Yeah, let's talk about fun things to do in Racine and Kelly Cruz, the executive director,
the downtown Racine Corporation is here. Thanks for joining us.
Good morning.
It's tough for you to get in here at seven o'clock in the morning.
Not at all.
See, to me, half the day's over.
I already got my workout in and everything.
Oh, you did already?
Yeah.
What time you get up?
I got 430.
Boom.
Got to get it done.
Yeah.
Except I have this in my car and will you work out at home?
Yeah.
Oh, same.
That's easier.
I got to get it.
When it's minus 14, it's a little tough getting out there, getting on the road.
Yeah.
And there's no matter where I go, there's always somebody right on my tail at that hour
of the morning, you five o'clock in the morning, I was always somebody driving right
on my tail.
And then they passed me about 50, 60 miles an hour on 16th Street because they're late.
I'm not late.
I'm on time.
Just take your time.
Drive safe.
Kevin coming up this Saturday, it's the chili ice walk.
Yes.
This is broken into two parts now.
Well, act there's more than that even.
Okay.
Yeah.
So the chili ice walk is, we've got over 40 downtown businesses participating in this.
We've got 26 locations that are going to be serving up free chili samples.
And they are getting really unique.
We're doing have a white chicken chili, vegetarian chilies, your classic hearty chilies.
You name it.
A chili to your liking.
So you can sort of vote on your favorite chili.
As you walk around, there'll be ice carvings, live ice carvers throughout downtown.
Not dead ones, live ones.
Live.
Yeah.
So then this event expands not just beyond, beyond just main and sick street, but also,
you know, reef point brew house and Lake Avenue and bridge tender in yard arm.
So you can really get your steps in on top of that.
We've got warming stations up.
So we've got about 10 different locations that'll be serving up free hot cocoa or
coffee or chai, even at one location.
Chai.
Chai.
What's that?
It's like a handmade tea.
It's really good.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So you can warm up with that as well.
And then on top of it for the kiddos, we've got a, you know, the movie Frozen.
Yes.
Olaf, the snowman.
Yeah.
We have an Olaf scavenger hunt going on throughout downtown Racine.
So you didn't think I'd know that.
You were saying, I bet I'd better ask him first if he ever heard of this area.
Yeah.
Scavenger hunt, you walk around and you find 15 different Olaf's throughout downtown.
Well, it's neat.
It is fun.
So really we've got something for everybody.
You can get a map of the locations on RacineDowntown.com.
On our Facebook page, you can stop at the DRC office while you're downtown.
And where is that?
It's a 425 Main Street.
Okay.
So kind of next to the Racine Art Museum.
Oh, okay.
Yeah.
So you can get your chili card and you can score the chili because we're going to give
a big award to the best chili, of course.
Wow.
You can't have a chili walk without a chili competition.
And we'll have also you can vote on your favorite ice carvings.
We'll have that on social media.
So it's really interactive.
It's fun.
It's a great way to support all the businesses.
This is a slower time of year for them, as you know.
And come get your steps in.
Walk around.
Look at live ice carvers and have some fun.
You know, I, when you were interviewed, one of the ice carvers, we were doing a broadcast
from downtown.
And I interviewed him.
I said, what happens if you're making these intricate carvings?
The arm falls off your carving.
He says, I make it into something else.
Absolutely.
They start off with big and they just keep going until they find where they didn't
break something off.
Yes.
That is exactly what happens.
You know, they start with a something grandiose, cool idea.
But you know, they usually end up so good.
It's amazing what these carvers can do.
I've seen pictures of, you know, ice carvings from all over.
And it is.
I don't, you know, to me, you know, I'd look at somebody and say, that's a block of ice.
I said, thank you.
That's what I intended it to be.
Yeah.
The ice carver that's going to be in front of the hotel verdict and also at the after
party at hotel at Eve, he just won the snow carving competition in Lake Geneva's big
adventure festival.
Yeah.
So he just, he just won first place on that, which that's a pretty big competition.
So he'll be right there on Monument Square.
