The Milwaukee Post

18 • Milwaukee County Post • May 18, 2018 Interactive dinosaur exhibit to open at Milwaukee County Zoo MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee County Zoo's "Dinosaurs! A Jurassic Journey" opens May 26 and runs through Sept. 3, according to a news release. The exhibit is sponsored by Sendik's Food Markets. Guests can interact with life-size replicas of their favorite dinosaurs in this outdoor exhibit. More than 20 robotic creatures will be featured in a tropical, lush outdoor exhibit at the zoo. Each life- like dinosaur has character and appeal, making the exhibit engaging and inter- active for visitors, the release said. Returning dinosaurs from past years include the Tyrannosaurus rex and the Dilophosaurus, known for the semi-circular plates on its head. The Brachiosaurus, one of the tallest and largest known dinosaurs, will be in the exhibit. "Dinosaurs! A Jurassic Journey" will be open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and located in the outdoor habitat behind the Small Mammals building. Admission is $3 per person, after regular zoo admission. For more information, call the zoo at 414-771-3040 or visit www.milwaukee- zoo.org. ENTERTAINMENT By CATHERINE JOZWIK Special to the Post WAUKESHA — Whether you have adventurous or tra- ditional taste buds, the Milwaukee Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival, from noon to 5 p.m. May 26 at the Waukesha Expo Center, will offer eats to please a wide variety of palates. Sponsored by Food Truck Festivals of America, the event will feature over 25 local food trucks and a mix of local, regional and national craft beers. Admission is $5, and first responders and active and retired military get in free. The festival is also offering a VIP pass for $30 that includes early admission, free bottled water, a free dessert, and a free Wisconsin State Fair ticket. Sushi, quesadillas, gour- met macaroni and cheese, bacon-wrapped hotdogs, and cupcakes are just a few examples of the cuisine to sample. "You can taste things you love and try things you never have," said Janet Prensky, spokesperson for Food Truck Festivals of America. "We wanted a variety of trucks without too much overlap." Headquartered in Boston, the company was founded in 2011, and began hosting fes- tivals in the Northeast. Prensky said the number of food trucks has "just exploded" from eight to more than 3,500 participat- ing in festivals nationwide. Food trucks have come a long way from just offering canteen-style sandwiches, noted Prensky. Now, it's pos- sible to sample many types of freshly cooked gourmet delights, such as crab maca- roni and cheese and sweet and savory crepes. "You can get an amazing quality of cuisine from a food truck," Prensky said. 'A lifelong dream' This will be the second year Denson's Catering, based in Milwaukee, is par- ticipating in the festival. Owner Sylvia Denson serves a mix of Southern- style and classic American food items, including catfish and shrimp po' boy sand- wiches, burgers, fried okra, and peach cobbler. She said although the weather was rainy and cold, the first food truck festival drew a large crowd. Denson, who inherited her love of cooking from her mother, operates her food truck six to seven months out of the year, and offers catering for weddings, cor- porate, birthday parties and other special events year- round. As a food truck owner, she enjoys being her own boss, traveling to different loca- tions, and meeting new and interesting customers. "It's a lifelong dream I've had," she said. Denson plans to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant in the future. She feels that the food- truck movement has gained significant momentum in the last couple of years. "It's skyrocketing. It's pretty much taken over," Denson said. Ellen Paulus and her hus- band, Bob, own Cupcake-A- Rhee, based in Port Washington. The couple started serving sweet treats from their food truck in 2016, after selling their printing business, Paulus Printing. "We needed to make a change," said Ellen Paulus. The Pauluses work gruel- ing schedules — often 16- hour days six days a week — and travel throughout Southeastern Wisconsin, setting up shop at farmers markets and other events. Cupcake-A-Rhee will be participating in the food truck festival for the first time this year, and will offer popular cupcake flavors, including chocolate peanut butter and red velvet cream cheese, and seasonal favorite lemon blackberry, along with cookies and iced coffee. A quality, laid-back vibe Prensky attributes the popularity of food trucks to their casual nature. Unlike dining in a restaurant, no reservations are required, and tips are not expected. Also, customers get the opportunity to interact with the chef, who is often the truck owner. "It's a very interesting culinary experience," Prensky said. "Once people are bitten by the food truck bug, they don't go back." The food truck festival will feature nine craft beer ven- dors, including Delafield Brewhaus, Waukesha's award-winning Raised Grain Brewery and Milwaukee's Enlightened Brewing Company. Tommy Vandervort and James Larson started Enlightened, a small brew- ery, in 2013, selling beer to area restaurants and bars, and opened a tap room at 2018 S. First St., Milwaukee, in July 2016. Although Milwaukee is home to many craft brew- eries, with more popping up every year, Vandervort feels that local brewers are sup- portive of rather than com- petitive with each other. "Where we are now, we are a scene that is getting stronger and making higher- quality beers. We all want each other to do well," he said. Enlightened will offer its popular Cream City Brix, a cream ale, and other beers at the festival. Prensky said the Milwaukee area is an ideal location to hold a food truck festival, due to its beer cul- ture and number of foodies. This weekend, Food Truck Sunday will be held with live music from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at 11th and Milwaukee avenues in South Milwaukee. "Milwaukee is a wonderful example of a city that gets it," Prensky said. 'An amazing quality of cuisine from a food truck' Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival Who: Food Truck Festivals of America When: Noon-5 p.m. May 26 Where: Waukesha County Expo Center, 1000 Northview Road, Waukesha Why: A chance for foodies to try a wide range of cuisines and craft beer. Tickets: General admission: $5. $30 VIP package includes early admission (11 a.m.), a free Wisconsin State Fair ticket, a free dessert, and free bottled water. First responders and retired and active military receive free admission. To pur- chase advance or VIP tickets, visit foodtruckfestivalsofameri- ca.com/. At a glance Bob and Ellen Paulus, who own Cupcake-A-Rhee, typically work 12- to 16-hour days serving sweet treats to customers around southeastern Wisconsin. Submitted photo Second annual Milwaukee Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival to be served May 26 'Jurassic Journey' to run from May 26 to Sept. 3

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