MILWAUKEE — On Christmas Eve Sunday, Milwaukee’s Mitchell International airport was buzzing with travelers excited to make it home for the holidays.
Mitchell Airport leaders said between mid-December to the end of the year they expect to welcome more than 250,000 travelers.
Among those travelers flying in is dad Mark Dempsey. He said for the past five years he’s been living in Las Vegas but after spending 61-years in Milwaukee he still considers it home.
“I come twice a year,” Dempsy said. “Once for Summerfest and I try to make it for the holidays.”
This Christmas, Dempsey surprised his 26-year-old son Joshua Dempsey with a visit.
After getting picked up by his son’s girlfriend, the senior Dempsey headed to the family business, Barbiere’s Italian Inn on Bluemound, where his son was working for the big reveal.
New arrival from Austin, Texas, Carlton Epps said he brought his wife and his 11-year-old daughter to Milwaukee to spend Kwanza with his mom and sister this holiday season.
“Kinda disappointed that there’s no snow," Epps said. "I know the little one, kind of wants some snow.”
Some travelers said on top of spending time with the family, they are also looking forward to taking advantage of what the Brew City has to offer, whether that be a Bucks game or the Collectivo on Lakeshore.
“That’s the most important thing in life,” Milwaukee native Aleksander Cwalina said. “Spending the holidays around the people you love, around the people you care and getting some good food and rest along the way.”
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