But we've got ice carvers that have been doing it with us for probably eight years now.
So they get better every year.
We've got some female carvers, which is always fun.
And there's always some chainsaws for people who, you know, love to hear that gas
revenue.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Now, where do you get the blocks of ice?
Because they're big.
Yeah.
We order them from a company.
And yeah, they are big.
And so they will, they, they'll be there.
They're going to be.
Yeah.
I've seen them.
I've seen them, you know, because I go that way every morning, I pass through downtown
there.
I remember them past years.
I see these giant blocks of ice.
Mm-hmm.
And I say, wow, they're going to be something interesting pretty.
Yeah, you actually have to order them from a company because they're, you know,
they're certain kind of like, they're clear ice to, you know, you don't get white inside
of them.
They're like, very pretty.
So there's a whole thing.
But come down this Saturday.
It's from noon to four.
There's four different parking ramps you can park at $4 all day.
And just stroll around downtown.
We've got two new businesses that you can check out as well while you're down there.
We've got Revolence Soul.
We were doing her ribbon cutting at 1230.
She's a really cool during the event.
I'm doing the event.
The Revolence Soul, 302 Main Street, she'll be, she's like a retail, female retail clothing
store.
Where's that now?
302 Main Street.
I know, where's that?
Give me, what's it near?
By Tangle Salon.
Okay.
Yeah.
300 block.
And then also we have a brand new coffee shop that just opened high ground cafe.
That's right.
Right across the street from like Salutez.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, yeah.
The next to that cross lock car.
Right across Salutez.
It used to be a brazo, but this is an Armenian coffee shop.
Oh my gosh.
I had their coffee.
Who not only is it delicious, it will get you moving around and it's got a caffeine
in it in a good way.
You know, I went to a coffee shop with one of the pastors of our church and I never had
coffee my entire life.
I had ordered something that wasn't coffee because I just never tasted coffee.
I love the smell.
Is that coffee?
This is a tea.
Okay.
I love the smell of coffee, but I've never tasted it.
Oh, this place smells delicious.
I know they.
I love this smell.
It's also like an Armenian bakery as well.
So if you've been craving some of those things, but they just opened last Saturday.
They will be open.
Also a warm free coffee stop.
So stop in there.
Welcome.
Welcome them to downtown.
Congratulate them.
And yeah, we're just looking forward to seeing everyone.
That's great when you can open a business.
I know.
It's a scary thing, but it's good because eventually the kicks in and but you own your own
business, your own boss, but even if you're on boss, you always have somebody to answer
to.
My father once said that he goes, I'm running a company now and he ran a multimillion dollar
company.
He was the guy and owned it.
And he said, but I still have people to answer to the customers.
Well, yeah, absolutely.
He's still have a boss.
You're your own worst critics, right?
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
All right.
We're talking to Kelly Cruz, executive director of the downtown or scene corporation.
We're talking about the chili ice walk coming up this Saturday.
The hour's like this.
It's all day, right?
No, no four.
No, no four.
Yeah.
So we'll see you down there.
And come hungry because there's chili everywhere.
Please come hungry.
Really outside, but it's chili, the food's chili too.
So come hungry.
I was talking about some new businesses coming to downtown Racine with Kelly Cruz, executive
director of the downtown Racine Corporation.
It's always changing.
Yeah.
Yeah, things stay still forever.
That's true.
Except monument square, a market square.
That's I've seen pictures of the 1800s.
Now, it looks a little different because when I first came to Racine, there was a like a
reflecting pool in there.
I'm like a pond.
I've always seen those pictures on those flashback Fridays and things.
It looks really cool.
But I think it's one of those.
It probably in like postcards, it looked great.
But in reality, there was probably cigarette butts in it and stuff like that, you know.
And you know, you never have dead bodies from the mob in there.
You didn't want to go.
Yeah.
Actually, it gives you more room now to do things out of it, it's a versatile space for
us.
Yeah.
It took a lot of real estate to have that pond in there.
I've seen pictures where they actual wagons with hay come in by horses.
