Northwestern Mutual Community Park
Historic Third ward, Milwaukee
Henry W. Meier Festival Park 200 Harbor Drive
Located on the Summerfest grounds (Henry W. Meier Festival Park), Northwestern Mutual Community Park made its debut in June 2021. This playground was designed with not only kids but families in mind. It is packed with a fabulous array of playground equipment for kids from baby on up, and checks all the boxes parents love to see: fenced perimeter, bathrooms, water fountains, and plenty of shady seating!
The biggest downside of this playground is that it’s only open and accessible on specific days and times, primarily during festivals like Summerfest. But if you happen to be on the festival grounds, it’s just the place you’ll want to take a break, grab a seat and let the kids play freely for a while.
The Mid Gate is the entrance nearest to the playground. Just inside this gate there’s also a splash pad area which is often turned on during festivals on warm days. Community park is fully fenced with one main entrance gate. Around the interior edge of the fence near the gate are angled roofs that provide shade. Picnic tables, each separated by a trash can line the fence on both sides of the gate, offering a perfect spot to have lunch, recharge, or just sit and watch the kids.
There’s a double sided water fountain with additional water bottle filling station just outside the entrance, and another in front of the fully equipped, air conditioned Family Services building. Head through the handicap accessible doors (great for strollers too!) and choose from one of the four available family restrooms. Each one has two toilets - a standard and a child-sized, along with changing tables (including an accessible changing table for larger children or adults). There’s also a room dedicated to those who may want a private, cool space to feed their babies or pump milk, and three individual quiet sensory room for those who may need a break from the stimulation.
The playground itself is a rainbow colored, music-themed design (my kids call it the Rainbow Park). The terrain is rubberized playground flooring in a rainbow of colors divided by sections to match the equipment, and decorated with geometric shapes in accent colors. There are musical features throughout such as a piano bridge, xylophones, drums and chimes. There’s some trees outside the fence and at the edges inside of it that provide a bit of shade, but they’ve thoughtfully included lots of roof and cover features above the play equipment in the center to keep the direct sun off.
Around the back perimeter of the park there are mulched areas with decorative rocks (natural climbing features!), landscaping and additional benches. Scattered around this area are smaller climbing features for the youngest set - low tunnels, climbing stumps, teeter-totters, a bright yellow caterpillar.
There’s a flush to the ground merry-go-round near the entrance that I love. It’s much more accessible with its open edges than the similar one at Malone Park, and spings much faster and easier, so children can push each other easily.
Pictures will speak the loudest here since the park is so large and full of equipment, but there’s something for everyone: tons of slides of all heights, straight and curly, open and covered; a variety of climbing ladders, arches, ropes, cargo nets, ramps, bridges and tunnels; monkey bars of all sorts, including a low set perfect for new learners; a feature that looks like a bus stop; a rocking boat-style feature; a rolling conveyer belt. Many of the sections have high perches that older kids will enjoy climbing to and hanging out on.
You can also enjoy the beautiful view of Lake Michigan, the Lakeshore State Park inlet and the rocky beach along the shore. While you’re in the area, don’t forget to check out the fun features near the north entrance to the park - there are metal bicycles and giant musical instruments to try out. There’s tons of fun things to do nearby, like a walk or bike around Lakeshore State park, a trip to Discovery World, or a meal at one of the many wonderful restaurants in the Third Ward (some of our favorites: DanDan, Benelux, Onesto, Freshfin Poké).
Parking depends a lot on the event - there are official Summerfest parking lots nearby, and street parking along Harbor Drive and Clybourn Street. You can also walk in, take public transit, or an event shuttle if available.
