Category: Community

If you’ve bought a snow cone, a corn dog, or a funnel cake from the tents at Klode Park over the years, you likely got it from Randy or Roberta Ferrell — but you probably didn’t know their story goes back more than two decades, includes one very good friend and one very unlikely engagement.

I sat down with the pair, who run R&D Food Service, at Klode Park to find out how a couple from Conway, Florida (just outside Orlando) ended up as a decades-long fixture of Whitefish Bay’s summer season.

It started with Mike Enoch

Randy spent 15 years as the right-hand man to Mike Enoch, who ran Special Event Foods. Mike and his wife Lisa are the people who first brought their food vending service from Orlando to Whitefish Bay’s Fourth of July celebration, more than 20 years ago.

Enoch sadly passed away in 2014. Randy ran that entire summer’s shows — more than 30 of them — before Lisa agreed to sell him the business. Randy’s first year running the Whitefish Bay show under his and his wife’s name was 2015. It helps that Roberta has also worked as a professional chef for a number of years. The only year they’ve missed since that point is 2020, when COVID shut down the Fourth events.

R&D Food Service — the name comes from Randy and their son Dustin (and now grandchild Diana) — kept the same tents, the same banners and the same crew Enoch had built, “like no change ever happened,” Randy said.

If you take a look at the park bench near the toddler play structure at Klode Park, Randy and Roberta donated it and dedicated it to Mike Enoch when the village put out the call for bench sponsors.

They were saddened that the bench’s shade disappeared this year when the massive basswood tree in the park fell down weeks ago.

A family connection that turned into an engagement

And then there’s a story that has become tent lore. A few years back, on a night the fireworks got rained out and pushed to the next day, a friend brought her adult daughter Tyler up to visit from Chicago for a birthday celebration. Tyler and Dustin struck up a conversation and kept talking on the phone for the next year, until she moved from Chicago to Florida to be with him. They’re engaged now, and their daughter — Randy and Roberta’s granddaughter — has made the trip up to Whitefish Bay with them the last few summers. Who knew our very own Klode Park doubled as a matchmaking service!? 

Why they keep coming back

Roberta and Randy split their year around two seasons: lawn care business in Florida during the winter, feeding us Midwestern folks — Whitefish Bay, Ann Arbor, Toledo, Columbus, Chicago — through the summer. But Whitefish Bay is the one they talk about like family. “It’s become a family reunion when we come up,” Roberta said. 

Part of that is because they drive up, bringing much of their actual family with them from Florida, they said, but a big part is also the people who they have met and gotten to know year after year in Whitefish Bay. They are grateful (and all Villagers should be too!!) for the hard work of our Public Works employees, Civic Foundation members, public servants and all the volunteers that make the Village’s events happen. They specifically wanted to make sure credit was given to Ryan Sanchez, Pat McCarthy, Matt Collins, Lexi and Dave Deblitz (who built the wooden bar by hand that is used year after year in the beer tent), John, Kevin Buckley and Ray Sipek, to name just a few.

The two also had praise for the recent work at Klode Park itself — new landscaping, native plants replacing overgrowth, and a rebuilt playground. “The new park is just absolutely gorgeous,” Roberta said.

Catch them at Art Fest

Randy and Roberta will be back this weekend for the Whitefish Bay Art Fest on Silver Spring. You’ll have no trouble finding them – just follow the scent of good food in the air! Be sure to say hi and thank them for being an awesome part of this community and feeding the villagers of Whitefish Bay. After that, it’s back on the road toward Chicago for their next stop.

All photos in this post are courtesy of Roberta and Randy Farrell

A tip of the hat to a dedicated Villager who let me know about this story! Thank you! If you know of any other stories that need telling, please don’t hesitate to reach out – wfbwibuzz@gmail.com

The Fourth of July is days away, and Whitefish Bay’s annual celebration (this time for America’s 250th birthday!) is one of the best days in the village. The WFB Buzz spoke with Andrew Jetton, Head of the Civic Foundation’s Parade Committee, as well as a few village employees to get the full rundown — parade, live music, kids games, fireworks, and a few new wrinkles worth knowing about.

The Basics

Some Villagers will be getting the day started off bright and early with block parties. The parade kicks off at 11:30 am at the corner of Silver Spring and Kent Avenue, heads east on Silver Spring, then turns north on Lake Drive to Klode Park. The events at Klode begin at 1pm, with kids games running from 1–4 pm, live music throughout the afternoon and evening, and the fireworks finale at 9:30 pm.

