The debut Wisconsin Wingfest is slated for March 15 in the Wisconsin State Fair Park Exposition Center and hopes to have wings from 30 vendors and beer from 10 more.
So far, TomKens, Scott E’s Pub, AJ’s Bar and Grill, Famous Dave’s, Brewski’s, Sideliner’s Pub and Grill, Angry Brothers Pub and Grill in Mount Pleasant, Mugshotz Bar and Grill, Hiawatha Bar and Grill, Peppers Pub, Waukesha’s Club 400, Papa Stache Pub and Eatery, Ale Station Food and Brew and Foolery’s Liquid Therapy are among the folks plating up wings.
The Explorium, New Barons, Vernacular, Melms, Westallion MobCraft, Indeed, Sprecher and East Troy Brewery have signed on to bring beer.
According to the event website, the organizers, "are a group of friends always on the hunt for sexy food and fun events. We certainly fall into the ‘live to eat’ category.
"After several years of attending numerous events with family and friends, we decided to run our own event and couldn’t be more ecstatic about it. This year is our first annual Wisconsin Wingfest and we are going all out to make it one of the best events in SE Wisconsin area."
In addition to a firefighter wing-eating contest – "Who can fight the fire" by climbing the scoville units ladder, 10 wings, 10 rounds and each wing gets spicier, notes the web site – there will music from DJ Fatmackin’, arcade game systems provided by Midwest Gaming, games like cornhole and giant Jenga, as well as more fun from the folks at Tosa’s 1st and Bowl.
The event runs from 1 until 5 p.m. and there are a range of ticket levels and options, three of which allow for early entry at 11 a.m.
You can see those options and order tickets now here.
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.
