Tag Archives: South Milwaukee Downtown Market

May 26, 2011 · 1:33 pm

Less Than a Week Until the Market!

Produce, organics, arts, crafts, prepared food and more – including weekly live music and a partnership with the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center.

The South Milwaukee Downtown Market begins its third season on Thursday, June 2, with more than 50 vendors already signed up.

The market’s 20-week summer schedule runs through Oct. 13. It will again be held on Thursdays from to 3 to 7 p.m. and located on 11th Avenue south of Milwaukee Avenue, across from Bucyrus International near the heart of South Milwaukee’s city center.

The market features a number of upgrades for 2011, including:

  • A five-concert series presented by the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center, with top acts planned for the first Thursday of every month. Popular local band Choir Fight will play opening night.
  • Other weekly live music acts, including a variety of up-and-coming local artists;
  • A new on-site stage built by local Boy Scout Tommy Mitchell; and
  • Landscape improvements allowing for an expansion of the market’s seating area.

Check out the full press release here, and be sure to join us on Facebook (search: South Milwaukee Downown Market) and follow us on Twitter (#SouthMilwMarket). And visit our website at www.smdowntownmarket.org.

I hope to see you there!

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May 19, 2011 · 10:07 pm

Bucyrus Unveils Its Renovated Visitor Center And Museum … And It’s Terrific

Bucyrus International continues to invest in its South Milwaukee campus.

The company held a grand opening celebration for its newly renovated visitor center today, and I was happy to attend and get a first-hand look at its new three-story museum — an upgrade from its one-story facility — as well as a new company store and theater, all part of its Heritage Building.

My review? In a word, outstanding.

From the interactive features aimed at young people on the first floor to the library — named for outgoing Bucyrus CEO Tim Sullivan — on the third floor, the museum does a great job of telling the story of Bucyrus … a story that is distinctly South Milwaukee.

And the best part? The museum will now have regular, daily hours:

  • Sundays and Mondays: Closed
  • Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Thursdays: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Fridays: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Also, Bucyrus is planning regular plant tours.

The renovations were done over the winter, and I am glad to see this project completed. I see it as a strong sign of Bucyrus’ continued commitment to South Milwaukee even with the looming acquisition by Caterpillar.

The next step is to see how we can leverage this major investment as a community. That potential is limitless.

In his remarks about the renovation Thursday, Sullivan specifically cited the company’s interest in making the facility a destination for visitors, and based on what I saw it most assuredly will be. He said the company is working with Visit Milwaukee to make this happen, working to attract everyone from local convention attendees to bus tours.

Think of it … a busload of tourists having just visited the Harley-Davidson Museum makes their next stop at Bucyrus, spending an hour or two at the museum before heading out to a downtown restaurant, the Downtown Market or the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center for a show. Or maybe they make a sidetrip to the Seven Bridges at Grant Park.

Think of the potential economic impact that brings to our city.

Well, this is not just a fantasy. This may be reality sooner rather than later thanks to this major investment in a truly unique community attraction.

Thank you, Bucyrus. Now, let’s tell the world about this!

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May 13, 2011 · 9:52 am

20 Days Away! South Milwaukee Farmers’ Market Announces Music Lineup

 The sound of music is coming to the South Milwaukee Downtown Market this summer – every week.

The market has announced its 2011 music lineup, and it includes a five-concert series sponsored by the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center (SMPAC) and other strong local music acts, all performing free of charge to market customers.

The shows kick off on June 2, the opening night of the market, with Choir Fight, known for its fusion of original compositions with instrumental interpretations of rock and pop standards. Like all of the SMPAC concerts, which will be held on the first Thursday of every month, the show starts at 5:30 p.m.

Check out the full press release here, and click here to visit the market website.

I hope to see you on June 2!

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April 18, 2011 · 10:41 pm

Think Summer! Quick Update on the Downtown Market

We had a meeting of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market Committee tonight, and I thought now is as good a time as any to update my blog readers as to what’s happening with the event.

And it’s a lot.

We return for our third season on June 2 and continue for 20 weeks through October 13. Hours are 3 to 7 p.m. every Thursday, and we’re located on 11th Avenue south of Milwaukee Avenue (south of Bucyrus International).

Learn more in this press release and on our website.

Among the upgrades you’ll see for 2011: a jazz-inspired five-concert series presented by the South Milwaukee Performing Arts Center and construction of a new stage by a local Eagle Scout.

Of course, we’ll also return a strong stable of vendors and be adding some exciting new ones. More than 20 have already signed up for the whole season, and we’re expecting more than 40 every week, selling produce, organics, arts, crafts and prepared food. We’ll also have weekly live music.

I hope you are as excited as I am for the market, and I’ll keep you posted as it gets closer. In the meantime, be sure to join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. And if you know someone who might be interested in joining us as a vendor, they can access everything they need to know at http://www.smdowntownmarket.org. The deadline to get our full-season discount is May 1.

See you June 2!

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October 19, 2010 · 10:18 pm

Season-Ending Fun: Join us for the Fall Festival on Thursday!

You want to witness me out of my element? Make me walk the aisles of Michael’s shopping for stickers, paint and glitter glue.

But that’s just where I was today, as I showed off my crafty side in purchasing the materials we’ll use for the pumpkin decorating portion of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market’s Fall Festival this Thursday, Oct. 21.

