Chill on the Hill, one of Milwaukee’s most beloved outdoor concert series, is celebrating three years as a smoke-free event, including both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
Over the years, the Bay View Neighborhood Associationrealized its number-one complaint was the presence of smoke during the concert, located at Humboldt Park’s band shell. So, its board members listened to the concert-goers and decided to make the series smoke-free.
“If it makes a cloud, it’s not allowed,” says Board President Patty Pritchard Thompson in a promotional video created by the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance to celebrate Chill on the Hill’s success as it closes out its 2018 season on Tuesday, August 28, at 6 p.m., with Zach Pietrini and Mike Mangione & the Kin with Trapper Schoepp performing.
“Milwaukee residents are enjoying more smoke-free events and outdoor spaces each year,” says Anneke Mohr, coordinator for the City of Milwaukee Tobacco-Free Alliance. “These spaces benefit everyone by eliminating secondhand smoke exposure and providing a supportive space for those trying to quit smoking. We applaud the Bay View Neighborhood Association for listening to community concerns and creating a fun, family-friendly environment for everyone who attends Chill on the Hill.”
Momentum for smoke-free outdoor spaces is growing across the state, as cities from Oshkosh to Ashland are implementing tobacco-free parks policies. Organizers are doing so in response to community feedback, as well as the cigarette butt clean ups conducted by youth from FACT, Wisconsin’s youth tobacco prevention movement. Jars full of cigarette butts from these clean ups provide a stark visual reminder of the environmental and health impacts of tobacco litter in outdoor spaces. In addition to Chill on the Hill, other smoke-free outdoor spaces in Milwaukee include the Milwaukee County Zoo, Miller Park, and the Estabrook Park Beer Garden.
