Saluting those who served, and riding the (model railroad) rails
Remembering those who gave all
Milwaukee’s 55th annual Veterans Day Parade kicks off Saturday at 11 a.m., starting at North Plankinton and West Kilbourn avenues downtown, heading east to Prospect Avenue and south to Mason Street and past the War Memorial Center to Veterans Park. A memorial service at the War Memorial, 750 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, follows the parade. The grand marshals for this year’s parade are the Red Arrow Club of Milwaukee, representing those who served in World War I on the 100th anniversary of the end of that cataclysm. Info: honorourmilitary.us
Remembering the war to end all wars
To mark the 100th anniversary of World War I, Humboldt Park Friends is hosting a centennial commemoration at the World War I memorial in the park, 3000 S. Howell Ave., from 9 a.m. to to 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. On Friday, there’ll be a ceremony including schoolchildren placing red poppies on the grounds near the memorial. On Sunday, local veterans and active-duty military personnel will present a color guard and gun salute. The events also are designed to bring attention to the memorial; the friends group is raising money for its restoration. Info: humboldtparkmilwaukee.org
Getting into training
If you think there was a lot of train hoop-de-doo during last weekend’s debut of the Hop, stand back: Trainfest is taking over State Fair Park again this weekend. Billed as “America’s largest model railroad show,” Trainfest promises more than 70 model railroad layouts, chugging in from all around the country, with plenty of activities for, as they say, kids of all ages. It runs from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Wisconsin Expo Center, 8200 W. Greenfield Ave., West Allis. Tickets at the door are $15 for one day, $20 for both days; for kids ages 4 to 12, it’s $5 for one day, $6 for both. Info: trainfest.com
Ready for the ball
Shine up your glass slippers: The Broadway production of “Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella” waltzes into the Miller High Life Theatre Saturday and Sunday. This is the “Cinderella” production, with such classic songs as “In My Own Little Corner” and “Impossible/It’s Possible,” that was nominated for nine Tonys, winning for best costume design. Performances are at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $35 to $75. Info: cinderellaonbroadway.com
Strutting their stuff at the Rep
A night at the theater with some of Milwaukee’s best performing songs by Ellington, Loesser and the Gershwins? No wonder the new Milwaukee Repertory Theater production is called “The All Night Strut!” The musical revue starts with previews Friday and Saturday before formally opening Sunday in the Stackner Cabaret, 108 E. Wells St. The revue runs through Jan. 13. Info: milwaukeerep.com
A handmade (and early holiday) bounty
re:Craft and Relic, the two-day craft and vintage show at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in Franklin, is pretty well timed to give you a head start on your season’s greetings. More than 150 vendors, selling handmade, vintage and “upcycled” wares, will be on hand 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the complex, 6000 W. Ryan Road. Tickets are $7, free for kids 12 and younger. Info: recraftandrelic.com. Opera was the movies before there were movies. The Donald and Donna Baumgartner Studio Artists bring pop culture’s peanut butter and chocolate together in “Opera Goes to the
Movies,” a performance of operatic works that have been featured on the big screen, Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Lueders Florentine Opera Center, 830 E. Burleigh St. Tickets are $25. Info: florentineopera.org
Last call
This weekend is your last chance to see these shows.
“Nate the Great”: First Stage’s musical, adapted from the popular young-reader books about solving mysteries (and eating pancakes), concludes its run Sunday in the Todd Wehr Theater at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, 929 N. Water St. Info: firststage.org.
“Native Gardens”: Good fences don’t necessarily make good neighbors in Renaissance Theaterworks’ latest production, which concludes its run Sunday in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center, 158 N. Broadway. Info: r-t-w.com.