special events - july 2007

Complete address of sites is listed with first mention. Area codes of phone numbers are 414 unless shown otherwise. Please confirm events when possible; listings are subject to change.

POTAWATOMI BINGO CASINO, 1721 W. Canal St. Located minutes from downtown, this two-story entertainment complex  offers high-stakes bingo, craps, roulette, blackjack table games, video and reel slot machines and poker. 500-seat cabaret-style theater and 1,800-seat concert hall host nation’s top performers. Dining includes buffet, sports bar & grill and fine dining restaurant. Open 24 hours a day. Call 1-800-PAYS-BIG or visit www.paysbig.com

BETTY BRINN WORKSHOPS, various times; Betty Brinn Children's Museum, 929 E. Wisconsin Ave. Same-day registration is required on a first-come basis. Most workshops free with regular museum admission. 390-5437.

SUMMERFEST, through July 8; Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds) on the lakefront. 40th anniversary edition of the world’s largest outdoor music festival features musical entertainment on 13 different stages, sampling of the area’s restaurants, comedians, children’s play area, daily demonstrations and activities, shopping and more. 800-273-3378.

DOWNTOWN TROLLEY LINE, through Aug. 18; Daily Wednesday through Saturday. Free trolleys run every 20 minutes with stops in Westown, East Town and the Historic Third Ward. 11 a.m.-10 p.m. 344-6711 or www.ridemcts.com/trolley.

DOWNTOWN WALKING TOURS by HISTORIC MILWAUKEE, through Oct. 13;  “Downtown Thru the Eras” tours daily at 10:15 a.m., starting at Shops of Grand Avenue, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. Meet at statue on ground floor between TJ MAXX and Linens ‘n Things. Two-hour tours. At 10 a.m. Saturdays, tours include East Town Elegance and Lake Drive Mansions. At 1 p.m. Saturdays, tours include German Heritage and Yankee Hill. At 1 p.m. Sundays, Historic Third Ward and Walker’s Point. For starting points for Saturday and Sunday tours and Tuesday and Thursday Twilight Tours visit www.historicmilwaukee.org. 277-7795.

THE TOUR OF A LIFETIME, through Nov. 11; Ten Chimneys, 543 W31575 Depot Rd., Genesee Depot. Home of Broadway legends Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, with original furnishings. 262-968-4110.

UNITED STATES SENIOR OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP 2007, July 2-8; Whistling Straits Golf Course near Kohler. Three days of practice rounds and spectator special events precede this 72-hole stroke-play event. 888-327-0100.

FIREWORKS AT THE LAKEFRONT, July 3; Hour-long fireworks show, one of the largest in the Midwest.

TREASURES AT TRIMBORN, July 7; Trimborn Farm, 8881 W. Grange Ave., Greendale, one mile west of downtown Greendale. Rummage, antiques and collectibles at the historic barns, plus tours of the 19th century farm buildings and Jeremiah Curtin House. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 529-7744.

GATHERING ON THE GREEN, July 13-14; Rotary Park, 4000 W. Highland Rd., Mequon. Park opens at 5 p.m. Fri. On Sat., 9 a.m. for lawn blanket and chair placement then re-opens at 4:30 p.m. for performances and activities. Friday performances feature local jazz musicians followed by Grammy Winner Brian Lynch at 7 p.m. On Saturdays,  Milwaukee’s performing arts groups are featured beginning at 7:45 p.m. 262-236-0510 or www.gatheringonthegreen.org.

13th ANNUAL MILLERS MEET AT MILWAUKEE VINTAGE INDY CAR EVENT, July 7-8; Milwaukee Mile, Wisconsin State Fair Park.  Cars dating back to 1909 to 1965, 262-250-3992.

BASTILLE DAYS, July 12-15; Cathedral Square Park. Annual celebration turns the East Side of downtown Milwaukee into Parisian scene. 11 a.m.-midnight Thurs.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sun. 271-1416.

SOUTH SHORE FROLICS, July 13-14; South Shore Park. One of the city’s largest and oldest neighborhood festivals offers food, music , kids games and rides, arts and craft show, bike ride, parade and fireworks. 671-4712.

GREEK FEST, July 13-15; Wisconsin State Fair Park. Popular family festival features Greek food, fun and entertainment. Noon-10 p.m. 800-884-3247.

STREET ROD ASSOCIATION’S MILWAUKEE NATIONALS, July 13-15; Wisconsin State Fair Park. Third time or Milwaukee to host the nationals, featuring than 1,600 pre-1978 specialty vehicles from all over the Central U.S. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri. & Sat., 8:30-2 p.m. Sun.

WAUKESHA COUNTY FAIR, July 18-22: Waukesha County Fairgrounds south of I-94 at Exit 294 (Take J south to Northview Road, west to fairgrounds). The oldest county fair in Wisconsin celebrates its 165th birthday. 262-544-5922. 

FESTA ITALIANA, July 19-22; Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds). Nation’s largest Italian American festival. (See KEY Feature, pages 10-11.)

SKYFEST 2007, July 20-22; Waukesha County Fairgrounds in conjunction with Waukesha County Fair. 13th annual Wisconsin Hot Air Balloon Championships feature 30 ballons from Wisconsin and throughout the U.S.

4th Annual Shorewood Criterium International Cycling Classic, July 19; Oakland Ave. business district, Shorewood. 4-8 p.m. World-class cycling with men’s and women’s races featuring professional and elite amateur cyclists and teams from across the U.S. and more than 20 foreign countries. 4-8 p.m. www.shorewoodwi.com.

GARFIELD AVENUE BLUES, GOSPEL & ARTS FESTIVAL, July 21; Garfield Ave., 4th-7th Sts. Arts, crafts, great soul food and entertainment on four stages. 223-4444.

PORT FISH DAY, July 21; Port Washington, harbor. World’s largest outdoor one-day fish fry, five stages of entertainment, parade, carnival, arts & crafts and fireworks. 800-719-4881.

ANTIQUE POWER REUNION TRACTOR & MACHINERY SHOW, July 21-22; Ozaukee County Pioneer Village, 4880 Cty. Hwy. I, Saukville. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 262-377-4510, 262-377-8432.

SUMMER HORSE SHOW, July 25-28; Wisconsin State Fair Park. 262-893-0045.

EAA AIRVENTURE, July 24-29; Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh. Attracts more than 750,000 people and 10,000 airplanes. Daily afternoon air shows, workshops, seminars and forums. 920-426-4800.

GALLERY NIGHT AND DAY, July 27-28; Downtown Milwaukee. Gallery hopping Friday night and all day Saturday throughout downtown. 271-1416, 273-1173.

GERMAN FEST, July 27-29; Henry Maier Festival Park (Summerfest grounds). Annual celebration of Milwaukee’s German heritage. (See KEY feature, page 17.)

BRADY STREET FESTIVAL, July 28; Brady Street. The first annual Cheesefest and more, with regional cheesemakers, organic farmers, artists, fashion show and live music. 217-3013.

SAMSON SATURDAY, July 28; Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 W. Wells St. Event focused on the special exhibit featuring the gorilla who was the Milwaukee County Zoo’s icon until his death in 1981. Meet Samson’s caretaker, Sam La Malfa, and his re-creator, Wendy Christensen – Senk, the museum taxidermist who is publicly restoring him to his original glory. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 278-2702.

OLD TIME FIDDLERS’ CONTEST, July 29; Ozaukee County Pioneer Village, Saukville. Grounds open at 11 a.m. 262-377-4510, 262-377-8432