Music in Lake Park

Outdoor Musical Mondays & Wonderful Wednesdays 

Lake Park on Milwaukee's east side is so pretty. I've been wanting to check out their summer concerts for a while now — ever since my aunt told me that she and her friends set up a table with a cloth and really get fancy about it. The concerts happen at the Summer Stage, located near the tennis courts and playground. 

When we went for Musical Monday this past week, I didn't see any overtly high-society types with their tablecloths. But there was a large crowd of people, mostly seated in camping chairs and giving the artists du jour, Harmonious Wail, their undivided attention. The overall demographic was a bit older — not many young families and certainly no kids up front getting their groove on. I'm not sure if the crowd is always so attentive at Musical Mondays, or if it was just because Harmonious Wail is a seriously great gypsy jazz band that's deserving of your time (they're also kinda on the quiet side).

Point being, I wouldn't recommend Lake Park's concerts if you're hoping to catch up with your girlfriends over two bottles of wine. This is a crowd that's there to listen to music, and any socializing is done with inside-voices. Would I back? Absolutely! The acts at Musical Mondays are unlike any you'll find elsewhere in Milwaukee. For instance, still to come this summer is Patrick Ball, a "modern-day bard, known for mesmerizing audiences with his wire-strung Celtic harp and ancient tales." The following Monday: a barbershop quartet. 

The artists at Wonderful Wednesdays are just as unique, so check out the remaining August lineup and keep live music at Lake Park on your radar for next summer, too. Monday concerts are from 6:30 to 8:30, and Wednesday concerts are from 6:30 to 7:30. Get out there!