Hello Friends,
As you drive through downtown to do your local holiday shopping and meet a friend for your annual Christmas happy hour, you can see that it is definitely the holiday season in Milwaukee. A big thanks to Milwaukee Downtown Bid #21 for once again decorating our downtown area and bringing joy and colorful lights to Milwaukee. I've seen so many family photos and selfies being taken, I am sure social media is alive with Milwaukee spirit! If you want to get involved and light up your building, they have some suggestions. Click here for more information!
Awards and Chocolate
The Wisconsin State Fair has won 20 (TWENTY!) awards in various divisions and categories at the 2020 International Association of Fairs and Expositions (IAFE) Virtual Convention. Wisconsin State Fair also earned the coveted 2020 Judges Choice Award within the communications awards program, in which only one Fair is chosen throughout the entire communications program. The IAFE awards are presented in categories of Agriculture, Hall of Honors Communication, Competitive Exhibits, Innovation in Sponsorship, and Non-Fair Facility Usage. Wisconsin State Fair earned first place awards in all five categories. Congratulations to Kathleen O'Leary and her entire team on their efforts this year, which included very creative ways to share the State Fair with us in new ways.
And, they are at it again! If you are missing your favorite Fair foods, you can now order them again with the State Fair selling chocolate cream puffs (CHOCOLATE!?!), peppermint Blue Ribbon Brownies, and Chocolate Chip Cookies. Order yours today. And don't' forget you and "Stick it to 2020" by becoming a Friend of the Fair and ordering your commemorative holiday ornament.
VISIT Milwaukee staff
Congratulations are owed to VISIT Milwaukee's volunteer and staffing coordinator Tony Snell, who was recently elected chair of Milwaukee's Equal Rights Commission, a body he has served on since 2017. This news is joined by the announcement that Milwaukee has once again earned a perfect 100-point score from the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, which scores municipalities based on a number of facts like equality in law enforcement, municipal services, municipal employee benefits, and non-discrimination laws. We are so proud of Tony and the work he and his colleagues do at the ERC. They are working every day to make Milwaukee a more welcoming place for visitors and locals alike.
This Saturday, Milwaukee will celebrate International Human Rights Day with a panel discussion talking about human rights issues in 2020. You can learn more and register here.
More updates
I'd like to give an official welcome to Wauwatosa's newest hotel brand, the Sonesta Milwaukee West, now occupying the corner of Mayfair Road and Watertown Plank Road (formerly Crowne Plaza West). This is a welcome addition to our hotel scene and will offer first rate experiences for guests.
The United Way's Young Professional group LINC is sponsoring its 12 Days of Philanthropy event this year and there's still time to participate and donate! Please click here to see how you can get involved with the United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
But that's not the only way you can support the United Way… you can also donate money and watch me stuff my face with Donuts in the Zizzo Group's 4th Annual Donut Smackdown, Executive Challenge. Please click here to donate and vote (for me!) in this fun event.
Have a great week,
Peggy
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Peggy Williams-Smith VISIT Milwaukee President & CEO (414) 287-4233 pwilliamssmith@milwaukee.org |
