Milwaukee Post
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/994757
June 15, 2018 • Milwaukee County Post • 17 By CATHERINE JOZWIK Special to the Post MILWAUKEE — Summer in Milwaukee is synonymous with festivals. While Summerfest may draw the largest crowds, ethnic festi- vals such as Polish Fest, Irish Fest and Mexican Fiesta attract visitors from all over the world, and are a wonder- ful opportunity for people young and old to sample food, listen to music, and learn about traditions of various ethnic cultures. Here's a look at the season: Friday through Sunday Polish Fest at the Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive, Milwaukee. Admission: $12 at the gate, $10 for 55 and older, free for 15 and younger and U.S. mili- tary personnel. Fifty cents from noon to 5 p.m. today, then $5 until midnight today. $4 admission tickets can be bought from 9:30 a.m. to 11:59 a.m. Sunday (gates open at noon); free admission with three nonperishable food items after 2 p.m. Sunday; and free admission to dads all day on Father's Day. See www.polishfest.org for details. Times: noon to midnight today and Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday Polka, pierogis and pottery are all highlights of the largest Polish cultural festi- val in the United States. Watch the Syrena Polish Folk-Dance Ensemble and the Warszawa Dance Group from Poland perform. Munch on a pierogi (a dumpling stuffed with sauerkraut, cab- bage and various cheese fill- ings), and polka untill you drop. Other delicacies include czarnina (duck's blood soup), pickle soup, and, of course, kielbasa and Polish sausages made by Klement's Sausage Co. About 56,000 people in the Milwaukee area claim Polish ancestry, said Jeff Kuderski, executive director of the Polish Heritage Alliance, which organizes the festival. Polish Fest attracts about 35,000 visitors, both national- ly and internationally, each year. Close to 400 people vol- unteer each year. The PHA begins planning each festival about a year in advance, booking bands and other per- formers, Kuderski said. New to the festival this year is the royal white tiger exhibit. These big cats were featured at the 2010 Wisconsin State Fair as cubs. Other exhibits include a trib- ute to the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence and 20 years of the Chopin Youth Piano Competition. Families can enjoy the "Big Boomski" — Saturday fire- works at 10:30 p.m. "It's kind of a nice mixture of everything," Kuderski said. June 22-24 Greek Fest at State Fair Park, 640 S. 84th St., West Allis Opa! Admission to Greek Fest is free, which means you'll have more money to spend on gyros, Greek chick- en and delectable Mediterranean desserts such as honey puffs and baklava. Watch Greek folk dancing and head to the midway for rides and games. New this year is a drive- thru serving Greek chicken — ideal for busy folks who love the taste of the festival but don't have the time to attend. July 20-22 Festa Italiana at Henry Maier Festival Park Admission: Visit http://festaitaliana.com/tick ets/ for ticket information. Milwaukee residents don't have to travel all the way to Italy to sample its culinary delights. Nearly 20 vendors will serve up fried eggplant strips, calamari, pasta, Italian sausage sandwiches, rice balls and more. Foodies will love the Cucina Showcase, which fea- tures live cooking demon- strations and a cannoli-eat- ing contest. Four stages feature enter- tainment including flag- throwers, opera singers and crooners such as the Rat Pack Reprise. The Festa Italiana Mass and procession will take place at 11 a.m. July 22 in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Festival admission is free to all who enter the grounds from the Amphitheater. Fireworks are held at 10:15 nightly. July 21 Turkish Fest, 6011 S. 27th St., Greenfield Hosted by the Turkish American Society of Wisconsin, this second annu- al event will include Turkish folk dancing, Turkish art, henna tattoos, bounce houses and pony rides for kids, and lots and lots of food. Sip Turkish coffee or tea, try a shish kebob, and enjoy Turkish delight or baklava for dessert during the course of the fest from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 27-29 German Fest at Henry Maier Festival Park Join the crowds to watch German folk musicians per- form, try a Sprecher beer such as Hefe Weiss or German Fest, a brew made specifically for the festival, savor roast pig and potato pancakes, and visit the cul- tural pavilion and learn about German inventions including the automobile (Karl Benz applied for a patent of gasoline-engine powered vehicle in 1886) and Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Tammy Dunn, director and vice president of marketing and advertising for German Fest, said about 80,000 to 100,000 people flock to the three-day festival each year to enjoy traditional German cuisine, music, and good old- fashioned gemütlichkeit (a German word that can be interpreted as friendliness). About 1,500 volunteers help make the event possible. Unlike other festivals, the food is prepared fresh in the booths, Dunn said. Pigs and chickens are roasted, and potatoes are peeled. "It's very fresh and authen- tic food, and we're very proud of that," she said. Visitors can enjoy perform- ances from the Freistadt Alte Kameraden Band, a brass band which has been per- forming at the Fest since it began in 1981. Dunn emphasized that the event is very family-friendly — kids can enjoy a variety of cultural activities, including German language games and the Dachshund Derby and Wiener Dog Costume Contest, in which adorable, short-legged canines com- pete for prizes. Aug. 4 Black Arts Fest at Henry Maier Festival Park Tickets: Visit blackarts- festmke.com for more infor- mation Replacing African World Festival, which ended five years ago, the event will fea- ture local African and African-American vendors selling items such as carved wood sculptures and jewelry, a children's play area offer- ing fun activities for kids such as face-painting and games, and food booths. An Artistry of Heritage area will explore the cultural history and significance behind African and African- American art forms. Visitors can sit back and enjoy performances by gospel, R&B, and Motown musicians and children's dance groups during the event from noon to midnight. Aug. 16-19 Irish Fest at Henry Maier Festival Park Every year, for three days in summer, much of Milwaukee turns green. Irish Fest is "the world's largest celebration of Celtic music and culture," accord- ing to the website, irishfest.com. More than 100 musical acts, including Nova Scotia band Coig and local band Frogwater, will perform at the festival. Visitors can choose from a variety of eats, including shepherd's pie and corned beef and cabbage, and try a variety of whiskeys and Irish stouts. Aug. 18 IndiaFest at Humboldt Park, 3000 S. Howell Ave., Milwaukee Kicking off at 9 a.m., the sixth annual celebration of Indian culture will feature Bollywood music, traditional dance, stunning costumes and Indian cuisine, from samosa chat to dal, curry and mango lassis. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/ events/305481723201818/. Aug. 24-26 Mexican Fiesta at Henry Maier Festival Park Admission: Visit www.mexicanfiesta.org/adm ission-information/ for more information. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Mexican Fiesta, which draws crowds of more than 85,000 annually. Folk dancers and modern Mexican musical acts keep crowds entertained, and hungry visitors can try Pan de Feria, a traditional Mexican bread, along with food from a number of ven- dors. Other booths include a genealogy exhibit, artisan vendors, and craft work- shops. A Mass held in the American Family Insurance Amphitheater will follow a lakefront procession at 10 a.m. Aug. 26. Sept. 7-9 Indian Summer Festival at Henry Maier Festival Park Admission: visit www.indiansummer.org/abo ut/. This year's American Indian Summer Festival theme is "Teachings From the Turtle's Back." Numerous exhibits and events include amateur box- ing, a woodland-style wig- wam, Great Lakes cultural demonstrations from mem- bers of Ojibwe, Ho-Chunk, and other Wisconsin Native American tribes, and more. Food and beverages will be sold. A prayer ceremony will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Sept. 9. ENTERTAINMENT Polish Fest kicks off ethnic season Dancing is a big part of the annual Polish Fest. This year's Polish Fest kicks of Friday and runs through Sunday on Milwaukee's lakefront Submitted photo