We have a picture like that in our office.
A hay market square.
Yeah.
Well, that's why we have the night market called hay market because it's a, you know, old
to when it was the hay market.
So, you know, it's just, and you think about it and you say that guy driving that horse
wagon with the hay, could he ever imagine 100 years down the pike?
What was going to be in that where he is now?
Yeah.
Sure.
I mean, I can't imagine what's going to be.
Well, actually, on my name of square, there's going to be a new spot coming.
Hotel Verdun is creating a really large spot next to it.
They're doing well.
Yeah, they're doing great.
We've got that restaurant in there.
It's just lovely.
Margarit and Eve.
Yep.
And then right next door to them, they purchased the building and they're doing a really beautiful
large-scale spa.
So.
What's going on in back of it?
Hopefully, the next time behind them, they're making a surface lot.
Oh, good.
Good.
Yes.
And it's going to have about 12, or I don't know the exact number, around 12 EV charging
stations.
Oh, for those people that care about the environment and get it like for cars, that's
good.
Yeah.
That's a good idea.
I'm still.
Because you know, they are lead certified there.
So they're all about sustainability.
That's their whole model is the hotel verdant.
Yeah.
I'm still dealing.
I'm still driving a 13-year-old Chevy.
So.
Yeah.
Which is working fine for me.
All right.
So the chilly ice walk is coming up and we'll review it in just a moment is coming up this
Saturday from noon until four o'clock.
Come on, great.
Talk about March.
We got St. Patties to pump crawl coming up this seventh and the St. Patrick's Day Parade.
I can't believe we're talking about the St. Patrick's Day Parade already.
Well, you know, on Sunday, it's already March.
I know.
Yeah.
So we have, we do a sort of a week long of celebrations about St. Patties day here
in downtown Racine because you know, why not?
We might as well take advantage of it.
And so, yeah.
So March seventh, we have the St. Patties pump crawl and that is sort of our kickoff to
the festivities.
We've got a shuttle bus.
So you don't have to worry about walking around.
And we've got over 10 locations that will be serving up, you know, green beer, corn
beef, hash, all of your favorite shenanigans will be happening live Irish music at the same
time.
Thoughts for food is that evening.
So over at coasters, the Eagles and Georgia's encore, you can also watch some great bands
and support our community that way.
So really just a fun night out in downtown Racine now.
That Patty's pump crawl is from 3 p.m. to midnight.
So if you'd rather just do more of a casual afternoon, check it out, you're, you're certainly
welcome to do that.
I know everyone's sort of at a different level when it comes to their St. Patties celebrations.
So we have a something kind of for everybody, but there is that shuttle the entire time.
So you can get a safe ride down there and, and shuttle all around.
So yeah.
That's a great picture of my dog.
When we were in the St. Patrick's Day parade, we used to bring our beagle and make him
wear either a hat, green hat, which I picture or those shamrock things on his head.
Yeah, there's lots of pets now that come into our St. Patrick's parade, which is the
following weekend now, of course.
So yeah, the St. Patrick's parade will be March 14th at high noon.
It goes down Main Street and 6th Street.
It's always a fun parade.
We never know what the weather's going to be like.
It could be 60 degrees.
It could be negative 20 and it has been both in my tenure.
Really?
20.
Yes, it was so cool.
Oh, my gosh.
I thought we were going to have to cancel it.
It was that cold, but we survived.
But we're hoping for a nice, you know, 40, 50, 60 degree weather day.
But if you do want to participate in the St. Patrick's Day parade, applications are going
to be due next Friday already.
So make sure you've talked to your organization or your group or your dance club at school
or your singing group and get those applications in because it's coming up fast.
It might feel like the dead of winter right now, but it is coming up.
On March 6th, apps are on RacineDowntown.com.
That starts at State Street.
Doesn't go all the way up to the state, state, state, state, state, yep, start at State
Maine and then it takes a ride on 6th Street.
So you can really get a seat anywhere on Main Street and 6th Street and you'll be in great
viewing.
So if you're walking, it's not as long as the 4th of July parade.
