Maxwell Street Days

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information

I’m going to visit Maxwell Street Days as a shopper; where can I park and what is the admission fee?

Parking is available throughout the area. There are two large parking areas just outside Field Park one just north of Field Park across NN and the other just to the east of Field Park across HW 83 and in the Middle School Parking lot. Both of these are managed by the Mukwonago Fire Department as fund raisers. There are other smaller parking areas around Field Park that charge a parking fee as well. There is limited street parking to the south and west of Field Park but this is posted limiting parking to one side of the street to allow emergency vehicles. You are discouraged from parking in the Pick and Save Parking lot as that interferes with their customers.

There is no admission fee for those coming to Maxwell Street Days to make purchases. There are six points of access to the park on the north, south and east sides of the park. There is no access from the west as that side of the park has private homes along the park.

I’m coming to Mukwonago Maxwell Street Days for the first time, how do I locate Mukwonago and Field Park?

Mukwonago is west south west of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you are coming from the Milwaukee area the most efficient route is to take I 43 west out of the Milwaukee area and if you are coming from the Beloit – Janesville area then take I 43 to the east. Travel I 43 to the HW 83 exit. The I 43 exit is on the south side of Mukwonago and you will want to take 83 north through the village to the north side of the village. Field Park is located on the west side of 83 across from Park View Middle School.

If you are traveling from the north or south of Mukwonago you will want to drive on 83 to the village and you will find Field Park on the northern side of the village.

As a buyer when can I enter the park?

Vendors are admitted to the park at 6:00 a.m. in order to set up their booths. We ask buyers to give them until 8:00 am to allow ample time for them to set up but as it is a public park we do not prohibit you from early entry but you may find some vendors otherwise occupied and thus not able to give you the attention you’d like.

Can the public drive into Field Park during Maxwell Street Days.

In general we do not want the public to drive into Field Park during Maxwell Street Days. If you attempt to do so you can anticipate that you will be asked to present a vendor pass. If you can’t produce one you will be asked to why you need to drive in or asked to leave. If you have a very large heavy item that you purchased and need to pick up we may allow you to enter but in general we are likely to ask you to have it brought to the gate to pick it up there. This is for everyone’s safety as there are large crowds as well as children running around; we know that you would not want to hit any of them by accident.

Why are requests for information by phone always picked up by a voice mail box?

When you call 262-363-1501 you are reaching a voice mail box that will record what information you provide. Because all of this is managed by volunteers we simply cannot be answering the phone throughout the day every day. The messages left are picked up by a Kiwanis volunteer from the group that does the majority of the work for issuing vendor registrations. We make an effort to answer these calls as quickly as possible. When you call please keep your information brief because sometimes we have dozens of calls to listen to that came in over a short period of time. Please speak slowly and clearly so that we can get your name and phone number or we may not be able to call you back. Your name and phone number is the most critical information, you can provide a short message which may prove helpful in the event we need to research your inquiry and can do that before we return your call. If certain times of the day are better in terms of reaching you please provide that so we aren’t making multiple calls trying to reach you. These calls are almost always picked up off our home phone so if you require research we may or may not have that information readily at hand.

Is there an ATM in the park?

There is an ATM now located in the park during the Maxwell Street Days event. It has been provided on a fee for use basis and is located at the south end of the concession stand. As this is another vendor it is dependent upon them coming in and setting it up. Should they fail to set up that ATM the next closest ATM is located in the Pick and Save Store across the street.

Vendor Questions

Registration Issues:

Why do you need my Social Security Number?

If you have a state of Wisconsin Mobile Tax Number we do not need your Social Security Number but if you do not have that Tax Number then we need the Social Security Number. We are required to submit a listing of all vendors who participated in Maxwell Street Days on an annual basis to the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. This listing must include their name, address and either their mobile tax number or their Social Security Number.

How do I know if my Social Security Number is safe?

When you submit your registration form the information that you provide is put into our computer and that does include the social security number. That computer is pass word protected and a very limited number of people have access to the password. The computer is a stand alone desk top computer that is not connected to the internet. We process all registrations with this computer and are able to issue your vendor passes by using it. Your paper registration is retained for about one year because we find on occasion that we have made in put errors to the computer and need to cross check with what you’ve provided in order to correct these. After about one year the paper registration is shredded by use of a commercial shredder company. We believe we have taken every measure available to safe guard your social security number.

