Since 2011, Bay View Gallery Night has organized “Milwaukee’s largest annual celebration of art, local business, music, and community.” The massive early June event brings together talented area artists and musicians, along with an eclectic mix of Milwaukee bars, restaurants and retailers for a large-scale event that has quickly become a part of the Bay View tradition. It’s free. It’s fun. It’s locally-focused. What more can you ask for?
BVGN will return to the neighborhood on Friday, June 1. This iteration will feature hundreds of artists and musicians showcasing their works at approximately 50 Bay View (and Bay View-adjacent) businesses. Moreover, the annual Rollout bike event will return, Bay View Jazz Fest will be in full swing, “Food Truck Friday” will be up and running, and Jackson Redmon Art Investments will officially launch with a pop-up event. Since that sounds like—and is!—a lot of stuff happening at once, we’ve assembled this quick-hitting and to-the-point guide to tell you what to expect to see, hear, experience, and drink at each participating site during this year’s Bay View Gallery Night festivities. [All descriptions courtesy of BVGN.org]
The Jewelers Guild
Hands on events and demonstrations throughout the evening! Refreshments and Drawings.
Food Truck Friday at Morgan Park
Family-friendly event with food and more from: Meat on the Street, Blue Cow Creperie, Marco Pollo, Lumpia City, Rolling Cones, Oscar’s On A Roll, DRIFT, Jamaican Grill, The Denson’s Catering, The Frying Dutchman, Press., That Salsa Lady, PigTailz, Crazy Eightz, Bubble Waffle Shoppe, Olano’s Empanadas, Happy Dough Lucky, Little Europa, Bay View Lions, Mr. Dye’s Pies, Little Havana Express.
8 Branches Chinese Medicine
Featuring paintings by Domo Geshe Rinpoche.
Rusty Sprocket Antiques
Photography from Brent Bublitz. Free cold cans of Milwaukee’s famous beer! Pabst and Schiltz on ice.
Sprocket Cafe
Print maker, Jay Arpin, displaying lino-cut prints. And live music!
The Brickyard
Kait Ryan: watercolor animal portraits
Terah Bri Yoeckle: urban punk styled illustrations
Sarah Talaska: selling bubble goth pins and jewelry
Alhanna LaRose: gross and passionate birds
Gunther Young Binter: live music
Nathan Mayer: rhythm eye illusion artwork
Sophia Vaccaro: dream-like landscapes
Sabrosa Cafe & Gallery
Featuring Local Bay View artist Dena Nord, who will showcase her newest series of abstract paintings in a show titled “Surprise, restructure, explore, resolve”! Cocktail specials and small plates menu.
Straight Shots
Hors d’oeuveres & Drink specials, Live painting–Jenny Anderson–20-minute oil self portrait paintings.
Sam’s Tap
Local art on display and live jazz music out on the patio.
Commonplace Shop
Photography on display from Jose Morales. Custom lighting on display from Ben Sherwyn.
Blackbird Bar
Featured artist Pat Boyles and DJ Set by Josh Ellis.
Plume
Connect Consciousness will be offering mindfully made healing crystal pyramids and pendants. Good music and refreshments!
Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts
K4-8th grade students from Milwaukee Parkside School for the Arts will showcase and sell integrated arts pieces that connect content area standards with arts area standards.
Frank’s Power Plant
Gallery showing with Steve Look & Emily Evans, Olivia Salazar, Saebra Laken, Atticus Rabatin, Amber Dawn. BVGN Afterparty ($6) with King Eye & The Squirts, The Ornerys, Super Sonic Space Rebels, Brain-Bats.
Cycle Loft
Large acrylic paintings, a large sculpture, and a community participation piece in conjunction with the BVGN Roll-Out bicycle group from artist Stephen Leahy (and serving free red wine this year, which is thematic with the artwork). Maria Wiener will be doing 12-20 medium size paintings as well.
Sven’s
Work from James Koconis.
Hue Vietnamese Restaurant
Briana Lovitt will feature a mixed media collection of her work.
