The public is invited as the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center and local yacht clubs offer a regatta, parties, poker run and loads of sailing fun as they practice the “Sail locally, celebrate globally” motto of the international Summer Sailstice event held Saturday, June 19 worldwide. In Milwaukee, the area’s sailing community, including the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center, Milwaukee Yacht Club, South Shore Yacht Club, and Mid America Sail & Trail organizations, are teaming up to give sailors, as well as those who have always wanted to take a sailboat ride or just want to enjoy the lakefront, a day of fun. For the first time in Summer Sailstice’s ten-year history, Milwaukee will play a major role with events all day long including community meals, parties, the Milwaukee Bay Challenge Regatta, sailboat poker run and more. See who's coming.
Here's the schedule of events currently planned:
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Milwaukee’s Lake Michigan
Milwaukee Community Sailing Center*
1450 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee
Milwaukee's new, just completed community sailing center!
− 7:30-10:30 a.m. – Pancake breakfast open to the public with special “to go” orders accepted from boats heading out to the Milwaukee Bay Challenge race
− 11 a.m.-4 p.m. – Public open house at the Sailing Center’s brand new $1.7 million, 6,000+-square-foot facility and free sailboat rides
− 5-8 p.m. – Barbeque dinner open to the public (reservations suggested; visit www.sailingcenter.org)
− 7-11 p.m. – Live music and dancing on the lakefront
Milwaukee Yacht Club*
1700 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, Milwaukee
− 8 a.m.-3 p.m. – Milwaukee Bay Challenge Regatta open to all sailboats (pre-registration required; visit www.milwaukeeyc.com)
− 3-5 p.m. – After-race party at the Yacht Club’s Tiki Bar and Patio
− 5-9 p.m. – Open house and sailboat rides by appointment
South Shore Yacht Club*
2300 E. Nock Street, Milwaukee
− 10 a.m.-3 p.m. – Public open house (www.ssyc.org)
Mid America Sail & Trail (MAST) Yacht Club
− 11 a.m.-4 p.m. – Sailboat poker run with stops on the Milwaukee Bay to pick up poker cards including the Sailing Center, Milwaukee Yacht Club, South Shore Yacht Club, Wild Thing Catamaran (in Lake Michigan) and Riptide Restaurant (649 E. Erie Street, Milwaukee) (www.mastracing.org)
* These facilities will also have food barrels for donations as part of the Milwaukee Yacht Club’s food drive for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.
“This is a day when the whole world will be sailing!” said Bill Mosher, local event organizer, sailing volunteer, and sales and marketing director for Forespar Marine Products. “There will be hundreds of boats on the water and plenty of opportunities for Milwaukee-area residents to take in the scenery, enjoy food and live music, experience the organizations that make sailing available in Milwaukee, get out on the water and enjoy our amazing lakefront.”
The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center (MCSC) is a non-profit 501 (C) (3) agency providing educational and recreational sailing programs to the greater Milwaukee community. Those who wish to gain access to Lake Michigan and learn to sail are welcome at MCSC regardless of age, ability or financial concerns. The MCSC’s two-story, environmentally “green” building is the Milwaukee lakefront’s newest addition and offers classrooms and community room, as well as access to one of the area’s finest lake views and a fleet of 80 sailboats.
To win from Summer Sailstice's 400 prizes sign up for the Milwaukee Bay Summer Sailstice on this site!