Happy Friday, Volunteers!
As the vibrant colors of autumn paint the cityscape and a cool breeze carries the scent of change, October arrives in Milwaukee with a promise of exciting experiences and seasonal delights. In this month's VISIT Milwaukee blog post, we invite you to embrace the spirit of fall and join us on a journey through the cultural events, outdoor adventures, and culinary delights that make October in Milwaukee truly special.
We are thrilled! Milwaukee was named the No. 3 best large U.S. city in a survey of over half a million readers of Conde Nast Traveler, one of the best travel publications in the world. Read all about the recognition here. What makes it even better is Conde Nast Traveler's companion guide to the awards, a brand new (and positively glowing!) guide to Milwaukee.
In more wonderful award news, we celebrate two recent wins: Facilities & Destinations magazine named the Baird Center one of the best convention centers in the Midwest, and Meetings Today named VISIT Milwaukee one of the best tourism bureaus in the same region.
Thank you, volunteers, for helping make all of this happen!
Looking ahead to the weekend, we're proudly supporting the events surrounding the 20th anniversary for Lela Boutique, which has been a retail mainstay for so many locals and visitors alike. The 2023 Cultures & Communities Festival is underway (see the full lineup here). This Saturday also brings the Bronzeville Harvest Fest, which will offer a variety of family-friendly activities like face-painting, a pumpkin giveaway, apple cider, a marketplace, and more at the Victory of Violence Park (2625 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.). Then get ready to hoist your steins for Milwaukee Oktoberfest at Cathedral Square, an event with German fare from our friends at Kegel's, entertainment, beer, and plenty of gemütlichkeit. Just around the corner, the Baird Center will welcome Beyond King Tut, another spectacular immersive exhibit.
Milwaukee Theater District has officially launched Milwaukee Theater Week, a celebration of the one-year anniversary of the creation of the District. From November 9-19, Milwaukee's performing arts groups and entertainment venues will aim to raise awareness of Milwaukee's world-class performing arts scene while encouraging visitors to take advantage of discounts and incentives. Milwaukee Theater Week will kick off with a public media event and a concert from Grammy Award-winning artist Grace Weber on November 9 at the Pabst Theater. Openers B~Free and Klassik, as well as a special collaboration with the students of Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra will showcase Milwaukee's incredible homegrown talent. Get your tickets today! In addition to this, participating Milwaukee Theater Week groups and venues will offer ticket discounts plus exclusive events, giveaways and celebrations of Milwaukee's entertainment scene. Stay tuned on Milwaukee Theater District's Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for details.
Volunteer Updates
We greatly appreciate your dedication and assistance in staffing the Baird Center and airport kiosks. Your efforts play a vital role in ensuring a positive experience for visitors to our city. To enhance our service and the impact of our partnerships, we kindly request your support in tracking and collecting valuable data from our visitors.
Specifically, we ask that you pay attention to and record the following information:
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Visitor Origin: Whenever possible, inquire about the visitors' place of origin. Knowing where our guests come from allows us to understand our market reach and tailor our services accordingly.
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Venue and Attraction Referrals: when you share attractions, venues, or points of interest that visitors are interested in exploring during their stay, please note it. This data is crucial for our ongoing collaboration efforts and demonstrates the value of being a VISIT Milwaukee partner.
Copies of the visitor tracking forms are available at each location. To ensure consistent data capture, please refer to the highlighted example at the top of the form. The data you collect serves multiple purposes. It helps inform our work by allowing us to understand visitor preferences and trends better. Additionally, it enables us to demonstrate the tangible benefits of partnership to our valued associates and encourages their continued support.
Thank you for your commitment to VISIT Milwaukee and for contributing to the success of our city as a destination of choice. If you have any questions or need further guidance on data collection, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Upcoming Volunteer Needs
2023 North American Assn Of State and Provincial Lotteries (Baird Center)
2023 Villain Arts Tattoo Convention (Baird Center)
2023 Latino Family Expo and Festival
2023 WIDA Annual Conference (Baird Center)
2023 National Geographic Beyond King Tut (Baird Center)
2023 WIDA Annual Conference (Airport)
2023 Weekly Airport Kiosk Activation
2023 Welcome Cruise Ship (Lake Express South Shore Dock)
All volunteer needs: https://volunteer.milwaukee.org/need/
Incoming Groups
Groups booked by VISIT Milwaukee in town in the coming weeks. To see all incoming groups for the quarter click here.
- Villain Arts - Milwaukee Tattoo Arts Convention, October 6-8, estimated 7,000 attendees, Baird Center
- MinMax Games Card Tournament, October 6, estimated 170 attendees, Baird Center
- Axiom Dance Convention, October 7, estimated 350 attendees, Miller High Life Theatre
- Carcade - Brew City Bowl, October 7, estimated 60 attendees, Mecca Sports Bar and Grill
- 52nd Annual Midwest Collegiate Championships, October 7-8, estimated 1,200 attendees, Bowlero Wauwatosa and AMF West Lanes
- Canon Law Society of America - Annual Convention, October 9-11, estimated 370 attendees, Hyatt Regency
- Liberal Religious Educators Association - LREDA Conference, October 8-16, estimated 200 attendees, Hilton Milwaukee City Center
- Saputo 2023 Basketball Tournament, October 14, estimated 250 attendees, OAW Indoor Sports Complex
- World Class Instructional Design and Assessment - 2023 WIDA Annual Conference, October 17-20, estimated 1,300 attendees, Baird Center
Media Highlights
- Milwaukee tops New Orleans, NYC in Condé Nast Traveler survey of top places to visit, Milwaukee Business Journal, 6,620,974 total impressions
- Grace Weber and B~Free, TMJ4, 1,264,939 total impressions
- Milwaukee Theater District Announces Inaugural Milwaukee Theater Week, Urban Milwaukee, 255,668 total impressions
- Yes, This is a Boozy Pumpkin-Spice Tour of the Midwest, Midwest Living, 36,735 total impressions
- Best of Milwaukee 2023: Our City, Milwaukee Magazine, 154,239 total impressions
Visitor Insights
Click here to learn more about who visits Milwaukee.
Partner Wins
Congrats to Kyle Vetter and the 1840 Brewing Co. team on winning gold in the fruited wood and barrel-aged sour category for their beer I Don't Want to Wait at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver!
Need Zine is hosting Tea Leaves, which features an Open Mic Night and Pop-Up Market in Ivanhoe Plaza outside Crossroads Collective on Milwaukee's East Side from 6-9 p.m. each Friday from now until October 27!
Movida has gone vertical with their expansion project! Beams are now in place for their expanded dining room with rooftop patio and private event space. It it scheduled to open in February 2024.
Pilot Project Brewing is hosting an Oktoberfest dinner on Thursday, October 12, featuring a five course meal paired with Pilot Project seasonal beers from its incubator brands, including Azadi Brewing, Funkytown Brewery, and Brewer's Kitchen.
Milwaukee Jazz Institute is partnering with Edith Cocktail Bar on a Friday evening jazz series that kicks off tonight from 6:00-9:00 p.m. and goes through the end of the month!
Welcome New Partners
Please welcome new or returning partners to the VISIT Milwaukee team!
West Vliet Street Business Association
Thank you for all you do!
