It might be a Harley-Davidson biker party, an intimate dinner at an historic mansion overlooking Lake Michigan or a funky cocktail reception under the iconic new “wings” at the Milwaukee Art Museum. Whether groups are looking to travel back in time and experience Milwaukee’s classic lures or take flight into Milwaukee’s sophisticated contemporary side, local DMCs have planners covered.
Destination Wisconsin
www.destinationwisconsin.com
As a “creative, ideas-based event facilitation company,” according to General Manager Rick D’Aloia, Destination Wisconsin spans the spectrum.
“We do the conventional things like meet and greet, transfers, catering, entertainment, and dine-arounds, and then we do things like Milwaukee on a Harley. It’s a three-hour tour of the city,” D’Aloia says. “And we specialize in theme parties, making use of what the area is best known for.”
The company arranges parties at the House of Harley-Davidson dealership and taps into Milwaukee’s German heritage with Oktoberfest events at venues such as the nearby Bavarian Inn and Heidelberg Park.
When the Dietary Managers Association was in town with 2,500 people recently, Destination Wisconsin had three simultaneous theme events for attendees one night at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center, setting up an Oktoberfest in one venue, a Harley biker bar in another and a sock hop a la the good ole days of Laverne & Shirley in the other.
Professional Events and Consulting
www.eventsmanaged.com
Attention to detail and creating hands-on experiences with unique touches not available elsewhere is what distinguishes Professional Events and Consulting.
“Nothing we do is ever cookie-cutter,” says Cheryl McShane, president of the company, citing Old World Wisconsin, a nearby living history attraction, as an example. “There, we’ve arranged exclusively for our guests to go into the old kitchens from the 1800s, churn the butter, knead the dough, cook in the old wood-fire stove, then enjoy a lunch afterward with products they’ve made. People have a blast with that.”
The company also arranges unique programs such as tours of the Milwaukee Art Museum that feature guides who focus on the architectural aspects of the structure and one-of-a-kind experiences at the Milwaukee Harley-Davidson showroom. During events at the showroom, attendees can see—and hear—a Harley as its engine is raced on a dynamometer that measures engine capacity, witness a thrilling tire blowout at a special “Burnout Pit Exhibition,” get airbrush tattoos, and don Harley apparel and have their picture taken on a Harley.
