family fun - november 2009

Picks of the Month

For the last 65 years, the holiday season has started in a uniquely Milwaukee way. The Holiday Folk Fair International opens the season again this year Nov. 20-22 by showcasing the holiday traditions, music, dance and foods of the many world cultures represented in Milwaukee’s diverse population. It’s a great family event, staged in the Wisconsin Exposition Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave. Get all the details of this year’s festival in the KeyMilwaukee.com cover feature.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO

10001 W. Bluemound Road. Just 10 minutes from downtown Milwaukee at Highway 45 and Interstate 94. Open 365 days a year. Ph. (414) 256-5412 or www.milwaukeezoo.org.

It’s always a good time to visit the Milwaukee County Zoo, one of the premier zoological parks in the country.

Be sure to see the zoo’s two female Siberian tiger cubs born in July and growing up rapidly.

Family Free Day at the zoo is Nov. 7.

BETTY BRINN CHILDREN'S MUSEUM

929 E. Wisconsin Ave. Ph. 414-291-0888 Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Saturday, noon-5 p.m. Sunday. www.bbcmkids.org

Programs include:

• Tot Time, ages 1 to 3 with parent or caregiver, 10:30 a.m. Tuedays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays. Toddlers will enjoy sing-alongs, finger-play, stories, and art experiences. Adults learn how these experiences impact early childhood development.
  
  
  
• Pre-School Pop-in, ages 3-5, 10:30 a.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Pre-schoolers participate in music, movement and visual art activities that encourage early reading and introduce beginning math concepts. Adults learn about age-appropriate activities that stimulate a child's development.

Special events:

Neighborhood Night Nov. 19 means free admission from 5-8 p.m.

“TINKERTOY: BUILD YOUR IMAGINATION” opens Nov. 21 and continues through Jan. 24, celebrating the toy’s 95th anniversary with construction and educational activities inspired by GE Technologies.

THE MUSEUM CENTER
800 W. Wells St.

Includes Milwaukee Public Museum, one of the world's best natural history museums (Ph. 278-2700); and the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater 414-319-IMAX. www.mpm.edu

Special exhibits:

The Puelicher Butterfly Wing allows visitors to stroll through a lush, tropical garden filled with butterflies, some willing to pause on fingers.

Snake Day Nov. 7 is a family-friendly event that lets you get up close and personal with 40 live reptiles. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Collectors Day Nov. 21 provides an opportunity for avid collectors from throughout the region to exhibit unique collections of artifacts, specimens and memorabilia for museum visitors.

The annual Lighting of the Whale Nov. 27 means that the massive humpback whale skeleton that hangs over the Grand Staircase will be adorned with lights for the holiday season.

“Cabinets of Curiosity,” themed in honor of the museum’s 125th anniversary, illustrates the vast scope of museum holdings.

The Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater in the Museum Center, the only IMAX theater in the state, doubles as a state-of-the-art digital planetarium.

Current and upcoming IMAX shows:

“AFRICA; THE SERENGETI,” (through Jan. 21, 2010): Safari into the "last great place on earth" – the Serengeti plains, a place where life and death dramas are played daily within the most important animal sanctuary on earth.

“WILD OCEAN” (through March 18): Explores the interplay between man and the endangered ocean ecosystem, an epic struggle for survival where animals collide with the most voracious sea predator, mankind.

“THE POLAR EXPRESS.” Nov. 27-Jan. 3: Extraordinary train ride to the North Pole.

Current and upcoming shows at the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium in the IMAX :

“Ice Worlds” (through Dec. 12) travels to the Arctic and Antarctic to examine the ecosystems that live and thrive in those regions. It also travels beyond Earth to see how ice shapes the landscapes and the natural systems on other planets and moons. The film finishes with “The Pluto Story,” a look at the popular ex-planet produced by the Milwaukee Public Museum.

"Galileo: The Power of the Telescope" opens Sept. 25. The Soref Planetarium original production tells Galileo's personal and powerful story, exploring how his discoveries displaced long-held views about the universe. Narrated by Dava Sobel, author of the award-winning biography "Galileo's Daughter."

“MYSTERY OF THE CHRISTMAS STAR,” Nov. 27-Jan. 3: Journey back 2000 years to Bethlehem to discover which ancient star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus.

Call 414-319-4629 for IMAX planetarium show times and reservations.

DISCOVERY WORLD at PIER WISCONSIN

500 N. Harbor Dr. 765-9966. The newest addition to Milwaukee’s world-class lineup of museums and visitor attractions is the home of the 19th century re-creation of a Great Lakes sailing vessel, the Denis Sullivan. Until the ship is returns for the summer season, the Discovery World Museum offers saltwater and fresh water aquariums, interactive exhibits created by several of the city’s leading corporations and the HIVE, a virtual-reality chamber that puts visitors into 30 simulated environments.. Open to the public from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tues.-Sun. www.discoveryworld.org.

A special weekend program, "Tesla Lives," provides electrifying performances that look into the genius of Nicola Tesla.

Continuing exhibits at Discovery World:

"City of Freshwater" focuses on Milwaukee’s leadership role in use of its water resources.

"Les Paul's House of Sound" is a tribute to the famed Wisconsin guitarist Les Paul.

