Milwaukee is a city full of eclecticism, vibrancy, and beauty.  Situated on Lake Michigan, one can spend a day sailing, milling about museums, or sipping a freshly brewed beer - all in a day’s work.  Milwaukee in mid-July is very pleasant and comfortable, with weather typically in the mid-80s, and it also hosts numerous festivals and activities during the summer.  So be sure to take advantage of the sun and fun while you are in town! 

Here is a list of special events taking place in Milwaukee around the Summer Conference dates:

Great Circus Parade Festival (July 8-11)
(http://circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org/Events/EventDetail/Event1642.aspx)
Live, tented circus performances of the Kelly Miller Circus, food, beverage and souvenir vendors, animal rides, authentic circus wagon displays and horses preparing for the Great Circus Parade.

Great Circus Parade (July 12) (http://circusworld.wisconsinhistory.org/Events/EventDetail/Event1641.aspx)
The circus parades through downtown Milwaukee - a huge spectacle!

South Shore Frolics (July 10-12)
(www.south-shore-frolics.com)
One of the oldest festivals in Milwaukee is celebrating its 60th year.

U.S. Bank Championship (July 13-19)
(http://www.usbankchampionship.com/) 
The PGA Tour makes a yearly stop in Milwaukee. 

Festa Italiana (July 16-19)
(www.festaitaliana.com)
Italian food, music, all taking place on Milwaukee’s Lakefront. 

Milwaukee Brewers vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (July 10-12)
(http://milwaukee.brewers.mlb.com/)
See the hometown Brewers at their beautiful Miller Park.

In addition to the special events, here is a sampling of the many fantastic local sites to see:

Brewery Tours

Beer is to Milwaukee as cars are to Detroit.  Many smaller breweries offer tours where visitors can see how their favorite beer is created.

Lakefront Brewery
www.lakefrontbrewery.com
Leinenkeugel's
www.leinies.com
Sprecher
www.sprecherbrewery.com

Milwaukee Museum of Art
http://www.mam.org/
A wonderful selection of artwork from all over the world.  During the Summer Conference, the Museum is profiling two exhibits entitled “American Originals”, which include the artistic furniture of Charles Rohlfs and the works by American modernists. 

Mitchell Park Conservatory (The Domes)
http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm
A nature conservatory with themed exhibits.  The park is known for its Domes, which show great diversity in plant life, and received rave reviews from visitors.

Bronze Fonz
A bronzed version of the “Happy Days” character, Fonzie, stands next to the Milwaukee River just two blocks away from the Intercontinental Milwaukee Hotel (NACWA’s host hotel).  The statue is located on the corner of E. Wells Street and N. Edison Street. 

Milwaukee Riverwalk
http://www.mkedcd.org/DowntownMilwaukee/RiverWalk/index.html
Extending from the city’s historic Third Ward to Caesars Park, the Walk is one of the best ways to experience the vibrancy of downtown Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Public Museum
http://www.mpm.edu/
Considered one of the best natural history museums in the country, the Public Museum is diverse in its collection.  The “Streets of Old Milwaukee”, showing city life in the 1890s, is a neat trip back to the days of Milwaukee’s Greek, Scandinavian and German original settlers.   

Harley-Davidson Museum
http://www.harley-davidson.com/wcm/Content/Pages/HD_Museum/Museum.jsp
Vroom.  The year-old Harley-Davidson Museum has an exciting array of antique bikes from over 100 years.  There is also a very cool exhibit on motorcycle engineering.  NACWA will be having our Thursday night reception here.

Milwaukee Convention and Visit Bureau
http://www.visitmilwaukee.org/

Need more ideas of what to see and do?  The Visit Milwaukee website has useful information and an up-to-date calendar with the city’s goings-on.