OnMilwaukee is a proud sponsor of Qwertyfest MKE.The typewriter was invented in Milwaukee 150+ years ago, and Qwertyfest MKE returns for the third year to celebrate the keyboard that changed the world. (And still exists on our phones and computers today!) 

Qwertyfest is a three-day festival featuring music, art, history, food, drink, workshops, type-ins and more! The third annual event will take place Friday, Oct. 3 through Sunday, Oct. 5 at numerous locations throughout Milwaukee.

A full schedule of Qwertyfest MKE '25 will be released later this summer, but for now, you can count on:

Friday, Oct. 3:

• Kleinsteuber Pizza Party from State Street Pizza featuring talks by Dr. Jason Puskar of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, "German Engineering and the Making of the Modern Keyboard,” and OnMilwaukee's Bobby Tanzilo on "Milwaukee Tied Houses." (4 p.m.)
• "The Typewriter Ball" at Turner Hall featuring music by Nineteen Thirteen, The Boston Typewriter Orchestra and Milwaukee's only Victrola DJ, DJ Swing Shift; Dark Fusion Systems Gaming Lounge (warning: you may die of desentery); The Splendid Mailbox / Snail Mail Mailing Station; "The Quick Brown Fox Typing & Texting Contests"; Typewriter Art Auction; vendors (typewriters, stationery, jewelry, vinyl albums, film camera photos, etc.); story slamming; food; drink and more. (6 to 10 p.m.)

Saturday, Oct. 4:

• Presentations and workshops at Central Library with keynote speaker, Richard Polt, author of "The Typewriter Revolution." Plus, talks on "How To Write A Novel on a Typewriter"; non-QWERTY keyboards; a pre-film photography process; typing workshops; QWERTY for kids; and more TBA. (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.)
• Extra! Extra! Newsroom Pub Party at Newsroom Pub. 'Tales from Tom's Typewriters," a discussion with Bob Marshall, Owner and Operator of Typewriter Muse in Southern California. (Muse is the preferred shop of THE HANX, how do they do it all for his great collection?); presentation of the first "QWERTY Word Award" – aka a "Wordy"; "The Story of Anubis the Cat" from Tea Krulos; heavy appetizers; cash bar; and more. (7 p.m. to 10 p.m.)

Sunday, Oct. 5

• "Qwerty Journey Tour" at the Forest Home Cemetery and thank-you-letter-writing type-in at Christopher Latham Sholes' resting place. (9-11 a.m.)
• Typewriter Brunch 'n' Bowl at Falcon Bowl with catered brunch, live music, cash bar and free bowling. (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

To stay in the loop, follow QWERTYFEST MKE on Instagram.

QWERTYFEST MKE has an active crowdsourcing campaign. Please consider donating here. To make a tax-deductible donation and/or to connect, contact qwertyfestmke@gmail.com.  

Here are some photos from Qwertyfest 2024: 

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