Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley announced on May 1 the full schedule of events for the fifth annual Healthy County Challenge, an initiative designed to bring residents together through free and family-friendly programming in Milwaukee County’s parks and natural spaces.
The Healthy County Challenge aims to encourage community members to spend more time outdoors, highlighting the benefits of physical activity and social connection. The series includes activities such as yoga, bike rides, a community field day, pool day, and a fundraising event supporting local parks.
“I want every Milwaukee County resident to feel welcome in our parks, and the Healthy County Challenge is our open invitation to do just that. From yoga to bike rides to field day, there’s something for every age and every ability this summer,” said Crowley. “Five years of bringing these events to our neighborhoods is a testament to the power of partnership, and I’m grateful to everyone who has helped us build something worth coming back to.”
Rebecca Stoner, Milwaukee Parks Foundation Executive Director, said: “Milwaukee Parks Foundation is happy to support Milwaukee County’s Healthy County Challenge for the fifth year. We recognize the importance of our parks as the central hubs for recreation and health and are happy to highlight activities open to our community through this event series.”
The county serves over 950,000 people across its communities. During the 2023-24 school year in Milwaukee County schools, Black students represented about one-third (33%) of enrollment with 38,530 students out of a total student body of 116,758; white students made up approximately 29% (33,860), while Hispanic students were about 24.5% (28,606), according to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. Pacific Islander students accounted for just 0.1%, making them the least represented group in county schools according to state data. Multiracial students made up about 5.5% during that same period as reported by state education officials.
Among individual schools in Milwaukee County during this period, Oak Creek High School had the highest enrollment with 2,223 students; HAPA-Hmong American Peace Academy K3-12 followed with nearly 1,900; Franklin High School was third at just over 1,600 according to official records.
The challenge will run throughout summer into September with various scheduled events including Yoga at Mitchell Park Domes on May 13; Bike Ride Thru the Parks on June 3; Community Field Day on July 12 at Kletzsch Park; Community Pool Day at Schulz Aquatic Center on July 24; concluding with Go Green for Parks fundraising event at South Shore Terrace on September 15.
All events are free unless otherwise noted. Additional details can be found online at county.milwaukee.gov/HCC2026.
