We all know Milwaukee is the City of Festivals; but there’s no city in the world that takes better advantage of their limited warm weather to throw unending (and overlapping) parties. The festivities start prior to the return of Summerfest (t minus 6 days), meaning this weekend features the return of one of my favorite oddball street fests of the summer: Garlic Fest.
Who in their right mind would throw a party for the bringer of bad breath and destroyer of vampires? That’d be one of Walker’s Point’s original harbingers of couture cuisine: Braise. For 5 years they’ve been shutting down the corner of 2nd and Mineral, in the shadow of the Polish Moon.
The Allen-Bradley Clock Tower, as seen from Garlic Fest. Photo by Joe Powell.
15 Walker’s Point restaurants will be serving their garlic-y goodness. If you’re looking for something to wash the taste out of your mouth besides the signature Green Garlic Bloody Mary’s, MKE Brewing and Brenner Brewing have got you covered. While you peruse the local arts and crafts tents (including one of our favorites, Hanmade Milwaukee) or play the garlic games, the jams will be spun by our favorite work-day-drive 88Nine DJ Dori Zori. Make sure to stay for the main event: the original garlic eating contest.
Garlic Golf and Garlic Toss. Photo by Andy K. for Yelp.
The day of free festivities starts at noon and runs until 4: pack some breath mints, leave the vampires at home, and get ready to show your love for the cloves.