While many kids went to bed early Tuesday night, anxiously awaiting the arrival of St. Nick, a large gathering at Lakefront Brewery stayed up late celebrating a very different Christmas folklore creation: Krampus.
Hosted by the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference, last night marked Milwaukee's first annual Krampusnacht, a Eastern European holiday tradition making its way across the globe, celebrating the supposed half-goat, half-devil Christmas monster who punishes misbehaving children during the season.
Last night's edition – sold out weeks ago – featured live music, vendors, a sock and underwear drive for Milwaukee Women's Center, a white elephant gift exchange and, of course, a parade of Krampusse (apparently the correct pluralization) marching down the river, delighting and scaring kids of all ages into being good boys and girls for Christmas.
Here are some photos from last night's freaky festivities at Lakefront Brewery, as well as a Facebook Live video interview with a Krampus. Take a look for yourself – or suffer the consequences of the Krampus!
As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.
When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.
