'It's going to feel different': Mitten Fest will be at a new location outside Bay View this year

Mitten Fest will celebrate its 10th anniversary in a new location this year. The popular winter street festival is moving from outside Burnhearts, 2599 S. Logan Avenue, in Bay View to Boone & Crockett, 808 S. Water St., in Milwaukee's Harbor District.

"I was honestly shocked when they asked us (to host)," said Emily Dell Revord, co-owner of Boone & Crockett. "I know it means a lot to the community and Burnhearts, and I hope we do it justice and am thankful that they trust us.

"We're not taking it lightly. It means a lot to a lot of people," she said.

The festival is relocating this year because Burnhearts' owners, BJ and Jess Seidel, are in the middle of a year-long trip.

BJ Seidel told the Journal Sentinel that Mitten Fest will almost certainly return to Burnhearts in 2025.

"We have every intention on bringing Mitten Fest back to Burnhearts next year and offered the event to Boone & Crockett because we knew they would do a great job this year," Seidel said in an email.

Still, Bay View residents were sad to learn that the festival would not be in Bay View this year, as it has become an annual tradition for many who live in the neighorhood.

"We will miss it," said Penny Rossetto, who lives near Burnhearts. "The owners do so much to make it as painless as possible for neighbors, so I hope next year it is back."

In the meantime, the Boone & Crockett iteration will be as similar to previous years as possible, Dell Revord said.

As in the past, the festival will primarily be held outside on the first Saturday of February, this year Feb. 3. Local music acts will perform between noon and 8 p.m. There will be two beer trailers with specialty kegs, a stand for brandy slushes, and the Hunger Task Force will be the beneficiary of the event.

A possible improvement from previous iterations is that Boone & Crockett has more space for local vendors and plans to have seven to 10 food vendors and 10 to 20 goods and art vendors. There also will be more indoor space for festival-goers, not only inside Boone & Crockett, but also in the bar's event hall, The Cooperage, which will have additional bathrooms and a bar.

Mitten Fest not in Bay View will 'feel different'

While the Boone & Crockett owners want to preserve the magic of Mitten Fest, many Bay View neighbors said it will be difficult to replicate elsewhere.

“We’ve kind of had a neighborhood kinship that includes Mitten Fest,” said Chris Ortiz, who co-owns the Ortiz Brothers barber shop, 2646 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., about a block away from Burnhearts. “It’s kind of bummer it's moving from the Bay View location ... It’s going to feel different."

Brooke Stieghorst, who works at the nearby Pipe Dreams smoke shop, 2644 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., also was disappointed to learn Mitten Fest would not be held behind the shop this year.

"That's sad. It's been there for years," she said. "It's part of the neighborhood."

Stieghorst lives nearby and said she probably wouldn't go to Mitten Fest elsewhere.

"I'm sure the new location is cool. I'm sure it will be a good time. It's just not as convenient for me," she said.

Ortiz said part of what makes Mitten Fest in Bay View special is the neighborhood's walkability; people usually wander in and out of the festival while out on a walk with their dogs or families and friends. Boone & Crockett is at the end of East National Avenue without any immediate residential neighbors.

Mitten Fest also has provided a bump for Bay View businesses, since people often walk to nearby restaurants and bars before or after attending the festival.

"We're disappointed," said Peter Steinhoff, co-owner if Hi-Fi Cafe, 2640 S. Kinnickinnic Ave., which is on the end of the block where Mitten Fest is usually held. "It's a good business day in winter, and those are hard to come by."

Residential neighbors said the block party presents some hassles, but overwhelmingly they will miss it this year, too.

"We are going to miss it being there, but it's a lot. It shuts down our block," Rossetto said. "It's mixed feelings. It's super fun to have this right outside your door."

She said they usually invite friends and coworkers over for an outdoor fire they have during the festival. Last year, her daughter had a craft stand outside.

Even though she probably won't go this year because of the change in location, she said she's "glad they're still doing it," especially since the event raises money for a good cause.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee's Mitten Fest will be at a new location in 2024