Milwaukee’s Jan. 29–Feb. 1 weekend calendar spans theater, music, comedy, sports and makers markets

A four-day stretch of performances, screenings and large-scale events

Milwaukee’s event calendar for Thursday, Jan. 29, through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026, clusters around downtown venues, neighborhood stages and regional destinations in Milwaukee County. The lineup ranges from touring theater and stand-up comedy to family arena entertainment, film with live music and a large indoor makers market.

Several events are timed as weekend anchors, while others are single-night engagements. A number of offerings also overlap with major visitor activity at the Baird Center, where the JVA Brew City Battle volleyball tournament is scheduled Jan. 29 through Feb. 1.

Performing arts: touring Broadway and local repertory

“Hamilton” continues its Milwaukee run at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, with remaining performances spread across the weekend. Milwaukee Ballet’s winter program “Encore” is scheduled at the Baumgartner Center for Dance, with performances beginning Friday, Jan. 30, and continuing through the weekend, including Saturday matinee and evening performances and a Sunday matinee.

Concerts and nightlife programming

Live music programming includes a Steely Dan tribute project, Steely Dane, scheduled for Friday night at the Pabst Theater with a setlist built around two full-album performances. A separate Saturday night program at the same venue is billed as “Burning Red: A Tribute to Taylor Swift,” structured as a sing-along party with a live band and themed on-site activations.

Mad Planet’s Friday schedule includes an early-evening dance party format running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., positioning the event earlier than typical late-night club programming.

Comedy and author events

Comedy is spread across multiple stages. Milwaukee Improv launches “Milwaukee Roast Championship: Round One” on Thursday night as the first in a multi-show elimination format. Comedian David Spade is scheduled Friday night at Riverside Theater. X-Ray Arcade’s “One Liner Madness” on Saturday is structured as a bracket-style competition with audience response used to advance contestants.

Literary programming includes an author talk Friday evening at Boswell Book Company featuring Milwaukee author Jacob Riyeff and his book “Contemplate: Toward an Expansive Heart.”

Film with live score and arena-scale family entertainment

Milwaukee Film programming at the Oriental Theatre includes “Right in the Eye,” pairing Georges Méliès films with live music in two Saturday performances. At Fiserv Forum, “Monster Jam Freestyle Mania” is scheduled with multiple showtimes: two on Saturday (noon and 6 p.m.) and one on Sunday (noon), alongside morning “Pit Party” access on both weekend days.

Markets and regional draws

For shoppers, re:Craft & Relic’s Winter Market is set for Saturday and Sunday at the Milwaukee County Sports Complex in Franklin, featuring more than 160 booths and a tiered admission schedule that includes limited early-entry windows and a late-afternoon discount period.

• Dates covered: Thursday, Jan. 29, through Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026
• Major venues include: Marcus Center, Pabst Theater, Oriental Theatre, Fiserv Forum, Riverside Theater, Turner Hall Ballroom and X-Ray Arcade
• Notable concurrent visitor event: JVA Brew City Battle volleyball tournament at the Baird Center (Jan. 29–Feb. 1)

Planning note: Start times, ticket availability and entry windows vary widely across events, and several programs offer multiple showtimes across the weekend.