Food, Fireworks, Friends, and Fun

Jim and I celebrated the Fourth of July with friends, food, fireworks, and fun on the lakefront last night. We joined Chris and Mike for the 3rd of July fireworks event at the Milwaukee War Memorial, located right next to the Milwaukee Art Museum. It was our first time at the event, and we are already looking forward to getting tickets for next year's festivities. For $40 per person, we were granted all the food and drinks that we desired and guaranteed seating at a dining table on the balcony of the War Memorial. Oh, and then there was the view - we couldn't have found a better vantage point from which to watch the fireworks display.

Now, I know that many families hold a long-standing tradition of arriving early on the 3rd (or even the day before) and setting up tents, tables and chairs in preparation for camping out in the hours leading up to the fireworks display. For us, though, last night's experience truly was the way to go - there was no need for us to arrive any earlier than 6:00 p.m., we didn't need to pack a cooler or chairs, we didn't need to fight the crowds in the hunt for open piece of lawn, and we didn't need to clean up when the night was done.

The only way that last night's experience could have been made any better was if it was easier for us to get out of downtown after the display. We just might have to take the bus down next year.