The Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival lights Downtown for the 11th season during its ceremonial switch-flipping, the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival Kick-Off Extravaganza, on Thursday, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m. in Pere Marquette Park.
OnMilwaukee.com has been involved in this event since the beginning and I'm proud to say that I've been to every kick-off event. They are great, family fun and feature some of the best fireworks in town.
Festivities begin with a family fashion pre-show at 5:30 p.m. Participating retailers include Aala Reed, Boutique B'lou, Freckle Face, Fred, Laacke & Joys, Lela (yes, this is my wife's store), Luci, Luscious Boutique, Miss Ruby and Beauty on Water Street.
After the runway, it's on to the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival Kick-Off Extravaganza, a non-stop holiday variety show starting at 6 p.m. This year's cast features R&B funkmasters Cold Sweat and the Brew City Horns, Straight Praise gospel choir, characters from "A Christmas Carol," Castle of the Arts dance company, Danceworks and Santa. The program will end just before 6:30 p.m. with the lighting of Downtown's park and street décor, and a holiday-themed fireworks show.
Free hot cocoa, coffee and cookies will be served beginning at 5:30 p.m. while supplies last. After the show, visitors are invited to tour the sights with free Jingle Bus rides from Pere Marquette Park.
Decorations of the Milwaukee Holiday Lights Festival, including those in Cathedral Square Park, Pere Marquette Pak, Zeidler Union Square and along Wisconsin Avenue, Jefferson Street and Old World 3rd Street will remain in place through Jan. 3.
Following kick-off night, guests and area residents are invited to view downtown's holiday décor aboard the Jingle Bus, Thursdays through Sundays, Nov. 20 through Jan. 3 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., for $1 per person. The narrated tour by Milwaukee Downtown's Public Service Ambassadors offers 40 minutes of endless lights and sights.
The Jingle Bus will operate from the Festival's Warming House location at the Plankinton Arcade in The Shops of Grand Avenue, 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. Discounted parking is available in The Shops of Grand Avenue Parking structure for $2 with a Jingle Bus validation.
A life-long and passionate community leader and Milwaukeean, Jeff Sherman is a co-founder of OnMilwaukee.
He grew up in Wauwatosa and graduated from Marquette University, as a Warrior. He holds an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University, and is the founding president of Young Professionals of Milwaukee (YPM)/Fuel Milwaukee.
Early in his career, Sherman was one of youngest members of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, and currently is involved in numerous civic and community groups - including board positions at The Wisconsin Center District, Wisconsin Club and Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. He's honored to have been named to The Business Journal's "30 under 30" and Milwaukee Magazine's "35 under 35" lists.
He owns a condo in Downtown and lives in greater Milwaukee with his wife Stephanie, his son, Jake, and daughter Pierce. He's a political, music, sports and news junkie and thinks, for what it's worth, that all new movies should be released in theaters, on demand, online and on DVD simultaneously.
He also thinks you should read OnMilwaukee each and every day.
