Milwaukee's Downtown Neighbors Association

09/01/2026

Labor Day weekend just got more colorful. 🎨

Head to the Historic Third Ward on September 5-6 for the Third Ward Art Festival. Browse work from over 150 juried artists, enjoy live music on two stages, and grab a bite from local food vendors. There's even a hands-on art tent for kids.

Free and open to everyone — the perfect way to close out summer downtown.

📅 September 5-6, 10 AM-5 PM | Historic Third Ward

Just three weeks until Broadway looks like this again 😍

's Third Ward Art Festival returns Labor Day weekend on Saturday, Sept. 5, and Sunday, Sept. 6! 🎨 ✨️

The festival will showcase the work of more than 200 juried artists from around the country in a variety of mediums including ceramics, fiber, glass jewelry, sculpture, mixed media, paintings, drawings, photography, printmaking, wood and furniture.

Thirsty? Stop by one of the three Historic Third Ward Association tents on Broadway, as beverage sales benefit the HTWA 🍺 🍷

Plus, find plenty of easy parking at the two Historic Third Ward Parking Structures located at 212 N. Milwaukee St. and 225 E. Chicago St. 🚗

Click the link below to learn more and to plan your trip to the Third Ward Art Festival 🤩
https://buff.ly/Qnd3JvV

📸:

07/31/2026

The moon is coming to the Third Ward! 🌕

From August 7-9, Catalano Square transforms for the Third Ward Moon Festival — a FREE, three-day event featuring a stunning 23-foot illuminated moon sculpture. It's part of the Historic Third Ward Association's 50th anniversary celebration, and Milwaukee is the only Midwest stop on its world tour.

Bring the family, bring a blanket, and look up. ✨

📅 August 7-9 | Catalano Square, Historic Third Ward

Learn more: https://www.historicthirdward.org/third-ward-moon-festival

07/29/2026

Last night, downtown showed up. 🏙️

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our board meeting with Mayor Cavalier Johnson, Alderman Bauman, Captain Thiel, and Assistant District Attorney Dax Odom. The room was full, the questions were real, and it's clear how much our neighbors care about downtown Milwaukee.

Thanks to the mayor and city leaders for taking the time to hear directly from residents. This is what community looks like.

Stay tuned for more from DNA MKE — and thank you for being part of it. 💙

07/21/2026

📢 Mayor Johnson is coming to our board meeting, and you're invited too.

Join DNA MKE for our next board meeting on Tuesday, July 28, from 5:30–7 PM. Mayor Cavalier Johnson will be there, along with Alderman Bauman, Captain Thiel (District One), and Assistant District Attorney Dax Odom.

This meeting is open to the public. Come ask questions and be part of the conversation about downtown Milwaukee.

📍 The Intersection Conference Room, The Avenue MKE
275 W Wisconsin Ave, 2nd Floor (up the stairs from 3rd Street Market Hall)

RSVP here: https://forms.gle/LYnNoaLRezPpZJQH9

See you there!

07/18/2026

☀️ Summer in Milwaukee just hits different.

Riverwalk strolls. Rooftop patios. Friday fish fry. Festivals every weekend. And neighbors who actually know each other's names.
Whether you've lived downtown for years or just moved in — summer is the season to get out, explore, and soak it all in.

What's on your Milwaukee summer bucket list? Drop it in the comments. ⬇️

07/17/2026

The Milwaukee Fire Department wants to hear from you. 🚒

The city is deciding how to fund crucial services for 2027, and your voice matters in that process. Take a few minutes to tell your elected officials what matters most to you. Your input helps shape a safer, stronger downtown for everyone.

Learn about the City of Milwaukee budget and provide input for Mayor Cavalier Johnson as he develops his proposed 2027 City Budget.

07/07/2026

Bastille Days is back in Cathedral Square Park, and this year is a big one! 🇫🇷

The free, four-day bash attracts over 250,000 visitors and features live music, an international marketplace, French and Cajun cuisine, and roaming busker entertainment. It's one of the best free festivals of the Milwaukee summer, right in our own backyard.

📅 July 9–12
📍 Cathedral Square Park, East Town
🎟️ Free admission
🚃 Hop on the M-Line — it stops right in the middle of the festival grounds!

See you there, neighbors. 💙🥐

🔗 Learn more: easttown.com/bastille-days-festival

Photo by Melissa Miller Photography

07/02/2026

🎆 America's 250th is here, and Milwaukee is celebrating BIG tomorrow night!

This year's lakefront tradition gets a major upgrade. The Milwaukee County Parks signature July 3 lakefront tradition continues in its new form: a roughly 45-minute drone show over the lakefront at McKinley Beach and McKinley Park, produced with Northern Lights Drone Show by BCI Entertainment.

Expect synchronized lights, patriotic visuals, and a soundtrack to match — all just steps from downtown. 🇺🇸

📅 Thursday, July 3
⏰ Festivities start at 3 p.m., drone show begins at 9:20 p.m.
📍 McKinley Beach & McKinley Park (also visible along the lakefront)
🔗 Learn more: https://county.milwaukee.gov/EN/Parks/Experience/Special-Events/Drone-Show-Lakefront

Grab your spot early, bring a blanket, and celebrate America's 250th right here at home.
Happy almost-4th, Milwaukee! 💙

06/17/2026

✨ It's back! The Milwaukee Night Market returns on June 24!

Some of the best nights of the Milwaukee summer are almost here. Head to West Wisconsin Avenue between 2nd Street and Vel R. Phillips Avenue from 5–9 PM for amazing nights of local vendors, food, entertainment, and all the energy that makes this city great.

A few things to know:
🛍️ 100+ local vendors, all Wisconsin-based
📅 Four nights this summer: June 24, July 22, August 19 & September 16
🎉 Free and open to everyone
🏙️ Right in the heart of downtown

This event has been a Milwaukee staple since 2014, and it keeps getting better. Big thanks to the Westown Association for making it happen year after year.
See you there!

Learn more at www.mkenightmarket.com