It's a little shorter than that.
No, not at all.
No.
So does that be go look happy wearing that thing?
I think so.
I think so.
I don't think so.
I think he was a good sport about it.
I don't think he liked it.
I'm sticking out the window in the parade.
Yeah.
Somebody took that picture.
It's so fun to see everybody in their green shenanigans.
I mean, the whole crowd is wearing green.
Everybody in the parade is doing fun, you know, getting out there shamrock.
So we look forward to this parade.
It's sort of the kickoff to spring is how I look at the same Patrick's Day parade.
It just feels like, okay, we made it through this Wisconsin winter and we are ready for
spring.
So yeah, market calendars March 14th at noon downtown Racine St. Patrick's Day parade.
I made a huge mistake a little over a week ago.
It was a big mistake and I'm sorry I did it.
I had to apologize to people.
It was almost 60 degrees outside and I said, winter's over.
And the next day it was 12.
Nice.
And somebody said, you put the whammy on the whole thing.
You know, that's what we all thought when it was 60 degrees last week, we thought, oh,
we got through winter and then it came back just as harsh.
So we had snow on the ground.
I said, it was all over.
I put the whammy on the whole thing.
Okay.
So that's coming in March 7th is the St. Patty's pup crawl and the 14th, the St. Patrick's
Day parade.
And in April, we've got two events coming up, the candy hop and soup and steins on the
11th of April.
Let's talk about that.
Yeah.
So the candy hop is another great way to bring the family downtown.
We've got over 40 businesses that will be handing out candy.
So where are your cute bunny ears?
Bring your Easter basket and yeah, you know, stock up on your candy.
That's always fun.
We'll have, you know, Easter Bunny will be walking around.
Oh, yeah, Easter time.
I know.
Easter is very early this year.
Hey, you keep bringing up all these holidays and I keep thinking, you know, hey, I know,
I know, I know.
And then and then following that on September, I mean, oh my gosh, April, April 11th, we've
got a event that is really fun.
It was a new event last year.
It's called soup and style.
I love soup.
Everybody loves soup, especially this time of year.
And so what we have is 20 downtown businesses are making their own soup.
They go crazy.
They do really delicious, yummy soups.
We've got vegetarian ones, gluten free options, hearty meat ones.
But all of your favorite downtown restaurants will be serving you soup.
And then in addition, you'll get a really cool Stein glass because of soup and Steins.
And there'll be some really fun Wisconsin craft beers that you'll be tasting along the
way.
I love the non alcoholic route.
You can take as well.
You can just do the soup only.
So it's really however you'd like to plan your own adventure type.
My wife is making for this weekend.
She has a church group and then we're going to a soup night on Friday night where they're
all going to make soup.
She's making soup at the scona.
Oh, I love making that too.
It's so good.
The soup at the scona.
Oh, yeah.
She makes a good, lots of all soup.
She makes great soups.
She's doing that.
And I said, wow.
Yeah.
Same for me.
Yeah.
The soup list from last year was so delicious.
If you want those tickets, we did sell out last year.
Oh, no.
I know.
We did sell out last year because everybody loves soup, you know?
And so if you're interested in that, you can get tickets now on Eventbrite.
So just type in soup and Steins.
Oh, no, don't sell out.
How many tickets do you sell out of sell?
350.
You sold out quickly, huh?
Whoa.
People love their soup.
Soup and Steins.
That's April 11th.
When can you stop buying tickets for them?
Yeah.
If you can just go to Eventbrite.
Okay.
You got to do it now.
I know.
We've already had tickets already sold.
And don't be whining.
If you waited till the last minute, you didn't get the tickets.
Don't be whining.
They only have so much.
Yeah.
Let's touch on May real quickly here because first Fridays.
I can't believe it's already, we're talking about first Fridays in May, the creative
crawl.
Yeah.
So it's the kickoff to first Fridays.
Everybody loves first Fridays.
I think it's one of Racine's most beloved events.
And we kick it off in May with the creative crawl.