One Ask Before Anything Else: The Kids Games Need You!

Here’s the thing about the kids games at Klode Park — they don’t happen without volunteers. If the slots don’t fill, the booths don’t open, and the games that are a highlight of the day for many Whitefish Bay kids just won’t be there.

The ask is small: shifts run 90 minutes, no experience necessary. You show up, someone tells you what to do, and the games themselves are about as self-explanatory as it gets. Tents will be set up at every station, so you’ll have shade. And yes, there’s a drink coupon in it for you!

Jetton himself is doing a full day of it — parade in the morning, a game shift, then the beer tent — and says it’s genuinely one of the more fun ways to spend part of your Fourth. This is your invitation to be part of that! We are a community blessed with volunteers, so if you haven’t before, here is your chance to join that tradition!

Sign up for a 90-minute shift here — even one slot helps.

What’s New This Year

Veterans as Grand Marshals. In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary and the sacrifices many of our bravest have made, the Civic Foundation is inviting every Whitefish Bay veteran who wishes to participate to march alongside other veterans as a group of Grand Marshals. More than 15 have registered so far, and there will be a vehicle available for those who can’t walk the full route. If you’re a veteran and haven’t registered yet, feel free to register here.

In addition to the veterans, the local Daughters of the American Revolution chapter will join this year’s parade, a fitting nod to the country’s founding on its 250th birthday.

Six state championship teams in the parade. Whitefish Bay High School had an exceptional year athletically, claiming six WIAA state team championships and tying a record for most WIAA team championships in a school year. All six teams are expected to march.

The Diamond Dancers are back, as are many familiar faces who join the parade each year. Be on the look out for a new one: Bernie and Barrel Man, the Brewers mascots, will make an appearance alongside the returning Roscoe (Admirals) and Iggy the Marquette Golden Eagle.

The Bike Brigade Is Back

Another new addition: the Kids’ Bike Brigade is being revived after a hiatus. A generation ago, decorating bikes in red, white, and blue and riding up to Klode Park behind the parade was an annual Whitefish Bay tradition, though there hasn’t been one in a number of years. I’ve asked around and I couldn’t quite pin down how long it’s been since the last one – I’m curious if anyone out there remembers!

Children 12 and under are invited to join. They can start at the staging area with the parade (SS & Kent) or simply fall in as the Brigade passes their spot along the route. The bike group follows the Badger Band as the final entry in the parade. About 50 kids are already registered, ranging from age 2 to 12. Parents of younger children are welcome to ride or walk alongside.

A panel of judges — elementary school teachers from the village — will pick the best-decorated ride. The Grand Prize is a $500 gift certificate to Wheel & Sprocket. Other finishers will receive a gift certificate to Dairy Queen, Winkie’s, or Burke’s Candy (while supplies last).

Register here. No e-bikes, and helmets are required. 

Live Music Lineup

• Myles Hayes — National Anthem at 1 p.m.
• Tavern Pedalers — 1–3 p.m.
• Bigger Boat — 4–6 p.m.
• ReillyRocks Irish — 7–9 p.m.

A Note on Construction and Parade Viewing

The Sendik’s construction at Silver Spring and Lake Dr is ongoing and will affect where you can stand to watch the parade.

The parade route is not changing. But viewing will be restricted in the construction zone.

Beaumont Ave remains fully closed between Lake Dr and Consaul Pl.

The Village shared that the Sendik’s construction area should remain clear and will not be open to viewers. That means the north side of Silver Spring approaching Lake Dr and around the corner on the west side of Lake Dr from Silver Spring up towards Lake View will not be available for parade watchers. 

Jetton reiterated that standing in the street, including outside the construction fencing at Sendik’s is not advisable. The parade has a lot of vehicles making that turn onto Lake Dr, it’s a tight space, kids dart into the street for candy, and it would simply be unsafe. 

The east side of Lake Dr will be open and (mostly) clear of construction for the parade including the crosswalk at Beaumont Ave.

We’ll see you out on one of the best days of the year in the village!

Few things say “summer in Whitefish Bay” quite like a block party. Closed-off streets, folding chairs, kids on bikes and scooters weaving between card tables. It’s one of the more charming features of life in a village where most people actually know and interact with their neighbors.

How Popular Are Block Parties Here?

Very. Village Hall has issued between 127 and 138 block party permits annually over the past several years:

• 2021: 138
• 2022: 131
• 2023: 134
• 2024: 128
• 2025: 127
• 2026: 58 (and counting)

With 58 permits already issued so far in 2026 and peak season still ahead, the summer is just getting started. While summer dominates the calendar, a handful of requests come through in spring and fall each year — proof that Whitefish Bay residents don’t always let a little cool weather get between them and a good excuse to throw a party.

