Still not ready to let the Milwaukee festival season go? You’re in luck, because there’s a new block party on the block: West Vliet Street’s inaugural Fall Festival. On Saturday, October 7, from noon to 7 p.m., the stretch of Vliet from Hawley to 54th will be stuffed with arts and crafts; food and food trucks; music from The Thriftones, Negative/Positive, and more; and demos from Milwaukee Blacksmith. A full press release is below:
Vliet Street Business Association to Launch First Annual Fall Festival
Event will Feature Family-Friendly Activities, Vendors, Live Entertainment
Milwaukee, Wis. — Sept. 14, 2017 — The West Vliet Street Business Association will host the commercial district’s first “Fall Festival” Oct. 7, with plans to continue the special event annually.
During Fall Festival, Vliet Street will be closed from Hawley to 54th and will be filled with family friendly activities. The community is invited to shop, eat, enjoy live entertainment, create art and more between the hours of noon and 7 p.m.
Fall Festival will feature more than 40 local makers who will set up booths down the center of Vliet Street and offer handcrafted goods and artwork for sale, including soaps, jewelry, pottery, herbal tinctures, kids clothing, cards and more.
Artists Working in Education (AWE) will run an art station at the festival for kids to come and express their creativity. Other children’s activities include a Slime Station, a photo booth and cookie decorating.
The event will also include an array of delicious foods, including grilled, grass-fed brats and burgers by Kettle Range Meats and focaccia from Wy’East Pizza. Local food trucks will also be present at the event, including Falafel Guys, Raucous Daucus and Smoothie Truck. Valentine Coffee will also be open during the event.
Live music will be performed throughout the day. From noon to 3 p.m., students from West End Conservatory will provide musical entertainment; from 3 to 3:30 p.m., Negative Positive will perform, followed by songstress Alie Kriofske-Mainella from 3:30 to 5 p.m.; finally, from 5 to 7 p.m., The Thriftones will play their unique mix of folk and rockabilly music. In addition, national TV celebrities and hometown favorites Milwaukee Blacksmith will be doing live metalworking demos from their 30-foot traveling workshop.
The event is proudly sponsored by Outpost Natural Foods, Containers Up and Milwaukee Radio Group Stations (96.5WKLH, 102.9 The Hog and 98.3 Jammin).
“Mark your calendars and be sure to join us on Vliet Street, Saturday, Oct. 7 from noon to 7 p.m. for a fun-filled day,” said Lynita Wolf, events coordinator for the West Vliet Street Business Association. “This event will be a fantastic celebration of fall for all of our friends and neighbors on Milwaukee’s west side.”