Briggs & Stratton's "Milwaukee Muscle" exhibit allows visitors to design a vehicle of the future.

"Energy & Ingenuity: Harnessing the Power of You" developed by the Wisconsin Energy Foundation.

MISCELLANEOUS FUN

COMEDYSPORTZ at 420 S. 1st St. continues to provide improvisational comedy suitable for the whole family. Shows every week 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. Saturday.  Also 10 p.m. Friday amateur (18+) stand up session. Call 272-8888 for show times and reservations or visit www.comedysportz.com. Be sure to use our KeyMilwaukee.com coupon for extra savings.

JUNIE B. JONES AND A LITTLE MONKEY BUSINESS, through Nov. 14; Todd Wehr Theater, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St., is the place to see the First Stage Children's Theater presentation of the hilarious musical about the spirited kindergartner Junie B. Jones from Barbara Park's popular series of books Most appreciated by adults, teens and children ages four and up. 273-7206.

TRAINFEST, Nov. 14-15;America’s largest operating model railroad show comes to the Wisconsin Expo Center at Wisconsin State Fair Park in West Allis. Features more than 50 detailed, operating model railroad displays, 40 manufacturers and 10 railroad historic societies and museums. 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sat., 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m./ Sun. 262-820-3566.

LEONARD BEARSTEIN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Nov. 16-Jan. 4; Conductor Bearstein and his 18-piece orchestra of animated bears returns to the atrium of the Shops of Grand Avenue in downtown Milwaukee to perform hourly. 224-0655.

HOLIDAY LIGHTS KICK-OFF EXTRAVAGANZA, Nov. 19; Annual kickoff of Downtown Holiday Lights program at Pere Marquette Park, W. State and Old World 3rd St., includes winter fashion show for the whole family at 5:30 p.m., holiday variety show at 6 p.m. featuring live music, holiday acts, a visit from santa and fireworks after the switch is thrown to light downtown parks. After the show take in all the sights with free Jingle Bus Rides. 220-4700.

MILWAUKEE HOLIDAY LIGHTS FESTIVAL, Nov. 19-Jan. 3; Downtown Milwaukee. Cathedral Square Park, N. Jefferson and E. Wells; Pere Marquette Park, W. State and Old World 3rd St. and Ziedler Union Square, W. Michigan St. between 3rd and 4th Sts., are brightly lit for the season, along with the rooftops throughout downtown Milwaukee. Jingle Bus to displays operates 6-9 p.m. Thurs.-Sun. The last Jingle Bus departs at approximately 8:20 p.m. The bus does not operate Thanksgiving Day. Catch the Jingle Bus for $1 at the Plankinton Arcade in the Shops of Grand Avenue. 220-4700.

CITY/COUNTY TREE LIGHTING, Nov. 19; In Red Arrow Park, 920 N. Water St., caroling begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by tree lighting with Mayor Tom Barrett, County Executive Scott Walker and comedian John McGivern at 5:15 p.m. 286-3261.

83rd ANNUAL MILWAUKEE HOLIDAY PARADE, Nov. 21; Beginning at 9:30 a.m., annual parade with bands, balloons and Santa moves from east on Kilbourn to Old World 3rd St. and ends at the entrance to the Shops of Grand Avenue. Click HERE for Parade Route.

GRAFTON COMMUNITY TREE LIGHTING, Nov. 22; Paramount Plaza in Grafton. Entertainment, food and song. 6 p.m. 262-377-1650.

HOLIDAY ARTS FESTIVAL, Nov. 22; At the Sharon Lynne Wilson Center for the Arts inside Mitchell Park in Brookfield, celebration includes arts projects for families, gingerbread house contest and The Nutcracker excerpts by Milwaukee Ballet II. 262-781-9520.

THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER, Nov. 27-Dec. 24; First Stage Children’s Theater presents an annual Christmas pageant staged by the unruly Herdman kids. Todd Wehr Stage of the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. 267-2929.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Nov. 27-Dec. 27; A family tradition, this Dickens classic is presented by the Milwaukee Repertory Theater in the historic Pabst Theater, 144 E. Wells St. Buy tickets at the box office or online at HYPERLINK "http://www.milwaukeerep.com" www.milwaukeerep.com

SESAME STREET LIVE 123…IMAGINE, Nov. 27-29; Touring show stops at the Bradley Center, 1001 N. Fourth St. 2 and 7 p.m. Fri., 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sat., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Sun. 800-745-3000.

30TH ANNUAL GRAFTON CHRISTMAS PARADE, Nov. 28; Parade begins at 6th Ave. and Washington Ave., proceeds south on 12th/Wisconsin Ave. and ends at 7th Ave. 11 a.m., preceded by Breakfast with Santa 7:30 a.m.-10 a.m. at Circle B Recreation Center, 6261 Hwy. 60 (reservation only).

CEDARBURG TREE LIGHTING, Nov. 30.

M&I BANK HOLIDAY DISPLAY, Nov. 30-Jan. 4; M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank lobby, 770 N. Water St., again presents displays of giant stuffed animals. Open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, 9 a.m..-4 p.m. weekends, including Christmas and New Year’s days. On Dec.12 and Dec. 24, exhibit closes at 1 p.m. On Jan. 4,exhibit closes at 5 p.m.