Looking for something to do this holiday weekend? The smell of sweet BBQ will be drawing the crowds out to the Whitnall Park Beer Garden, 8831 N. Root River Pkwy. in Franklin for the pig roast on Sunday, July 6.

The pig roast takes place four times a year and is hosted by Lakefront kite purveyor Gift of Wings in collaboration with Milwaukee County Parks. Plates are $15.99 and include generously portioned pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw and chips. Guests can pair their plates up with beer, hard seltzer, sodas or other beverages from the beer garden. The entire menu at Gift of Wings Grill is also available for purchase.

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The pig roast is prepared by Chef Terrell Bowers, who also works as a chef for Palermo Villa. He begins preparing the whole hog at 8 a.m., so those who arrive at the beer garden when it opens at 11 a.m. will be able to watch the process and smell the sweet and savory aroma of the delicious BBQ. 

"We've done the pig roast here for six or seven years and people really love it," says Bowers, "We buy the whole pig from Bunzel's and prepare it on the grill. I prepare it so that we can pull the pork and it cooks in its own juices. It smells great and the aroma really draws an audience. People also really like the baked beans."

When asked what he does to the beans to make them taste so good, he lists a few spices, but then pauses, "It's mostly that I add a lot of love," he says.

He says the pork is generally ready by 2 p.m. and sold out by 6:30 p.m., so guests are advised to arrive early so they don't miss out.

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Bowers also invites food lovers to drop by on Wednesdays or Fridays for their fish fry. "It's becoming a really popular offering," he says, noting that they've added more fryers to keep up with demand.

Scott Fisher, owner of Gift of Wings & Gift of Wings Grill, says that the pig roast has become a tradition that beer garden attendees look forward to every year.

“Since 1987, we’ve sold kites at Veterans Park,” he says. “Over time, we added a concession stand,” says Fisher. “It began with sodas and chips, but eventually it expanded to hot dogs, brats, hamburgers and ice cream. 

“When they started the beer garden at Whitnall Park, Joe Mrozinski of Milwaukee Parks approached us about serving food at the Whitnall Park Beer Garden. We’ve had a great time working with the Parks, and so we did. As time wore on, we went from a pop-up to an official vendor, and our offerings have grown every year.” 

Beer garden visitors are also invited to stay for live music on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, curated by Gift of Wings and sponsored by Molson Coors.

Before you go

For those who haven’t been to the Whitnall Park Beer Garden yet this year, it’s worthwhile to note that the County has rebuilt the parking lot, doubling its size and making it easier for beer garden visitors.

Can’t make it to the pig roast on July 6? Mark your calendar for the final pig roast on Sunday, Aug. 17, 2025.