Have a Diverse Meeting or Event in The City Of Festivals
All work and no play? That's not how meetings are done in Milwaukee. In fact, the City of Festivals has a bash nearly every week, and everyone's invited!
A walk in the festival park
During the summer months, many Milwaukee festivals take place at Henry Maier Festival Park. Situated along Milwaukee's lakefront, the grounds are one of the country's coolest permanent festival parks with a dozen phenomenal outdoor stages, a 23,000-seat amphitheater, a thriving marketplace, and 75 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds and walkways.
This makes the perfect venue for the largest outdoor music festival in the world, Summerfest. Over 11 days in June and July, music-lovers nationwide rock out to over 800 bands playing the best in alternative, rock, rap, country, R&B, pop, and more.
Milwaukee's diversity is on display at Maier Festival Park throughout the summer. The season begins with a celebration of LGBTQ culture and community at PrideFest. The following weekend, guests can polka dance at Polish Fest then dine on pierogies. Ride a gondola on Lake Michigan at Festa Italiana while watching fireworks overhead. Go back to the city's roots atGerman Fest with beer, food, music, and favorites like the Timbersports Championships and the Dachshund Derby.
A newcomer to the festival grounds is Black Arts Fest MKE honoring the splendor of African and African-American culture. Discover the traditions of the United States' southern neighbors and part of the city's Latino community at Mexican Fiesta. Take part in the world's largest Celtic music and culture celebration at Irish Fest . Then experience Milwaukee's Native American heritage at Indian Summer.
Planners who schedule events around these Milwaukee festivals can enjoy VIP decks available at many of the stages, classic Milwaukee food onsite, and unique shopping at outdoor marketplaces. Plus, Henry Maier Festival Park is available for a party even when a festival is not happening that week. Groups can rent all or part of the space for their event.
Come together
The festival park is not the only place for Milwaukee parties. City gatherings and street festivals are great destinations for meeting events and excursions.
Conventions could be flying high at the Milwaukee Air & Water Show along Lake Michigan. Say bonjour to Bastille Days featuring an Eiffel Tower replica, a Storm the Bastille Run, can-can dancers, beignets, and more. The popular Brady Street Festival is packed with live entertainment on four stages featuring local bands. IndiaFest allows attendees to experience rich culture, food, and music.
Newer festivals are quickly becoming city favorites. Explore one of Milwaukee's diverse neighborhoods at 5th Street Fest in Walker's Point. Join the Boat Parade at Harbor Fest then feast on seafood. Enjoy music with a message at Hip Hop Week MKEincluding celebrity performances and impactful guest lectures.
When darkness descends over the Greater Milwaukee area, the China Lights festival illuminates Boerner Botanical Gardens with colorful lantern displays. Guests can even listen to music under the stars with an outdoor music series nearly every weeknight in summer. Don't miss the weekly Jazz in the Park event in downtown Cathedral Square Park, River Rhythms in Pere Marquette Park along the scenic Milwaukee River, and the Chill on the Hill concert series in the Bay View neighborhood's beautiful Humboldt Park.
Top local attractions can host smaller meetings, then transition attendees seamlessly into the festivals they're throwing. At the Milwaukee Art Museum, take advantage of their meeting rooms and event space, then experience its Lakefront Festival of Art. Start a day in the Harley-Davidson Museum's three distinct event areas before heading to their Bike Night Concert Series. The Milwaukee County Zoo's conference space is a quick walk away from the annualZoo a La Carte, where guests wine and dine while admiring the city's resident animals.
VISIT Milwaukee can show planners how the city likes to party and how their next event can be a part of the fun.