One of 20, four-foot-round ornaments that make up Milwaukee Downtown BID #21’s Ornament Trail can be found on Marquette’s campus at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and 12th Street.
Each bauble in the collection is hand-painted by a different artist with local or regional ties to the city. The on-campus ornament, titled “The Frost Bound Familiar” was created by Thyla Arden and is sponsored by Near West Side Partners.
The Ornament Trail will be on display through Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026.
“Wisconsin Avenue is a vibrant corridor on any given day, but during the holiday season it is beaming with cheer,” said Erica Green, chief operating officer of Milwaukee Downtown, BID #21. “This year’s Ornament Trail is enlivening sidewalks amid the Avenue’s cascading chandeliers and elegant harp lamp décor. The Trail’s growing popularity has given way to new ornaments and an expanded footprint. It’s been exciting to see the enthusiasm for enhancing our public spaces.”
The collection also includes:
- “Blossom” by Daniel Fleming, located at 720 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Current Pastimes” by Dave Watkins, located at 777 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Dwennimmen (Ram’s Horns)” by Brad Anthony Bernard & Grace Gasser, located at 600 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- Untitled by The Couto Brothers, located at 706 N. Jefferson St.
- “Lotería Holiday” by Nicole Acosta, located at 424 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Merry & Bright in Flight” by John Kowalczyk, located at 411 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Winter’s Rabbit” by Drew York, located at 333 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Flourish & Frolic” by Emma Daisy Gertel, located at 250 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “The Four Graces” by Nova Czarnecki, located at 229 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Merry in Pink” by Monique Machut, located at 111 E. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Paz, Amor y Amistad (Peace, Love and Friendship)” by Mauricio Ramirez, located at 310 W. Wisconsin Ave.
- “The Wonder Years” by Adjua Nsoroma, located at 301 W. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Wrapping Paper” by Byada Meredith, located at 331 W. Wisconsin Ave.
- “Painting the Town” by Dave Watkins, located at 633 W. Wisconsin Ave.
- “The Joys of Winter” by Rozalia Singh, located at 1000 N. Water St.
- “Life Has Always Gathered Here” by Jeff Zimpel, located at 139 E. Kilbourn Ave.
- “Winter Reflections” by Josephine Rice, located at 158 N. Broadway
- “Snow Season” by CERA, located at 322 N. Broadway
- “Holiday Harley” by CK Reed, located at 3725 W. Juneau Ave.
