Shepherd Express - July 2026

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PUBLISHER'S LETTER

Is America Losing Its Soul?

BY LOUIS FORTIS

A

s we celebrate 250 years of our democracy, we need to step back and appreciate how fortunate we are to live in such an amazing country. It truly provides us with the opportunity to work hard, study, participate in our communities and strive to do and be whoever we want to be. Amazing as America might be relative to the rest of the world, it is, like all of us humans, far from perfect. Right now, it has been difficult to watch what is happening in our country.

Our founding fathers literally put their lives on the line to rebel against a king and tried to write a constitution that would prevent an autocrat from ever taking over America. Currently our constitution is facing the greatest challenge since the Civil War. Personally, I am convinced American democracy will survive this current challenge and will come out of this stronger. The vast majority of Americans are very decent people and will show their decency and compassion if they get the straight story and can get past the lies. I just hope that America does not lose its soul in this process. Right now, the current polling is showing that support for what Trump is doing to America is at an all-time low with support at only 36%.

AMERICA POST WWII After World War II, America really was the land of opportunity. There was the GI Bill that enabled veterans, most of whom came from poor families after growing up in the Great Depression, to attend colleges and universities. Postwar America built over 1,200 higher education institutions and in some states like California, there were no tuition costs. Yes, you could have attended UCLA or Berkeley for free. We also made great strides in health care, developed new communities, and built the interstate highways system under the administration of Republican President Eisenhower.

Then in the second half of the 1960s under Democratic President Johnson, we created the Great Society and passed many social justice and civil rights laws creating a fairer playing field for minorities, women, people with disabilities and the poor. America showed its soul and the world loved and respected us.

We passed Medicare, Medicaid, provided Federal funding to low-income public schools, the Voting Rights law of 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 removing barriers for immigrants, the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, to name just some of the major pieces of legislation.

We cared about people, working people, low-income people, immigrants and minorities. Yes, these programs cost a lot of money, but we had a much fairer tax system and we prospered. During the entire Eisenhower administration, the top marginal tax rate for the super wealthy was slightly over 90%. Our country was the envy of the world and America had a soul.

Since the American mainland was not bombed during the war, we also had the capacity and the heart to create the Marshall Plan that helped rebuild Europe and to keep Western European Countries democracies. We also created the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1961 to use “soft power” in the form of aid to provide medical assistance, help educate the population in developing countries and counter Soviet Influence during the Cold War. USAID became the largest foreign aid agency in the world and saved hundreds of millions of lives in poorer countries. America truly had a soul. The Trump administration essentially killed USAID and literally millions of people in Africa are at risk of dying from diseases and starvation that could have been prevented.

SO HOW DID WE LOSE OUR SOUL? So, what happened and how did we lose our soul? Probably the most direct answer is greed, opportunism, selfishness and a lot of misinformation. Rightwing politicians along with their wealthy benefactors began to pander to the people’s lesser angels, stoking resentment toward the poor and minorities and pushing myths like the “Black welfare queens are driving Cadillacs while you are working your ass off to make ends meet.”

It started in the 1964 presidential election with the Republican candidate, Barry Goldwater, who lost overwhelmingly to Lyndon Johnson,

but started the big anti-government rightwing shift that Republican opportunists jumped on. It was really President Reagan who had the political skills to sell this rightwing message with his famous quote, “Government is not the solution to our problem, government is the problem.”

Reagan also embraced Supply Side Economics that argued if you cut the tax rate and regulations, you will end up raising more tax dollars. Yes, Republicans pushed that myth and, of course, it didn’t bring in more tax dollars, but it certainly cut taxes for the rich and created huge deficits. Then, instead of raising taxes to lower the deficit, Reagan cut social programs and other social justice expenditures.

About 35 years later in 2017, Wisconsin Congressman Paul Ryan was Speaker of the House and Trump was in the first year of his first term. Ryan who fashioned himself as a “deficit hawk” interested in cutting government programs that assisted the average American. After Trump was elected, Ryan and Trump engineered one of the biggest tax cuts in history heavily biased toward the wealthy. This obviously created a huge deficit, and it clearly showed that it was not the deficit that Ryan cared about, it was cutting taxes for the wealthy who did not need a tax cut. Trump was able to extend the massive tax cuts for the wealthy in his second term in his “Big Beautiful Bill.”

That bill gutted many federal programs that helped the 55% to 60% of Americans who are currently struggling to make ends meet.

I believe American democracy will survive Trump’s assaults, but that is only part of the challenge. We will need to work on regaining America’s soul after Trump exits the stage. Replacing Trump with a Democrat would be a first step, but we need to consciously work on rebuilding our national humanity or the Soul of America that truly will Make America Great Again.

Remember, we are the “Richest Nation the World has Ever Seen”, and we can afford to have a Soul if we put fairness back on the agenda.

Louis Fortis is Publisher and Editor-inChief of the Shepherd Express.

JULY 2026 | 3

NEWS

10

06 Can AI Promote Job Creation?

— Issue of the Month 08 Michael Diaz: Birding for VisionImpaired Folks — Hero of the Month 09 This Modern World

PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Louis Fortis (louis@shepex.com)

10 Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s Goals for 2026 — MKE SPEAKS: Conversations with Milwaukeeans

MANAGING EDITOR: David Luhrssen (dluhrssen@shepex.com)

FOOD & DRINK 14 A Master and the Atelier: — Beverages

22

MEDIA SALES MANAGER: Jackie Butzler (jackie@shepex.com) SENIOR MEDIA CONSULTANTS: Bridgette Ard (bridgette@shepex.com)

18 Outdoor Dining Guide

Chuck Hill (chuck@shepex.com)

SPECIAL SECTION 22 The Milwaukee City Guide 38 Milwaukee Milestone Anniversaries

CULTURE

IN MEMORY OF DUSTI FERGUSON (OCTOBER 18, 1971 – NOVEMBER 20, 2007 WEB COORDINATOR: Caroline Dannecker (caroline@shepex.com) DIGITAL STRATEGIST: Sophia Hamdan (sophia@shepex.com)

58 This Month in Milwaukee

STAFF WRITER & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR: Blaine Schultz (blaine@shepex.com)

LIFESTYLE 62 Kief's Cannabis Chemistry — Cannabis SPONSORED BY

72

GENERAL MANAGER: Peggy Debnam (peggy@shepex.com)

STAFF WRITER: Ben Slowey (ben@shepex.com)

66 Privacy Deprivation — Out of my Mind 68 Once Bitten — True Health

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Andreas Scocos EDITORIAL INTERN: Olivia Pagel

HEAR ME OUT

LAYOUT AND DESIGN: Timothy Czerniakowski

70 Let's Get Loud — Dear Ruthie

SPONSORED BY

72 LGBTQ Life is Alive and Well in Cream City — My LGBTQ POV SPONSORED BY

ART FOR ART'S SAKE 74 From the City that Always Sweeps

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Cover - Illustration by Josh Seubert courtesy of Townsville Art. Contact Townsville Art: townsvilleart@gmail.com

JULY 2026 | 5

NEWS ISSUE OF THE MONTH

CAN AI PROMOTE JOB CREATION?

BY WILLIAM HOLAHAN

A

rtificial intelligence (AI) has revived a familiar fear: mass technological unemployment. Compared to previous tech changes, this one is moving through the economy very fast. Yet Stanford economist Erika McEntarfer (former head of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics but fired

by Trump for accurately reporting the employment data) reports that no such "jobpocalypse" is showing up in the data (at least not yet). Even in computer programming— aka “coding,” the talent that AI can most closely substitute for humans—total employment is up, while entry level job numbers are down.

MIT economists David Autor and Daron Acemoglu offer a plausible explanation. They explain that AI does not eliminate jobs so much as it eliminates tasks. Job titles may remain, but the description of the work inside those titles changes dramatically; employment depends on how rapidly workers adjust to changing job requirements.

A HISTORY OF TASK REPLACEMENT As a pre-AI example, economist Dean Baker traces how technology reshaped financial services over the past half century without huge job losses: spreadsheets replaced adding machines and handwritten ledgers; ATMs took over routine cash handling; direct deposit eliminated many in person transactions. Despite these changes, employment in the sector grew—from roughly 4 million workers in 1975 to more than 9 million today. Technology displaced tasks, not workers.

6 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

The concern today is that AI will rapidly replace workers who do routine cognitive tasks, much like mechanization replaces routine physical tasks. Service sector employers— from hospitals to logistics hubs to retail chains—are already using AI for scheduling, intake, record checking, inventory management and basic customer service. When AI absorbs these tasks, demand falls for workers who once performed them.

THE TASK-BASED FRAMEWORK There is a pattern to task-replacement: AI automates routine structured, repetitive tasks while increasing the value of the remaining human tasks that require judgment, interpretation, communication. Here are three illustrative examples: • In manufacturing, AI-based inspection systems detect defects more accurately than visual inspection by humans.

This frees up technicians to shift toward judgment, troubleshooting and process improvement—non routine cognitive tasks that rise in value.

• In healthcare, AI-generated clinical documentation removes clerical burdens and increases clinician productivity by freeing time for diagnosis, communication and care planning.

• In customer service, AI now handles the first layer of customer inquiries (password resets, order status, basic troubleshooting).

Photo of humans and robots working by GettyImages/NanoStockk.

Technology texture background by GettyImages/antoniokhr.

Productivity rises for non routine tasks because workers spend more time on complex problem-solving designed to retain customers.

KEY ROLE OF FOUNDATIONAL SKILLS The impact of AI on workers depends on the skills they bring to the job. AI complements workers who can interpret AI outputs, supervise automated systems, communicate with customers, solve novel problems and adapt to changing workflows. These non routine cognitive tasks require English fluency, quantitative skills and analytic reasoning. Workers with these skills can work with AI to raise their productivity, and if AI substitutes for some of their tasks, foundational skills allow them to shift into more AI-complementary tasks.

PREPARING THE WORKFORCE At the very moment when AI puts a premium on flexibility and strong foundational skills, the National Assessment of Educational Progress shows that only about one third of U.S. high school students graduate proficient in math or English.

But these are the two disciplines that enable quantitative reasoning and analytical communication, and decisionmaking in ways AI cannot replace. Strengthening these abilities prepares learners to detect when AI is wrong, judge whether claims are supported by evidence, weigh risks, reason under uncertainty and communicate clearly and precisely. They determine whether a worker can supervise AI or be replaced by it.

Fortunately, rapid advances in AI supported learning now offer a way to grow these abilities through targeted practice, and timely personalized guidance, hard to find these days of shortages of teachers and home resources.

To free up scarce teacher time, AI tools can handle routine tasks like recordkeeping and some of the grading, allowing teachers to focus on conceptual misunderstandings, higher order instruction and individualized support. Students with reliable Wi Fi can use AI services for math and writing practice, step by step guidance and individualized explanations. Two examples of effective AI based learning tools are a click away: Khanacademy.org and Brilliant.org.

These demonstrate how AI can accelerate learning and close gaps.

Will the foundational skills of current and future workers grow fast enough for them to benefit from AI as a complement rather than be displaced by it? As economist McEntarfer asserts, “We’ll know by watching the data.”

William Holahan is emeritus professor and former chairman of the Department of Economics at UW-Milwaukee.

Illustration of circuitry by GettyImages/Iuliia Anisimova.

JULY 2026 | 7

NEWS HERO OF THE MONTH

MICHAEL DIAZ: BIRDING FOR

Vision-Impaired Vision-Impa ired Folks Folks

BY BEN SLOWEY

F

ranklin’s Wehr Nature Center (9701 W. College Ave.) has greatly expanded accessibility initiatives in recent years. As an opportunity for blind and vision-impaired folks to experience the wonders of nature— specifically birds—Wehr hosted the 2026 Blind Birder Bird-a-thon on May 3 earlier this year. The global event, facilitated annually by Birdability, invites folks to listen for as many bird species as possible over a day-long period. Wehr’s Bird-a-thon was coled by park naturalist Holly Walz and volunteer Michael Diaz. As a low-vision person himself, Diaz is passionate about sharing his love for birding with others and has played a significant role in helping Wehr become a place for folks of all ability levels to enjoy birding themselves.

“Some blind people aren’t sure what they can all do and what’s accessible, so this just gives them another outlet,” Diaz affirms. “This is just one more hobby you can get into without vision.

Anyone can bird. That’s what I like about it.

8 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

You don’t even have to leave your house.” He has loved birds since he was five years old when he received birding-by-ear CDs as a gift from his mother’s friends. “I would just sit there and listen to those CDs for hours and hours. It’s been a growing fascination ever since.”

Wehr’s sprawling trails while pausing periodically to listen for blue jays, woodpeckers, orioles, goldfinches and the many migratory species of warbler that stop at Wehr every spring.

Having attended classes at Wehr as a child, Diaz has been volunteering with the nature center for about a year now. “I heard there was a birdcounting program on Sundays, so I went to those,” he continues. “I started studying phenology (the timing of everything), when birds are migrating and when flowers bloom and stuff like that.”

Since stepping into her role at Wehr in 2022, executive director Carly Hinz has overseen the nature center’s implementation of those accessibility initiatives. “My sister is blind, and I’ve always had this dream for her to go to a place and feel so comfortable walking around and exploring on her own,” she shares. “Other people who are blind also should have—and deserve—to be able to independently traverse a nature center trail. We as a center really want to be that place.”

Wehr is currently partnered with local organization Audio, Braille, Literacy Enhancement (ABLE) on adapting its programming for blind and visionimpaired folks. Members of ABLE including executive director Cheryl Orgas attended the nature center’s Blind Birder Bird-a-thon, where Diaz and Walz led the group through

Wehr recently created a Braille version of its trail maps; Diaz helped proofread the descriptions of prior to publication.

“I do honestly think every place should have that,” he notes. “For that to exist for blind people, to be able to navigate on their own, is huge for our independence.

BRAILLE TRAIL MAPS

Photo courtesy of Wehr Nature Center.

Watercolor background by GettyImages/Elena Skugar, Blue watercolor background by GettyImages/PJ_nice.

This is just one more thing we have access to and I think it’s great.”

In fact, the day prior to the bird-athon, Diaz helped lead a separate bird walk at Wehr with Blind Outdoor Leisure Development (BOLD). “I like seeing more of us out here,” he affirms.

In addition to helping folks identify birds by sound, he loves to share his knowledge with folks new to birding about differences between different types of birds and their behavioral patterns. “Don’t underestimate us,” Diaz remarks. “A lot of people do, and I want to prove them wrong.”

He cites the northern mockingbird as one of his favorite birds. “It always fascinated me because it can mimic other birds so well,” he explains.

“You’re thinking it’s another bird until it changes calls. That happened to me one time when I thought I was hearing a Carolina wren—then all of a sudden it changed. Mockingbirds can imitate crickets too … they’re very cool!”

Ben Slowey is Staff Writer for the Shepherd Express.

Beyond Wehr, Diaz hopes to work with ABLE on helping other local nature centers create Braille trail maps of their own. “It’s always a goal to get more on my lifer list too,” he laughs. “I love Wehr; this is like my home.”

Other Wisconsin spots Diaz loves birding at include Kettle Moraine’s Mauthe Lake, Governor Dodge State Park in the Driftless Area and Lake Kegonsa near Madison.

Watercolor birds by GettyImages/Tanya Syrytsyna.

Dark blue watercolor birds by GettyImages/izumikobayashi.

JULY 2026 | 9

NEWS MKE SPEAKS: CONVERSATIONS WITH MILWAUKEEANS

Mayor Cavalier Johnson’s

Goals for 2026

‘A HOME, A HOUSE, MEANS STABILITY. IF HOUSES ARE UNAFFORDABLE, STABILITY CAN BE A CHALLENGE’

BY TOM JENZ

N

ot long ago, I caught Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a reflective mood. When I walked into his office, he didn’t stay behind the desk. Instead, he waved me over to a circle of chairs on the other side of the room, as if we were just going to sit and talk for a while.