Alive & Fine
Dive into the weird world of Wisconsin Folklore with shapeshifters, lake monsters, and Hodags. OH MY! Over 20 local and regional artists take inspiration from stories passed around campfires for generations. Haunting tales of bloody brides, phantom hitchhikers, and portals to hell just to scratch the surface. With painting, sculpture, photography, illustration, prose, installation, and vintage fashion!
Hi-Fi Cafe
Paintings, drawings, sculpture, collage, poems, prose, and photos by Peter F. Steinhoff.
South Shore Gallery & Framing
Indie la Londe‘s entire collection on display and for sale. mosaics, relief sculptures and paintings on paper and canvas. please join us!
Puddler’s Hall
Featuring Bay View artists Amy Captain, Christine Burke, and Samantha Henson. Amy will be displaying her canvas paintings inspired by nature, places she has traveled, and stories told by friends. Christine will showcase her acrylic on canvas paintings including pop culture, abstract, and scenery paintings. Samantha will exhibit pen and ink and mixed media wood burning.
Milwaukee Makerspace
Tour the Makerspace and see demonstrations. Makerspace members will be showing off their creations, and selling items they make.
Kindred on KK
Stephanie Bartz Photography: A collection of playful and witty black and white portraits of canines. Live acoustic blues-y music on the patio featuring Sunkin Suns.
URSA (in partnership with Healium Hot Yoga)
Screen prints by Ethan D’ercole, live Screen printing by Francisco Ramirez of Bureau Print Research Design, live music from BJ Seidel of Dramatic Lovers, and Colleen Webb of Casual Vocals. Beer from Collective Arts Brewing and Snack Boys will be serving “Shay Breeze” slushies.
Avalon Theater (rear alleyway)
Behind the Avalon Theater is a cool hidden gem of Bay View filled with Street Art done by Bay View High School students, local artists, and national artists.
Susan Schmidt Skincare Savant and Z Chiropractic
Featuring local artist Arella Warren. Enjoy a variety of mediums including watercolor, acrylic, and ink. $100 raffle drawing for skincare services with Susan. Refreshing N/A beverages and some delicious homemade dessert samples will be served.
The Magnet Factory MKE
Scott Jackson and Jeff Redmon celebrate the launch of Jackson Redmon Art Investments with an incredible pop-up show at The Magnet Factory! Featuring artwork by John Kowalczyk, Dara Larson, Marc Tasman, Luke Chappelle, Daniel Fleming, Valaria Tatera, Eric Koester, Kari Garon, Fred Kaems, and THERD! Live music acts by Bay View Jazz Fest.
Razor Barbershop
Featuring paintings and custom skate decks by Bay View artist Joe Bree.
Vital Signs
Milwaukee curator Jamie Leigh Pitts welcomes artist and University of New Mexico MFA candidate Haileyrose Thoma to Vital Signs, MKE, a new contemporary art gallery in the Bay View Neighborhood.
The Tonic Tavern
Featuring an exhibition titled “What Do You See” by Stephanie Gibart, a local artist and art therapist working in Milwaukee.
Highbury Pub
Artwork by Jennifer Espenscheid. Jennifer attained her discipline and design process at UW-Milwaukee, where she earned a degree in Architecture and Urban Planning.
Water’s Edge Gallery And Retail Company
Local artwork, handcrafted home goods, jewelry and accessories. Visit for free refreshments and smiles.
Freya
Hosting Molly Chase of Personal Bird, macrame and textile arts.
Cafe Centraal
Showcase celebrating Lowlands Group’s incredible employees in their creative element. Featuring the out-there or underground artists, performers, and writers that make up the heart and soul of the Lowlands Group at Café Centraal.
Foundation Chiropractic, Milwaukee Community Acupuncture, Saffron Yoga Center
“Is there a woman in the house?” Featuring work by several local fiber artists. Kate Mau & Sarah Eichhorn will host a community knit-in where all are welcome to bring a project to work on.
The Muse
Art from Madeline Glaspey, Karen Willams-Brusubardis, Amy Schmutte, Rebecca Wheeler, Brendan Murphy, Nellie Gehrig, Peter Gehrig, and Luna. Arts and crafts artists will be vending outside, live music will be provided by The Honolulu Millionaires. Refreshments while they last.
