WEEKEND EDITION
“China Lights: The Magic
Returns” brings back one of last fall’s biggest attractions to Boerner Botanical Gardens, 9400 Boerner Drive, Hales Corners. The Chinese lantern festival, which drew more than 100,000 visitors last year, opens Friday and runs through Oct. 22. Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Admission is $15; $10 for seniors 60 and older and children ages 5 to 17; free for kids younger than 5. Info: chinalights.org Doors Open Milwaukee offers another peek inside some of Milwaukee’s oldest, and newest, architectural attractions — nearly 170 in all. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but some attractions are only open Saturday. Check the website for locations and an event guide. Admission is free. Info: doorsopenmilwaukee.org The annual Harvest Fair at State Fair Park runs Friday through Sunday at the park’s Wisconsin Exposition Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave. On the agenda: the Great Lakes Timber Show, live entertainment on four stages around State Fair Park, and fall-flavored foods and treats. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free. Info: wistatefair.com/harvestfair
Pets and the people who love them are welcome at Fromm
Petfest Saturday at Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Drive. Dogs and cats are welcome (presumably accompanied by their humans). Music, costume contests, a “groom room” and more will keep animals and their humans plenty busy. Petfest is open from 10 a.m. 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Info: petfestmke.com
Maker Faire Milwaukee is a great opportunity to see Milwaukee’s new ideas and the creators behind them. The two-day fair, co-hosted by Betty Brinn Children’s Museum and Milwaukee Makerspace, allows makers to exchange ideas and show their work to the rest of us. Maker Faire runs 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Wisconsin Exposition Center at State Fair Park, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave. West Allis. Admission is free. Info: milwaukee.makerfaire.com
Celebrate one of Milwaukee’s fastest-growing nightlife neighborhoods at 5th Street
Fest, a daylong party Saturday along S. 5th St. in Walker’s Point between W. Virginia and W. National avenues. Three entertainment stages, with everything from jazz to ballet, and a number of the neighborhood’s diverse food and craft beer spots are on the bill. Admission to the festival, which runs from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, is free. Info: 5thstreetfest.com