The opening for Whitefish Bay’s new live entertainment hall The Argo, built inside the former Fox Bay Theater, is officially here.
The Argo team has posted a slate of over 40 mostly musical acts, starting on Dec. 5 and running through Aug. 8, 2026.
The venue’s first public event on Dec. 5 will feature local artists Chris Haise Band and Zach Pietrini, as well as Nashville-based alt-pop trio VEAUX. This event also serves as a fundraiser, with profits given back to local Milwaukee music programs, according to a Nov. 5 news release announcing the opening.
On Dec. 6, Goran and Morganof the Milwaukee bandThe Gufs will return toheadline The Argo’s Grand Opening party.
Beyond opening weekend, highlights from the winter and spring calendar include: regional Grateful Dead tribute artists Another One, American Idol contestant Steve Beghun’s New Year’s Eve performance, Midwest indie folk trio Violet Wilder, singer songwriter Gabriel Harris, Minnesota rockers Remo Drive, stalwart bluegrass outfit NewFound Road, seminal punk rockers The Casualties, bluegrass artist Dan Tyminski, and The Pork Tornadoes.
The venue will also hold a regular rotating residency in swing jazz with The Flood, The Sazerac 5, The Micro Brew Swing Band, and Old Sam & The Teardrops. The full calendar is listed on The Argo’s website.
The Argo’s management team of Andrew Coate, Adam Powers and Josh Bryant moved quickly to complete the venue’s renovation in less than five months.
The Argo has also pledged to donate $1 from every ticket sold to support music industry well-being, prioritizing programs in mental health, sustainability and longevity.
“We’ve lived every angle of this industry — we’ve seen the best of it. We’ve felt the burnout,” Coate said in the release. “The Argo is our way of tipping the scales back toward the good — for our peers, for our city, and for the next generation coming up behind us.”
The venue includes a full-service bar and kitchen, and a flexible ballroom and event space for weddings, festivals, private celebrations, community events and more. Its capacity is 700 people.
The bar and kitchen at The Argo were curated by Dan Jacobs, a five-time James Beard semi-finalist and Top Chef contestant. He is also the chef and co-owner of Milwaukee restaurants EsterEv and DanDan.
Jacobs plans an eclectic menu at The Argo that expands on his other innovative concepts, according to the Nov. 5 release.
The bar and kitchen will be open to the public even when not attending a show and will also open on Dec. 5 with a limited temporary menu.
The national entertainment group Knitting Factory Entertainment handles talent-buying duties, according to the release. Other venue partners include Eventbrite as a ticketing partner, developer New Land Enterprises and design-and-build firm Three Sixty.
“After months perfecting this venue and the customer experience, we’re finally ready to show our faces to Milwaukee and the world,” Coate said. “We’re looking to become a must-stop for local artists, prominent artists touring through the region and for fans of almost every kind of music.”
Contact Claudia Levens at [email protected]. Follow her on X at @levensc13
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