Klode Park: The Surprisingly Controversial Origins of Whitefish Bay’s Beloved Lakefront Park and its Warming House

The Village’s Biggest Block Party

It’s worth acknowledging the largest block party that I can think of: Sounds of Summer, put on annually by the Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation on Silver Spring. The 4th of July and the Great Pumpkin Festival feel more like “Fests” to me than block parties, so I’ll give Sounds of Summer the nod, and each of these fabulous events are put on thanks to our Civic Foundation.

Typically, Silver Spring is closed from Hollywood Avenue to Santa Monica Boulevard. Live music fills the street, a food tent is set up, and the Civic Foundation handles the drinks.

Sounds of Summer is a good reminder of what a closed street and a little organization can do for a community. Your block party probably won’t draw as many people, but the spirit is the same. This year it will be held on August 15th from 6 to 10pm.

A Block Party Tradition Worth Knowing

While Sounds of Summer may be the village’s biggest, it isn’t the most storied. That distinction likely belongs to the Sheffield Block Party, an annual Fourth of July tradition on the 4800 block of Sheffield Avenue now in its 73rd year. What started years ago when a few friends decided they wanted to celebrate Independence Day together has grown into a multi-generational neighborhood institution.

There used to be a baseball game that has been replaced with a kickball game, but otherwise the party still flows similarly in the 2020s to how things were in the 1950s when it was started. The day is meticulously scheduled and includes a parade, plenty of food and drinks and an egg-throwing contest.

Even Johnsonville Brats has taken note of the party and last year sent 250 (or was it 249 for the 249th birthday of the US?) brats to the Sheffield crew. We were told there were many left over!

COVID wasn’t able to stop at least some of the festivities of this block party. A modified version was held including masks. Bessie joined in on the safe theme.

How Do You Get a Permit?

The village makes it relatively easy. You can submit a Block Party Request online here. Make sure your request is submitted 30 days before the scheduled date. 

The Rules

Some streets are off-limits. The village does not allow neighborhood block parties on its busier thoroughfares, including: Silver Spring, Santa Monica, Hampton, Oakland Ave south of Hampton, Lake Drive, and Lydell Avenue south of the cemetery.

The whole block or nothing. The Police Department requires full block closures — no partial closures. This is the nudge you need to finally introduce yourself to the neighbors at the far end of the street!

One block party request per household per year.

Village Trick-or-Treat night. No block parties allowed that evening. The Village Board voted back in 2015 to end Trick-or-Treat block parties at the recommendation of the then Police Chief Michael Young for safety reasons. In 2014, there had been 19 permits for Trick-or-Treat block parties.

Fourth of July. Parties are allowed, though you will have to supply your own barricades.

A Note on Being a Good Neighbor

As a PSA, our Police Department requests that block party hosts be considerate of neighbors when it comes to music volume. Not everyone on the block is necessarily a willing participant in your six-hour playlist. They also ask that the street be fully reopened and all items removed from the roadway by the time stated on the permit.

So, What Are You Waiting For?

With dozens of block parties already on the calendar and the heart of summer still ahead, Whitefish Bay’s streets are going to be busy in the best possible way. If your block hasn’t had one in a while, or ever, this might be the year to change that. Submit your request here.

Any other cool block party related traditions? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

With Summer upon us, Village Board meetings occur less frequently than during the rest of the year. This Monday’s meeting includes discussions on exciting topics like: Lake Drive school zone signage, Sendik’s parking lot details, renewal of alcohol licenses, and potential library staffing additions. But one item caught our eye – a proposal from The Whitefish Bay Civic Foundation for a World Cup Finals Viewing Party to be held at Klode Park.

Klode Park: The Surprisingly Controversial Origins of Whitefish Bay’s Beloved Lakefront Park and its Warming House

The Civic Foundation has submitted a special event permit application to hold a viewing party with an anticipated attendance of as many as 3,000 people on Sunday, July 19th at Klode. If approved, they will team up with Three Lions Pub in Shorewood to put on the event. Both The Civic Foundation and Three Lions have significant experience hosting large events – The Civic Foundation most notably with the village’s 4th of July celebration and Three Lions with similar large soccer watch parties in Shorewood. In prior years, Oakland Avenue has been shut down for World Cup watch parties hosted by Three Lions, including in 2018 and 2022. If you’ve driven down Oakland in the past year, it’s probably easy to guess why it won’t happen in that location this time around (construction).

