As of Sunday, July 12, the boundaries for Milwaukee’s seven police districts have changed. Major changes include the lines between the 2nd and 6th districts on the south side, and the 1st and 5th districts on the east and near north side. Visit www.milwaukee.gov to see if your neighborhood has been affected by the changes.

Image courtesy City of Milwaukee

If you haven't yet gone to the lakefront to check out the Great Circus Parade Festival, I highly suggest that you do. Also, be sure to watch the Great Circus Parade itself, which will be winding its way through downtown beginning at 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, Sunday, July 12. This spectacular two-hour event will feature 50 authentic circus wagons, 350 horses, 30 musical bands and novelties, exotic animals, 150 clowns and more than 450 riding and walking performers dressed in circus attire.

Take a look at some Great Circus Parade Festival Images to get an idea of what this event is all about.

Image by Carrie Trousil

Thursday through Saturday

• Head to Mequon's Rotary Park for Gathering on the Green, a performing arts festival featuring the Florentine Opera Company, Milwaukee Ballet, and Milwaukee's own Al Jarreau.

Friday & Saturday

• Watch a few films under the open-air, or from the comfort of your car, at Fair Flicks, a special series of drive-in double-features at State Fair Park.

All Weekend

• See the ornate circus wagons of days past at the Great Circus Parade Festival, culminating in the Great Circus Parade on Sunday.

• Storm the Bastille on Thursday evening, then spend the rest of the weekend pretending your in Paris during Bastille Days at Cathedral Square Park.

Image courtesy of Flickr user Valerie Everett

It's going to be a beautiful Fourth of July in Milwaukee, and there is plenty going on around town. Still not sure what to do or where to go? Here's a rundown of just a few of the many events the weekend has to offer:

• Celebrate Independence day in Bay View at PBRFest, a free street festival featuring music, such as Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, and -- what else -- PBR for $2.


• Of course, there's also always Summerfest, the world's largest music festival, going strong straight through Sunday.


• And don't forget about Fireworks! Milwaukee gets serious when it comes to fireworks. Find a display near you.



Photodisc / Getty images

The city is once again trying to seriously crack down on the use of illegal fireworks, and fines for those caught using them can reach up to $1000 per violation. Furthermore, parents and legal guardians who are caught allowing minors in their care to use fireworks can also be assessed $1000, with failure to pay leading to 40 days in jail.

Fireworks are indeed fun, but not that fun.

Do yourself a favor this year, and avoid these stiff fines by just attending one of the numerous legal July 4th fireworks displays taking place around the city this weekend.

Stockbyte / Getty Images

Outdoor movies are all the rage this summer, and Discovery World has joined the mix by introducing their Fish Fry & A Flick outdoor film series. Movies will run on select Fridays through September 18, and the series will begin with a fantastic double feature: The Big Lebowski and Kingpin, on Friday, July 10.

In addition to the outdoor films, visitors can shop at a lakeside bazaar featuring local retailers and do dinner on-site. Food will range from $4 brats, to a $9.95 fish fry to a full lobster dinner for about $18. There will also be a full selection of Point and other beers.

Where: Discovery World, 500 N. Harbor Dr.
How much: Films are free. Fish fry costs $9.95, other food items available.
When: Bazaar opens at 5:30 p.m., fish fry begins at 6 p.m. and films begin at dusk.

Kingpin will be shown outdoors at Discovery World on July 10. Film still courtesy of Getty Images.

The gates to Summerfest open today at noon! The eleven-day festival will run from Thursday, June 25 - Sunday, July 5. Make your plans if you haven't already -- with eleven different stages (including the Marcus Amphitheater), there is really something for almost everyone. If not the music, than at least the shopping, comedians, sports, bad-for-you food, crowds or people watching should do it.

Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band will play Summerfest at 10 p.m. June 25. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images Entertainment

Friday

• Learn how galaxy collisions and asteroid impacts helped to shape our solar system during the Manfred Olson Planetarium's Friday Night Show Collisions in the Cosmos. Admission is only $1!

Saturday & Sunday

• Head north to Cedarburg's Strawberry Festival, to enjoy wine, art, and the "original" strawberry brat. Yes, I wrote strawberry brat, and no, not quite sure what that is.

All Weekend

• Visit the cockatiels, parakeets and eastern rosellas of Wings from Down Under, the latest special exhibit at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

• Join in the madness at the lakefront for the opening weekend of Summerfest.

Image Courtesy of Living Exhibits, Inc.

Normally Milwaukeeans would have to drive an hour to get to the drive-in -- either west to the Highway 18 or south to the Keno. For the month of July, however, State Fair Park will be screening Fair Flicks double features on Friday and Saturday nights, with pairings such as Spider-Man & Ironman and Shrek & American Graffiti. Tickets are $15 per vehicle, $10 with at least four nonperishable food items, and $5 per person for walk-ins.

Image by Flickr user mattieb, for use under creative commons licensing

Sunday, June 21, is Father's Day. So don't forget to take a moment to send some love to the important men in your life, because dads deserves a "thank you" now and again, too.

Photodisc / Getty Images