Hours are 3 to 6 p.m., and kids activities — including the aforementioned pumpkin decorating, apple bobbing and vendor trick-or-treating — begin at 4 p.m. Local musician Ron Plevak will also perform.

All kids get a free pumpkin (for decorating), free cookies and dollar-off coupons for use at our Dec. 4 Christmas Market, in addition to the treats from our vendors. We’ll also give away the apples we’re using for bobbing.

Learn more in this South Milwaukee NOW story, and be sure to tell your family and friends. See you there!

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October 13, 2010 · 9:28 pm

Just Two Weeks Left for the Downtown Market … Including Our Fall Festival!

We’re finishing year two of the South Milwaukee Downtown Market in style with our first-annual Fall Festival on Thursday, Oct. 21.

Join us as we say farewell to the season and say thank you to our loyal vendors and customers with special activities like pumpkin decorating, apple bobbing, vendor trick-or-treating and a vendor costume contest.

The market runs from 3 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 21. Children’s activities begin at 4.

Learn more in this press release … and see how we’re ringing in the holidays with a special Christmas Market on Dec. 4.

As always, it’s been a pleasure doing my part to bring the market to life. Thanks to everyone who has made Thursday evenings special in downtown South Milwaukee, and we hope to see you on 11th and Milwaukee Avenues the next two weeks!

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April 8, 2010 · 11:06 pm

All the Best from Local Vendors: Join Us for the Indoor Spring Market Saturday at Bucyrus!

Tasty baked goods from Wild Flour and Nona’s. Fresh apple cider, honey and eggs. Two dozen local artists and crafters showing off their talents. Live music. Even a Chamber of Commerce business fair and space devoted to some local nonprofits. All in the really cool Bucyrus International Heritage Building.

And it’s free.

Welcome to the South Milwaukee Spring Market!

Join us this Saturday, April 10, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. inside the Heritage Building — on 10th Avenue, across from the South Milwaukee Library — for our first-ever Spring Market.

Consider it a preview of the summer event, which returns every Thursday afternoon and evening starting June 3 at 11th and Milwaukee Avenues. In fact, you’ll recognize some of our Spring Market vendors from the summer market … but we also have some great additions for this special event. But why not see for yourself on Saturday?

And while you’re there, why not stop by the Bucyrus Museum? This cool, and relatively unknown, museum is also located in the Heritage Building and open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the same hours as the market. Admission is free.  

Learn more about the Spring Market in this press release and on our website at www.smdowntownmarket.org.

It’s been a pleasure to be a part of bringing this event and the summer market to life, and I look forward to seeing you there. Bring your family and friends!

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October 31, 2009 · 11:02 am

Busy Council Meeting Deals with Labor Agreements, Road Projects, Sewer Rates

It’s a full plate for the South Milwaukee Common Council at its November 3 meeting. Among the agenda items:

  • Discussion and possible motions on new labor agreements for our firefighters (South Milwaukee Firefighters Protective Association Local 1633) and police officers (South Milwaukee Professional Police Association Local 201).
  • Discussion and a possible motion regarding plans to be submitted to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation for 15th Avenue improvements from College Avenue south to Rawson. We had a Public Works and Property Committee meeting about this issue on Wednesday, and I’m really happy with what our engineering department came up with here. You can learn more about the project in this earlier post. The proposal we’re going to debate is expected to include, among other safety improvements, the addition of medians and left-turn restrictions at Beech, Walnut and Cherry. A median at Maple near Rawson Elementary is no longer under consideration.
  • Discussion and a possible motion on the submission of an application to the state for funding to improve 11th Avenue south of Milwaukee Avenue . I feel this is an important project for our downtown, as it would allow for some much-needed work on the stretch of road that houses the South Milwaukee Downtown Market. The market was a huge success in 2009, and we’re planning to make it bigger and better in 2010. Making 11th Avenue a first-class roadway, as opposed to the current potholed mess it currently is, will help achieve that goal.
  • Discussion and a possible motion on an increase in sewer user rates. This was the subject of a lengthy Wastewater Commission meeting I attended Thursday, and commissioners voted to recommend an increase in sewer rates. The council must approve this. This is a very complicated issue, but I go in to Tuesday’s meeting expecting to support the increase for several reasons. First, it’s what the wastewater facility needs to pay its bills while also beginning to grow the cash balance in its budget. That balance does not currently exist. The recommended increase is also manageable for residents. For the average user, it will equate to an estimated $5.50 increase per tri-annual sewer bill, or $16.50 annually. And I’m told that our sewer bills will remain among the lowest in the area, even with the increase. It’s also the first increase since 2007, and the one previous to that came in 2004. A decline in the volume of sewage treated is also driving this. In short, it seems like a fair request on the part of our Wastewater Commission.

The Common Council meeting begins at 7 p.m. at City Hall. Click here for the full agenda.

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October 27, 2009 · 9:36 pm

4th District Focus at Public Works Meeting

Potential Nicholson widening. Fifteenth avenue improvements. Possible upgrades to the “stub streets” east and west of 15th. Various sewer projects.

There’s a number of 4th District projects on the agenda for the Public Works and Property Committee meeting at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, October 28, at City Hall. We’ll also discuss potential improvements to 11th Avenue south of Milwaukee Avenue in advance of the 2010 South Milwaukee Downtown Market.

Click here to see an agenda on the city website.

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