Milwaukee Air and Water Show | Fun Along The Lakefront

Did you think that Summerfest is in a class of its own, as one of Milwaukee's largest annual summer festivals? Think again. The Milwaukee Air andWater Show returns to the downtown lakefront this year, attracting nearly 1,000,000 people to the just two-day event in recent years. The 2014 performance, which will be held on the weekend of June 21, is already predicting the largest attendance in the show's ten year history. Free to the public, the best views can be had along Lincoln Memorial Drive on the city's east side as the planes circle Lake Michigan.

This year's Milwaukee Air and Water Show marks a reunion with the famous Blue Angels. The Navy-based stunt team was the show's headlining attraction in 2010, and was scheduled to perform in 2013, though was absent due to budget limits. President of the event, Paul Rogers, told reporters that his group was very excited to welcome back the Blue Angels, further placing the event as one of the best in the country.

Army branch counterparts, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team will join the Blue Angels as the top-billing in the 2014 show. Stunt pilot's Sean Tucker and Mike Goulian will also be there, along with Team Oracle and a number of other impressive acts and aircraft. Tucker is one of the world's most renowned performance pilots, earning hundreds of honors and awards since introducing his act in the 1970s. He has been named to the National Aviation Hall of Fame, and is recognized as a Living Legend in Aviation.

Not often thought of as a hotbed of flight, Milwaukee's flying past dates back over 40 years. Rudy Malnati, now director of the Air and Water Show, helped to organize the city's first aviation festival in the 1970s. Regular events began in 2002, when Italian Fest hosted an air show. Major sponsor funding began in 2004, the first year the event was dubbed the Milwaukee Air and Water Show.  This year's show will take place from 10AM to 4PM on both Saturday, June 21 and Sunday, June 22. Times are dependent on weather. 

Milwaukee Wave New League Information | Giuliano Oliviero Replaces Tozier

Things continue to become brighter for the once lowly-looking Milwaukee Wave indoor soccer club. Just a month after falling from the playoffs for the second time in as many years, acknowledging a lawsuit against owner, Susan Black, and losing veteran head coach, Kieth Tozer, the longest-running indoor soccer franchise in the country seems to have found its feet again. The team joined a number of counterparts from the former Major Indoor Soccer League in transferring to the newly formed Professional Arena Soccer League in May. The Wave's new league features teams from the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and is the largest entity of its kind in North America.

This week brought another bit of good news, as the franchise announced it had hired Giuliano Oliviero to fill the vacancy left by Tozer, who left the position this off-season after over 20 years as head coach.

Oliviero is no stranger to Milwaukee or its fans. The 40 year old Vancouver native has worn a Wave jersey for nearly his entire career as a professional soccer player and coach, starting in 1995 and returning in 2003 after spending five seasons elsewhere. He was promoted to an assistant coaching position under Tozer in 2008, maintaining his duties as a player as well.

When asked this week by reporters if he would now retire as a player, Oliviero was vague, though he did say that his full concentration would now be on coaching.

Regardless of weather he continues his dual roles, Oliviero has made quite the impact for the Wave both on and off the field. He was one of the most important ambassadors between Tozer and the players during his tenure as an assistant, also helping to broaden the team's scouting net, recruiting multiple internationals. As a player himself, Oliviero earned second-place in Rookie of the Year voting in 1995 and is currently the Wave's sixth all-time leading scorer.

Outside of the Wave, Oliviero lives with his wife and children north of Milwaukee. He also coaches at Waukesha West High School.

Stepping-up to fill head assistant role for the 2014 season will be Wave goalkeeper Nick Vorberg. Vorberg was chosen by Oliviero soon after his own promotion, citing the goalie's 11 years with Milwaukee and his place as team's second-most winningest player.