By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Nov 14, 2023 at 4:30 PM

Snuggle up with some holiday cheer as OnMilwaukee shares stories of everything merry and bright in the spirit of the season.

The OnMilwaukee Ho Ho Holiday Guide is brought to you by Educators Credit Union, Harley-Davidson Museum and MolsonCoors

The Hop streetcar brings back its “Holidays on The Hop” program for the fourth year, with holiday-themed station decorations, live music and cookie giveaways.

The series starts on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. with the JL Russell Jazz Trio. Sarah Fierek performs on Dec. 9 and the Milwaukee Choristers provide the music on Dec. 16.

During each of these music performances riders of The Hop will also get free holiday cookie, courtesy of the Baird Center and Levy Restaurants.

Decorations will adorn the streetcar's 20 stations and will include holiday messages from partners like Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, HNTB, Jewish Museum Milwaukee, Milwaukee Downtown BID #21, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Pabst Theater Group.

“We look forward to once again having The Hop be a safe and convenient option for exploring Downtown Milwaukee this holiday season, as well as a holiday destination in and of itself,” Commissioner of Public Works Jerrel Kruschke said.

“We have some tremendous performers lined up to bring the spirit of the season on board The Hop and appreciate our many downtown partners whose support makes ‘Holidays on The Hop’ possible.”

More information on “Holidays on The Hop” can be found at thehopmke.com/holidays.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

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.