A three-year program to bring a trio of new murals each year to Port Washington Main Street kicked off last week and brings with it a series of events this week.
“Paint on Port” – which starts with murals already underway by artists Britt Flood, John Kowalczyk and Dustin Eckhardt – will add at least six more murals to the heart of town by the summer of 2025.
In celebration, this week will feature a slate of events including Paint & Sip events, live music, street food, family fun and more.
Weather permitting, you’ll also be able to watch Flood paint a mural at 107 N. Franklin St., as Kowalczyk paints over at 201 N. Franklin, and Eckhardt works on his mural at 547 W. Grand Ave.
You can also check out existing murals created before Paint on Port began: The People’s Wall, led by artist Rodrigo Santamaria and designed and painted by adults with disabilities at 540 W. Grand Ave. and Mural Mosaic Midwest Mural at 308 N. Franklin St., comprising lots of small works assembled to created a larger one.
Here is the schedule for the remainder of the week’s events:
Tuesday, Aug. 29
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m. at Java Dock
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m. at Moonlight Tavern
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m. at Gallery 224 ($45, wine included in price)
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m. at Inventors Brewpub (Kids/family paint event)
- Karaoke from 6-9 p.m. at Singing Salmon
Wednesday, Aug. 30
- Public celebration and Grill Out at The People’s Wall, 4-6 p.m., 540 W. Grand Ave.
Thursday, Aug. 31
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m., at Beanie’s Mexican
- Paint and Sip, 5-7 p.m. at Singing Salmon Saloon
- Live music, 6-9 p.m. at Singing Salmon
Friday, Sept.1
- Conclusion of Paint on Port at mural locations
- Sidewalk Sale downtown – Shop unique stores right from the sidewalk of Historic Franklin Street
- Live music with Bella Musik and family activities at Heart of the Harbor, 5-7 p.m. (end of East Main Street, at the water’s edge)
- Live music at 312 Lounge, 6-8 p.m. at Twisted Willow
Saturday, Sept. 2
- Farmers Market, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (downtown along East Main Street)
- Live music and beer garden, 1-8 p.m., at Upper Lake Park
- Live music in Veterans Park at the conclusion of the Sailboat Race
- Sidewalk Sale downtown – Shop unique stores right from the sidewalk of Historic Franklin Street
Sunday, Sept 3
- Sidewalk Sale downtown – Shop unique stores right from the sidewalk of Historic Franklin Street
- Music on the Patio, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Beanie’s Mexican Restaurant
- Venetian Fest Grill Out and family games, noon-10 p.m. at Rotary Park
- Venetian Fest Cardboard Regatta, 2-4 p.m. at Rotary Park
- Venetian Boat Parade, dusk
For more information on the mural program and the events, visit downtownport.com/paint-on-port.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
