05.29.2024

Today’s Forecast

70º | 12% chance of rain | Sunrise 5:21 a.m. | Sunset 8:28 p.m.

608 ➡️ MKE

Spend a weekend in Milwaukee the 608today way

The Milwaukee Public Market is located at the entrance of the Historic Third Ward. | Photo by 608today

Summerfest is right around the corner. For three consecutive weekends — June 20-22, June 27-29, and July 4-6 — 600 music artists will perform at Henry Maier Festival Park.

Whether you’re looking to bolster your festival weekend agenda or are hoping to visit Milwaukee sans crowds, we’ve got you covered. Here’s our itinerary for a long, relaxing weekend in MKE.

🍴 Food and Drink

Bavette, 217 N. Broadway | This cafe doubles as a shop featuring local artisan foods and trendy kitchenware.

Blue Bat, 249 N. Water St. | Choose from over 160 tequilas for a drink on the riverfront patio.

Buckley’s, 801 N. Cass St. | Dinner is great, but the carrot cake is even better. Try both at this restaurant that serves upscale comfort food.

608 Buckley's MKE — Buckley’s is a family-owned sit-down restaurant just a few blocks away from Lake Michigan. | Photo by 608today

Cafe at the Plaza, 1007 N. Cass St. | Located in the historic Plaza Hotel, you can enjoy breakfast at the diner bar, in the dining room, or on the patio.

Explorium, 143 W. St. Paul Ave. | This one’s for the beer lovers. The extensive drink list doesn’t stop at beer, the brewery also makes soda in-house.

Swingin’ Door Exchange, 219 E. Michigan St. | Right across the river from the Residence Inn hotel, this cozy bar serves casual dinner fare.

👟 Activities

Grohmann Museum, 1000 N. Broadway | Each floor of this art museum features art depicting different eras of human work. Think: Blacksmiths, chemists, cobblers, and more.

Lakeshore State Park, 500 N. Harbor Dr. | Just beyond the Summerfest grounds, this lakeside park is great for hiking, fishing, and kayaking.

MARN Art + Culture Hub, 191 N. Broadway | Bring your laptop to get some work done while enjoying fine wine and fine art.

The Marshall Building, 207 E. Buffalo St. | This six-floor building hosts everything from art galleries and shops to fitness centers and restaurants.

608 portrait societty — The Portrait Society is on floor five of the Marshall Building. | Photo by 608today

Milwaukee Art Museum, 700 N. Art Museum Dr. | Milwaukee’s most recognizable building is home to a vast collection of art including over 32,000 permanent pieces and ever-changing temporary exhibits.

Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St. | Peruse the offerings of some Milwaukee businesses.

🛏️ Book your stay

Residence Inn, 648 N. Plankinton Ave. | This option is central to most of the above activities and restaurants. Its riverview rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows looking over Milwaukee’s riverwalk.

For other lodging options, see Visit Milwaukee’s recommendations.

See our itinerary

Events

Wednesday, May 29

Open Studio | Wednesday, May 29 | 6-8 p.m. | The Bubbler, Central Library, 201 W. Mifflin St., Madison | Free | Artist-in-Residence Grace Olson will be in the studio to help guide locals through creative endeavors and community art projects.

Thursday, May 30

Big Beers, Bangin’ Books | Thursday, May 30 | 7-8 p.m. | Giant Jones Brewing, 931 E. Main St., Madison | Cost of purchase | Grab a big ol’ beer and chat about the trope of “mafia romance” in literature.
Open Mic Comedy | Thursday, May 30 | 8 p.m.-12 a.m. | The Rigby, 119 E. Main St., Madison | Cost of purchase | Brave the stage, or just sit back and enjoy the show.

Friday, May 31

The Famous Attic Sale | Friday, May 31 | 8 a.m.-4 p.m. | Keva Sports Center, 8312 Forsythia St., Middleton | Cost of purchase | Find treasures while supporting children and seniors through the Attic Angel Association.
Wonder Circus | Friday, May 31 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Madison Circus Space, 2082 Winnebago St., Madison | $12-$60 | Ogle at acts of dancing, aerial feats, juggling, clowning, and more.

Saturday, June 1

Cows on the Concourse | Saturday, June 1 | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | 100 Block of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Madison | Free | Visit with local dairy cows, drink some milk, and listen to some moo-sic.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Now through Labor Day, All but three Madison Public Library branches (Central, Goodman South, Lakeview) are closed on Sundays. Additionally, all libraries will be closed this Friday, May 31 for a staff work day.

Outdoors

Three-fourths of summer campsites are already booked, according to the Wisconsin DNR. You can make a reservation online and/or be notified of cancellations at specific parks.

Eat

Knoche’s closed in 2022 after 84 years of selling meat, but Andy Ziegler is now reviving it via pop-ups. The first will be at Steve’s Wine Beer Spirits (3618 University Ave.) this Saturday, June 1. (Wisconsin State Journal)

Madisonian

Attorney Michelle Behnke is nominated to be president of the American Bar Association, which has more than 400,000 members. The UW-Madison grad was the first Black person to be president of the State Bar of Wisconsin in 2004-05. Voting occurs in August. (Wisconsin State Journal)

Ranked

Madison is No. 15 on WalletHub’s list of “Best Places to Raise a Family.” Key metrics include housing costs, schools, healthcare, and opportunities for family fun.

Edu

UW-Madison researchers are flying high after getting financial backing from NASA to find ways to perform 3D printing on spacecraft. By doing so, future astronauts could be able to manufacture computer components and spare parts in space. (Wisconsin Public Radio)

Home

Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*

Pets

What does your pet need right now? For a limited time, get a $20 eGift card when you spend $49+ on Chewy.com — use code WELCOME.*

Active

💦 Get your sweat on

Get your sweat on at gyms around Madison

Sharpen your boxing skills at Canvas Club. | Photo by Canvas Club Boxing

Madison is home to many opportunities for exercise, whether you enjoy lifting weights, dancing to hip-hop tunes for a little cardio action, or boxing for a full-body workout. Use this guide as a resource for all things fitness in Mad City.

Dance (like no one is watching)

Dance Life, 6725 Seybold Rd.
Try belly dance, burlesque, ballet, and cardio dance classes for adults.

Miss Pole, 7475 Mineral Point Rd.
Whether you’re a pole pro or new to the game, there are class offerings for everyone.

Combat sports

Canvas Club, 7600 University Ave., Middleton
Classes focus on heavy bag work, agility, interval drills, and strength training.

Fight Prime Training Center, 1820 S Park St.
Brazillian jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai kickboxing, judo, MMA, and kuntao classes are available.

Get your feet off the ground

Boulders, 129 S. Carroll St. and 3964 Commercial Ave.
After your free orientation, you’ll be able to traverse over 16,000 sqft of climbing space between both gyms.

Madison Circus Space, 2082 Winnebago St.
Aerial ballet, adult tumbling, and flying trapeze classes are just a few of the many unique opportunities offered.

10 more workouts

The Buy

Handcrafted candles. Transport yourself to the breathtaking landscapes and scents of your favorite National Parks with scents from The Roosevelts Candle Co.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ally

From the editor

Speaking of Cows on the Concourse, I’ll take this opportunity to show off my favorite picture from last year’s event:

Something about the major side-eye she’s giving tells me she’s not keen on photos.

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