Milwaukee Holiday Parade and Naval Commissioning Ceremony Both Planned for Saturday

Downtown Milwaukee is preparing for an especially active weekend with the commissioning ceremony of the USS Milwaukee and the 2015 Holiday Parade both scheduled for Saturday morning.  Several streets will be closed to traffic.  The Milwaukee Police Department released a warning Thursday so that visitors might be better prepared.

Starting at 6:00 AM the following streets will be closed to vehicular traffic:

• Prospect Avenue from State Street to Wisconsin Avenue
• Wisconsin Avenue from Van Buren Street to Prospect Avenue
• Mason Street from Van Buren Street to Prospect Avenue
• Wells Street from Van Buren Street to Prospect Avenue
• War Memorial Bridge from Prospect Avenue to Lincoln Memorial Drive

These areas will reopen by 11:00 AM.

At 8:30 AM the following street will be closed due to the parade route:

• Kilbourn Avenue from Prospect Avenue to 4^th Street
• Old World Third Street from Kilbourn Avenue to Wisconsin Avenue
• 2^nd Street from Wells Street to Michigan Street
• 4^th Street from Kilbourn Avenue to Michigan Street
• Wells Street from 6^th to 3^rd Street
• Wisconsin from 6^th Street to Plankinton Avenue

This area will open by noon but may open earlier as the last unit in the parade passes by. 

The only way to get access to the commissioning ceremony of the USS Milwaukee is to have a ticket and all tickets have already been distributed.  Police do expect traffic congestion on Lincoln Memorial Drive from Lagoon Drive to Michigan Street starting at 10:00 AM.  Those who have tickets are encouraged to exit 794 eastbound at the Jackson and Van Buren Street exit and travel east on Michigan Street for parking.