When I want to add additional sites for the year, during early sign up, why must I write separate checks?

This is a complicated question so bear with us. The overall operation of Maxwell Street Days is held by the American Legion Post 375. The Legion in turn offers opportunity to various community civic organizations to participate in Maxwell Street Days and raise funds for their organization. Vendor management by the Mukwonago Kiwanis was arranged for many years ago to resolve a number of problems that occurred back then. All of the money paid by the vendors goes directly into the American Legion Post 375 account once a registration has been completed. Returning vendors asking for changes in location or additional sites or additional show weekends have to wait until after what we call the cut off, until those requests can be processed. So by way of example, if a vendor was with us for all four months last year with just one site, wanted to keep that site but also wanted a second site on either side of the one they had, we won’t know until after we process the returning vendor registrations received by April 15^th, if the requested site has become available or the vendor who had it last year is coming back and wants that site. In some months we might be able to meet the vendor’s request for an additional site and in other months we may not be able to meet that request. So we can then process the registration for all of the sites that are available and then return the checks for the sites that were not available. This avoids having to go through a complicated process of retrieving from the American Legion money turned over to them for sites that we were not able to issue that particular vendor.

If I ask for a site change and must wait until April 15^th do I risk losing the site(s) I had last year?

No, as your registrations come in we look at each one in the order it is received and if changes are being requested those requests will be prioritized and handled first, after the cut of is completed. Each request is put into a separate spread sheet when it is received noting the site the vendor had and that they want it back if they can’t get the change they are requesting. This spread sheet is cross referenced as we work our way through the change requests and the sheet is revised based upon our ability to accommodate your request or not do that. In addition, those sites that you had the previous year and want to retain will have already been issued.

Can you tell me if a vendor from a specific company is already registered as we are not allowed to have multiple vendors from the company I represent at the same venue?

Our system is not set up to respond to such requests. Often vendors don’t provide us enough information for us to know if they represent a specific company. We frankly are not concerned with there being more than one vendor from a company represented at Maxwell Street Days, this is a company issue and if they want to impose that restriction upon you then it is incumbent upon them to set up a system to monitor which representatives are at which events.

Weekend event Issues:

Why can’t I set up for Maxwell Street Days on Friday night?

The actual event of Maxwell Street Days takes place in Field Park. This is a village park and generally is open to the public for use. The American Legion contacts with the village for the use of the park for Maxwell Street Days and there are fees involved for each day that the Legion has use of the entire park. In addition there are fees involved for the extra police patrol that is conducted in the park during Maxwell Street Days. In addition to this, a considerable number of volunteers are required to make certain that all vendors get located in their proper sites and that unpaid vendors do not access the park setting up in assigned sites. Taken all together there would have to be a considerable increase in the fees charged to vendors to allow a set up on Friday.

Why must I enter the park off from NN and leave out HW 83?

This procedure was established for a number of reasons. By having everyone enter off from NN it creates a flow of traffic through the park. If someone enters off from 83 they are very likely to meet someone coming from the opposite direction and we then have a road block that is frequently difficult to untangle. In addition vendors driving north on 83 and wanting to enter off that Highway generally cannot easily make the left turn into the park thereby creating a backup of traffic on the Highway, people becoming impatient take risks and can cause accidents. Those attempting to come in this way also run into the difficulty of not being able to enter because there are vehicles attempting to exit out this gate thus there would be additional frustration for everyone there. Vendors entering off NN have some room to wait on the road until they gain access, making for a safer driving situation. In addition because we don’t allow vendors to leave out onto NN it eliminates road blocks, back up and all the frustration that had occurred here in the past.

As a vendor must I “line up” in Kiwanis Park on Saturday morning to get into Field Park?

