H-D Museum Hosts ‘Skulloween’ & More Awesome Autumn Events

Milwaukee fills fall with a cornucopia of blues, bikes & badass parties.

The changing of the leaves and the drop of the mercury doesn’t mean that the action has to slow down. The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee has a calendar packed with a variety of events that promise to keep the fun going full-throttle, with or without the pumpkin spice.

The museum is offering free admission for “Gallery Night & Day” (Oct. 20, 5-9 p.m.), giving visitors a great opportunity to take in the history and artistry of all things Harley-Davidson. Check out new installations, including rare and limited-edition bikes. And if you want to be a little more hands on, explore the Experience Gallery where you can straddle some of Harley’s classic Milwaukee iron, as well as new Touring bikes and all-new Softail Big-Twin cruiser models.

Come in from the chill outside and heat things up at the renovated Motor Bar & Restaurant and the newly-opened Can Room. “Skulloween Bike Night” (Oct. 26, 5-9 p.m.) is everything black and orange, plus live music; food and drink specials; and raffles for some cool Harley-Davidson merchandise.

Every Saturday,the  Motor Bar & Restaurant hosts “BBQ & Blues” from 5 to 9 p.m. If the all-you-can-eat BBQ specials weren’t enough, the place is shakin’ with some of the best red-hot blues acts around.

The museum salutes our troops with “Veterans Day Appreciation,” happening Nov. 10 through 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Museum entry will be free for military veterans and their families. The museum will also discuss the role of Harley-Davidson and the armed services at “Military Gallery Talks” at 11:00 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

“Fall Bike Night” also moves the scene indoors at Motor Bar & Restaurant (Nov. 16, 5-9 p.m.) for an evening to raise a glass to food, friends, and fuel-injection technology. Live music and raffles will kick this event up a notch.

The best way to shake off that post-Turkey haze is to knock back a few at the “Sixth Annual Black Friday Beerfest” on Nov. 24, from 4 to 7 p.m. A perfect place to try some of the finest craft beers, IPAs, and ciders from a variety of Midwestern breweries. Schlemiel! Schlimazel! Hasenpfeffer Incorporated! VIP Packages are available.

For more information on any of these events, visit Harley-Davidson Museum.

S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.