Wisconsin's Weekend Morning News

Sunday Entertainment Picks at the Wisconsin State Fair

WTMJ's Sandy Maxx and Libby Collins share suggestions for Wisconsin State Fair entertainment by people and animals on Sunday, August 4th AND British Invasion fun on Monday, August 5th. Must-see acts include Still Stormin, Kids From Wisconsin, and a fellow known as Herman to many music fans.

Duration:: 7m
Broadcast on:: 04 Aug 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

It is always fun on a Sunday morning when our friend Sandy Maxx from what's on tap right here. It's on Monday through Friday when there's that sports on WTMJ. But anyway, Sandy's here. From six to eight, two hours about culture and creativity here in Wisconsin and around the world. Which I love listening to and I learned so much about you. But this is such a big week in Wisconsin with the State Fair in town. Talk about culture. I know. Well, I know. This is a fine tradition. We love cream pops. We love things on a stick. But there's a lot of music and great acts that also perform at the State Fair. And that's why I wanted to have you here this morning to talk a little bit about it. And let's see if some of the ones you're looking forward to are the same ones I'm looking forward to. Oh, I like this. But dozens and dozens and dozens of bands because there are 18 bars and restaurants out on the grounds and each of them have a stage. So you can stroll around and hear cover bands, original bands. You hear music constantly. I would argue just as much as you hear at Summerfest just in those free stages. I'll tell you something. I think I like this more from music than Summerfest because there's such a variety. It's a different vibe. Yeah. But for this afternoon and tonight, my picks, first and foremost, a tradition for me. Polka music still storming at four o'clock at the Krakovia restaurant. It's right in the neighborhood where the New Berlin Lions corn is and the giant slide. Do you polka? I try. I have Polish blood and DNA and it's one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three. I've never done it. Oh, I don't think I've polka since I was in the Girl Scouts. Oh, you go to this. It's such a nice relaxed family setting and still storming. They'll do some Elvis covers. They'll do some really authentic polka music. It's a wonderful vibe and they're there. Not just this afternoon at four o'clock, but pretty much every single day of the Wisconsin State Fair. Who else are you looking forward to seeing? Well, kids from Wisconsin, they're incredible exactly for 56 years. And if you don't know about kids from Wisconsin, they are some of the state's brightest musicians, singers, dancers, ages 15 to 20. And they get the opportunity, if they audition and are chosen, to tour all across the Midwest doing a two hour Broadway style show. And Wisconsin State Fair is always one of their annual stops. And I know people who are like, eh, how good can they be? They're incredible. They're incredibly good. And they're young and they're up and coming. So I think you'll really be impressed. And their theme this year is larger than life. And you can see them at 430 and 545 today, but they're performing every afternoon on the Bank 59 amphitheater stage. Okay, are there any names that we hear of as far as, you know, they may have made the pop charts at one time or another? For today, not necessarily, but local legends bad boy. Oh, yeah. They're playing at 530 at Sazzas. And they are nicknamed the band that made Milwaukee famous. And they have played before cheap trick. Are you a speed wagon, Steve Miller, the doobies? They've got a long legend there. So 530 today. And if you miss them today, they are playing again next Sunday afternoon and another band that I really like, Reverend Raven and the chain smoke and altar boys. Oh, yeah, you get the harmonica out? Yeah, they are a lot of fun. They're at seven o'clock tonight at Major Goolsbee's Heartland stage. And then you've also got to think, sure, there are all the bands that we just talked about as you stroll around through the bars and the restaurants. But there's National Theater for Children at We Energy's Park, which actually they kind of hide some learning and education in there. And that's 345 and five o'clock today. The family variety stage has the hip hop juggler this afternoon and all throughout the week. Okay, this I have to get the basketballs out, which at least if you drop a basketball, I can bounce back up and I think you could put it right back in your rhythm. I would think those would be hard to juggle because they're so big. One way to find out, see them at 230 and 530 today and also performances throughout the week. But here are the other things, the uniquely fair experiences. And I would consider this a performance, these incredible livestock competitions. For example, I love the draft horses. There you go. Today in the huge Colosseum, it's the horse pole. So you see these strong horses. Two o'clock is the light weights, the middle weights at four o'clock and the heavy weights at seven o'clock. And it's just to see the strength and to see the size of these horses and these animals and the people who handle them. So I think that's really uniquely a fair performance. And tomorrow, the poultry and rabbit palace on Monday has rabbit hopping. I'm allergic to rabbits. I can't go in. I really, my throat sort of swells up. I'm glad you know that to avoid it. Oh, no. Well, for those of you who aren't allergic and want to be delighted, how fun would it be to watch a rabbit hopping competition? Tomorrow is the agility at one o'clock and the long jump at four o'clock. And I think on Tuesday, there are more rabbit hopping competitions at the poultry and rabbit palace. Plus, there's the milking parlor every afternoon. We city folk really don't know what it takes to really take care of an animal. And so goat milking and cow milking, plus you get the pig races. You have a lot. I like the dock diving. Have you seen that with the dogs? Oh, the dogs. All these? Yes. Not that. I really, I can watch that for hours. There is dock diving. The finals are tonight at seven o'clock. There's also canine demonstrations. There's a stunt dog demonstration tonight. Yeah, if you love dogs and agility and that dock diving is so fun. I think it was 20 feet. You get a good head of steam and toss that rubber stick out there. Yeah. But what is it that's so compelling about that? You know what I'm looking forward to this week though. Monday and Tuesday night. That was what I was going to say next. Sing it. Say it for me. This is brown. You've got a lovely daughter. Herman's, Herman's starring Peter noon. That was next on my list. I wasn't going to leave without saying it. I'm telling you, get your British invasion music fixed tomorrow in two ways. Peter noon, who is actually a buddy of mine from the 90s. I used to, you know him. I used to work in an oldies radio station in Atlanta, one of my first jobs out of college. And I got to work with Peter then. So I love that he comes back as an annual tradition for back-to-back nights at the Wisconsin State Fair. And if you've never seen him, it's all of the hits. He always interacts with the crowd. He has so much fun conversation in between the songs, but it's the right amount. He's an entertainer. It's not, okay, could you get to the song now? No, you will laugh. You will have fun. He loves watching the Sky Glider and hollering up to people out there. You'll really have a great time and you'll get to meet Nunatix. That is the name of his loyal fans who will camp out in the front row and wave British flags. It is a fun interactive experience with truly a legend. Peter noon has his career started in the 60s. He was 16 years old. So he has really lived a full and fun life and is just a great performer. So eight o'clock Monday and Tuesday on the bank five nine amphitheater, but I said there are two ways to get your British invasion fixed. Monday at six, the Britain's. Oh, you didn't have to tell me that. I knew that. Your buddies, the Britney. So I love those guys. Catch up on the WTMJ conversations if you haven't heard it already, but the Britons are so fun and that is Monday at six at left similar light sports bar and grill so you could swing by, see the Britons on Monday and swing by and see Peter noon and Herman's Hermits. Hey, I'll meet you there. I would love that. We'll have a great time, Sandy. Something tells me I'm into something good. Sandy Maxx and it is a great show. What's on tap right here on WTMJ? Thanks, Sandy. Thanks, Libby.