By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Apr 10, 2024 at 10:19 AM

Lakefront Brewery has announced that its third annual gluten-free Maifest outdoor beer, food, art and craft event will take place Sunday, May 19, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the brewery, 1872 N. Commerce St.

In addition to its acclaimed gluten-free beers – the third of which, an IPA, was recently released – there will also food trucks and a marketplace, all along the Milwaukee River.

"After two successful years of providing an array of gluten-free goodies, Lakefront notes an increase in vendors and inventories to welcome in a growing customer-base for their outdoor marketplace," the announcement notes.

“If the people keep on coming, we’ll continue to make space for them,” says Lakefront’s Executive Chef Kristin Hueneke. “We’re just happy to be able to provide a safe gluten-free event for the community.

"We’re up to over 40 vendors, nine food trucks and we couldn’t be more excited to showcase what Milwaukee has to offer.”

In addition to the New Grist IPA, Lakefront makes gluten-free New Grist Pilsner and New Grist Gosa Rita margarita ale. The beers are also available in a gluten-free 12-pack of cans.

“After we’ve innovated the craft beer space with Certified Gluten-Free options, we wanted to continue doing positive things for the gluten-free community. Hosting Maifest and turning our CurdWagon into an exclusively gluten-free food truck for the summer months both feel like natural progressions to me,“ says Lakefront Brewery Owner & President Russ Klisch.

“Lakefront Brewery is happy to lead and continue to be that provider.”

In addition to the beer, there will be gluten-free Bloodys and three gluten-free cask beers available while supplies last, which likely means "not long."

The food trucks will serve all gluten-free foods and Lakefront will offer gluten-free cookies nd cream fried cheese curds, which they say could become a summer menu staple.

Lakefront will hold a merch sale, plus there will be live entertainment, glitter tats, balloon folding, flower crowns and more. Well-behaved canine pals welcomed.

For more, check out lakefrontbrewery.com.

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.