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Do you see what we see? The start of the weekend, that is! No matter if you're looking for holiday fun for the family, a place to cheer on your favorite team, or a concert to check out, it's all happening this weekend. Plus, there's plenty of appearances from a certain holiday icon in a big red suit! Here's your Weekend Preview, brought to you by Potawatomi Casino Hotel!
FRIDAY
Milwaukee Admirals vs. Iowa Wild
Drop the puck! Friday night is hockey night in Milwaukee, as the Admirals return to the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena for a Central Divison matchup with the Iowa Wild! It's also Student Night, the Admirals Holiday Party night, and the first 3,000 fans receive a tuxedo t-shirt!
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The Fitzgerald 150th Birthday Party
Head to the East Side for the 150th Birthday Party for The Fitzgerald! A portion of ticket sales supports Historic Milwaukee and its programming including Doors Open Milwaukee. Each ticket includes a complimentary open bar with beer, wine, soda and appetizers from All Occasions Catering. The event will feature live music from Whole Yachta Love.
Event Info
Music Bingo at MOTOR Bar & Restaurant
If you can't get no satisfaction from your regular granny's bingo, then this is the bar game just for you! TuneMaster's live Music Bingo comes to Motor Bar and Restaurant at Milwaukee's Harley-Davidson campus every Friday night. Cha'mone!
Event Info
Santa's Christmas Cavalcade at Milwaukee Public Market
See Santa and Mrs. Claus on this festive route riding atop a vintage fire truck featuring local singer/songwriter Sarah Fierek with original holiday tunes. The route departs from the Milwaukee Public Market's Water Street entrance at 5:15 p.m. and travels throughout Downtown.
Event Info
Play Date with Art: Chilly Compositions at Milwaukee Art Museum
It’s never too early to learn to love art! Experiment with pastels to create large drawings inspired by snowy winter days, and join in the sing-alongs at 10:30 and 11:15 a.m.
Event Info
Santa Rave at The Cooperage
This holiday season, be part of a raving Christmas Extravaganza like never before. Ring in the cheer at The Cooperage alongside hundreds of Santas, Krampus, and breakdancing elves all getting down to the thumping beats! Don’t forget to come dressed in your holiday best (Santa Costume, Krampus Costume, or as one of Santas Helpers) for an unforgettable event filled with fun, excitement, and bass.
Event Info
Christmas at the Basilica of St. Josaphat with Bel Canto Chorus
Experience one of Bel Canto’s most beloved traditions in one of Milwaukee’s most beautiful spaces! Christmas at the Basilica will feature choir, brass, and organ for a program of familiar favorites and fresh new settings, anchored by John Rutter’s thrilling Gloria. Come take in the sights and sounds of the holidays, and even join yourself with carol sing-alongs.
Event Info
Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings at St. James 1868
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Milwaukee. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Christmas Carols on Strings at St. James 1868 under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Event Info
BASIC: Chris Forsyth, Douglas McCombs, Mikel Patrick Avery, YR KNIVES, Chris Rosenau, DJs Kelly and Parker at Cactus Club
BASIC, a mind-meld between Chris Forsyth, his frequent running partner (and formidable 6-string thinker) Nick Millevoi, and Mikel Patrick Avery presents This Is BASIC, a complex and entrancing instrumental LP recasting forgotten scraps of guitar history into a moving mosaic of strings, skins and electronics.
Event Info
Thank Cod It's Fryday!
Thank cod it’s Fryday! Celebrate all things weekend, fun, and relaxation with this Milwaukee tradition! Find your favorite restaurant to grab a fish fry – or find a new favorite – with dining editor Lori Fredrich’s fish fry guide right here:
Thank Cod It's Fryday!
SATURDAY
PAW Patrol Live at Miller High Life Theatre
Join the PAW Patrol pups as they unleash their mighty superpowers in the all-new live show, PAW Patrol Live! "A Mighty Adventure" coming to Miller High Life Theatre this weekend! With heroic action, catchy tunes and bark-loads of interactive fun, PAW Patrol’s electrifying new adventure is sure to leave tails wagging and audiences cheering!
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Breakfast With Santa at The Pfister Hotel
Breakfast with Santa is a holiday tradition that creates lifelong memories. Guests have the opportunity to share a jolly breakfast collection with Santa and his elves in The Pfister's newly-renovated Grand Ballroom. Chefs will be griddling up chocolate chip and blueberry pancakes with all the toppings, along with everyone's traditional buffet favorites.
Event Info
Opening of Gallery 507 Gift Shop
A new addition to the Bronzeville community, the Gallery 507 Gift Shop offers a curated selection of unique items from artists locally and around the world, perfect for holiday shopping. Your purchase directly supports the Bronzeville Center for the Arts and its future museum endeavors.