He was dressed sharp in a well-cut suit, his trademark style since he took office back in December 2021. But it’s not the suit I noticed for long. It was the way he carries himself, facile but attentive, and with a winning grin that shines in a natural manner.

At 39, he’s still a young mayor, though he doesn’t lean on that. We talked for a while. The talk was relaxed and straightforward, the kind of conversation that doesn’t need much dressing up.

You declared 2026 as “The Year of Housing.” Here is a quote from you, “I am motivated in this Year of Housing by three fundamental factors: housing affordability, housing availability and housing quality.”

10 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

In a leadership position like mine, you tend to bring your own experience.

Growing up in the inner city, for me, was a challenge. I attended six different MPS elementary schools.

My family moved around a lot, and that brought instability. Every year, meeting new teachers, making new friends. When I was in the fourth grade, as I think back, I am almost certain I was going through some mental health challenges. Currently, I’ve been working to see that we create more consistency for our kids so they won’t have an experience like mine. A home, a house, means stability. If houses are unaffordable, stability can be a challenge.

And being able to afford a house has been difficult for many Milwaukee residents.

That’s true, even for some folks in the middle class.

In your state of the city address, you mentioned workforce housing.

What exactly is workforce housing?

If you are a young person and a recent college graduate and you come back home and get that first job,

society assumes you need no help, but that’s not the case. Housing can still be unaffordable. It is kind of accepted that you shouldn’t spend more that 30% of your income on your house.

There is a shortage of housing in Milwaukee currently. We are trying to add housing availability.

Through workforce housing, we are making investments in affordable housing for that middle tier. Not just lower class residents. But I also want to develop luxury housing, whose owners have spendable dollars, which boosts our economy.

Recently, you gave final approval to two more Tax Incremental Financing (TIF) arrangements.

These will assist new apartment buildings to be built in Jose Perez’ 12th Aldermanic District on the South Side. The buildings are named Via and Forma. How does a TIF district work?

Like you said, TIF stands for a tax incremental financing district. When a commercial or private development happens in an area of Milwaukee, the taxes will grow.

Photo of Mayor Cavalier Johnson by Tom Jenz.

We are able to take the tax growth increment to help fund other developments. That’s what we are doing with those two apartment building projects, Via and Forma. They comprise about 200 housing units in the Walkers Point neighborhood, which is mainly middle class. They will be developed by New Land Enterprises.

Meanwhile, we will be doing another workforce development project in the downtown area.

You recently said, “We are continuing our efforts to get cityowned tax-foreclosed properties into the hands of homeowners and responsible landlords. Last year, 57 of these residential properties were sold.” I understand there are currently around 150 city-owned houses in Milwaukee and 2,000 vacant lots. What can be done to restore and sell those properties?

A number of things. The best arrangement for funding is when the Federal government works directly with city governments, not through the states. Cities are where things actually get done. Under Joe Biden, this worked through the American Rescue Plan dollars (ARPA). We took millions of those ARPA funds and worked with minority builders to develop our city owned properties—vacant lots and abandoned houses. Then we’d sell the developed properties to homeowners at reduced rates. The goal is to stabilize neighborhoods and also get the city owned properties off our books because they are not generating taxes. This happens through our HOMES MKE Program,

Vacant properties can become a burden for the city.

Yes, that’s right. We have to board them up, cut the grass and shovel the snow. So we are unleashing those properties to homeowners and responsible landlords and get them into private hands.

I think you are also using another approach, as I recall.

Yes, it’s called a backbone TIF, which helps increase the number of Black and Hispanic homeowners because they have been cut out for so long. For example, we sell city owned vacant lots for cheap to owner occupants and developers, who then build affordable houses or apartment buildings on those lots.

We are trying to focus on areas that are growing like Walker’s Point. This also lays out a foundation for other people to move into Milwaukee.

Available homes help attract folks.

I understand a backbone TIF can also fund core infrastructure like roads, utilities, and site preparation.

Yes, that too.

In 2025, 94 homeowners received loans for emergency and essential home repairs. What is the Department of City Development’s Strong Homes loan program and also the Compliance Home Loans program?

These programs help owner occupants in need of house repairs to stay in their homes. The city works with those homeowners to get them loans to do the repairs. Over time, we will forgive those loans. I want people to stay in their homes, not get priced out.

What is the Milwaukee Home Down Payment Assistance Program?

This is an opportunity for people to buy their first home as an owner occupant, but you need to have a lower income to qualify. The Down Payment Assistance program will help to subsidize some of those costs up to $5,000, and even $7,000 if you purchase a home in a community development block grant area.

The city’s Raze and Revive work consists of taking down buildings that are beyond repair and then adding newly constructed residences in their places. How does that process work and who provides the funding?

We started Raze and Revive when I became mayor. There are a number of homes in lower income areas that are worse for wear and cannot be saved.

These houses attract nuisance—drug houses, drug dealers, prostitution, squatters, illegal car storage. The houses can become a blight. We have accelerated the time frame in which the city will raze these houses. In fact, we now have our backlog cleared in terms of razing.

And the Revive part?

The Revive part consists of building new houses on those vacant lots. We have built some houses and then sold them to residents.

One subject that has long created controversy is the old Northridge Mall site. After decades of lawsuits, neglect, and lifethreatening danger, that space was recently razed. In 2024, the city acquired it from a Chinabased investment group. Explain what is currently happening there.

Northridge Mall was shut down in about 2002. Since then, a number of proposals were offered but never came to fruition. Over time, Northridge became a blight and had a number of fires. Mayor Tom Barrett kept working on a plan to raze that structure. When I became mayor, I put pressure on the owners of Northridge to demolish the mall. The residents in that area had endured two decades of blight and danger. Governor Evers was an outstanding partner. He stepped in and used some ARPA dollars to contribute a $15 million grant for razing the mall. Finally, the mall was demolished in the fall of 2025.

Presently, the old Northridge Mall area is the largest contiguous site for development in the city.

What kind of development do you think will happen there?

A number of possibilities. Healthcare, medical, maybe youth sports. We are looking for an anchor on that site.

Sometime this year, we will have an RFP, request for proposal.

Let’s talk about public safety.

From my conversations with residents, they tell me criminal activity is an important issue for certain neighborhoods. Judging from the recent Police Crime Map statistics, almost all 11 categories of crime are significantly down since 2024. Yet, crime remains a large concern in many neighborhoods. Your comments?

Whenever Milwaukee residents get harmed, I get a notice on my smart phone. I’m one of the first ones to know about the incident. It affects me when there are crimes committed. I carry them with me, but I don’t allow the bad news to numb me. Every quarter, the police chief, the head of Community Wellness and Safety, the district attorney and I go into the community and talk about the current crime trends in Milwaukee. I’ve had a two-pronged strategy on public safety, accountability and prevention.

JULY 2026 | 11

NEWS MKE SPEAKS: CONVERSATIONS WITH MILWAUKEEANS

The trades offer very good jobs.

They pay really well.

Surprise. “The mayor is at my house.”

They do, they do. I’d like to see more Black kids and kids of color get into the Trades, which offer tremendous opportunities.

Well, yeah, I’m at their houses because I want to hear from them about their neighborhoods.

Reckless driving reduction has been a top priority of yours. Traffic deaths have declined, but there are still too many car crashes, mainly in busy sections of the inner city. Your thoughts?

When I first became mayor, folks told me that reckless driving was their number one issue. We have been actively working to address reckless driving. We’ve made physical changes to the roadways, pinned-on curb extensions on busy corners, concrete islands, speed tables, speed bumps, protected bike and scooter lanes.

These have all reduced crashes and injuries. We also have our long-term project, Vision Zero, which aims to eliminate vehicle accidents to zero by 2037.

For those folks who choose to harm other people, there is a price to pay. I want them to be arrested and prosecuted. There must be some consequences. Folks cannot just walk scot-free. As for prevention, we have programs like Hello Summer or Camp Rise or Earn & Learn, which encourage young people to stay engaged during the summer. We also have Adopt a Neighborhood, and we have Peace Week.

People need to have good jobs and access to opportunities. I’ve been working hard to expand our economy in Milwaukee, providing opportunities for jobs. This morning, I had a conversation about a large convention that may be coming to Milwaukee.

We’ve been working with minorityowned business owners and women who are just starting out.

You should check out Jackson’s Soul Food Redefined, near Fond du Lac and Baldwin, owned by two sisters. Food is delicious. Let me add that what is often left out of the discussion are the opportunities in the trades.

12 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

You were an advocate of placing cameras on busy street corners to catch drivers who run red lights.

Has the state given you that approval yet?

The state will not let us do that currently, but after the November elections, that might change. I want to employ every single tool we possibly can. That includes driver education and law enforcement.

You have been a very active mayor, seemingly everywhere in public.

What is your operating philosophy as mayor?

As you can see, my desk is filled with paperwork, but yet I feel I need to be out among the public. That includes being in all the aldermanic districts.

The other day, I ran into some of my constituents from when I was an alderman in the 2nd District. I still drive around in my old district just to see what’s going on. I call in problems just as I did when I was the alderman. But no matter what district I visit, I want to hear from people. I remember years ago when you walked with me through my district, and you wrote a story. We knocked on doors that day. And I still do that as mayor.

I think residents would like to know about the personal side of their mayor. Tell me about your family, your wife and children.

My wife, Dominique, is phenomenal. I couldn’t do all the things I do without her. She’s easy to talk to, and she allows me to complain when I cannot complain to anyone else. We met at the YMCA when we both worked there.

She’d already had a son, Oliver. That was 2012. We got married in 2016. She is physically active, and can teach yoga, Zumba and kickboxing classes.

She is currently back in college. Three years ago, she created the annual Mothers of Milwaukee Symposium.

Hundreds of people attended that last one. We now have three children.

Our son Oliver is 15 and in the 10th grade, and our twin daughters, Bella and Madison, eight years old, and they are crushing second grade. (proudly laughing)

My last question. It’s about Juneteenth. What does Juneteenth 2026 mean to you?

Juneteenth reminds me of the promise of America. Not long ago, I visited Monticello in Virginia, the home of Thomas Jefferson. I thought about the founding document, Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Juneteenth extended that.

Tom Jenz is a Milwaukee writer and photographer. Look for his Central City Stories column on shepherexpress.com.

JULY 2026 | 13

FOOD & DRINK BEVERAGES

A Master and the Atelier Atelier

JONATHAN BLECHMAN AND PIPSQUEAK WINE

BY GAETANO MARANGELLI

T

hey follow a calling. They practice a craft. As valuable as any craft or calling to any neighborhood or any city. And like any craft and calling, theirs are predicated on a native gift.

The calling and the craft also ask for intellect. They require resolve. And day after day, for a score of years, they demand practice. The calling and craft favor those who devote themselves to a single clientele of a single shop with a single address in a single city, and those who know the palate of every true patron of their shop. They require those who don’t stock wines they wouldn’t drink, or flog wines made like commodities of industry rather than fruits of agriculture.

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This calling and this craft belong to wine merchants. Bona fide wine merchants. Echt wine merchants. Oldschool wine merchants. People for whom being a wine merchant is their mission and their métier. The newest of these wine merchants to the state of Wisconsin is Jonathan Blechman of Pipsqueak Wine in Wauwatosa.

Blechman didn’t receive his calling to the cult of Dionysus by way of a Damascene experience. “I didn’t travel that road, it was gradual. No lightbulb. I’d been rejected by the graduate program I wanted to attend.

I’d considered law school and took the LSAT, but that sounded dismal.

I’d been into wine and realized it was the only thing in my life that really excited me.

“It was a great time and place to get into wine, New York City in the aughts,” Blechman says, coloring the canvas of what his life was like then. “I had a degree but no desire to find a job-type job. I was way too into bars and restaurants to wake up in the early morning and completely unsuited for office jobs. I decided to indulge myself and take a job at a new restaurant in New York City’s Meatpacking District. It was that job that changed everything.”

“The restaurant was a multi-milliondollar disaster called Sasha. A bloated Titanic of a restaurant. For me, it was exhilarating.

Photos courtesy of Pipsqueak Wine.

JULY 2026 | 15

FOOD & DRINK BEVERAGES

Jonathan Blechman’s Wine Flight Asked to curate a flight of wines from five favorite wine growers he represents on the shelves of Pipsqueak, Blechman said his response would change depending on the day he was asked. These are the five he offered me on the day I asked him.

Domaine Franck Peillot, Bugey “Quietly eschews sulfur and cultivated yeast in his sparkling wines. Puts in the back breaking work and makes something delicious. Full of personality and unique to Bugey.”

JB Becker, Rheingau “Makes Rieslings in the Rhinegau that can be so compelling. So contradictory in their breadth of structure and sensory overload.

Tensile and muscular, filigreed and subtle, salty and savory. Third generation to farm and make wine at this address. He was doing only indigenous yeast fermentations when that was the rarity, making dry wines when everyone else was making sweet.”

4 Monos Viticultores, Vinos de Madrid “Four friends (the 4 Monkeys) make wine together from reclaimed old Garnacha vines in the Sierra de Gredos. High altitude, aromatic, natural wine. All four are natives to the Sierra de Gredos and avid hikers.

They hike the trails from vineyard to vineyard. Twenty to 30 years ago, these vineyards were being abandoned. They were too difficult to work, and there wasn’t much financial incentive. These emerging but ancient wine regions are having a renaissance, and they’re super exciting.”

Domaine Phillipe Tessier, Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny “Has been making quiet wines of purity and clarity in Cheverny for decades. They’re natural in the best way, not showy, lovely and compelling and super fun stuff.”

Division Wines, Willamette Valley, Southern Oregon, Columbia Valley “A wife and husband team inspired by their work in the Loire Valley. Based in Portland, they work with grapes from the

I was working with wines I had no business with, Gaja, Chateau Palmer.”

After the Titanic sank, Jonathan made a name for himself at the celebrated Lupa Osteria Romana and the empire of the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group, where, over six years, he was a sommelier, a manager, and a wine director. Subsequently, Blechman was the general manager of a West Village wine bar, the wine director of a Seattle farm-to-table restaurant, and a sommelier for the Eno Wine Room at the InterContinental Hotel in Chicago.

And after all of that, Milwaukee.

But why Milwaukee? Neither Blechman nor his wife Heather Mitchell have family in the city or the state.

“Heather and I have both put in the years in the business. She spent time working the sales and wholesale side.

Working for ourselves was always the dream. We had a vision for ourselves and our family. Milwaukee was a great place to do it. Lots of interest in what we’re doing, affordable retail space, less competition than in other towns.

And the cherry on top, being able to sell wine to on- and off-premises customers isn’t something most states allow.”

Blechman and Mitchell’s vision is called Pipsqueak Wine, a beautiful wine shop and wine bar at 6410 W. North Ave. Intimate and comfortable, it is nothing less than perfect. The bottles of wine on the shelves and the lists of wine by the glass speak for Jonathan’s experience and expertise. The wine bar’s cheese plates and charcuterie, tapas, and hors d'oeuvres are as seductive as they are satisfying. And the masterful way Jonathan and Heather look after you shopping at their shelves or sipping at their tables invites you to enjoy the sublime experience of a glass of wine.

After all of these years, and at the end of the path which led him and Heather to Pipsqueak, can Jonathan say what exactly attracts him to his craft?

“Simple, proper wine and food. The people that slave to bring it to you are often the best.”

And the best are Jonathan and Heather.

Willamette Valley and wider Columbia Valley. They experiment, they try different things, blends and co-ferments, follow their curiosity with fastidious winemaking and minimal interventions. Truly thoughtful, forward-looking folks that happen to make some of the yummiest wines coming out of the Pacific Northwest.”

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Gaetano Marangelli is a sommelier and playwright. He was the managing director of a wine import and distribution company in New York and beverage director for restaurants and retailers in New York and Chicago before moving to Wauwatosa.

Photos courtesy of Pipsqueak Wine.

