Washington Park Wednesdays

Live music at The Shell in Milwaukee's Washington Park

It's been a couple years since I last made it out to Wednesdays at the Shell — an event organized in part by a lovely former coworker of mine. Every Wednesday during a stretch of summer, live music takes the stage in Washington Park, located on the cusp of Milwaukee and Wauwatosa. This year, Washington Park Wednesdays will run through August 30th. Crowds start to gather around 5pm with music kicking off at 6:00 and lasting until 8:30. 

Hungry? There has certainly been an uptick in food trucks since I last enjoyed a Wednesday night in Washington Park. When I came out for the first Wednesday of this 2017 season, I spied a smattering of ethnic eats whose scrumptious scents filled the air and were plenty tempting. But I'd had Press Waffles on my summer bucket list, so when I saw their darling little trailer, that was it. 

I went for goat cheese and chutney toppings, while my partner in sinful waffle crime went for strawberry, quark cheese, and basil. These waffles are a thing of beauty and taste just like true Belgian waffles — the likes of which you can't easily find at your favorite breakfast joint, no matter what the menu says. 

After snagging our breakfast-for-dinner, we plopped down on the grass to enjoy music and conversation. The nice thing about Washington Park Wednesdays is that it's not over-crowded — rather, the crowd is just right. You don't have to fight for space or climb all over people to get to and from your spot. 

Another nice thing about The Shell is that there are benches up front for any avid music lovers, but the grassy hill is far enough away that, should you choose to sit there, you don't have to shout to be heard. There's also plenty of room to let kids be kids, as we saw many turning cartwheels, playing tag, and tossing beach balls between them. It's a cool, diverse scene, and one that's totally worth adding to your Milwaukee summer music list. 

Check out the full lineup of Washington Park Wednesdays on their Facebook page. See you at The Shell!