MILWAUKEE — Thousands of people came out for this year’s Brady Street Festival!
Hosted by the Brady Street Improvement District #11, the historic street festival celebrated the Brady Street Neighborhood in one-day-long street party.
The roads were closed off from Van Buren to Farwell Avenue, allowing over 80 vendors to set up shop.
There were five stages across the area, indoor and outdoor, highlighting Milwaukee’s local music scene. Headliners included the Brady Street Babes Drag Queens, Abby Jeanne, and producer Klassik.
Amber Jackson’s new party and entertainment business, Friend Like Me, was at the festival. They travel to events across Wisconsin, bringing magical characters like Miragold and Captain Marvel to life.
“As long as this festival has been running it never had a kid zone. We wanted people to know that Brady Street can be a fun place for kids too,” Jackson smiled.
Another vendor, Nadi Plates, opened last year. To prepare, they spent over a week making 2,500 calzones.
With all the visitors, Brady Street businesses also benefited. Hyacinth Nembhardt, the owner of Concoctions MKE, celebrated her business’s one-year anniversary on Saturday. She said the festival was like a celebration for them.
“I love the fact it brings together so many different people, different ages, and different cultures. Everyone’s down here trying food and drink with the vendors. It just feels like a party for Milwaukee,” Nembhardt beamed.
After severe storms hit the area Friday night, many people at the festival were thrilled with the sunshine and warm temperatures.
“It feels beautiful. We were in the depths of a pandemic not too long ago and last night the depths of a huge thunderstorm. It’s really nice to have this beautiful weather and this opportunity to live and celebrate,” Mark Yencheske, the festival’s music director, said.
Yencheske, along with other organizers, said they expected more than 20,000 people to pass through Brady Street throughout the day. This was the second festival back since the pandemic.
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