Wine stain background by GettyImages/Svetlana Sarapultseva.

JULY 2026 | 17

FOOD & DRINK OUTDOOR DINING GUIDE

Outdoor Dining Guide

SEE SOME OF THE BEST PATIOS IN WISCONSIN

Photo courtesy of Boone & Crockett.

Photo courtesy of Botanas Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Café Corazon.

BOONE & CROCKETT

BOTANAS RESTAURANT

CAFÉ CORAZON

818 S. Water St. Milwaukee (414) 212-8115

816 S. Fifth St., Milwaukee (414) 672-3755 Botanasrestaurant.com

4102 W. Bradley Road, Brown Deer 2394 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., Bay View 3129 N. Bremen St., Riverwest Corazonmilwaukee.com

Boonemilwaukee.com There’s a reason Boone & Crockett has won BEST PATIO more than once!

There’s always a good time to be had when you’re sitting on the river.

Amazing drinks, food trucks, live music, great company, just to name a few.

Find them under the lights of the Hoan!

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In the summer, sip margaritas and munch on chips and guacamole on Botana’s open-air patio. It’s spacious enough for large groups and also perfect for a table of two. If the outdoor seating is full, request a table under the covered patio to still take advantage of a summer evening. Both options are a great way to enjoy this casual cantina that offers authentic Mexican dishes.

Decorated with flower boxes and serving all of Café Corazón’s housemade Mexican food favorites, Corazon’s three patios come alive for outdoor dining and drinking season.

The Riverwest patio sits along the Beerline Trail; in Bay View, you'll find a quiet, artsy outdoor space away from the bustle of Kinnickinnic Avenue; and the Brown Deer patio, with its own outdoor bar, is the largest Corazon patio with seating for 50+.

Header photo by GettyImages/Kar-Tr.

JULY 2026 | 19

FOOD & DRINK OUTDOOR DINING GUIDE

Photo courtesy of Camino.

CAMINO

FIVE O’CLOCK STEAKHOUSE

7211 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis (414) 810-4838 Caminomke.com

2416 W. State St., Milwaukee (414) 342-3553 Fiveoclocksteakhouse.com

Tucked away in a narrow alley, you’ll find a lush green landscape at Camino in Walker’s Point. It’s truly a hidden gem amongst downtown patios. Summer is short—come imbibe and get down with some killer bar food in this outdoor oasis while you can. Kitchen open late.

Photo courtesy of MOTOR Restaurant.

Photo courtesy of Five O'Clock Steakhouse.

Photo courtesy of Transfer Pizzaria Cafe.

Relax and enjoy your supper club experience on their intimate patio lined with beautiful flowers and firepit.

Five O’Clock Steakhouse specializes in serving award winning steaks and seafood paired with a notable wine list, classic cocktails and outstanding personalized service.

Photo courtesy of Ope! Brewing Co.

MOTOR RESTAURANT

TRANSFER PIZZERIA CAFÉ

OPE! BREWING CO.

401 W. Canal St., Milwaukee (414) 287-2778 Motorrestaurant.com

101 W. Mitchell St., Milwaukee (414) 763-0438 Transfermke.com

6751 W. National Ave., West Allis (414) 509-6700 Opebrewingco.com

Mil-town’s best patio is found at MOTOR Restaurant on the campus of the Harley-Davidson Museum.

Enjoy waterfront views while hanging out with friends on the patio, playing lawn games, and soaking up summer in Milwaukee. Don’t forget to bring your dog—there’s space for them, too. With iconic campus views, a scratch kitchen, and smoked meats, MOTOR has what you’re looking for.

Make some memories this summer at MOTOR Restaurant.

Transfer invites guests to their unique outdoor patio this summer, including tables inside a restored 1950s era Milwaukee city bus. Open for more than 18 years, Transfer is a full-service, independent pizzeria with a wide menu of unique hand-tossed pizzas.

Visit for lunch and dinner, Tuesday through Sunday.

Ope! Brewing Co. has one of the best patios in the MKE area, featuring a fullservice outdoor bar, volleyball leagues six nights a week, cornhole lanes, live outdoor music, pet-friendly spaces, shaded seating options, Chucho’s Tacos and a rotating lineup of curated food trucks to satisfy all outdoor dining needs.

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JULY 2026 | 21

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

See The Best Parts of Our Great City!

The Milwaukee City Guide 22 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

Illustration by Josh Seubert courtesy of Townsville Art.

JULY 2026 | 23

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Milwaukee Area

Bird Walks

BY BEN SLOWEY

SUNDAYS

THURSDAYS

The Wisconsin Metro Audubon Society hosts weekly walks 8 a.m. at Wehr Nature Center (9701 W. College Ave.), where the massive central pond is often host to migratory waterfowl such as loons, swans and diving ducks as well as hawks and ospreys. On the second Sunday of the month, walks take place 8:30 a.m. at Lakeshore State Park, where the Milwaukee Lakefront’s situation on the Mississippi Flyway serves as the perfect environment for migratory birds like scaup, mergansers, grebes, common goldeneyes, doublecrested cormorants, willets and snow buntings. Eagles and Caspian terns are often seen flying overhead while birdhouses for tree swallows and purple martins are erected near the water.

The East Side Branch of the Urban Ecology Center (1500 E. Park Place) is adjacent to Riverside Park, where weekly 8 a.m. walks are the ideal place to find indigo buntings singing high up in trees during summer. On trails near the Milwaukee River, one is likely to find many migratory species of warbler as well as orioles, woodpeckers, song sparrows and rosebreasted grosbeaks.

MONDAYS Weekly walks take place 8 a.m. at Estabrook Park, where a small lagoon is host to a diverse ecosystem that includes various species of heron, woodpecker, swallow and raptor.

TUESDAYS The Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley Branch (3700 W. Pierce St.) hosts weekly 8 a.m. walks. Secluded between American Family Field and the Mitchell Park Domes, this area is prime for spotting songbirds, swallows, woodpeckers and even the occasional belted kingfisher along the Menomonee River.

WEDNESDAYS Weekly walks take place 8 a.m. at Washington Park, where a massive lagoon is home to all kinds of ducks, herons, shorebirds and migratory songbirds. Note that Washington Park is home to a branch of the Urban Ecology Center (1859 N. 40th St.) as well.

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FRIDAYS Cudahy’s Warnimont Park hosts weekly 8 a.m. walks through woods and fields near Lake Michigan. This is prime habitat for warblers, vireos, wrens, sparrows, hawks and even owls.

There are also 7 a.m. weekly spring migration walks at Waukesha’s Retzer Nature Center led by Goss Bird Club.

SATURDAYS Havenwoods State Forest (6141 N. Hopkins St.) hosts 8:30 a.m. walks on the second Saturday of every month. Here, a robust chorus of warblers, nuthatches, bluebirds, chickadees and woodpeckers fills the landscape. Sandhill cranes and woodcocks are frequently spotted here as well. At 8 a.m. on the third Saturday of the month, Schli Schlitz Audubon Nature Center (1111 E. Brown Deer Road) hosts walks, where the comprehensive ecosystem of woods, prairies and wetlands is home to everything from barred owls to wood thrushes to cedar waxwings to wood ducks to turkeys. Also, weekly “warbler” walks take place 8:30 a.m. at Lake Park during spring migration.

Photo by GettyImages/bookguy.

JULY 2026 | 25

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

See Milwaukee

By Boat

BY ANDREAS SCOCOS

I

n, The Making of Milwaukee, John Gurda writes that the first settlers that arrived in the swamp and cliff lands that became Milwaukee remarked on the beauty of the land and the clarity of the waterways. Below are a few boat tours that wind through the Milwaukee River and into sparkling Lake Michigan.

BREW CITY KAYAK

Brew City Kayak brings you as close to the water’s surface as possible without being in it. Guided kayak and standup paddleboard tours of Milwaukee's waterways are offered throughout the summer for people of all fitness levels.

Tours are available mid-May through the end of September and meet at 820 S. Water St. EDELWEISS CRUISES

Edelweiss Cruises offers a variety of public tours and private events on three different vessels. Tours navigate the Milwaukee River and Lake Michigan and range from narrated historic tours to lunch and dinner tours embracing a variety of moods. Cruises run from May to October and meet at 205 W. Highland Ave. for boarding.

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JACK’S CHARTER SERVICE

Jack’s offers charter fishing experiences on Lake Michigan, allowing tour groups an opportunity to fish the blustery waters of the Great Lake. Offered summer and winter, trips are weather dependent. If groups come back without fish, the tour is free. Tours meet at 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.

KANOLOA TIKI LOUNGE

Two-hour private chartered tours of Milwaukee’s waterways are offered on a tropical tiki style pontoon boat. Tours meet at 1101 N. Martin Luther King Drive.

MILWAUKEE BOAT LINE

The Milwaukee Boat Line offers both public and private tours on three vessels. The company operates a variety of tours from party vibes on the Yacht Rock and Happy Hour tours to the classic Sightseeing tour. Tours run from May to September and meet at 1124 N. Martin Luther King Drive.

The tours stop at several waterfront drinking establishments to help participants supplement their drinking to more than just their own alcohol. Tours meet at 113 E. Juneau Ave. at the Harp Irish bar.

RIVERWALK BOAT TOURS AND RENTALS

Offering trips along Milwaukee’s waterways via a midsize pontoon boat rather than a large vessel, these smaller group tours are a unique way to see the city. Both rental pontoon boats and private charter tours are offered. Tours meet at Pere Marquette Park, 900 N. Plankinton Ave. SEA DOG SAILING

Sea Dog Sailing offers small, six person 90-minute to half day private charter cruises of Milwaukee. The tours are intimate and itineraries are customizable to the group’s preference. The tours meet at McKinley Marina, slip G-51, enter at Lagoon Drive off N. Lincoln Memorial Drive.

MILWAUKEE PADDLE TAVERN

One hundred-minute long, BYOB boat tours of Milwaukee’s riverways offer a variety of private and publicly chartered tours.

Photo courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

The Galleries Of The

Marshall Building

BY JULIA WATT

T

he Marshall Building is an eclectic Downtown arts hub, a sort of grown-up successor to the legendary Sydney Hih. Bob DeToro, who took over ownership of the Marshall Building in 2008, is proud of the way Milwaukee’s artistic community has settled into the former wholesale grocer, imbuing the building with a vibrant and creative spirit, all the while highlighting a unique architectural history.

“We try to accentuate the bones of the building wherever possible by exposing the columns [the oldest example of the reinforced concrete Turner “Mushroom” System], concrete floors and beautiful Cream City/Chicago Pink brick blend,” says DeToro.

“I hear over and over from people that have never been here (particularly after Gallery Night): ‘wow, I can’t believe I never knew how many amazing people are in this building,’” DeToro furthers. “We need to continue to collaborate with all of our tenants, the Third Ward Association, other businesses in the neighborhood and City of Milwaukee to find creative ways to show off just how special this building and the Third Ward neighborhood are.”

The following, in walking path order from the central elevators, is a compilation of the Marshall Building’s gallery or gallery-adjacent spaces. Support these artists on Summer Gallery Night the weekend of July 17-18 or during the 2nd Annual Marshall Building Art Crawl on Labor Day weekend.

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LOWER LEVEL MKE POTTERS GUILD — #11 LL Regular Hours: by appointment Founded by sculptor Lionel Mindin, the Milwaukee Potters Guild offers classes for adults and displays a rotating selection of ceramics by fellow sculptors and potters.

THE CATACOMBS OF NETO — MULTIPLE SPACES Regular Hours: Monday-Wednesday by appointment, Thursday-Friday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

One of the Marshall Building’s newer tenants, the Catacombs are an immersive bilingual (English/Spanish) art museum showcasing the multimedia work and creative process of artist Ernesto “Neto” Atkinson. The space is comprised of four rooms that work together in conversation, blending art, healing, cultural identity and accessibility.

FIRST FLOOR AQUAE NGUVU — SUITE 130 Regular hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-5 p.m. or by appointment London-born gallerist Tony Nickalls operates the dual-roomed Aquae Nguvu—Nguvu meaning “power” in Swahili, and Aquae Latin for “of water.” Nickalls curates shows at Aquae Nguvu that tell real stories: “I’m not too interested in pretty pictures,” they remark. The space has also consistently been a great opportunity for emerging Wisconsin artists, including several previous Milwaukee Artist Resource Network (MARN) mentees.

Works on display during Gallery Night include Cindy Hansen and Tracy Keller Nickolaus’ photography and painting series on memory care and others on nostalgia and whimsy in the adjacent space.

Photos by Timothy Czerniakowski.

Photo of the sky by GettyImages/Arthit_Longwilai.

THE MARSHALL BUILDING FIRST FLOOR

HARMONIC HARVEST — MULTIPLE SPACES Regular Hours: Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

This community arts nonprofit aims to foster belonging, interconnectedness and resilience across Milwaukee’s diverse communities. Regularly hosting community events, Harmonic Harvest is perhaps best known for their Renaissance Threads Workshops in which attendees add a fabric square to an evergrowing community quilt, each square inspired by “the people, places, and moments that shape [our] lives.”

TOWNSVILLE — #100 Regular Hours: Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Townsville specializes in illustrative works celebrating city skylines and school pride. Founded by artist Josh Seubert, the illustrations depict “the most iconic and recognizable city or campus features collaged together like a puzzle...as much as 40 hours of research and plotting goes into each design.”

TIMO GALLERY — #110 Regular Hours: by appointment This first-floor gallery features the multimedia abstract works of Timothy “Timo” Meyerring and colleagues. Timo is known for his Rock Legends series, a collection of paintings honoring iconic musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, previously featured at the Iron Horse hotel.

SECOND FLOOR KASHES COLLECTION — #210 Regular Hours: by appointment Kashes Collection is the studio and gallery of artist Anthony Brewer. Filled with swirling colors and abstract linework, Brewer’s art is inspired by his passion for men’s mental health, as he reminds us to just breathe.

KAT HARRISON STUDIO — #207 Regular Hours: by appointment Kat Harrison is an art educator and ceramics artist who hosts monthly workshops on clay hand-building, a ceramics technique that does not employ a pottery wheel. She also utilizes the space to showcase her ceramics and prints, bright and colorful reflections of her passion for community-building.

IMPENDUUM — #209 Regular Hours: by appointment Impenduum is a multi-platform design exhibit, experimenting in visual and audio works.

GALLERY 218 — #218 Regular Hours: Saturday 1-6 p.m., or by appointment Gallery 218 is a cooperative artist space featuring the work of Judith Hooks (printmaking and painting), Bernie Newman (photography), Holly Strope (acrylic), Steve James (painting), Jennifer Scavone (photography), Guntis Lauzums (digital art) and Tom Friese (painting). Celebrating 36 years, the collective has festive plans for Friday July 17, including live jazz by local musicians.

SADLER GALLERY — #200 Regular Hours: by appointment At the far end of the second floor lies Sadler Gallery, specializing in fine art dealing and custom framing. While closed during July’s Gallery Night due to renovations, owner Frank Sadler plans to host a grand re-opening in Fall 2026.

THIRD FLOOR MANGER/DUBACK STUDIO — #301 Regular Hours: by appointment Artists Barbara Manger and Sally Duback share a studio space on the third floor. Manger specializes in monotype printmaking and etching and is particularly inspired by shapes of nature: “mostly I am intrigued by tangles, overlays, apparent disorder.” Duback meanwhile is an accomplished painter and muralist, with many works on display in public institutions across Milwaukee.

CLARE JORGENSEN — #312 Regular Hours: by appointment Jorgensen paints in encaustic: molten pigmented wax that is gradually layered and textured on woodblock. “I am in love with the labor intensive, heavy, organic, unpredictable and predictable qualities.” She was recently a resident artist with ARTservancy, a program dedicated to uplifting the work of environmental conservationists and artists.

