Before you dismiss this headline, I should tell you that I went to B.E.D. Milwaukee last summer, the event claims to transform Bradford Beach into a scene straight out of Miami Beach. And you know? It did.
This weekend's unique fundraiser for Pathfinders, a non-profit group that helps Milwaukee's homeless and runaway teens, is truly a sight to behold. It culminates with the B.E.D. Bash, an outdoor night club of sorts with beach cabanas, inflatable mattresses, champagne and oodles of scantily clad and buff servers waiting on guests dressed in their summer lineny best.
So, no, it sure doesn't feel like Milwaukee. But yes, it sure is fun.
The weekend of events starts on Friday night with a bonfire and concert (featuring Eddie Butts) at 6:30 p.m., followed by a "dinghy brigade" that storms the beach at 8 p.m.
Saturday morning kicks off with a volleyball tournament at 10 a.m., then rolls on to the official bash that night. The Friday part costs $15, while the bash tickets are $35 online or $50 at the door. Of course, if you want to buy your own cabana, it begins at $500 and goes up to $5,000. Expect tiki torches, light-up mojito bars, chandeliers and neck massages. Everything this year takes place on the beach, itself.
This is a swanky event, as you can see by the photos, and an opportunity to pretend, if only for a weekend, that Bradford Beach is little slice of chique.
And don't forget that despite the party atmosphere, you're raising money for a good cause. B.E.D., after all, stands for "because every kid deserves one."
The only problem with last year's event was the weather -- it was unseasonably chilly that night, but this weekend should be smoking hot, with a low temperature on Saturday of 72 degrees.
That's perfect guayabera and white linen weather, folks. See you on the beach!
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