The proposal includes a potential layout with a jumbo screen facing East towards the lake along Lake Drive, food trucks, a DJ, and beer stations scattered throughout the viewing area. If the proposal is approved as is, the DJ would run from noon to 2pm, with the World Cup finals match kicking off at 2pm on the 19th of July. Five professional security guards would handle crowd control and soft screening at the perimeter, and the Foundation would be providing its own crossing guard at Lake Drive and Belle Avenue. 

Keep your vuvuzelas and other artificial noisemakers at home as those would be prohibited!

The Village Board will discuss and consider the proposal at Monday’s 6pm meeting.

Wisconsin has two communities called Whitefish Bay. One is our leafy lakeside village of nearly 14,000 people just north of Milwaukee, with coffee shops on Silver Spring, kids walking and biking to school (for outsiders, we have no school buses here!) and a small town feel with easy access to a major metro area. The other is an unincorporated community on a quiet stretch of Lake Michigan tucked into the Town of Sevastopol in Door County, known more for a scenic rustic road and the Whitefish Dunes State Park. Both have property values that may make your eyes water and both owe their name to the same fish. And that fish, it turns out, is in serious trouble.

The Whitefish

The story of both Whitefish Bays starts the same way: with commercial fishermen hauling nets full of lake whitefish from remarkably productive waters.

In Milwaukee County, early settlers set up a commercial fishing operation in the adjacent bay of Lake Michigan, and the frequency with which they caught whitefish there suggested a name for the community. The name stuck, and when residents incorporated as a village in 1892 — primarily to start their own school district after the Town of Milwaukee declined villagers’ request to build a school closer to home — they kept it. That made Whitefish Bay Milwaukee County’s very first incorporated village.

Up in Door County, the story is similar. As early as 1838, Whitefish Bay was mentioned in ships’ log books, with a schooner named the Gazelle referring to it as Fisherman’s Bay. The area had been a fishing ground long before European settlers arrived. The book Door County’s Emerald Treasure explains that Native Americans called the place Ah-Quas-He-Ma-Ganing, meaning “save our lives,” a name that speaks to how vital the bay was for their survival. 

So which came first? With one village incorporated and the other unincorporated, there may not actually be a knowable answer! The 1881 book History of Door County shares that Whitefish Bay Door County held one of the earliest established fishing settlements in the state dating back to the 1830s. So Door County’s Whitefish Bay may have a deeper documented fishing history, appearing in maritime records well before Milwaukee County’s village was even incorporated. But both names grew organically from the same source: waters so full of whitefish that no one needed to think very hard about what to call the place.

The Other Whitefish Bay You’ve Heard of — Even If You Didn’t Know It

There’s a third Whitefish Bay in the region that deserves a mention, and there’s a good chance you’ve heard it referenced without realizing it. Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior straddles the Michigan and Ontario border and was immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s 1976 ballad The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The song recounts the 1975 sinking of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, which went down in a violent Lake Superior storm with 29 men aboard. The lyric “does anyone know where the love of God goes / when the waves turn the minutes to hours / The searchers all say they’d have made Whitefish Bay / if they’d put fifteen more miles behind her” refers to the ship’s desperate attempt to reach the shelter of Whitefish Bay before the storm overtook her. She never made it.

The Fish That Named Two Towns Is Struggling

Here’s the uncomfortable footnote to all of this: the whitefish that gave both communities their names has been quietly disappearing from the very waters where it once thrived.

The commercial harvest of lake whitefish in Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan has dropped from a peak of about 1.7 million pounds in 1999 to less than 200,000 pounds in 2024, a decline of nearly 90 percent. Todd Stuth, owner and operator of Baileys Harbor Fish Company shared with Wisconsin Public Radio that invasive zebra and quagga mussels are likely the greatest driver in the decline. The filter-feeding mussels have disrupted the food chain by consuming the food that larval whitefish rely on to survive, and without that replenishment of young fish, the population has seen a steep and continuous decline. There is some good news as the Green Bay whitefish population has seen a meaningful recovery since the early 2000s, offering a bright spot and a potential model for what restoration might look like elsewhere. 

Unfortunately, it’s safe to say that we will not be eating a locally caught whitefish fish fry or boil at Jack Pandl’s anytime soon.

Both Whitefish Bays carry a name that alluded to the importance of the fish to the people who first resided in the areas. Whether that name will mean anything to the waters themselves in another generation is a question that scientists, fishers, and regulators are hoping to answer.