FOURTH FLOOR JULIUS BROWN — #402 Regular Hours: by appointment After years of creating live synesthetic graphics in performing arts spaces and night clubs, it’s no wonder that light artist Julius Brown has transformed his practice into something more meditative. Merging his passion for fine art with his background in computer science, Brown renders abstract and iterative visual pieces using software he codes himself on upcycled Windows XP laptops. After curating the renderings, he assembles them into cohesive large-scale video projections and invites the viewer to slow down, discovering the gradual, nearly imperceptible shifts to the environmental imagery he crafts.

KIM STORAGE GALLERY — #404 Regular Hours: Thursday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5 p.m., or by appointment This fourth-floor gallery intermingles contemporary works by both emergent and well-established artists. Friday July 17 marks the opening reception of “Color Play,” a group exhibition

by Poppy Dodge, Megan Woodard Johnson, Kathleen Waterloo and Gretchen Warsen. “Together, these four artists make a compelling case that color is never neutral,” says gallerist Kim Storage.

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SPECIAL TOPIC 1

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JULY 2026 | 31

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE WISCY JONES CREATIVE — #509 PORTRAIT SOCIETY GALLERY

Regular Hours: by appointment Nate Fehlauer operates design firm Wiscy Jones Creative, creating unique, poppy visuals for local and national brands, though he also creates art for himself. His distinctly posterized style evokes the graphic novels he “spent much of his youth engrossed by.”

PORTRAIT SOCIETY GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART — #526 Regular Hours: Thursday-Saturday 12-5 p.m.

The Portrait Society is among Milwaukee’s foremost contemporary galleries. The rotating exhibitions show bodies of work by unique and underrecognized local artists. Past exhibits include pataphysical graphite artist Christopher T. Wood, photographer Lois Bielefeld and fantastical flashe painter Ashley Lusietto. During Summer Gallery Night, the Portrait Society will show work by Khari Turner, an ink and carbon artist whose work discusses systemic racism and the transatlantic slave trade, often mixing his paints with water collected straight from Lake Michigan or the Milwaukee River.

SIXTH FLOOR Graphite Drawings on paper by John Tyson

FIFTH FLOOR BENNIE HIGGINS — #500 Regular Hours: by appointment Follow the sounds of John Coltrane to the left exiting the elevators and you’ll find renaissance man Bennie Higgins’ studio. He’s done a little bit of everything over the years, including photojournalism, sociology, criminal justice and (currently) domestic violence education. Higgins comes from a family of artists and works mostly in oil portraiture, and he is also a regular at Cedarburg Plein Air. Though he primarily takes commissions, you can see examples of his figure work (and maybe some experimental abstracts) on Gallery Night.

VALARIA TATERA + ERIC KOESTER — #502 Regular Hours: by appointment Tatera is a visual and installation artist whose large-scale, tactile work is rooted in indigenous trauma and healing.

Says Tatera, “It is my body reenacting blood memories of ceremonies grounded in repetition, movement and dance.” She shares a space with painter Eric Koester, whose art questions American commercialism.

MATERIAL STUDIOS + GALLERY Regular Hours: Friday-Saturday 1-5 p.m.

Operated by artist and managing director Pamela Anderson, Material Studios + Gallery is the largest collaborative creative workspace in Milwaukee's Historic Third Ward, also home to MARN and ArtWorks for Milwaukee. “By bringing together artists, nonprofits, and creative entrepreneurs under one roof, [we serve] as a dynamic ecosystem where creativity, collaboration, and professional growth can flourish,” says Anderson. On Gallery Night, Material Studios is following a theme of Art and Community, featuring collaborative works by resident artists on the front feature wall of the space.

Anderson, prolific painter and sculptor, is just one of the many local artists who call the space home. De-facto managers oil painter Deborah Brooks and graphic designer Maureen Megan Kane each engage the space to its fullest; Brooks offers regular oil painting workshops and 1-on-1’s and plans to show her student’s work in her space on Gallery Night.

Other Material Studios artists specializing in everything from collage to dollhouse-sized micro galleries include May Klisch, Beki Borman, Pink Balance, Holly Buchholz, Susan Fiebig, Karie Brittain, Chrystal Gillon, Hydea Ali, Judith Gahn Murphy, Marti Coplai, Andrew Perry, Maureen Kane and Natalja Yatsuka.

WB ARTIST — #504 Regular Hours: by appointment Husband-wife duo Ted and Karen Brusubardis share a gallery space, but their practices couldn’t be more distinct. Ted’s large-scale video and Karen’s paintings both draw inspiration from family legacy, Ted of his Latvian roots and family music business, Karen of her Bolivian heritage and memories of the imaginary worlds she created growing up in rural Wisconsin.

The two will create a collaborative body of work to celebrate their 10th year at the Marshall Building in January; meantime on Gallery Night, you can enjoy displays of Ted’s multimedia videography alongside Karen’s current works in silverpoint, acrylic and giclee reproduction on woodblock.

Many of these featured spaces will be open and/or running special programming on Gallery Night & Day, July 17-18, but not all! Visit gallerynightmke.com for the most up to date Summer Gallery Night programming.

MATERIAL STUDIOS + GALLERY

MAGESTRO — #506 Regular Hours: by appointment Creative director of Mindspike Design (a web design group just around the corner in Suite #515) Mike Magestro hosts a studio space on the fifth floor for his abstract artwork.

His work explores texture and “feeling of place rather than direct representation.”

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Photos by Timothy Czerniakowski.

JULY 2026 | 33

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

11 Things to Do for Free

in Milwaukee

BY JAMIE LEE RAKE

B

oredom need not be an option when you're in Milwaukee and on a budget, even if that budget is $0. Below are 11 ideas for entertainment, enlightenment, and simply taking a break from the usual walls that surround you, all without charge.

BOSWELL BOOKS AUTHOR TALKS

BEACHES

The Downer Avenue retailer regularly hosts events with fiction and nonfiction writers of the books sold there— many from Wisconsin. The majority of these events are free.

Milwaukee proper is home to seven locations for sand and water, apart from those in suburbs and adjacent counties. Locations such as McKinley Beach, Bradford Beach and South Shore Park number among the places for people watching and swimming.

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARIES

Thrifty lovers of acoustic music should be heartened to know that the folk music venue housed in Plymouth United Congregational Church's lower reception hall features local and touring artists with sliding scale admission, down to being free. The Coffee House offers music most Saturday nights September through May.

All it takes is a card, also free, to avail yourself to multiple locations with a wealth of books, magazines, newspapers, music, video, computers, programming, job-seeking services, programming and more.

GALLERY NIGHTS

Maybe you can’t afford to buy fine artwork. But you may be able to get discounts some, and you can certainly view plenty of it in this quarterly event that encompasses art galleries and other locations in neighborhoods throughout the city.

KARAOKE

Go to a bar. Sing a favorite, famous song to a backing track. Hear others sing. Maybe win a prize for your trouble. All it may cost is some ego; and there are plenty of places in greater Milwaukee to do it, including Club Garibaldi.

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THE COFFEE HOUSE

MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM AND MITCHELL PARK HORTICULTURAL CONSERVATORY (THE DOMES)

It may seem odd to mention art and plants in one place, but both the museum and domes offer free admission to all on the third Thursday of each month, with admission always free for kids 12 and under to the museum.

THE HAGGERTY MUSEUM OF ART

The Marquette University facility is always fee to visit, with exhibitions changed out regularly and plenty of special events as well.

MILWAUKEE COUNTY ZOO

Yes, there usually is a charge to enter this renowned menagerie. But there are free days and promotions for certain demographics (military veterans, parents) that can make giving attention to its website worthwhile.

MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY

JAZZ IN THE PARK

Most Thursday nights from early June to mid-September, the East Town Association brings jazz, funk, blues and related styles to Cathedral Square Park for no-cost concerts.

Photos courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

JULY 2026 | 35

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Milwaukee Tours

BY ANDREAS SCOCOS

N

o place is unidimensional and Milwaukee is no exception.

Whether viewing the city from Kilbourn Reservoir Park, the Hoan Bridge or something in between, one has a different view of the town.

Moreover, different angles highlight different buildings—jutting out of the skyline in one view and blocked in its entirety in another—and different neighborhoods highlight different cultures—just across the highway from eclectic Bay View is the steady mix of Hispanic cultures of the near South Side, along with a smattering of the old Polish guard.

Below are Milwaukee tours offering unique opportunities both for longtime residents and visitors to see the city.

Maybe you’ll find an awestriking perspective shift?

HISTORIC MILWAUKEE INCORPORATED

Have you ever found yourself saying “If this building could talk?” Well, the answer is no it cannot, but Historic Milwaukee Inc. can get you as close to that conversation as possible.

From the Skywalk to the Plankinton Arcade to the HOP, the organization has developed innovative tours for you to learn about the city’s built environment The group provides tour attendees with a historic overview of the neighborhoods, with information for both history and architecture buffs.

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Tours will also tie in the adaptive reuse and redevelopment of buildings.

Book a tour today to learn about the rich history and revitalization of Milwaukee. Tours range from $8-$30 and vary from weekly to one-time events.

AMERICAN GHOST WALKS - MILWAUKEE

Curious about the paranormal? Want to explore the history of Milwaukee in a new lens? The American Ghost Walks company has you covered. Founded

by Mike Huberty in Madison, the group now offers three tours of Milwaukee focusing on “The Bloody Third” and other Downtown businesses and government buildings where restless souls are said to convene. Tied into this paranormal history are important local figures, old mobsters and civil war spies. Tours take place on Fridays and Saturdays and cost $30 a person.

U.S. GHOST ADVENTURES MILWAUKEE TOURS:

Another ghost hunting tour company?

You got it. While focusing on similar themes, the U.S. Ghost Adventures Tours examine the paranormal through a magnifying lens. Of its three tours, two focus on just one individual building—one on the Loyalty Block (Hilton Garden Inn Downtown) and the other on The Pabst Theater.

The third tour takes attendees up and down the Milwaukee Riverwalk where they are invited to explore the paranormal present of the river and mingle with the souls who allegedly wander from Milwaukee's bloody Mob days. Tickets are $26 for adults and $17 for youth.

CITY BREW TOURS

Milwaukee has expanded its reputation as more than a town to grab a beer, however, one can always return to old faithful. City Brew Tours offers a couple tours of the local brewing scene, allowing visitors to sample between 12-16 beers, providing transportation between breweries and allowing attendees to see the brewing process firsthand. What’s more exciting than that? Ticket prices range from $89 to $119 and tours are conducted Thursdays through Sundays.

MILWAUKEE FOOD TOURS

Hungry? Milwaukee Food Tours offers a variety of different opportunities for you to explore the city’s culinary scene by foot or vehicle. Whether focused purely on tacos or a whole neighborhood food tour, you will be sure to please your taste buds.

Ticket prices range from $99 to $129 with tours conducted Friday through Sunday each week.

Photo courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Milwaukee Milestone

Anniversaries

As the City of Milwaukee celebrates its 180th anniversary this year, we wanted to recognize the many local businesses and organizations marking milestone anniversaries ending in a 0 or 5.

This list features those that shared their milestone with us. To all the businesses and organizations celebrating a significant anniversary this year—even if you're not included here—the Shepherd Express extends our heartfelt congratulations and wishes you continued success for years to come.

Almost Home Cat Rescue: 5 years

Horicon Bank: 130 years

Saz’s: 50 years

Arts at Large: 25 years

Juneteenth Celebration: 55 years

Screaming Tuna Milwaukee: 15 years

Bay View Bowl: 100 years

Kloiber Jewelers: 100 years

Shaker’s Cigar Bar: 40 years

Bliffert Lumber & Hardware: 120 years

Latino Arts, Inc.: 40 years

Stein’s Garden & Home: 80 years

Café Benelux: 15 years

Lion’s Tooth: 5 years

Steny’s: 40 years

Café Hollander Mequon: 10 years

Lo Duca Wines: 80 years

Storm the Bastille 5K Run/Walk: 40 years

Café Lulu: 25 Years

Lowlands Hospitality Group: 20 years

Tosa Fest: 50 Years

City of Milwaukee: 180 years

Mason Street Grill: 20 years

Uptown Motors: 80 years

Concord Chamber Orchestra: 50 years

McBob’s Pub and Grill: 40 years

Weather Tight Corporation: 40 years

Fine Arts Quartet: 40 years

Mequon Nature Preserve: 15 years

Wisconsin State Fair: 175 years

Five O’Clock Steakhouse: 80 years

Midwest Gaming Classic: 25 years

WMSE 91.7: 45 years

Fischberger's Variety: 20 years

Milorganite: 100 years

Women’s Club of Wisconsin: 150 years

Glorioso’s Italian Market: 80 years

Mitchell International Airport: 100 years

Y-Not II: 50 years

HEAR Wisconsin: 100 years

Old World Wisconsin: 50 years

Historic Third Ward Association: 50 years

REALTORS Home & Garden Show: 100 years

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Photo by GettyImages/Sean Pavone.

MKE Airport Celebrates 100 Years of Connecting Our Community Long before travelers could book a flight in seconds online and smartphones replaced paper boarding passes, Milwaukee County had a vision for connecting the community.

That vision took flight on October 5, 1926, when Milwaukee County purchased the land that would become Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport (MKE).

Now, 100 years later, MKE Airport is celebrating a milestone that few organizations ever reach. A century full of serving travelers, supporting economic growth, and helping shape Wisconsin’s travel footprint.

MILWAUKEE MITCHELL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 5300 S Howell Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53207 • 414-747-5300 FlyMKE.com

MKE’s impact stretches far beyond its runways. For generations, MKE Airport has been the starting point for family vacations, business opportunities, military deployments, college send-offs, and homecomings.

MKE has grown alongside the region it serves, adapting to changing technology, evolving passenger expectations, and an increasingly connected global economy.

As MKE leaders and staff reflect on the past 100 years, there’s equal focus on the next 100 years. Flying local provides benefits beyond convenience. When travelers choose to fly from MKE, airlines take notice. Passenger demand plays a major role in determining which routes are added, expanded, and maintained. Every seat booked from MKE helps strengthen flight options for travelers.

That’s an important message in a region where many travelers may not realize the direct impact their choices have on local air service. While MKE is owned

by Milwaukee County, MKE does not rely on county tax dollars to fund operations. MKE functions as a self-sustaining enterprise supported largely by the people and businesses that use it. Revenue generated through airport activity helps maintain facilities, support operations, and invest in future improvements.

So, each time you choose your hometown airport, you are directly making an important impact on the future legacy of MKE and travel in Wisconsin.

The next chapter, just like the last century, will be written by the travelers who choose to begin their journey at home. MKE remains committed to serving travelers and helping Wisconsin soar into the next century.

Photos courtesy of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport.

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A centennial naturally invites reflection. Yet for MKE, this anniversary is as much about momentum as it is history. 100 years of flight and MKE Airport continues to connect people, strengthen communities, and open doors to new opportunities.

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As travelers support MKE, they are also supporting jobs, tourism, business development, and the region’s overall competitiveness. Few airports balance big-city connectivity with hometown convenience as seamlessly as MKE. This is a point of pride for many MKE travelers.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

FIVE O'CLOCK STEAKHOUSE 2416 W State St, Milwaukee, WI • 414-342-3553 fiveoclocksteakhouse.com

80 Years of Sizzling Tradition: Honoring Our Roots and Thanking the Milwaukee Community Rich in tradition and entirely free of passing trends, the Five O’Clock Steakhouse has stood as a timeless cornerstone of Milwaukee’s culinary scene since 1946.

Originally founded as Coerper’s Five O’Clock Club, this family-owned, independently operated landmark is widely celebrated as the city’s premier supper club and steakhouse destination.

The restaurant’s name carries a legendary piece of Milwaukee lore: decades ago, an alarm clock behind the bar would sound precisely at 5 p.m. every day, signaling a free round of drinks for patrons. While the physical clock may have quieted, that same spirit of midcentury hospitality, generosity, and lively community remains entirely unchanged.