And what that means is we are, it's almost, we have probably 20 different artists that
will be out doing live demos.
So, and then also a lot of interactive demos, a lot of artwork, 3D artwork, 2D artwork,
people will be doing live sketches if you want to, you know, sit down and get-
On street, those 3D things on the street?
Have you ever seen those?
No, not.
I meant like 3D art.
Okay.
Do you ever see 3D artwork on the street?
Not yet.
No.
You think you're going to fall into a hole?
Oh.
On the Route 66 thing, and I, I had a look at it three times to make sure that there wasn't
really a hole.
And they do that almost sidewalk chalk?
Yes.
It's scary.
I'll have to see if I can get it artists to do that, because that would be fun.
And animals walk around it.
Yeah.
Because they think they're going to fall in.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah.
So, um, so yeah, first Fridays, we're going to kick it off with really art themed, very
family friendly, um, walk around and just see all these artists in action.
Wow.
Let's, um, let's say, just one more grand, I want to touch out here, the spring feast
on the streets.
That's coming up in May, May 29th.
Okay.
So this is for all the foodies out there.
Yeah.
That's me.
Yeah.
I just lost 33 pounds.
Well, if you didn't know already, but downtown we're seeing this really a foodie district.
We've got over 20 different nationalities of food represented of all small business local
food restaurant tours.
What we do is 10, um, we select 10 restaurants of all different nationalities and they create
a small dish for you of their favorite, most popular cuisines, um, and you walk around.
So you literally have almost 10 mini, um, plates of food, 10, 10 little dinners all in
one day.
It's so fun.
You've got to come very hungry, skip lunch that day, um, but I'm going to be ready to
eat back.
That event is so yummy, um, and it's just really great that you get to try some things
that maybe you wouldn't try, um, if you were out in a restaurant because maybe you
always, you know, if you go there, old Madrid, you're like, oh, I always get the same thing.
Well, this is a way.
I do.
Exactly.
So this is a way that you can explore some of their different menu items without the
big commitment of, you know, right.
Right dish.
They have their, um, oh, my, my, my, uh, no, no, no, no, it fell off.
No, it was unsigned failed once they were talking about this, uh, I made all this
paella.
Oh, yeah.
They're known for their paella.
Yeah.
You can't go wrong with anything at old Madrid.
It is so delicious.
But honestly, every the restaurant downtown routine has something so delicious and unique.
So, um, again, keep an eye out for that.
You can get your tickets now, if you'd like, um, we only sell 250 tickets.
Oh, another one.
I know.
We have to limit it because it's food.
So they have to be prepared for an exact amount.
But, um, tickets again on event bright dot com, uh, we have some really fun.
Delicious events coming up.
Okay.
One more time.
The chili ice walk.
Let's talk about that real quickly.
Chili ice hot this Saturday noon to four.
We've got 40 businesses participating over 20 locations of free chili samples, 10 locations
of free hot hot cocoa hot, um, hot coffee samples.
They were encouraging people to bring, uh, an open can of coffee where we're collecting
those for the hospitality, um, center so they can bring an unopened can of coffee.
That would be a welcome to drop it off at any of the coffee locations, but no tickets
needed.
No tickets.
A hundred.
It's a free event.
So come down.
Okay.
So I didn't mean don't need to get all anxious.
And, uh, maps.
You can pick up your map at racing downtown dot com, uh, jump on our Facebook page.
We've posted it a couple of times or you can stop at the DRC office at four to five main
street.
I love having you in here.
I love being here.
He gives me hope.
Kelly Cruz, the executive director of the downtown, we're seeing cooperation.
Thanks for everything you do for the city of receipt.
I love.
Thank you.
Down down receipt.
You really make it a vibrant area.
You know, me and my staff work really hard every day and we are just excited to kick off
the event season.
I drive through it coming and going.
That's how I come.
I live on right there on the street.
Yeah.
It's about, it's about to pop right now on spring is here, right?
So starting this Saturday, like get ready.
We've got lots of events for you.
Thank you very much.
Thank you, Dunn.