Urban
Group show featuring artwork by: Charlie Christman,Todd Gnacinski, Sharon Mergener, and Peter Siegworth.
Colectivo Coffee
Join over 40 art, craft, and design vendors in the parking lot of Colectivo for the Milwaukee Makers Market.
District 14
Pop art from Robin Carnitz, Bay View Jazz Fest starts at 5 p.m., then more music from The Funky Chemists from 9 p.m. to midnight.
Cafe LuLu
Featuring artwork in oil by Madeline Glaspey. This beautiful body of portraiture work came from the artist’s desire to understand and accept the transitory nature of time.
Stone Creek Coffee
Inside: Meghan Walsh, Patrick Walter, Jeannette Daft. Mini latte art throwdowns–baristas will be showing off their latte art skills and customers will be invited to be judges–at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 p.m. Outside: Josh Roy, Sam Rodewald (music), and a free sample table with cold brews and specialty drinks.
Toppers Pizza
Handmade jewelry from Mariana Castro, all items available for purchase.
Brass Rooster
The Brass Rooster & The Hen House present an evening of vintage style and pinup. Hosting a boutique fashion show featuring dresses and fashion from PM Designs. Live models will be wearing and modeling the spring line from local vintage inspired designer and pinup model, Pamela Marie. Meet the designer, have your measurements taken, and you can also place an order for your made-to-measure garments. Live fashion shoots will also be happening through the evening as well. The Pinup Photography of Scott Ligman of Cardinal White Photography will have his work on display throughout both stores.
Revel Bar
Featuring artwork by Bay View High School students, Talaiyjah Neylon, and Michael Jones. All artwork sales will benefit the BVHS Engineering Club!
Halo Artisan Skin Care
Featuring local artist Beth Eaton with functional pottery pieces, henna tattoos, and acoustic guitar by Alex Paniagua. Light refreshments will be served.
Sparrow Collective
Featuring handcrafted apparel, gifts, art, and more from local and national artisans. Refreshments served.
Tease Salon
Featured artists: Rachael Hughes, Elias Zananiri, Cudahy High School students, Kate McSorley, Madeline Glaspey, Twisted Tree Creations. Wearable art by LuLaRoe & Dynamo Duo.
Voyageur Book Shop
Milwaukee artist Stacy Lee Ollmann introduces a new series of whimsical, mixed media sculptures. Come meet The Bookkeepers! Anja Notanja Sieger & La Prosette will be out on the sidewalk writing on-the-spot poems for customers from her typewriter. Prices range from $10 for poems, $20 for good poems, $30 for excellent poems.
Mac’s Pet Depot
Pet Art by Brittany Farina, people wine, dog wine, and appetizers.
Bigfoot Bike And Skate
Theme: Dragons. Original skateboard decks, prints, and fabric art by local artists.
1840 Brewing Company
1840 Brewing Company will be pouring a selection of their limited release beers. Bay View ceramics artist Michael Ware will be showing a number of his pieces. He will also be selling a small amount of custom beer mugs made exclusively for this event.
The Backyard
Local artwork on display and live Jazz music on the patio.
Lincoln Warehouse
Multiple craft persons, artists, and photographers throughout the building, including a brewery and a distillery that will also be featuring artists.
Brinn Labs
Hidden away in the old Louis Allis building is Brinn Labs, headquarters for Maker Faire Milwaukee and home to a variety of classes and workshops to help you get hands on and learn new skills. They’ll be showing off the efforts of our in-house artists and designers that do a variety of work including sculpture, printmaking, illustration, ceramics, interactive art, and more. Participating artists include: Austin Boechler, Kyle Hoard, Becky Yoshikane, Pete Prodoehl, Reid Sancken, Bill Pariso, John McGeen, and Mike Cook.
Bay View Jazz Fest
Bay View Gallery Night and Bay View Jazz Fest will be partnering on June 1. While you’re out looking at art, be sure to stop in the following places hosting Jazz Fest shows: Tonic Tavern, Highbury, Urban, D14,