can you believe it? As usual, there are too many animals to list without breaking into song, a ton of music, amusement rides, pig races (a must!), and food other than cream puffs; for instance, an overabundance of food on a stick. If you don’t like a wooden rod probing your meat, I’d opt for the buttery corn on the cob.
• Celebrate African World Festival’s 25-year anniversary all weekend-long on the Summerfest grounds. This year, the fest is featuring retro music acts that will bring the funk to Lake Michigan. If you aren’t interested in 80’s funk or R&B, checkout the on-going choir competition, you’ll be impressed!
• Summer Sizzle, a free outdoor festival in the city's most happening neighborhood, is back this weekend. The Historic Third Ward will feature two stages of great jazz music, a variety of mouth-watering food (amazing BBQ), shopping and much more.
• If you missed the Bocce Ball tournament at Festa, go to Bay View on Saturday for Bocce Fest! This will be the perfect opportunity to show your skills and compete against other Bocce enthusiasts. If you haven’t experienced the sport of Bocce, no worries, there are lessons available throughout the day.

By the way…

One thousand Cousin's Subs box lunches will be given away at the Chase Tower (Water Street and Wisconsin Avenue) at noon this Friday. It's part of the big Downtown Employee Appreciation Week. You deserve it, people!

Don’t plan to go to Bar Louie for happy hour this Friday however. Alas, the pub was forced to close its doors for several weeks until the liquor license is renewed.

Cream puffs, music and lawn bowling are just a snippet of what’s happening in Milwaukee this weekend.

Regardless of what you do, have a fun and safe weekend!

Comments

[suzieq]

I didn't realize there were so many good bands there this year. You have good taste. I hope it was fun.

[Liz]

I went to Afro fest on Saturday. It wasn't just the rain that made the fest bad, it was the fact that there wasn't much to do there and the entertainment wasn't very good. There are better R&B artists out there that could be booked without having to bring in hiphop acts because I know they planners don't want that. Did anyone else go?

[Melanie]

I went to Lollapalooza this year and had the pleasure of seeing Ryan Shaw. He is an incredibly talented singer that would be just terrific for the African Fest. His music is a cross between Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder. Check him out!

[Liz]

Melanie, thank you for the suggestion. I'll have to check out Ryan Shaw. He can't be bad if he's close to either Otis Redding or Stevie Wonder's sound.
Why can't Afro Fest get someone like him? That's the kind of music everyone can enjoy. Not that outdated disco crap (no offense). I wonder if they have some sort of suggestion box...

[KarenC]

Hey Liz! Here's a link to the contact info for those who run Afro Fest in case you want to send them a suggestion for music, etc. If you're driven to do so, I'd suggest sending an email to Bathena Webber, the Vice President of Entertainment. I wouldn't hurt to try I guess. Good luck!
http://www.africanworldfestival-milwaukee.com/contact.htm

[Liz]

Thanks. I don't know if it's that important to me. I just felt like complaining. Thanks for your help though.