By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Jun 06, 2023 at 8:53 AM

The Great Milwaukee Summer is HERE! Your guide to what you'll be doing, where you'll be drinking, who you'll be hearing and how you'll be getting a sweet tan this summer is on OnMilwaukee. The Great Milwaukee Summer guide is brought to you by Educators Credit Union and Harley-Davidson Museum

Beer gardens are ever-more contagious in Milwaukee and the latest is springing up in Catalano Square in the Third Ward this week.

The new Third Ward Beer Garden is slated to open at the foot of Broadway on Friday, June 9.

The garden, which will be open through September, will be centered around a two-level pop-up container bar that has a stage and green space on its roof. Arrayed around it will be German-style picnic tables and high-top tables made from barrels.

The container is expected to be positioned at the site on Tuesday.

Beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails will be available for purchase. According to the garden’s website, that menu includes brews from Milwaukee’s Third Space Brewing and Hinterland in Green Bay and imports from Weihenstephaner.

There will also be Cutwater canned margaritas and vodka mules, Bud Light black cherry seltzer and Michelob Ultra.

Casa Cortelli Prosecco will be available as will red wines that have not been identified yet.

There will also be water and packaged snacks.

The beer garden will be open 3-8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays; 3-9 on Fridays; noon-9 p.m. Saturdays; and noon-5 on Sundays.

There will be live, acoustic music on Thursdays and Saturdays.

The garden will be operated by Third Ward residents Leanne and Dave Hock. Leanne owns and operates The Hock Group, which runs the Bud Pavilion and Wednesday Night Live at Wisconsin State Fair Park, and Dave – who worked at Beechwood Sales and Service and was CEO of Milwaukee Brewing Company and Future Libations – is a beverage industry consultant.

A portion of the beer garden proceeds will benefit the Historic Third Ward Association and BID #2, to help fund improvements to Catalano Square.

“This beer garden is a place for our neighborhood residents and visitors to come together, raise a glass and celebrate summer in one of our favorite Third Ward parks,” said Jim Plaisted, executive director of the Historic Third Ward Association.

“With local brews and local musicians drawing beer lovers to Catalano Square, we are excited to show off all the incredible businesses that populate this area of the Third Ward. From Club Charlie’s, Copper Turtle Brewery & Taverne and Riley’s – all located just off the Square – to the nearby MARN Art + Culture Hub, MIAD campus, and the shops and eateries on Erie Street and more, there’s truly something for everyone.”

Find more information at thirdwardbeergarden.com, on Instagram and Facebook.

“Like other neighborhood beer gardens around the city, this beer garden will be a social gathering spot,” said Leanne Hock.

“We are excited to welcome our Third Ward neighbors and visitors to enjoy summer days and evenings with friends and family, cold beverages, great music and lots of good cheer. It’s what Milwaukee summers are all about.”

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.