Event Info
Wine & Wreaths at 414loral
Bring a little holiday cheer into your space with a Wine & Wreath Workshop! Similar to their popular Build Your Own Bouquet bar, 414loral will provide all the materials you need to build a stunning wreath. You receive a preassembled hand bound 24" Noble Fir wreath- you get to choose your time slot and add on fun extras like raw edge silk velvet ribbon in a bunch of festive colors, dried citrus, cinnamon cloves and more!
Event Info
12 Bars of Christmas
From the organizers of the Shamrock Shuffle, Swarmm Events puts on this fun holiday event with a focus on giving back to those in need during the holiday season. This event has raised over $18,000 for Toys for Tots since 2013.
Event Info
Slow Art Saturday at Milwaukee Art Museum
Explore a single work of art from the Museum’s collection in depth with Amy Kirschke and Barbara Brown Lee Senior Director of Learning and Engagement, during this program that encourages presence and promotes well-being.
Event Info
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical
Come home for the holidays as the most famous reindeer of all soars off the screen and returns to First Stage this season. Celebrating 60 years on television, join Rudolph and his friends as they come to life on stage in an adventure that teaches its audience what makes you different can be what makes you special.
Event Info
Neon Brush: A Glow-in-the-Dark Painting Experience
Switch up your weekend plans with Neon Brush! Get creative with glow-in-the-dark paints in a UV-lit art studio—all while enjoying great tunes and a drink or two.
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Mike Mangione & Band with special guest Zach Pietrini at Anodyne Coffee Roasters
A lot has changed since Americana, acoustic folk artist Mike Mangione left his hometown of Chicago for L.A. in pursuit of a music career. At the time, the most common musical advice one would hear was to get out and play often. So, after a year and a half of gigging around L.A., Mangione purchased a van and began a life on the road, sleeping at rest stops and averaging over 150 shows a year. He'll return to Milwaukee with special guest Zach Pietrini on Saturday night.
Event Info
Hometown Holiday Pops at Bradley Symphony Center
Bring the entire family to the Bradley Symphony Center for Milwaukee’s favorite holiday tradition! Celebrate the season with a musical jubilee of cherished classics, yuletide carols, and festive sing-alongs with your one and only orchestra.
Event Info
Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Lot at Milwaukee Public Museum
Capture the holiday spirit with a visit to the Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Lot at the Milwaukee Public Market! This charming pop-up features freshly cut, wild-harvested Balsam Firs from Northern Wisconsin. The lot will offer an assortment of trees, from whimsical, skinny "Charlie Brown-style" trees to fuller, natural-growth options, ranging in height from 4 to 10 feet.
Event Info
The Panoptics, Moonglow, Varsity Mac at Cactus Club
Head over to Cactus Club for a triple-bill that includes Milwaukee bands Moonglow and The Panoptics, as well as Madison's own Varsity Mac. Don't miss a great night of music in a venue that is a staple of the city's music scene.
Event Info
A Very Jerry Christmas at The Cooperage
Get ready for the ultimate holiday celebration at A Very Jerry Christmas – Another One Does JGB! The *rare* Another One Quartet returns for a night packed with Jerry Garcia Band classics, special guests, and a festive holiday twist. This show will take you on a musical journey with some of the finest JGB jams, infused with the holiday spirit and a whole lot of fun!
Event Info
SUNDAY
Milwaukee Makers Market at Discovery World
Get that special someone on your holiday list a handmade gift from Milwaukee Makers Market! No matter if you're looking for stocking stuffers or standout gifts, head to Discovery World to see what Milwaukee's makers have to offer.
Event Info
MKE Tip-Off at Fiserv Forum
The MKE Tip-Off, a college basketball tripleheader, comes to Fiserv Forum on Sunday, Dec. 15. The hometown Milwaukee Panthers will take on Akron at 12:30 p.m., Northwestern squares off with Georgia Tech at 3:00 p.m. and San Franscisco will face Loyola Chicago at 5:30 p.m. to round out the day of exciting matchups. Tickets are on sale now and valid for all three games of the tripleheader.
Event Info
Santa Brunch at Harbor House
Executive Chef Michael Genre has curated a special customizable three-course brunch menu with specialty items incorporated into the selection. Plus, Santa Claus is coming to Harbor House to say "hello" and to take pictures. Seating is limited and fills quickly. Make your reservations today.
Event Info
Joyfest: A Girls Rock MKE Fundraiser at X-Ray Arcade
Girls Rock MKE will host their first annual “JoyFest,” a one-day music and arts festival and fundraiser. JoyFest is a celebration of the joy found in community, creativity, and the power of the collective. The festival will include workshop programming, performances from Girls Rock and Ladies Rock camp alumni, and local acts highlighting the contributions of marginalized genders across Milwaukee’s creative spaces.
Event Info
Father Christmas at the Pabst Mansion
A whimsical Father Christmas travels south each Sunday during the holiday season to wander gracefully through the Pabst Mansion's three floors. Create magical memories with letters to Santa, holiday treats for purchase, and room after room of enchanting Christmas displays.
