Decades after Downer Avenue used to host similar – but likely illegal – events, Milwaukee Recreation is bringing the Foam Bubble Party to three of its area playfields.
Maybe you remember the laundromat in the space that's now home to Cafe Hollander on Downer and Belleview, and perhaps you recall the fountain that was located out front.
If so, you likely also remember that the combination of laundry soap and a fountain was one that encouraged bubbly, if discouraged, fun.
Those days have long since passed, but the good folks at Milwaukee Recreation are bringing the idea back in a much more official way by hosting hour-long Foam Bubble Parties at Franklin Square, Green Bay and Clovernook playgrounds on Wednesday, Aug. 2.
A foam blasting cannon will create mounds of frothy bubbles in which kids ages 6-17 can play while age-appropriate music provides the soundtrack.
The events are free, but require a permission slip, which can be filled out on-site by a parent or guardian.
The bubble cannon unloads its foam at 11 a.m. at Franklin Square Playground, 2643 N. 13th St.; at 1 p.m. at Green Bay Playground, 3818 N. 18th St.; and at 3 p.m. at Clovernook Playground, 6594 N. Landers St.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
