MILWAUKEE — The City of Festivals will have a few highlights this weekend as the Brady Street Festival and German Fest make their annual appearance.
Brady Street will have one of its busiest days of the year on Saturday as thousands of people attend the Brady Street Festival.
If you live nearby, be prepared for road closures throughout the weekend. Starting at 3 a.m. on Saturday, almost the entirety of Brady Street will be closed for the festival, with roads reopening around noon on Sunday.
Watch: What to know ahead of the Brady Street festival
With road closures, parking restrictions, and large crowds expected, walking to the festival might be the smartest option. While dockless scooters like Lime are available to get close to the area, they won't be allowed on Brady Street during the festival on Saturday.
Michael Sander with the Brady Street Business Improvement District says they take security seriously.
Each year, they work with Milwaukee Police to secure an increased number of officers for the festival. They've also arranged for 16 private security guards to be present at any given time throughout the day. Together, they'll patrol the festival and maintain a presence at each entrance to Brady Street.
With four music stages featuring performances all day, plenty of food options, local vendors, and various activities, there will be something for everybody to enjoy.
"Look at all the businesses that are here; all the businesses support this. We have more businesses on one thoroughfare than many other neighborhoods. I think that's what makes it exciting, too, as well as all the local vendors that don't have an opportunity to get their products in front of people because they don't have a brick-and-mortar. " Sander said.
With the potential for warm weather this weekend, Sander says there will be cooling stations, paramedics on site, and places to get free water so that attendees are prepared for the heat.
Meanwhile, the Summerfest grounds will transform into a German cultural hub as German Fest takes over the lakefront. This spectacle attracts tens of thousands of people each year.
German Fest is a ticketed event. It costs adults $18 if purchased ahead of time and $20 at the gate. Students and seniors receive discounts, and children 12 and under are always free with an adult. Active military personnel and veterans get in for free all weekend.
Watch: German Fest returns to Summerfest grounds this weekend
On Saturday from noon to 3 p.m., the festival is hosting a school supplies drive with MPS. If you donate school supplies, you get in for free. On Sunday during those same hours, if you bring three or more cans of healthy fruit or vegetables, or make a cash donation, you also get in for free.
This year's theme is Carnival, so look out for multiple opportunities to celebrate.
A full schedule can be found here.
Juhe Aus Tirol, a band from Austria, traveled to Milwaukee to perform at German Fest this weekend.
"We are really happy to be here because the people are so friendly. If you are going to a pub or a sports bar, people, everybody says Hey how are you? What are you doing here? If you go at home, to the restaurant, maybe they say hello, what do you want, and finish. So it's really cool to be here," Richi Abenthung of Juhe Aus Tirol said.
This story was reported on-air by Brendyn Jones and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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