For eight remarkable decades, Five O’Clock Steakhouse has had the distinct privilege of serving as the backdrop to your life's most unforgettable moments. From milestone birthdays and nervous first dates to nervous wedding proposals and quiet family anniversaries, we have been woven into the very fabric of Milwaukee history.

As we proudly celebrate our landmark 80th anniversary, our hearts are focused entirely on one thing: profound gratitude for you, our incredibly loyal guests.

"Eighty years of independence and success would be entirely impossible without the generation-spanning devotion of our Milwaukee community." – Hegel Terron / General Manager

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While the culinary landscape around us changes constantly, we have remained fiercely dedicated to what we do best. Our philosophy is simple: we source the finest, most exceptional cuts of prime beef, aged meticulously, and serve them sizzling with our signature retro flair. Paired with timeless Wisconsin supper club classics, live music, an award winning wine list, and masterfully poured cocktails, we take immense pride in offering an authentic dining experience that can never be replicated.

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Beyond the main dining room, our Alley Cat Lounge continues to keep the spirit of old-school Milwaukee alive, treating guests to the city’s energetic 1940s ambiance.

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Whether you have been dining with us since the early Coerper’s era or recently discovered us for a special night out, you are part of the legacy that keeps our kitchen firing night after night. Thank you for choosing us, for supporting an independent, family-owned business, and for trusting us with your evenings for 80 beautiful years. We raise a classic cocktail to you, Milwaukee, and look forward to serving you for many more decades to come. Cheers to eighty years!

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Photos courtesy of Five O'Clock Steakhouse.

MILWAUKEE METROPOLITAN SEWERAGE DISTRICT

By 1925, after comprehensive field trials, the material was deemed a viable fertilizer, and in 1926, Milorganite was first commercially produced and distributed.

A Century of Recycling Nutrients, Protecting Water, and Growing Healthier Landscapes

Why is it called Milorganite?

Milorganite® Fertilizer, one of the nation’s oldest slow-release fertilizers, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. First produced in 1926, Milorganite was born from a bold environmental vision in Milwaukee, WI, and remains a trusted slow-release fertilizer across the country.

From Polluted Rivers to Clean Water In the early 20th century, rapid industrial growth and population expansion placed increasing pressure on Milwaukee’s waterways. Rivers and Lake Michigan were polluted, creating serious environmental and public health concerns. The newly established Sewerage Commission of the City of Milwaukee adopted the emerging activated sludge process in 1914— an innovative wastewater treatment technology that used microorganisms to break down organic matter.

Construction of the Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility began in 1923, marking the world’s first large-scale activated sludge facility. The process generated a nutrient-rich byproduct that researchers, led by University of Wisconsin agronomist Oyvind Juul “O.J.” Noer, studied extensively.

The name was selected through a contest, published in National Fertilizer Magazine in 1925, submitted

by McIver and Son of Charleston, SC. Derived from MILwaukee ORGAnic NITrogen: Milorganite.

A Century of Recycling and Environmental Stewardship

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260 W. Seeboth St. Milwaukee WI 53204 • 414-272-5100 www.milorganite.com www.mmsd.com

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Today, Milorganite fertilizer remains one of the nation’s largest recycling efforts, manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD). A regional government agency in water reclamation, flood management, and green infrastructure, serving over 1 million customers in 29 communities. Nutrients removed during wastewater treatment are recovered and heat-dried at high temperatures to ensure safety and quality. Milorganite delivers nutrients gradually to plants, up to 8-10 weeks, and reduces the potential for runoff into waterways.

Producing and distributing Milorganite is the most costeffective solution for MMSD to achieve its goal of maintaining environmental and community health by returning clean water to Lake Michigan. Over the last century, MMSD has recycled those nutrients into Milorganite, keeping more than 10 billion tons out of landfills.

Celebrating 100 Years of Growing Together As Milorganite marks 100 years, the organization honors the visionaries who transformed an environmental challenge into an enduring solution—and the generations of customers who have trusted the product for their landscapes.

• The first railcar of Milorganite was shipped on February 10, 1926

Photos courtesy of Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District.

Join in the celebration by sharing a photo or video of your Milorganite landscape (milorganite.com) in the 100thAnniversary Giveaway and take a tour at Doors Open Milwaukee on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at Jones Island Water Reclamation Facility.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Milwaukee Area

Nature Centers

BY BEN SLOWEY

URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER

WEHR NATURE CENTER

(1500 E. Park Place, 1859 N. 40th St. and 3700 W. Pierce St.) The UEC (Urban Ecology Center) connects Milwaukeeans with nature by way of its three branches on the East Side, in Washington Park and Silver City. With its many familyfriendly activities and educational programs, the UEC provides opportunities for hiking, birding, rock-climbing, wading, canoeing, snowshoeing and other recreations. One of the UEC’s hallmark events is its annual Brew City Birding Festival in May, plus its flagship Neighborhood Environmental Education Project (NEEP) which partners with 60 schools across Milwaukee to get kids out into nature.

(9701 W. College Ave., Franklin) Located adjacent to Whitnall Park and Boerner Botanical Gardens, Franklin’s Wehr Nature Center is distinguishable by its massive pond often populated by migratory waterfowl like loons, diving ducks and even the occasional swan. With more than five miles of hiking trails across five habitats, Wehr champions accessibility initiatives that give everyone of all ages and abilities the opportunity to experience Wisconsin’s great outdoors.

HAVENWOODS STATE FOREST (6141 N. Hopkins St.) Milwaukee’s only urban state forest, Havenwoods boasts six miles of hiking trails across its 237 acres of prairies, woods and wetlands. Benches are peppered throughout the refuge to allow folks to sit and relax while mesmerized by the sounds of birds, bugs and frogs. The nature center at Havenwoods offers yearround programming and outdoor gear for rent while housing terrariums of native wildlife and doubling as an event space.

SCHLITZ AUDUBON NATURE CENTER (1111 E. Brown Deer Road, Bayside) Situated on what was once an equestrian farm, Schlitz Audubon Nature Center is blessed with one of the most comprehensive habitat networks in the Milwaukee area, containing prairies, forests, wetlands, bluffs, ravines and beaches. The center’s renowned Raptor Ambassador Program as well as its new Birding Academy give folks opportunities to get up close with its many resident birds of prey and learn about Wisconsin’s many native and migratory bird species.

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RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER (4458 County Hwy Y, Saukville) A half hour drive north of Milwaukee embedded in the rural landscape between West Bend and Saukville finds Riveredge Nature Center, a serene sanctuary full of immersive ecosystems, marshy boardwalks and plentiful Midwest fauna.

The Riveredge mission focuses on inclusivity within nature opportunities, wellness-centered programming and various conservation projects.

RIVER BEND NATURE CENTER (3600 N. Green Bay Road., Racine) Racine’s River Bend Nature Center, as its name suggests, establishes itself on the banks of the Root River near Quarry Lake. The center features a wealth of educational programming for children and adults alike, from summer camps to kayaking classes to fly fishing days. Every year in October, River Bend Nature Center puts on its Chainsaw Carving & Art Forest Festival.

Photo courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

RETZER NATURE CENTER (S14 W28167 Madison St., Waukesha) In Waukesha County, Retzer Nature Center stewards more than 450 acres of restored woods, marshes and prairies, all accessible by way of its extensive trail system. Friends of Retzer, the center’s volunteer nonprofit, sponsors natural history trips to Central America and the Caribbean.

LAPHAM PEAK (W329 N846 County Hwy C, Delafield) As a unit of the vast Kettle Moraine State Forest system, Delafield’s Lapham Peak sits atop glaciated lands that provide an exceptional environment for hiking, birding, cross-country skiing and picnicking. Lapham Peak’s 45-ft tall observation tower is notably the highest point in Waukesha County, offering a stunning view of the surrounding landscape - especially during fall. The Hausmann Nature Center contains exhibits and artifacts of the local and natural history of the area.

HAWTHORN HOLLOW NATURE SANCTUARY & ARBORETUM (880 Green Bay Road, Kenosha) Nestled on a country road between Racine and Kenosha, Hawthorn Hollow celebrates and preserves the area’s enduring Pike River legacy with 12 acres of sprawling trails, trees, gardens, prairies and historic buildings. Hawthorn Hollow has a storied past that goes back more than half a century and is free to the public. Among the sanctuary’s staple events are Planets and Pancakes, Spooky Hollow, an art fair and a concert series.

KETTLE MORAINE STATE FOREST - SOUTHERN UNIT (S91W39091 State Road 59, Eagle) The Kettle Moraine State Forest system is about as pristine as southeastern Wisconsin’s outdoors gets. Between the towns of Eagle and Palmyra is the Southern Unit, which serves as Kettle Moraine headquarters. In addition to its many miles of hiking, biking and horseback trails covering thousands of acres of hills, lakes and prairies, the Southern Unit offers campgrounds, boating, fishing, hunting, swimming and winter sports opportunities. The headquarters’ nature center houses interpretive exhibits, taxidermied animals and children’s activities. Note that the scenic Ice Age Trail is accessible here as well.

RICHARD BONG STATE RECREATIONAL AREA (26313 Burlington Road, Kansasville) What was originally slated to be a jet fighter base in rural Kenosha County was abandoned at the last minute and quickly fell into the hands of locals determined to preserve this massive prairie and wildlife preserve. In addition to the mainstays of outdoor activities like hiking, camping and swimming, Richard Bong State Recreational Area is host to a wide array of niche hobbies like ATVing, dogsledding, model rocketry and falconry.

Visit the Molinaro Center on the way in.

PRINGLE NATURE CENTER (9800 160th Ave., Bristol) The town of Bristol, located in Kenosha County near the Illinois state line, is home to Pringle Nature Center. Here, folks may navigate more than four miles of trails across prairies, upland forests, oak savannas and wetlands. The folks at Pringle spearhead a number of youth-oriented programs like Nature Story Time, Tots in the Park, Homeschool Science, scouts and summer camps. Other initiatives include the Bristol Woods Trail Run, Egg-Stravaganza, The Great Gnome Gathering and the Fall Fun Festival.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Five Milwaukee Parks and Their Sewer Socialist and Central Park Connections

BY ANDREAS SCOCOS

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n 1923 Charles Whitnall released his plan for the Milwaukee County Park and Parkway system. That plan, though only partially implemented, has led to the “Emerald Necklace” of parks and parkways today in Milwaukee County.

First elected as treasurer of Milwaukee in 1910—alongside the nation's first big city socialist mayor Emil Seidel and first socialist congressman Victor Berger—Whitnall began a long career blending his deep love for preserving Milwaukee’s natural corridors with the socialist ideals of providing a clean, reformed way of life for the working people of Milwaukee. His interest in improving access to parks and cleaning up the physical and environmental hazards boomtown industrial development had wrecked on Milwaukee fell right in line with the “bread and butter” practical approach Milwaukee’s “sewer socialists” practiced.

Moreover, Whitnall’s plan focused on integrating the county parks into a unified system connected by tree lined parkways. He became an expert on the waterways of the county and the plan prioritized the creation of protected watersheds through large parks and parkways which followed the path of these waterways. The plan looked to preserve the existing natural topography and old growth in its new development. When parks required new development, it was made to mimic the surrounding natural world.

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Alfred Boerner, the lead landscape architect of the Regional Planning Commission was instrumental in implementing the details of Whitnall’s plan, specifying the design and use areas of each new park and parkway.

Below is an overview of five parks within this outstanding system and little about each of their unique history.

WASHINGTON PARK (1859 N. 40TH ST.) Situated on Milwaukee’s West Side, the land for this park was purchased in 1891, when much of the surrounding land was rural farmland and in the Town of Wauwatosa.

Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and originally known as West Park, it became Washington Park in 1900. In 1892, Gustav Pabst donated deer to create the first Milwaukee Zoo on the site.

The park was designed with curving paths, a meandering lagoon and an asymmetrical placement of trees and shrubs creating the relaxed, pastoral feel that Olmsted had popularized. Washington Park was designed to be a place where the eye meandered rather than focused on specific points or monuments. As the city grew around the park, planting homes, duplexes and apartment buildings around its edges, the park changed. The zoo was moved, the famous bandshell was erected in 1938 and an urban ecology center opened in 2007.

While the park has adapted from its rural surroundings to a noticeably more urban present, it has retained much of the pastoral design from Olmsted while adapting to the neighborhood's changing face.

Photo courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

LAKE PARK (2975 N. LAKE PARK ROAD.) On the Upper East Side lies another amazing Frederick Law Olmsted park. Defined by its ravines and bluffs it leads down to the lapping waves of Lake Michigan.

Work began on the park in 1889 and continued intermittently throughout the end of the century. The result was the stunning Lake Park that is enjoyed by Milwaukee today. Newberry Boulevard—a parkway—links Lake Park with Riverside Park to the West. The park has many of the same pastoral elements of Washington Park, with its biggest post Olmsted additions being a French bistro and par three golf course. Lake Park would later be part of the existing thread that Whitnall’s parks plan would weave together in 1923.

RED ARROW PARK (920 N. WATER ST.) This small Downtown park is a fraction the size of the others on this list but what it lacks in size, it carries in history. The current edition of Red Arrow Park is its second iteration.

Initially, the park occupied a full city block bordered by Wisconsin Avenue to the North, Michigan Street tothe South and flanked by 10th and 11th Streets to its east and west.

The park was created from the old Grand Avenue estate of James Kneeland and acquired by the county in the 1920s. It boasted a manmade wading pond, and a pair of attendants who monitored the park from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Unfortunately, the old parkland is now part of the depressed asphalt and concrete jungle of the Marquette Interchange.

The spirit of the park lives on today, however, in the shadow of City Hall, where the notorious Kitty Williams brothel once stood. The site known for ladies of the night and sleazy businessmen now nods in respect towards the Army’s 32nd Division, who fought valiantly in the no man’s land of World War I, and features outdoor ice skating in winter.

GRANT PARK (100 HAWTHORNE AVE., SOUTH MILWAUKEE) Founded in 1910, Grant Park sits on the lakeshore and is home to the impressive Seven Bridges Trail. The park had the first 18-hole county owned golf course, adapting an 1892 farmhouse as its clubhouse, which it maintains today. Extensive work was conducted on this park during the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps to create staircases, dams, ponds, a waterfall and the Germanic styled entrance bridge. It is home to a variety of activities today and is a favorite place to observe fall colors in Milwaukee.

WHITNALL PARK (5879 S. 92ND ST., HALES CORNERS) The largest park in the system, Whitnall Park sits in the southwest corner of the county. Whitnall is rich in diversity with a variety of “outdoor rooms,” a testament to the park's namesake. It includes wooded arboretums, a golf course, archery range, the Wehr Nature Center, and the beloved Boerner Botanical Gardens. The park is connected to the Root River Parkway fulfilling the goal of connecting green spaces with the flows of natural bodies of water. The space is a treasure just 22 minutes from Downtown yet retains the qualities of a rural space.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

Shepherd Express Summer Festival Guide, July-September 2026

JULY WIMMER COMMUNITIES CONCERTS IN THE GARDEN Thursdays, July 2–August 20 Boerner Botanical Gardens, Hales Corners wimmercommunities.com/ concertsinthegarden LAKE PARK MUSICAL MONDAYS July 6-Aug. 24 Summer Stage, Lake Park Milwaukee and national touring bands of many genres will perform for the free concert series at Milwaukee’s lakeside park.

IOLA OLD CAR SHOW Iola, Wis. July 9-11 iolaoldcarshow.com FESTA ITALIANA - HENRY MAIER FESTIVAL PARK

DOMINIC DAYS -ST. DOMINIC CATHOLIC PARISH, BROOKFIELD July 10-12 https://stdominic.net/welcome/dominicdays/ BRISTOL RENAISSANCE FAIRE July 11–September 7, Saturdays, Sundays and Labor Day Kenosha renfair.com/Bristol Where Can Party Like it’s 1599? Every Faire day recreates a time when knights were noble, maids were merry and turkey legs were titanic.