Event Info
Celebrity Status Holiday Gala at Potawatomi Casino Hotel
A night of fine dining, fashion, music, and networking. Come dressed up, as the red carpet takes you into the Holiday Gala of the Year!
Event Info
An Irish Christmas with Rory Makem at CelticMKE
The love of song runs deep in the Makem family. Rory is the son of Tommy Makem (of Clancy Brothers fame), and continues a legacy handed down from his grandmother, the legendary source singer Sarah Makem. Rory pulls the songs of the worker, the sailor, the lovers, the fighters, and the land from the pages of history and breathes life into them. He’s an adept interpreter of folk songs, masterfully accompanying himself on guitar, banjo, mandolin, or bouzouki.
Event Info
Wavy Lines Workshop Series ~ Duplication & Dissent: Relief Printmaking with Whatever is Available + DJ Libra at Cactus Club
When one really examines the foundation of an artistic practice, it starts with curiosity and a couple of wavy lines. The intent of this workshop series is to provide in-person instruction into various mediums with the most minimal equipment possible, so one can pursue their interest at home and without much set-up. The skills shared in these workshops will provide the confidence of a completed project and experience to move forward at home if inspired. Workshops can be attended as a stand-alone class or can be taken sequentially to build upon the previous project.
Event Info
ALL WEEKEND LONG
Cheers to the season: Merry holiday pop-up bars in Milwaukee
In the spirit of the season, several local bars have turned into holiday-themed pop-ups that’ll make your spirits merry and bright this season. Enjoy seasonal sippers, holiday decor, Christmas-y characters like Santa and Buddy the Elf, holiday photo opps, events and more.
Holiday Bar Pop-Up Guide
MATC Parade of Gingerbread Houses
Step into a winter wonderland at the Milwaukee Public Market, where talented students from the Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) Bakery Program present a dazzling display of gingerbread houses! These intricate and imaginative creations, crafted with care and expertise, bring holiday cheer to life through the artistry of MATC’s culinary students.
Event Info
The Rave Haunted Holidays
Step into a world where Halloween and Christmas collide at The Rave / Eagles Club this December. Our annual Haunted Holidays Tours return, inviting you on a self-guided journey through our historic venue transformed into a winter wonderland of spooky delights and holiday lights.
Event Info
"A Christmas Carol" at Pabst Theater
“A Christmas Carol” is one of the best-known and well-loved stories in the English language. During the course of one memorable Christmas Eve, the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future help Ebenezer Scrooge discover that it is never too late to change his miserly ways. Milwaukee Rep favorite Matt Daniels returns to play Scrooge, as enchanting music, dance, costumes, scenery and special effects will once again fill the theater to tell this timeless tale of love, hope and redemption.
Event Info
SnowGlobe Holiday Festival at Franklin Field
Check out what experiences Snow Globe Milwaukee has to offer! The All-New SnowGlobe Holiday Festival (Powered by Enchant) Announces the Magic is Returning to Milwaukee’s Ballpark Commons.
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"Almost, Maine" at Next Act Theatre
Welcome to Almost, Maine, a place that’s so far north, it’s almost in Canada. It’s not quite a town, because its residents never got around to getting organized. So it almost doesn’t exist. One cold, clear, winter night, as the northern lights hover in the star-filled sky above, the residents of Almost, Maine, find themselves falling in and out of love in unexpected and hilarious ways. Knees may bruise and hearts may break, but as magic fills the air, the pieces finally fall into place – almost.
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"Oliver!" at Skylight Music Theatre
The streets of Victorian England come to life as Oliver, a malnourished orphan in a workhouse, escapes to London and finds acceptance amongst a group of petty thieves and pickpockets led by the elderly Fagin. Oliver! is a musical theatre masterpiece, perfectly showcasing the talents of a large ensemble cast, including two dozen local youth performers, to bring these classic characters and score to life.
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Marie and Rosetta at Milwaukee Repertory Theater
Before Little Richard, Johnny Cash, and Jimi Hendrix, Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s groundbreaking blend of gospel music, swing rhythms and fierce electric guitar made her an unconventional music superstar in the 1930s and 40s. Acclaimed writer George Brant unearths the unsung roots of the fearless “Godmother of Rock ’n’ Roll” and her wide-eyed protégée Marie Knight, as they begin their revolutionary ascent to become one of the most influential teams in music history.
Event Infoâ
The Big 4-0: New Views of the Collection at Haggery Musuem of Art
The Haggerty Museum of Art at Marquette University presents an exhibition in celebration of its 40th anniversary. Curated by Dr. Kirk Nickel, Marc and Lillian Rojtman Curator of European Art, the show comprises a two-part installation of the exhibition galleries, in fall 2024 and spring 2025, and features well over 100 works of art from the Museum’s collections.
Exhibit Info
Try a new restaurant!
Now's a great time to support Milwaukee restaurants! And how convenient: Our own Lori Fredrich has compiled a list of 52 Restaurants to try in the Milwaukee area. Pick a number from 1-52, and visit that restaurant this weekend!
#52Restaurants
