Things to Do in West Allis Wisconsin
As home to the Wisconsin State Fair, a U.S. Olympic Skating training facility, a historic auto racing attraction and plenty of cultural entertainment, West Allis and West Milwaukee see lots of visitors throughout the year. Accommodating guests to the area are a selection of retailers, restaurants and lodging facilities that come together to make anyone’s stay in the West Allis and West Milwaukee area a great one.
The Downtown West Allis Business Improvement District is proud to be one of a few dedicated “Wisconsin Main Street Communities.” The Downtown offers a variety of restaurants, outdoor dining options, and a variety of businesses, ranging from a jeweler, bookstores, multiple medical offices, banks, hair stylists, clothiers, and many other downtown retailers. The Downtown also offers successful annual events, including A la Carte, the Classic Car Show, Christmas on the Avenue, and the Halloween Hunt.
Annual Events in West Allis
Forks & Corks is an annual event held in the fall. The exciting affair combines fantastic wine with great cuisine, beautiful artwork and live music. We are looking forward to planning the 10th year of this event in 2015. Forks & Corks will provide better food, wine and entertainment than ever before. With nearly 80 wines to sample and food from 10 of the area’s best restaurants, we recommend you come hungry! More information on the event will be posted online at wawmchamber.com.
Adjacent to West Allis’s bustling downtown district is the 200-acre year-round entertainment venue known as Wisconsin State Fair Park. This historic venue attracts nearly three million people each year who come to enjoy hundreds of events, including the annual 11-day Wisconsin State Fair, at the park’s various facilities. Within this 200-acre site, guests will find the Milwaukee Mile Speedway, the Pettit National Ice Center (a U.S. Olympic Training Site), more than 200,000 square feet of exhibit space at the beautiful and modern Wisconsin Exposition Center and various other buildings and outdoor venues that host events throughout the year.
The Wisconsin State Fair, which takes place in early August, is the state’s largest agricultural showcase, as well as the most highly attended annual event in Wisconsin, attracting over 900,000 visitors each year. The 11 greatest days of summer showcase thousands of animals and exhibits covering agriculture, horticulture, crafts and textiles, as well as more than 200 food vendors, six marketplaces, a spectacular amusement ride and game area known as SpinCity, entertainment on 30 stages and nightly nationally recognized headlining entertainment on the Potawatomi Bingo Casino Main Stage.
Other signature events hosted in the West Allis and West Milwaukee area include the Chamber’s Annual Golf Classic, the Annual West Allis Classic Car Show and the Annual West Allis Ala Carte – nominated for WISN ABC’s 2010 Best Festival.
Visitors to West Allis and West Milwaukee will also notice the close proximity to Miller Park, home of the Milwaukee Brewers Major League Baseball team (located within walking distance of West Milwaukee) Both communities are also extremely close to the Milwaukee County Zoo. The nationally-renowned zoo is positioned just northwest of West Allis and offers guests a face-to-face look at more than 2,200 mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
You are welcome to stop in at the West Allis/West Milwaukee Chamber’s office in the Summit Place Office Complex at 6737 W. Washington Ave. or call (414) 302-9901 to access a list of preferred restaurants and lodging facilities. The Chamber also offers an online Business Directory at wawmchamber.com.
Parks and Recreation
The opportunities for active and passive recreation flourish throughout the West Allis and West Milwaukee area. Locally, neighborhood and county-operated parks and facilities are at hand, offering public swimming, playground equipment, picnic spaces, trails, golfing and much more. Recreation is further enhanced with the availability of lakeshore parks, beaches and marinas just a few short miles to the east on Lake Michigan.
Unique to the county, in November of 2014 West Allis opened a one-of-a-kind skate park at the intersection of South 84 Street and West National Avenue.
Recreational programming for all ages is offered through the West Allis/West Milwaukee School District’s Recreation & Community Services Department and the Milwaukee County Parks Department. Year-round, residents are invited to participate in an assortment of recreational, social and educational activities, including aquatics, exercise and fitness, early childhood programs, athletics, summer camps and a long list of adult and youth enrichment classes. Seniors are also afforded ample options for staying active into the golden years through the City of West Allis’s Senior Center, which offers everything from arts and crafts, computer and health and wellness classes to dance programs, card playing groups and support groups.