WHITEFISH BAY ART FEST July 11-12, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Downtown Whitefish Bay along Silver Spring Drive Start your day with breakfast at your favorite Whitefish Bay spot, then immerse yourself in thousands of paintings, sculptures, photographs, jewelry from 100 juried artists.

July 10–12 https://www.iccmilwaukee.com/festaitaliana

https://amdurproductions.com/ event/2023-whitefish-bay-art-fest/

Italian cuisine and desserts, La Cucina showcase, national and local live music, cultural performances and heritage exhibits, bocce ball tournament and more. Fireworks on July 10-11.

RIVERWEST SECRET GARDEN TOUR July 12, 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

https://www.facebook.com/secretgardentour/ It’s no secret anymore! Discover and enjoy some of the finest urban gardens in Milwaukee.

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LAKE PARK SUMMER STAGE Musical Mondays: July 13–August 24 lakeparkfriends.org/visit/events/musicin-the-park Season 28 brings another gumbo of topflight acts including New Orleans’ Flow Tribe, the annual R&B Cadets groovea-thon, “Buckets of Prine: The Songs of John Prine,” Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont Partis Band and more.

Also, check out Wonderful Wednesdays for children and their families.

BASTILLE DAYS July 9-12 Cathedral Square Park, 520 E. Wells St. easttown.com/bastille-days Bastille Days, Milwaukee’s popular French festival and one of the nation’s largest French-themed celebrations, is held in Milwaukee’s Cathedral Square Park. The free, four-day bash attracts over 250,000 visitors annually who enjoy live music, an international marketplace, French and Cajun cuisine, and roaming busker entertainment. Storm the Bastille 5K Run/ Walk on July 9 at 9 p.m.

MILWAUKEE DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL July 11 Lakeshore State Park milwaukeedragonboatfest.org Dragon boat races, Chinese culture and traditions including dance performances, folk music, martial Arts and handson opportunities for the young and young-at-heart to make opera masks and lanterns, play traditional games, participate in a dragon parade, and even learn to speak and write Chinese.

Header: photo of the Milwaukee Night Market courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE SOUTH MILWAUKEE HERITAGE DAYS July 19-26 smheritagedays.org

HARLEY-DAVIDSON MUSEUM

Friends of the Grant Park Art Fair July19, Veterans Appreciation Dinner July 21, South Milwaukee Farmers Market May 28-Oct 1, and Saturday Heritage Days Parade July 25.

EAA AIRVENTURE July 20-26 Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh eaa.org/airventure Travel to Oshkosh for an international gathering of some 800,000+ aviation enthusiasts. Attend a workshop or catch a lecture from a notable flight pro, then take in the daily afternoon air show with top-flight pilots dazzling onlookers with aerial acrobatics.

Photo courtesy of Harley-Davidson Museum.

WASHINGTON COUNTY FAIR WAUKESHA COUNTY FAIR

SCENIC SHORE RIDE FOR A CURE

July 15-19 Waukesha County Expo Center waukeshacountyfair.com

July 25-26 Lake Michigan Shoreline from Mequon to Sturgeon Bay pages.lls.org/events/vtnt/ss150

This year’s main stage acts include 38 Special, Hoobastank and Sebastian Bach.

MOVIE NIGHTS AT DAVIDSON PARK Davidson Park, Milwaukee July 17 - 18 Aug. 21, Sept. 18 Bikes, Bourbon & Barbecue MIDSUMMER FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS July 18-19 John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan jmkac.org/event/midsummer-festival-ofthe-arts-15 Free admission with 100 artist booths, live music, exhibitions, demonstrations, art making, and food trucks.

ARMENIAN FEST July 19 St. John the Baptist Armenian Orthodox Church 7825 W. Layton Ave. armenianfest.com What began in the 1930s as a summer picnic for Milwaukee's Armenian community has grown into a popular attraction for Milwaukee festival with live music and food including kabobs, bureks, and unique Armenian dishes and flavors.

Blood Cancer United is sponsoring a two-day, 150-mile, fully supported cycling event open to riders of all ages and abilities along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. The goal is a cure for blood cancer; please visit the website to register.

TASTE OF WISCONSIN July 24-26 Celebration Place at Kenosha’s Harbor 54th Street and 1st Avenue (east of the museums), Kenosha tasteofwi.com

MILWAUKEE AIR AND WATER SHOW

PRAIRIE DOG BLUES FEST

July 25-26 Milwaukee Lakefront from Bradford Beach to Veterans Park mkeairwatershow.com

July 23-25 St. Feriole Island, Prairie du Chien prairiedogblues.com

Since its launch, the WaterStone Bank Air & Water Show has grown into one of the Midwest’s largest free events, drawing hundreds of thousands of spectators every year.

The Prairie Dog Blues Festival is held every year on historic St. Feriole Island, on the Mississippi River and nestled between jagged cliffs and green hills untouched by the Ice Age. GERMAN FEST

WASHINGTON PARK WEDNESDAYS July 8-August 26 washingtonparkneighbors.com/calendar See Vincent Van Great and Amanda Huff, Orquestra Rumba, Ladies Must Swing and more at the Washington Park Bandshell Summer Concert Series.

Early evening event with live music in the bandshell and local food trucks.

PORT FISH DAYS July 18 Port Washington Lakefront https://portfishdays.com/ TASTE OF ETHIOPIA AND ERITREA July 18-19 Port Washington Lakefront 6911 S. 20thth St., Oak Creek

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July 21-26 Washington County Fair Park, West Bend wcfairpark.com/fair

July 24-26 Henry Maier Festival Park germanfest.com German Fest Milwaukee brings the spirit of Germany to life each summer with authentic food, lively entertainment and a vibrant community atmosphere.

BRADY STREET FESTIVAL July 25 Brady Street https://bradystreet.org/brady-streetfestival/ The annual Brady Street Festival features three stages of entertainment for all ages, local food vendors, makers and nonstop energy throughout the day. A longtime tradition, the festival continues to be a must-attend event for residents and visitors alike.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE MILWAUKEE BREWFEST July 25 McKinley Park milwaukeebrewfest.com ARTBLAZE July 30 (McKinley Beach), Aug. 6 (South Shore Beach), Aug. 20 (McKinley Beach)

AUGUST OZAUKEE COUNTY FAIR July 29-August 2 W67 N866 Washington Ave., Cedarburg ozaukeecountyfair.com Begun in 1859 and billed as one of the last free fairs in the Midwest, it has all you'd hope for in a county fair, including a full midway, fair food, multiple stages of live entertainment, magic and kids' shows, animal judging, truck and tractor pulls, lumberjack show, demolition derby and fireworks.

BLACK ARTS FEST MKE - HENRY MAIER FESTIVAL PARK August 1 https://blackartsfestmke.com/ A cultural festival celebrating and showcasing African and African American culture. Various genres of music on tap, performances and workshops for children, dance performances and activities focused around African heritage are in store. A Market Square will feature wares and products aligned with the culture and produced by black owned businesses

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CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICAN FESTIVAL

THIRD WARD MOON FESTIVAL

August 2 Humboldt Park

Catalano Square

RACINE STARVING ARTIST FAIR

LUXEMBOURG FEST

August 2 DeKoven Center, Racine racineartguild.com/safracine

August 7-9

August 7-9 https://www.lacs.lu/luxembourg-festweek/

This juried fair features the work of over 130 artists from Racine County and all over the Midwest.

Celebrate the 40th Annual Luxembourg Fest Week at the World’s Largest Luxembourg Family Reunion

PENINSULA MUSIC FESTIVAL

SUMMER PARK JAM WEEKEND

August 4-22 Door Community Auditorium, Fish Creek Kress Pavilion, Egg Harbor musicfestival.com

August 14-15 Marcus Performing Arts Center https://www.trueskool.org/ summerparkjam

The 74th Peninsula Music Festival features symphonic concerts of major classical pieces.

CENTER STREET DAZE FESTIVAL

WISCONSIN STATE FAIR August 6-16 Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis wistatefair.com Our great Wisconsin State Fair boasts 30 entertainment stages featuring local and national acts, a host of exhibits and enough food and shopping to keep you busy for days. Did we mention the cream puffs? Almost anything on a stick!

August 15 East Center Street between Holton Street and Humboldt Boulevard centerstreetdazefestival.com Center Street Daze Festival, held in Milwaukee’s vibrant Riverwest neighborhood between Holton and Humboldt on Center Street, has been happening annually since 1997.

HANK AARON STATE TRAIL 5K RUN/WALK August 8, 8:30 a.m.

American Family Field–Tailgate Haus hankaaronstatetrail.org/events/23rdannual-hast-5k WE ARE WATER CELEBRATION August 16 1750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., McKinley Beach milwaukeewatercommons.org/we-arewater A rich, inter-arts cultural celebration that brings people together from all parts of the city to honor our shared waters.

MILWAUKEE IRISH FEST August 13-16 Henry Maier Festival Park irishfest.com The world's largest Irish festival features nonstop Celtic music from traditional to rock, Irish dance, cultural area, theater performances, food, drink and more.

MOWA ART AND CHALK FEST August 1-2 Museum of Wisconsin Art, West Bend wisconsinart.org/art-chalk-fest Experience chalk artists creating largescale works of chalk art right before your eyes, watch a glass-blowing demo in a mobile hot shop, or see clay sculpted into handmade vessels on a pottery wheel all while listening to live music.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART - CHALK FEST

TOSAFEST September 11-12 Hart Park, Wauwatosa wauwatosavillage.org/tosafest Celebrating 50 years this year, Tosafest is a community festival with live music, art, food and children's activities including pony rides, a petting zoo and face painting. All proceeds go to area charities.

PUERTO RICAN FESTIVAL OF WISCONSIN September 12 Henry Maier Festival Park IKEA FRANK MOTS INTERNATIONAL KITE FESTIVAL Gift of Wings Kite Store, Veterans Park Sept. 12-13 https://www.giftofwingslanding.com/ events.html WINE AND HARVEST FESTIVAL Sept. 19-20 Downtown Cedarburg cedarburgfestival.org/wine-and-harvestfest

MOWA Chalk Fest, photo courtesy of MOWA.

MEXICAN FIESTA August 21-23 Henry Maier Festival Park mexicanfiesta.org Mexican Fiesta is much more than three days of tamales, Mariachi music and dancing. It's an education in Mexico's rich culture and history encouraging people of all backgrounds to share in the beauty of Mexico's culture.

TASTE OF EGYPT August 21-23 St. Mary & St. Antonius Coptic Orthodox Church SERBIAN DAYS August 21-23 St. Sava Serbian Orthodox Church COUNTRY IN THE BURG August 28-29 Cedar Creek Park countryintheburg.com The two-day country music festival is held in Cedarburg.

WALK FOR WISHES August 29 Milwaukee County Zoo wish.org/wisconsin/walk-wishesmilwaukee Proceeds from the 5K or one-mile run/ walk will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin and grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses.

SEPTEMBER WISCONSIN HIGHLAND GAMES Labor Day Weekend: September 4-6 Waukesha Expo Center wisconsinscottish.org Opening Ceremonies Friday night, followed by two days of competitions in bagpiping, heavy athletics, Highland dance, and more, plus the Clans Area, Celtic Canines, Pub Tent with live music and more.

THIRD WARD ART FESTIVAL September 5-6 345 N. Broadway amdurproductions.com/event/2023third-ward-art-festival Showcasing the work of nearly 200 juried artists in a variety of mediums, including ceramics, fiber, glass jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, paintings, drawings, photography, printmaking, wood and furniture.

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This festival fills the historic town. Sample food and wine, much of it locally made, as you enjoy many family activities and live musical performances.

FRESHWATER FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Sept. 19-20 Henry Maier Park DOORS OPEN MILWAUKEE September 26-27 historicmilwaukee.org/doors-open More than 160 buildings open their doors in this annual citywide celebration of history, architecture and neighborhoods organized by Historic Milwaukee.

Expect performing arts events and children's activities.

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SPECIAL MILWAUKEE CITY GUIDE

A Geeky Guide to Milwaukee

BY CAROLINE DANNECKER

F

or geeks and nerds alike, Milwaukee is a Midwest paradise that has long embraced its passions proudly. From LARPing (Live Action Role-Playing) and historical reenactments in parks, to cult movie screenings, videogames in concert, cosplay balls and board games for every age and genre, the city and its suburbs offer fun for all.

CONVENTIONS AND MAJOR EVENTS Throughout the year, Milwaukee hosts geeky events both large and small. The largest of these is the Midwest Gaming Classic, a gaming tradeshow which welcomes over 20,000 attendees each spring. MSOE’s gaming, sci-fi and anime convention Concinnity and Milwaukee Zine Fest are also hallmark spring events.

In summer, Awkward Nerd Events hosts the LevelUp Geek Retreat at Camp Minikani and local gaming shops and clubs pack the calendar with everything from learning to league nights and tournaments.

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In fall, Riverwest’s Argen Faire at Black Husky brings the Renaissance to the city (free of charge) while Milk Comic Fest celebrates local, indie comic creatives, and Milwaukee Anime-Fest provides a small-scale anime convention. Anime Milwaukee— Wisconsin’s largest anime convention— will turn twenty next March. Winter also brings Milwaukee Comic Con, Horror Con, the Mitchell Park Domes’ Train Show and Awkward Nerd Evens’ annual masquerade ball.

SHOPPING In between conventions and major events, Milwaukee has plenty to offer to feed your collection or fuel your gaming.

For comic books and graphic novels, Collectors Edge, Lost World of Wonders, Turning Page and Vortex Comics are go-to shops with large selections.

For other gameplay, Tabletop Bookshop specializing in tabletop RPGs, Battle Brothers Miniature Wargaming focuses on hobby miniature model gaming, and The Mana Vault is all about trading card games (primarily Pokémon and Magic). Each shop also offers a robust calendar of gaming events worth perusing and most offer reservable play space.

Each year, Awkward Nerd Events and Pilot Project Brewing host Made in Nerdwaukee, a free-to-enter geeky market featuring dozens of local makers.

Empty wallet? Milwaukee is also home to the TikTok famous Milwaukee Public Library which offers a massive selection of comics, graphic novels, manga, film, television and books (naturally) for geeks of all ages and tastes.

For board games Old Guard Games, Board Game Barrister and Game Universe are local favorites with large selections.

Header photo by GettyImages/Jose carlos Cerdeno.

DINING After a late night of gaming, Alderaan Coffee is a natural choice for a morning pick-me-up for the Star Wars nod. Bay View’s Happy Dough Lucky offers a selection of classic arcade games to play alongside donuts, pizza and pop culture-themed décor designed for all ages to enjoy for “elevensies,” dinner or dessert.

For gaming while you dine, Brookfield’s Beyond the Board is a gaming café for all ages offering food and board game play in one space. Milwaukee’s Mana Tap offers a more adult-oriented experience with craft cocktails and gaming tables, and St. Francis’ Faklandia Brewpub is the “world’s first storybook brewery” offering a fantasy setting with choose-your-ownadventure dining and games (including popular trivia nights).

Don’s TV and Repair Speakeasy in Walker’s Point offers affordable bites and drinks paired with entertainment nostalgia for film and television fans.

On weekends, they serve brunch.

For anime fans and K-pop stans, Milwaukee offers a growing number of Asian restaurants. Bay View’s Hungry Sumo and Walker’s Point’s Cute Robot Japanese Kitchen (to name just two) offer Japanese cuisine for any mood.

Cute Robot focuses on comfort foods like Japanese curry, while Hungry Sumo is known for its sushi and ramen. K Steet Café in West Allis serves a wide array of Korean café-inspired drinks and foods from yuja tea and dalgona lattes to tteok-bokki (rice cakes), while Soban Korean Eatery offers more traditional cuisine (including kimchi).