The simple answer is no. Many vendors line up in Kiwanis Park, which is located across NN to the north of Field Park because of the quick access it provides when we open Field Park to the vendors. You see at about 6:00 am the Police Department shuts down traffic on NN and we open the gates at the south end of Kiwanis Park and the north end of Field Park. This allows the vendors in Kiwanis Park to move directly across NN into Field Park and move on to their assigned site. NN remains closed until we have all of the vendors across the road unless for some reason the police choose to open up NN for a short time for a valid reason. Then they revert to the closing of the road. If you are on 83 and attempt to come onto NN from there while the road is closed you will not be allowed to do that so you are better off coming to the north end of Kiwanis Park, and enter it off from 83 so you enter with the others. Once the vendors have all left Kiwanis Park NN is again opened and you can then enter off from that road.

Where do I display my vendor ticket?

Your vendor ticket should be clearly visible through your windshield by laying it on the dashboard on the driver’s side of the vehicle. It should remain there whenever the vehicle is on the grounds at Field Park. A vehicle without a vendor ticket may be towed at the owner’s expense.

How do I find my assigned site?

Your vendor pass will have on it a clearly identified aisle and site on the aisle for you to use. Aisles are identified by a letter. The letters used are A through P. So when looking for your site start by locating your aisle on the map provided. Once in the park each aisle has its letter painted on it at the ends of the aisle if it is blacktop. All aisles also are marked with a white stake and the letter for the aisle painted on it, this are placed at the beginning and end of each aisle. Sites on each aisle are identified by number. The numbering on the aisle is just like a city street numbering system, which is to say the even numbered sites are on one side of the aisle and the odd numbered sites are on the other side of the aisle. All aisle site numbers start with 0 (zero) on both sides of the aisle. What this means is at the beginning of the aisle numbering system the first site is either between 0 and 1 or 0 and 2. Thus, to locate the site you are assigned to, look at the number on your ticket and you are between that number on the identifying marker and the next lowest number. So if you were assigned to E35 you would be on E aisle and between site numbers 35 and 33. Finally, the site markers are found on the ground. Site markers are generally white disks that have a welded number on it. They are driven into the ground on a metal post. They are not always easy to read because of the many years of over paint. Do not hesitate to use the sole of your shoe to scrape across this disk as this will generally make the number more visible. In some areas the sites are painted on the black top and should be easily read.

Can I set up in front of the site markers?

Please do not set up in front of the site markers. The markers create an aisle for your buyers to walk down and reach you as well as the other vendors. Of greater importance they provide the means for an emergency vehicle to go anywhere in the park if needed. It is indeed unfortunate but there have been occasions over the years where medical emergencies occurred and the need to get EMT’s and an ambulance to someone quickly develops. Their time cannot be lost while you move product out of the way. If you are found to have product in the aisle you will be asked to remove it. Failure to remove it could result in your booth being closed.

If the spot next to me is not filled why can’t I fill it in and use it?

Under no circumstances are you to set up outside the boundaries of the sites issued to you. In general each site you have rented is 14 X 20. For a whole host of reasons vendors do not always arrive at the start of the event. This may be for a flat tire or a motor problem. It could be that they didn’t trust the weather or at the start of the day they weren’t feeling well. Imagine being in their place and arriving later than you planned only to find someone in your site and you now must wait until they remove their product before being able to even drive onto the site, to say nothing of having to then set up. In addition it is possible for vendors to arrive during the event on both Saturday and Sunday and rent a site that is still available. They then go to their assigned site only to find in it someone else’s product and having to wait for it to be removed in order to drive in and set up. If that were you we suspect that you’d not be happy so the rule is there for everyone to prevent discord.

If I leave my product at the park overnight from Saturday to Sunday is it safe?

There can be no guarantees on this issue! Many vendors do cover their product and leave for the night. Other vendors choose to stay in the park overnight and keep an eye on things. Access to the park remains open to the public as there are a number of un-gated entrances that can be accessed. While vendors generally watch out for each other it is not their responsibility to watch your stuff. There are regular police patrols through the park after hours but again this is not a guarantee of your property being secure. So if you choose to leave your property in the park it is at your risk alone and the American Legion Post 375 and the Mukwonago Kiwanis assumes no liability for this. Having said all of that it is noted that there has been some but very limited overnight theft experienced.

Are tables available for my use at my site?

No, the American Legion and the Kiwanis do not provide tables for vendors to use in their booths.