This afternoon, I took my wife and 3-year-old daughter to Winter Fest, the 10-day indoor family-friendly party at the Frontier Airlines Center. I went not just because OnMilwaukee.com is a proud sponsor of the event, but my kid said she wanted to see some "winter stuff" and right now Milwaukee isn't very wintry (not that I'm complaining).
My wife and I had a nice time, but my daughter had an amazing time. From bounce house to bounce house, she barely stopped running. She was most intrigued, as usual, by the guy dressed up in a penguin costume. She was temporarily intrigued by the "ice skating rink," which wasn't really ice, rather slippery wood. That idea fizzled when none of the three of us could stay vertical.
The first-year event shows lots of promise, but when we visited, it was somewhat lightly attended. Mind you, it started on Dec. 21 and runs through New Year's Eve, so it's possible we hit it on an off-day. Frankly, the sparse crowd made traversing the event extremely easy, and we encountered very few lines (which made for a very happy child).
I would like to see Winter Fest pick up some steam, however, because it could be even more fun if it was a bit more crowded. With vendors and talent and rides and more, I see a lot of potential here.
Winter Fest costs $16 at the door if you want to skate, but just $5 for general admission. If you have a kid, he or she will want to spend hours there, too, so consider it money well spent.
Andy is the president, publisher and founder of OnMilwaukee. He returned to Milwaukee in 1996 after living on the East Coast for nine years, where he wrote for The Dallas Morning News Washington Bureau and worked in the White House Office of Communications. He was also Associate Editor of The GW Hatchet, his college newspaper at The George Washington University.
Before launching OnMilwaukee.com in 1998 at age 23, he worked in public relations for two Milwaukee firms, most of the time daydreaming about starting his own publication.
Hobbies include running when he finds the time, fixing the rust on his '75 MGB, mowing the lawn at his cottage in the Northwoods, and making an annual pilgrimage to Phoenix for Brewers Spring Training.