Milwaukee’s Oriental Theatre holds the world record for the longest-running theatrical exhibition of the classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. Other cult films are often shown at the Oriental, Avalon and Times theaters.

MORE FUN

Lastly, the Milwaukee Public Museum cannot go without mention. True craft geeks will appreciate the art of the “Milwaukee style” dioramas on display and the museum hosts a wide range of interactive events that will appeal to all ages, including lightly competitive family and adult-only mystery nights (costumes welcome).

Still looking for more to do? Sandbox Dragons regularly offers guided Dungeons and Dragons workshops, with separate groups for kids and adults. The Garcade in Menomonee Falls is a retro-style arcade with over 200 classic arcade games and pinball machines to play.

The Pabst Theater Group shows several films, television series and games in concert each year at its historic venues. This October, Jim Henson’s Labyrinth will be performed at the Pabst Theatre and My Hero Academia will be at the Riverside Theater.

Deeplight LARP welcomes “adventurers of all ages” and experience levels with immersive storytelling events.

JULY 2026 | 57

CULTURE

This Month in Milwaukee

10 Things to Do in July

BY DAVID LUHRSSEN, BLAINE SCHULTZ, BEN SLOWEY AND JULIA WATT

JULY 1

JULY 9-12

JULY 14

Book Talk with Denise Kiernan Boswell Books Denise Kiernan, feminist historian and author of The Girls of Atomic City, visits Boswell Books to discuss her new book Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution.

Her work brings to light the many underrepresented strides by women of intersectional backgrounds in major American cultural moments. In Obstinate Daughters, “she introduces readers to the woman who picked up a musket and took matters into her own hands, the Cherokee leader who warned of impending attacks ... and the newspaper and tavern keepers who kept a fledgling nation informed and motivated.” She reminds us that history is always meant to be challenged.

Bastille Days p Cathedral Square Park The French were the first Europeans to reach Milwaukee, so why not honor France’s national holiday with a Milwaukee festival? Look for French and Cajun food, music, a marketplace and the 40th anniversary of the Storm the Bastille 5K Walk/Run through the streets of East Town and the Historic Third Ward.

Drivin N Cryin w/ Laid Back Country Picker Shank Hall Drivin N Cryin may have been Kevn Kinney’s ticket out of Milwaukee, but since he formed that band in Atlanta in 1985 he’s been no stranger to his hometown. During the height of the pandemic a 100 song tribute to Kinney was rolled out. The multi volume set Let’s Go Dancing collects interpretations of Kinney’s and Drivin N Cryin’s songs. Yet each time he returns to Milwaukee there’s still a part of Kinney’s DNA who was a roadie for The Haskels or cutting his teeth with The Prosecutors.

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JULY 9 Hip Hop 4 Hong – Cruel Buddhist w/ YMN, Emmitt James and Faded Francis Cactus Club Francesca Hong’s trail to the Wisconsin governor race stops in Bay View with this Fran for Wisconsin benefit. The venue is all the more apropos for the candidate fighting for working families, as the 1886 Rolling Mills massacre of seven labor marchers occurred near the venue’s location.

Photo of Bastille Days courtesy of East Town Association - photo by Melissa Miller.

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CULTURE

JULY 17

JULY 18

JULY 25-26

Midwest Americana - Featuring Paw Paw Lawton and his Jigsaw Band, The WhiskeyBelles, God’s Outlaw, Matt “MF” Tyner, and Sarah Fierek The Pabst Theater Last August Brian Miller’s unruly revue, Paw Paw Lawton and his Jigsaw Band released the album Tornado. With a pair of new albums on the horizon expect to hear music from Ghost Light and Paw Paw Plays 1968 as the Jigsaw Band and friends take over the Pabst.

Riverwest Blueberry Fest Corner of Chambers and Fratney Streets Join Riverwest for a 10 a.m.-4 p.m. community block party celebrating the beloved blueberry by way of blueberryflavored food and beverages, photo ops, live music, local artisans and vendors, family-friendly activities and more.

Debuted in 2025, the event is a joint effort between neighborhood businesses The Polish Flat, Eucalyptus & Company, Ebb & Flow Design Co. and Seven Swans Creperie.

Scenic Shore Ride for a Cure Lake Michigan Shoreline from Mequon to Sturgeon Bay Blood Cancer United sponsors the two-day, 150-mile, fully supported cycling event open to riders of all ages and abilities along the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline. The goal is a cure for blood cancer. Register at pages.lls.org/ events/vtnt/ss150.

JULY 18 Death Valley Girls Anodyne Coffee Roasting Southern California’s rock and roll sorcerers Death Valley Girls, defied expectations—not that any were presented--with the recent release covering Stevie Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac’s “Sisters of the Moon” and Link Wray’s swamp hoodoo gem “Fire and Brimstone.” Bonnie Bloomgarden and her gang harness the gravitational pull with a pair of lesser known ‘70s tunes.

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JULY 19 Armenian Fest 7825 W. Layton Ave., Greenfield Enjoy homecooked recipes from the Near East at Armenian Fest, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the grounds and in the culture hall of St. John the Baptist Armenian Orthodox Church The menu will include chicken and beef kebob; cheese and spinach burek, lamajoun (a pizza-like dish served on thin tortilla dough), sarma, baklava and other pastries. Traditional Armenian music by the Hye Vibes and dancing by Chicago’s Siragan Dance Company will be performed outdoors.

JULY 29-30 The City of Benedict della Crosse Kneeland-Walker House & Grounds, Wauwatosa Milwaukee playwright Gaetano Marangelli’s The City of Benedict della Crosse is an intimate, closely observed exploration of the winner-take all, partyover-country bile that has contaminated American politics and discourse. The cast includes familiar faces from Milwaukee theater such as Zach Thomas Woods, Ken Miller, Joe Picchetti, Keighley Sadler and Selena Milewski.

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LIFESTYLE CANNABIS

| SPONSORED BY KIEF CO. DISPENSARY

Kief's Cannabis Chemistry

BY DAVID LUHRSSEN

O

ne molecule can make all the difference. However, in the wildcat industry that sprang up in the gray zone of legal cannabis products, many of the producers aren’t getting molecular or caring much about how they market their wares.

That’s where Kief Co. comes in. Owner Mason Lyon and Bay View store manager Will Daugherty met in a UWM chemistry class and graduated with degrees in chemistry. Ask them a question about cannabis and they can respond by discussing cell membranes and how THC activates enzymes.

The authors of the 2018 farm bill that opened the gate to a wide range of cannabinoids weren’t thinking about the coming entrepreneurial explosion. According to Daugherty, Congress was more concerned with hemp fiber products.

“It’s a gray area and not well regulated. The regulations aren’t there to support the industry,” he says, including safety and health measures. “It’s really easy to overdose if you’re not using a precise scale” when preparing cannabinoids, he adds.

Kief’s bottom line is simple: sell only the best products and help customers understand what they’re buying.

SELECT BRANDS

Personal aside: I once bought a nickel-size delta 9 macaroon from a now defunct bakery. Fortunately, I didn’t eat it till I got home because the tiny cookie sent me somewhere close to psychedelia. If Kief sold that macaroon, they’d tell the customer to cut it in half. Or maybe they wouldn’t sell it at all.

Lyon, who launched Kief in 2022, is critical of that cannabis bonanza. “Many people in this business don’t know much about cannabis,” he says. “The problem is that many sellers are scraping the bottom of the barrel. There are good products out there, but there’s this headshop-gas-stationmentality ... We sell only select products—and we know them well.”

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Many cannabis products sold in the U.S. are synthetic mishmashes. “We don’t trust 95% of the brands,” Lyon says. Many contain unwanted solvents, even metal residue left by cheap processing machinery. In contrast to the supermarket shelves of many dispensaries, Kief carries only select lines, including edibles from Milwaukee’s Kind Oasis and Texas-based Hometown Hero and drinks from Badger Liquor and Goodland Extracts. They don’t peddle pre-packaged flowers. As Lyon explains, “If you don’t keep the buds together, they will dry up. They need to be kept in vats in a dark, cool place.” “The way you keep nice cigars,” Daugherty adds.

The Bay View shop is multi-leveled and handmade (Lyon worked as a carpenter) with a bar top and comfortable seating areas. The coolers contain infused seltzers and sodas, and in a wink to the ‘70s Cheech & Chong subculture, Kief has munchies such as Skittles and Doritos.

Photos courtesy of Kief Co. Dispensary.

Photo of cannabis leaves by GettyImages/VladK213.

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LIFESTYLE CANNABIS

| SPONSORED BY KIEF CO. DISPENSARY

Photo courtesy of Kief Co. Dispensary.

What about that impending November apocalypse when the loophole closes on legal cannabis products? Lyon and Daughtery point out that CBD beverages are now available at Target and Pick’n Save. “Enough big players have gotten into the industry, so it won’t go away,” Lyon says.

“What we want is more regulation” to clarify the industry’s legal boundaries.

Kief is at 2229 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. with another location 9205 W. Oklahoma and plans to open a third in South Milwaukee.

David Luhrssen is Managing Editor of the Shepherd Express.

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Photo of cannabis leaves on white background by GettyImage/Mariya Zakharova.

Photo of cannabis leaves by GettyImages/VladK213.

JULY 2026 | 65

LIFESTYLE OUT OF MY MIND

Privacy Deprivation

BY PHILIP CHARD

T

here are different kinds of deprivation that adversely impact mental well-being. Deprive ourselves of sleep long enough and we can suffer a full-blown psychotic episode, complete with hallucinations and imaginary bugs crawling on the wall. No fun. Deprived of love and affection, we often turn bitter, depressed and desperate for caring human contact.

For little ones, the impact proves far worse. Deprived of purpose, we become listless, apathetic, lost or in despair.

Life can seem pointless. But there is a less recognized form of mental poverty that can be equally crazy making. I call it “privacy deprivation,” and it’s easy to suffer these days.

While there are folks who have too much privacy (commonly termed “loneliness”), there are many who don’t get nearly enough. Our noisy, media frenzied, grab-your-attention world makes solitude hard to find.

INVADING OUR LIVES What’s more, it’s not only people who invade one’s privacy.

Technology and media assail our mental spaces incessantly, that is unless we possess sufficient self-discipline to turn off our devices for meaningful periods of time.

The obvious antidote is uninterrupted alone time, moments when we aren’t required to pay attention to anyone or anything, when nothing is demanding our engagement.

Whether we spend it listening to music, reading a book, loafing around, meditating, gardening or staring blankly into space, the restorative effect comes from not having to share our time and attention with anybody.

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Don’t read me wrong. Sharing can be great, but too much leaves many of us feeling dispossessed of ourselves, crowded out of our inner lives or cramped for mental room.

The symptoms of privacy deprivation include: 1. A sense that people or media are always in your space and invading your life.

2. Feeling tapped out in your ability to pay attention to others.

3. Apathy or even disdain toward most everybody, sometimes even friends and loved ones.

4. A simmering resentment toward and impatience with others, particularly those seeking your attention or involvement.

5. An inner voice screaming “Just leave me alone!”

SUFFICIENT SOLITUDE So why do we need private time to stay sane? Not just for the peace and quiet. In the whirlwind of relationships each of us maintains in the arenas of family, work and social life, there is one special liaison that requires some undivided attention; the relationship you have with yourself. Without sufficient solitude, it’s challenging to understand and feel comfortable with oneself.

Also, private time offers the best opportunity to hear one’s inner voice, to distinguish your own intuition from the chorus of external voices barking at you to be a certain way, Illustration by GettyImages/Nadezhda Fedrunova.

follow a particular path or find them interesting. Deprived of alone time, we can lose sight of who we are as distinct from others.

Granted, some folks can’t stand being with themselves and complain that “I hate to be alone,” an unsettling statement about the condition of one’s inner life.

But many of us hunger for a measure of aloneness. In a sense, we miss being present with ourselves.

“I got to the point where I didn’t care if I ever talked to another human being again,” a privacy-starved physician told me. “I lost myself in a crowd of relationships, and I needed to find me again.” Often, such folks mistakenly believe they are “burned out” or “cynical” when, in fact, they are simply bereft of solitude.

So, if you’re feeling mentally claustrophobic, if everybody is talking at you but you’re not tuned in, if relationships leave you feeling captured and manhandled, or your technology compulsion has you twitching like a toad, don’t hop a southbound train or hide in the hall closet.

Just stake claim to some private time and then hang out with the person least likely to demand your attention.

You. Philip Chard is a psychotherapist and author with a focus on lasting behavior change, emotional healing and adaptation to health challenges. For more, visit philipchard.com.

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LIFESTYLE TRUE HEALTH

ONCE BITTEN WHAT TO DO IF YOU MEET A TICK ON THE TRAIL THIS SUMMER?

BY KATHERINE BAYLISS, MD

I

t’s summer and Wisconsinites are out! While this is always my favorite season, I’m increasingly disturbed by the surge of an accompanying dark menace. Last May, on a coolish day wearing several layers, I hiked a well-groomed trail in Door County.

While eating dinner later that evening, I casually ran my hand over my collar bone only to discover a small deer tick which I unwittingly pulled out.

Preserving the tick in a ziplock bag, I sent it to “TickCheck” for testing the following Monday. Results came back—Borrelia (Lyme) and Babesia!

ARGGGGHHH! Deer ticks carrying an array of infectious agents are active and are everywhere, even in the city! Many who are bitten by ticks remain unaware of the serious infections these tiny pests transmit. Due to climate change, tick habitats are expanding and more of them carry disease. Wisconsin has one of the highest incidences of Lyme in the country (lookup CDC map-Yikes!).

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WHAT TO DO? An ounce of prevention…

First defend. Ticks can’t fly or jump.

They cling to clothing as you brush past vegetation, usually at ground level.

• Use repellent. My go to is non-toxic cedar oil (e.g., CedarCide) that shows effectiveness similar to DEET, but doesn’t last as long, reapply every 1-2 hours. Second choice is picaridin, effectiveness akin to DEET but a lower toxicity profile.

• Use Permethrin-Treated Clothing— Studies show pronounced reduction with this strategy. Buy them or DIY. My gardening outfit is refreshed with permethrin yearly. I also don rubber gardening boots. You can also treat camping gear.

Attend to behind the ears, hairline, armpits, waistband, groin, behind knees.

• Heat dry your clothes.

• Don’t forget pets make great carriers even with tick prevention medication.

I admit, I didn’t totally adhere to my own advice on the aforementioned hike.

FOUND A TICK ATTACHED? 1. Take a deep breath. The goal is to remove the tick intact. With a finetipped tweezers grasp close to the skin. Pull upward with steady pressure.

Don’t twist or squeeze. Wait for the tick to release. Don’t rush. Buy a tick removal kit now so you are prepared.

Keep the tick!!

• Wear long sleeves and pants tucked into your socks; light colors help you spot them.

2. Test the tick to determine tick species, estimated length of attachment and infections. Store in a sealed bag and send to a lab like TickReport, TickCheck or Ticknology ASAP.

• Shower soon after outdoor activities and do a thorough body check.

3. Mark the Bite Site—Draw a circle with a pen to monitor changes.

• Walk the middle of trails, away from vegetation where ticks lurk.

Photo of warning sign in woods by GettyImages/24K-Production.

Illustration of tick by GettyImages/ElkaArt.

ARE ANTIBIOTICS NECESSARY? Even with tick test results, the answer to this question can be complex. If it is a deer tick, many “Lyme literate” physicians would reflexively say yes and for at least three weeks sometimes six. In most conventional medicine settings, the recommendation is a single dose of doxycycline. This vast disparity in approach is emblematic of current limitations in our understanding of this daunting infection.

Here are things I would consider • Was it attached for more than 24 hours?

• Did testing demonstrate a blood meal?

• Are organisms identified?

• Is there a rash? (especially if bull’s eye) • Any symptoms?

Even if the above are all “no,” you could still be infected, but odds are leaning in your favor.

