ArtBlaze on the Beach, 4 free events at Bradford Beach, South Shore

Watch out, Milwaukee! Bioluminescent sea creatures are making their way to our shores. "ArtBlaze on the Beach" is a series of free beach parties that kick off on Wednesday, July 10.

Stephanie Salvia joins FOX6 WakeUp with the details. 

About ArtBlaze on the Beach 

Measuring over 30 feet, these handmade, fluorescent cephalopod tentacles are original works of art by FuzzPop Workshop, a Milwaukee-based multimedia production studio renowned for its Deep Lake Future attraction in Walker’s Point. Allegedly, these sentient creatures are the last surviving generation of the Great Cosmopods. As a community with millennia of accumulated knowledge, the creatures wish to spread awareness and (maybe?) encourage dancing by appearing at each beach party. Despite the thick Cosmopod-English language barrier, Joy Engine has been able to confirm these giant beings are huge fans of Wave Chappelle and Gego y Nony, thus the booking of both acts.

"In the city of festivals, our public beaches have been historically underutilized as a site for celebration," said Steph Salvia, Joy Engine Executive Director, "Yet when searching for a site that naturally brings people from all walks of life, including residents of the deep lake, our public beaches seem like an obvious choice."

Conveniently, Bradford Beach is an easy hop from the North Side, and South Shore Beach is similarly so for Southsiders. In 2020, Bradford Beach was named the most accessible beach in the country because it offers a 100-foot ramp that runs from street to beach and beach wheelchairs that are free to use. As far as Cosmopods are concerned, these beach locations have long served as the main sites where they rear their hatchlings. 

ArtBlaze continues the momentum of Joy Engine’s other immersive art experiences, including Under One Moon, Out of the Box, and Nitelight.