Memorial Day 2017: Your Guide to Milwaukee County Parks and Activities

MILWAUKEE – Popular summer activities in the Milwaukee County Parks will get under way Memorial Day weekend. Activities will be as varied as visiting a beer garden to swimming at the Family Aquatic Centers, to going on a warbler walk.

Cool Waters & David F. Schulz Aquatic Centers Open Saturday for Holiday Weekend
Saturday, Cool Waters Family Aquatic Park in Greenfield Park, 2028 S. 124 St., and David F. Schulz Aquatic Center in Lincoln Park, 1301 E. Hampton Ave., will open for the holiday weekend. Weekend and holiday hours for Cool Waters will be 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Schulz, noon–6 p.m. Both parks feature giant waterslides, beach entry, and interactive water toys. These family water parks will open weekends-only through mid-June.

Throughout the holiday weekend, at either water park, patrons may purchase 2017 season passes at a discount. Individual Passes will be available for $55; Family-of-Four Passes, $140; and Additional Child add-on to the Family Pass, $25. Passes may be used at both locations. For details, call the Aquatics Hotline at (414) 257-8098 or visit countyparks.com.

Annual Family Kite Festival in Veterans Park Saturday & Sunday
The 30th annual Wilde Subaru Family Kite Festival, presented by Prairie Farms, will be held Saturday, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., and Sunday, from 10 a.m.–5 p.m., in Veterans Park, 1300 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, The Grand Launch of more than 600 kites will take place at noon, and performances by professional kite-flying teams will occur throughout the day, including Yves Laforest and the Canadian Dream Team with their giant kites. The festival, kite-flying lessons, kites to the first 100 kids participating in the Kaplin University Kids Mad Dash kite launch, and parking are free. For details, call (414) 273-5483 or visit giftofwings.com.

FootGolf
Beginning Friday, and throughout the holiday weekend, FootGolf courses will be open for play at Lincoln, 1000 W. Hampton Ave.; Doyne, 5300 W. Wells St.; Noyes, 8235 W. Good Hope Road; and Zablocki, 3717 W. Howard Ave.

FootGolf, the cross between soccer and golf, uses a regulation size 4 or 5 soccer ball and 21-inch-diameter holes cut into the rough of a golf course. The objective of the game is to advance the ball from the tee box into the hole in the fewest number of kicks. People of all ages and abilities have enjoyed the game since its introduction about five years ago.

Players may bring their own soccer balls or rent one at the course for $5. Each FootGolfer must have his or her own ball. Ball rentals at Lincoln will be available during all tee times. Rentals at the other FootGolf courses will be available from 10 a.m.–6 p.m., but on Friday at Zablocki, all players will need to bring their own.

The green fee for FootGolf at Lincon (18 holes) is $15. For reservations, call (414) 475-6222 or visit milwaukeecountygolfcourses.com. Play at Doyne, Noyes, and Zablocki (9 holes) is $5, and reservations are not needed.

The Domes: Final Days of Spring Floral Show & Special Event, Our Feathered Friends
The Mitchell Park Domes, 524 S. Layton Blvd., will be open for the final days of the spring floral show, For the Birds, Friday from 9 a.m.–5 p.m., and the weekend and holiday, from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. The show features a mix of seasonal plants interspersed with models or birds, both decorative and realistic.

Saturday, the special event, Our Feathered Friends, will offer a variety of bird-related activities, with the highlight, birds-of-prey flight demonstrations. Schlitz Audubon Nature Center will show the skills of a Turkey Vulture and a Harris’s Hawk, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Also available for an up-close and personal meeting will be a Bald Eagle, American Crow, Northern Saw-whet Owl, and a variety of exotic birds. From 9 a.m.–1 p.m., a Wehr Nature Center naturalist will answer questions about birds of Wisconsin, and, from 2-4 p.m., a coordinator from Urban Ecology Center will discuss bird banding and show the equipment used. For interactive learning, children attending may take on the character of a bird and receive their own “band,” complete with statistics. In addition, visitors may go on birding tours of the Tropical and Desert domes at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. Throughout the day, visitors may sample bird-friendly (shade-grown and organic) coffee. Bakery and tamales by Lopez Bakery and Restaurant will be available for purchase. The event is included in regular admission.

Admission is $7 for adults age 18 and up; $5 for Milwaukee County Seniors with ID, persons with disabilities, students of any age with ID, and youth age 6–17; and free for children age 5 and under. Because Monday is a federal holiday, the free day for Milwaukee County residents is suspended.

For more information, call the Mitchell Park Domes at (414) 257-5600.

Friday Fish Fries at Golf Clubhouses
The popular Friday Fish Fry in the Parks will return to Grant and Whitnall Golf Clubhouses, Friday of Memorial Day Weekend. Included in the traditional fish fry is baked or fried cod with French fries or roasted potatoes, coleslaw, rye bread, and a cookie. The fish fry will be served from 4–8 p.m. at Grant, 100 E. Hawthorne Ave., and at Whitnall, 6751 S. 92 St. Reservations will be accepted only at Grant at (414) 762-4817. Fish fries continue every Friday through Labor Day Weekend. For details, visit countyparks.com search: fish fry.

Cruisin Car Show at Kulwicki Park Saturday

Saturday, from 8 a.m.–2 p.m., the Greater Greenfield Lions Club will present the 18th annual Alan Kulwicki Cruisin Car Show at Kulwicki Park, 10777 W. Coldspring Road. Categories in the competition range from Model Ts of the 1920s to Mustangs of today. For details, visit gglions.org/car_show.htm.

Warbler Walk in Lake Park Saturday
Saturday, from 8:30–10 a.m., birders, from beginner to advanced, are invited to a free walk in search of spring’s migratory warblers in Lake Park, 2975 N. Lake Park Road. Recreational birders will lead the walk to the best birding spots in the park. Participants should meet near the Warming House. For details, visit http://bit.ly/1qooHHp.

Lawn Bowling Open House in Lake Park Sunday
Members of Lake Park Lawn Bowls Association will introduce the public to lawn bowling, Sunday, from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Lake Park’s lawn bowling courts are located at 3131 E. Newberry Blvd. Members will give demonstrations on the hour, followed by organized games. Participants are asked to wear soft, flat-soled shoes. All other equipment will be provided. The game is not appropriate for children under age 12. For details, visit milwaukeelawnbowls.com.

Memorial Day Golf Specials & U.S. Open Trophy Tour
The PGA-tested golf course at Brown Deer Park, 7625 N. Range Line Road, and Dretzka Park Golf Course, 12020 W. Bradley Road, are offering Monday-only specials. Golfers play 18 holes, with a golf car, and receive an $8 merchandise gift card for $39 and $29 respectively, regardless of the player’s residency. The offer is good for tee times after 11 a.m. at Brown Deer and for all tee times at Dretzka. For reservations, call (414) 475-6222 or visit milwaukeecountygolfcourses.com.

Also on Monday, from 9 a.m. –1 p.m., the U.S. Open Trophy, which dates back to 1895, will be on display at Brown Deer for fans to admire and to learn about the championship’s history. Fans who take their photo with the trophy and share via social media using #LexusGolf will be entered for a chance to win two tickets to the final round of this year’s U.S. Open Championship.

For other activities in the Milwaukee County Parks, call (414) 257-PARK (7275) or visit countyparks.com.