If one develops a rash or demonstrates symptoms, antibiotics for sure and even 4-6 weeks. Somewhere in between, it becomes a challenging judgment call.

SYMPTOMS TO KNOW ABOUT. Acute Lyme: Flu-like, fatigue, headaches, joint or muscle pain, swollen nodes.

Chronic Lyme: Migratory joint pain and inflammation, neuropathy with numbness or tingling, brain fog, mood changes and severe fatigue.

Why be so aggressive with a tick bite?

Too many people are suffering from unrecognized debilitating chronic Lyme disease or co-infections for lots of reasons—tick bite missed, diagnosis missed, treatment too short and of course ticks are everywhere, especially here!

A blood meal could not be demonstrated with testing, but those organisms were disconcerting.

Right or wrong, I opted for a week of antibiotics to be on the safe side. Still symptom free!

The content of this article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to serve as medical advice or as information to facilitate self-treatment.

Katherine Bayliss, MD, a Milwaukee native, practiced in conventional medicine as a pathologist for 25 years.

She now lives her passion, helping others through the more holistic Functional Medicine model.

I struggled with what to do about my tick bite. The tick was only lightly attached and on me for less than seven hours.

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HEAR ME OUT DEAR RUTHIE | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

LET’S GET LOUD DEAR RUTHIE, I’ve been told (by family, friends, co-workers) that I can be “a bit much.” I’m too loud and expressive, and I have a super-big personality. Frankly, Ruthie, I love myself. Pat on the back for moi! I do not, however, want to push people away from me!

I also do not want to feel like I have to tone myself down or change my behavior to be accepted. How do I find that balance?

THANKS,

Loud & Proud DEAR LOUD, Honey, I’ve been “a bit much” since 1952, and look at me now!

I’m thriving, moisturized and slightly overdrawn in my checking.

The next time someone says you’re “a bit much,” remind yourself that it simply means you’re “more than they can handle” or they’re jealous of your boogie. That’s their problem.

Not yours.

That said, learn to read a room, sugar. Don’t perform a death drop at a funeral. Don’t share dick pics in a crowded elevator. In general, however, be your fabulous, loud, sparkly self. The right people won’t ask you to shrink. They’ll call you a glamazon and hand you a microphone.

XXOO

Ruthie

Have a question for Ruthie? Want to share an event with her? Contact Ruthie at dearruthie@shepex.com.

Follow her on social media, too!

Facebook: Dear Ruthie | Instagram: RuthieKeester | Twitter: @DearRuthie

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DEAR RUTHIE BROUGHT TO YOU BY

Ruthie's Social Calendar JULY 2 PQ CLUBHOUSE AT MKE LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER (161 S. FIRST ST.): A safe space for those up to 24 years old, this free, drop-in program offers lifebuilding skills, arts and crafts, gaming and more in a drug- and alcohol-free environment. See www.mkelgbt.org for more on the 3-7 p.m. support group.

JULY 5 FIFTH ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT HARBOR ROOM (117 E. GREENFIELD AVE.): Celebrate the anniversary of Harbor Room’s current owners as well as the country’s 250th birthday with a special bash. The party starts at noon with a barbecue buffet (free with drink purchase) at 1 p.m.

M&M CLUB 50TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION AT LACAGE NITE CLUB (801 S.SECOND ST.): Reconnect with old friends during this 1 p.m. reunion. Join me for the drag show but don’t miss the retro-priced drinks, photo displays, special awards and oh-so-many friendly faces!

JULY 9 OPENING BASTILLE DAYS AT CATHEDRAL SQUARE PARK (520 E. WELLS ST.): Whether you’re storming the Bastille during the 5K run, enjoying the five live-music stages, shopping the marketplace or sampling French/ Cajun foods, you’ll relish this popular four-day fest.

JULY 11 KENOSHA PRIDE AT CELEBRATION PLACE (5501 RING ROAD, KENOSHA): Keep the pride love flowing with this 11 a.m. day-long event.

See www. kenoshapride.org for schedules and details.

JULY 16 OPENING NIGHT LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL AT SUNSET PLAYHOUSE (700 WALL ST., ELM GROVE): Elle Woods sashays back to Brew City with this production from one of the state’s favorite theater companies. Don’t miss the family-friendly musical when you nab seats via www.sunsetplayhouse.com.

JULY 21 OUT IN THE KITCHEN AT DISCOVERY WORLD (376 N. HARBOR DR.): Nearly two dozen local restaurants dish out their best bites during a 6 p.m. tasting that’s not to be missed. Mix, mingle and nosh to your hearts content with plenty of outdoor seating and a cash bar. Hosted by Wisconsin’s LGBT Chamber of Commerce and Molson Coors, the tasting requires tickets found at www.eventbrite.com.

JULY 25 BRADY STREET FESTIVAL (ALONG BRADY STREET): One of the city’s most popular street fests is back with this all-day party. The fun starts at noon and runs until 11 p.m. Be sure to check out the incredible drag show that closes the festival.

JULY 26 MKE CAKE POTLUCK AT STORY HILL FIREHOUSE (407 N. HAWLEY RD.): See why this potluck has become the talk of the town when you participate in the 11 a.m. event. Simply purchase a ticket at www.eventbrite.com, then show up with a whole cake (homemade or purchased) and serving utensils. During your assigned time, you’ll get the chance to collect as many slices to take home as you like.

JULY 30 ABSOLUT DRAG QUEEN BINGO AT POP (124 W. NATIONAL AVE.): Cream City Foundation sponsors 10 rounds of bawdy bingo along with great prizes, pizza, mac-and-cheese and more. Order up some frosty beverages before I start yanking balls at 7 p.m.

JULY 2026 | 71

HEAR ME OUT | SPONSORED BY UW CREDIT UNION

LGBTQ Life is Alive and Well

in Cream City

BY PAUL MASTERSON

S

ince 2020 Milwaukee has earned a 100% rating on the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Municipal Equality Index and QueerMoney recognized it as Wisconsin’s most affordable queer metropolis to live in. Our fair city is also listed among the nation’s top 15 LGBTQ Friendly cities.

That necessarily implies that ample entertainment, support services, athletics and the arts are readily available to make living the queer life in Cream City easy. And, while another Pride Month has passed, Milwaukee’s year-round, 24-7 sense of Pride offers a full spectrum of grouping outing or datenight destinations and diversions for our LGBTQ population and our allies.

As it turns out, the Milwaukee Art Museum (MAM) is the city’s greatest repository of queer art. From the mid-19th century French sculptress and painter Rosa Bonheur, who carried official papers allowing her to dress in men’s clothing, to the closeted 20th century minimalist Agnes Miller, and from the great contemporary portraitist Kehinde Wiley to Winslow Homer, among many, many others, MAM’s collection on view and special exhibits include a broad representation of artists of LGBTQ persuasion.

72 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

In fact, its current special exhibit, “Gertrude & Friends: The Wisconsin Magic Realists” features work by “colorful personalities” (there’s nothing like a euphemism, is there?) including Karl Priebe and John Wilde.

BRAVERY IN BLOOM Art galleries, like Portrait Society Gallery and SaveArtSpace, among others throughout the city, regularly include local LGBTQ artists. Bravery in Bloom, A Queer Art Festival took place last May organized by Courage+, a LGBTQ youth support organization.

For over four decades the city’s purveyor of modern music, Present Music has always promoted queer and transgender musicians and composers. Producing diverse and engaging LGBTQ stage works, the Boulevard Theatre just wrapped up its 40th season, Theatrical Tendencies its 10th, Bombshell Theatre its 12th and, of course, there’s the Purse Strings Productions, a drag troupe that has made its fame reviving “Golden Girls.” Inspiration Studios in West Allis is a bastion of the inclusive arts, promoting new and veteran artists of various disciplines. It is home to Theatrical Tendencies and provides performance space, offers art classes and space to a broad range of events, queer and otherwise.

CULTURAL ASSET Book stores were once enclaves of the revolutionary intelligentsia and safe spots of any self-respecting LGBTQ community of yore. While Carl Szartmary’s Outwords Books, for decades the East Side destination for the city’s bookish LGBTQs, closed some years ago, Szatmary’s legacy is maintained through its Men’s Book Club. Meanwhile, this obligatory cultural asset has evolved with the times.

Today, while not exclusively LGBTQ, more broadly inclusive bookstores are filling the gap. All offer author events, readings and a spectrum of book clubs, each geared to specific readerships. On the East Side, there’s Boswell Books (and Woodland Pattern now on the South Side). On the West Side are two woman-owned shops, The Well-Read Damsel and Thirst Books. Both are dedicated to romance as well as relative sub-genres. The pair quite literally book end the so-called “Romance District,” a dozen-block zone of North Avenue dotted with welcoming cafes and other shops straddling the Milwaukee/Tosa frontier.

The LGBTQ Community Center and Diverse and Resilient host a number of affinity groups focusing on families, transgender health and senior and youth. GAMMA, a men’s recreational, cultural and social club celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. It offers members a variety of activities from dining out events, sheepshead, hiking and karaoke nights to various theatre and other cultural outings.

Athletics have long been integral part of the community’s life. This year, SSBL (Saturday Softball Beer League) celebrates its 50th season. Other sports, all now organized under the Milwaukee Gay Sports Network, include rugby, tennis, volleyball and other team sports. Speaking of teams, all of our local professional sports organizations, the Milwaukee Brewers, Bucks and Admirals offer LGBTQ Pride events during their respective seasons!

BAR DISTRICT And, of course, the bars are alive and well with the sound of music, pool, and the occasional slam of bar dice. While there are significantly fewer clubs than in the past (there were 26 Milwaukee bars and restaurants listed in a 1997 Quest Magazine), today there are not only several traditional haunts that have been in operation for decades, but also newer ones, including some that are not exclusively LGBTQ but otherwise completely inclusive.

Intersecting the heart of the gayborhood, East National Avenue and adjacent streets boast several of Milwaukee’s oldest bars. The cluster of Walker’s Pint (the state’s only legacy lesbian bar), Kruz Kruzbar, LaCage, DIX and Fluid and as well as more recent additions Pop and the LGBTQ friendly Sabbatic make up the core. A few blocks further south are the classic leather and Levi bar, the Harbor Room and a sports bar, Woody’s, now under new ownership that has embarked on an expansion of its events calendar. Woody’s has long been the host of a thriving Thursday sheepshead night and is home base for the Castaways MC Milwaukee, a leather and Levi social club.

Speaking of bookending, other LGBTQ friendly bar s are located elsewhere in the city: the Art Bar in Riverwest and Cactus Club in Bay View.

Drag bingo nights with Dear Ruthie are now held at Pop and Karen Valentine calls balls at Miss Katie’s Diner on the Marquette Campus. Rumor has it that Hamburger Mary’s may return as soon as a suitable venue is found.

Naturally, all of these organizations, groups and businesses have social media pages and websites where one can find details on and updates on Milwaukee’s LGBTQ community activities.

Paul Masterson is an LGBTQ activist and writer and has served on the boards of the Milwaukee Gay Arts Center, Milwaukee Pride, GAMMA and other organizations.

Photo of Milwaukee Skyline by GettyImages/Nicholas Klein, photo of rainbow by GettyImages/plusphoto, rainbow background by GettyImages/Rosemary Gerardy.

Photo of Milwaukee Pridefest courtesy of the VISIT Milwaukee Media Library.

JULY 2026 | 73

ART FOR ART'S SAKE

From The City That Always Sweeps

BY ART KUMBALEK

I

’m Art Kumbalek and man oh manischewitz what a world, ain’a? Say, can you see it’s July 2026 already, the month we celebrate our nation’s stumbling democracy’s independence from those bastard limey colonialists?

Yes, plenty of us will proudly attempt to croon the Anthem, what with its words of “bombs bursting in air” and “ramparts,” ’tis thee.

Hold on. “Ramparts”? I’ll bet you a buck two-eighty if you asked the majority of our country-men-and-women to define “ramparts,” they’d say it’s something you’d find in your gyro sandwich down by that Greek joint, I kid you not, god bless America.

Yeah yeah, July, the month named after that Roman emperor guy Julius Caesar, to be placed as the seventh month on such-a-thing as the Julian and Gregorian calendars (don’t know who made it to the ancient Roman hot-girl swimsuit calendar that month; I’ll check on that ’cause that’s what journalists should do—check on stuff, what the fock).

So, big-shot Caesar got a whole month on our annual calendar named after him in the 44 BCE (any bets on when September becomes Trumptember?), and in a brief time afterwards that same year, got shivved and carved by blade to death by governmental representative-hot shots upon the Roman Senate floor. Ouch! ain’a?

And because it’s that hotcha time of year, seems to me that the only thing people seriously read are the directions on a can of bug spray. So what the fock, I’m declaring my independence from delivering my regular in-depth essay this month so’s to dip into Artie’s Joke Satchel ’cause in the course of the oppressive and depressing human events these days, we could all use a smile, a chuckle, a laugh, I kid you not.

So let’s get to dipping, shall we?

74 | SHEPHERD EXPRESS

How ’bout this one? A chicken and egg are lying in bed. The chicken’s smoking a cigarette, satisfied smile on its face while the egg is frowning, frustrated.

The egg says icily, “Well! I guess that settles THAT question, ain’a?” Ba-ding!

How’s your health care situation? This guy named Jerry was in the hospital, near death, so the family sent for his pastor. As the pastor stood beside the bed, Jerry’s frail condition grew worse, and he motioned desperately for something to write on. The pastor lovingly handed him a pen and piece of paper, and Jerry used his last ounce of strength to quickly scribble a note and then died.

The pastor thought it best not to look at the note just then, so he slipped it into his pocket. Several days later at the funeral, the pastor delivered the eulogy and realized he was wearing the same jacket he’d worn the day Jerry died.

“You know, Jerry handed me a note just before he passed,” the pastor said to the assembled. “I haven’t read it, but knowing Jerry, I believe surely that it would contain a word of inspiration—a word of inspiration for us all.”

The pastor reached into his pocket, unfolded Jerry’s note and read aloud, “Help me! You’re standing on my oxygen tube, jackass!” Ba-ding!

The golden years: Four well-to-do retired guys take an early afternoon stroll in sunny Sarasota, Florida, when they see a sign: “Old Timer’s Bar: ALL DRINKS 10 CENTS!” And so, they enter.

Bartender says “What’ll it be, gentlemen?” They all ask for a martini. In short order, the bartender serves up four iced martinis and says, “That’ll be 10 cents each, please.”

The four retirees can’t believe their good fortune. They pay the 40 cents, finish their martinis, and order another round. Again, four martinis are produced, and the bartender says, “Forty cents, please.” They pay the tab, but their curiosity is more than they can stand. They’ve each had two martinis, and so far they’ve spent less than a dollar. One asks, “How can you afford to serve martinis as good as these for a dime apiece?”

Bartender says: “I’m a retired tailor from Brooklyn and always wanted to own a bar. Last year I hit the lottery for $50 million and decided to open this place. Every drink costs a dime—wine, liquor, beer, all the same.”

“That’s quite a story,” one of the men says. Sipping their martinis, they couldn’t help but notice three other older fellas at the end of the bar who didn’t have a drink in front of them and hadn’t ordered anything the entire time they were there.

One man gestures at the three drinkless guys and asks the bartender, “What’s with them?” Bartender says, “Cheapskates from Milwaukee. They’re waiting for happy hour.” Ba-ding!

Okey-doke, I got to go and secure my case of Old Grand-Dad for the froth of July—talk about a bottle rocket that will give 80% proof through the night ’til the dawn’s early light.

Hope you have/had spectacular Fourth, that the corn of your choosing is as high as an elephant’s ear and that you be gallant through the perilous fight with the third-world heat and humidity of our Midwestern July so that come August 1, your patriotic digits and assorted body parts remain attached and functional so’s you can reconnoiter a ballot box come November, ’cause I’m Art Kumbalek and I told you so.

Photo by GettyImages/djiledesign.