North Shore Milwaukee Events in May 2025

Pollinator Palooza is one of the North Shore family-friendly events in May

May is packed with a variety of family-friendly events that blend culture, nature, and community spirit across our North Shore. From lively celebrations to hands-on workshops and outdoor adventures, here’s a guide to help you plan your month—from early May through Memorial Day.

Shorewood

Pollinator Palooza – Saturday, May 18, 11:00 AM–2:00 PM at Estabrook Park (picnic area #8). A free eco-themed event featuring hands-on activities about pollinators and native plants​. Families can celebrate bees, butterflies, and gardening with the Shorewood Conservation Committee and other local partners in a fun outdoor setting​.

Memorial Day Program – Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (afternoon) at Atwater Park, Shorewood. A community ceremony honoring veterans with patriotic music by the Shorewood High School band, a 21-gun salute, and keynote speakers​. Attendees typically bring lawn chairs or blankets to this free event overlooking Lake Michigan​. After the program, the local American Legion post often hosts a casual community cookout open to all.

Whitefish Bay

Green Day in the Bay – Saturday, May 3, 2025 at Klode Park (morning into afternoon). An eco-friendly festival packed with family activities​. The day starts with the “Run the Bay” 5K run, followed by a Recycle Day drop-off at Dominican High School, and then an Eco-Fair in the park​

Kids and adults can explore hands-on clinics about water conservation, visit environmental exhibits, and learn sustainable living tips in a fun atmosphere​. Admission is free, and the event encourages the whole community to “leave only footprints” while enjoying the fair.

Memorial Day Ceremony – Monday, May 26, 2025, 11:00 AM at Armory Park (Henry Clay St. & Ardmore Ave.). A solemn Memorial Day observance honoring those who served. The ceremony is held at Whitefish Bay’s Veterans Monument and Memorial Garden and features local dignitaries and veterans groups​.

Families gather to hear patriotic speeches and music in the late morning, and the first rows are often filled with scouts, veterans, and neighbors paying respects. This free event is an important tradition in Whitefish Bay, offering a chance for even the youngest attendees to learn about the significance of Memorial Day​

Glendale

Music Bingo at Sprecher Brewery – Every Friday evening in May, 6:00–8:00 PM at Sprecher Brewery (Glendale). A weekly family-friendly bingo night with a musical twist​. Participants of all ages can play bingo for free while enjoying Sprecher’s craft sodas and food (the brewery is famous for its root beer). The atmosphere is casual and fun – a great indoor option if spring weather doesn’t cooperate. Prizes are often awarded to bingo winners, and kids are welcome with parents (the venue is a brewery restaurant). No registration required; just show up Friday nights to join the music-themed bingo competition​

Fox Point & River Hills

Lynden Sculpture Garden – Dog Days – Third Saturday of May, 10 AM–4 PM at Lynden Sculpture Garden, River Hills. On “Dog Day,” families are invited to bring along their canine companions for a day of exploring the sculpture garden’s grounds​

It’s a unique twist on a family outing – kids love walking the trails alongside both art and dogs. Regular garden admission applies (members get in free), and all leashed pups are welcome to romp outdoors with their owners​.

Lynden’s 40-acre art park is also open to those without dogs, and Dog Days provides a lively, friendly environment to enjoy the spring scenery.

Bayside

“Nature Day with Mom” – Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 11, 2025), 10:00–11:30 AM at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center, Bayside. A special guided nature hike designed for families to celebrate Mother’s Day​

A naturalist leads parents and kids on a walk in search of “nature treasures,” and each family gets a photo taken to decorate a keepsake frame with materials they find on the trail.

Registration is required (covers up to 6 people); cost is about $35 per family for Audubon members and $50 for non-members. Portions of the program are indoors for crafts and outdoors on easy trails. It’s a memorable way for moms, dads, and kids to connect with nature and each other.

“Word with a Bird” – Raptor Meet & Greet – Sunday, May 25, 2025, 1:00–2:00 PM at Schlitz Audubon Nature Center. An educational wildlife program where visitors of all ages can meet one of the center’s resident birds of prey up close​. Audubon staff will showcase a hawk, owl, or other raptor, highlighting the bird’s unique skills and adaptations. This drop-in program is free for members or included with general admission to the nature center​. It’s stroller-friendly and wheelchair accessible, taking place in the Visitor Center’s great hall. Kids often sit right up front, eyes wide as they learn about eagles and owls – a true hands-on (eyes-on!) experience that is as entertaining as it is educational.

Mequon & Thiensville

Mequon-Thiensville Memorial Day Observance – Monday, May 26, 2025, 10:00 AM at Mequon City Hall (11333 N. Cedarburg Rd.). A free annual ceremony jointly hosted by the City of Mequon and Village of Thiensville to honor fallen heroes​

The observance includes a formal flag-raising, patriotic speeches by local officials, and music by the Homestead High School band playing Americana classics​

The event is held on the City Hall lawn; note that a portion of Mequon Road is typically closed during the ceremony for safety​

Attendees often bring flags or wear red, white, and blue. After the roughly 30-minute program, families are invited to a complimentary lunch at the Howard J. Schroeder American Legion Post in Thiensville – a chance to mingle with veterans and neighbors following the tribute​

Guided Birding Hike at Mequon Nature Preserve – Mid-May (check specific dates, often early morning around 7:00 AM) at Mequon Nature Preserve. A free family-friendly nature hike focusing on spring wildlife​

In May, the preserve often offers guided bird-watching walks led by naturalists, timed with the peak of migratory bird season. Bring your binoculars and join other nature enthusiasts to spot warblers, sandhill cranes, or even deer along the 2+ miles of easy trails. It’s an early start, but kids who are budding birders or explorers will enjoy the adventure of a morning in the woods. (One such event, “A Glimpse into Bird Migration,” was held on a Saturday in May and welcomed participants of all ages for an educational hike​

These hikes typically require free RSVP online and start at the preserve’s Education Center. They highlight Mequon’s commitment to outdoor education and are a great way to get the family out in nature to cap off the spring season.