MILWAUKEE – Red Bull Flugtag is happening this Saturday at Veterans Park on Lincoln Memorial Dr. Opening ceremonies begin at 1 p.m.
In case you’ve never heard of the event; a platform is built and competitors attempt to launch and fly homemade and human-powered “aircraft.” Points are awarded, including who flies the furthest.
Anthony Balistreri, captain of the team, “Flying Schmeat” from Milwaukee joined Wisconsin’s Morning News to discuss to the event.
“We’ve all watched the Red Bull Flugtag events since young kids on YouTube,” Balistreri said. “We always thought it was awesome. It’s funny to see the crazy airplanes that people make. I was scrolling through Facebook one day and I couldn’t believe it; I heard that it was coming to Milwaukee so I talked to my friends. I was like ‘Look we’re signing up right now, lets get to work.'”
There’s always unique planes brought out at the event and Balistreri says his team’s machine is all about representing the City.
“We are making a giant bratwurst on wings,” Balistreri said. “We wanted to represent Milwaukee as best as possible. All of the different cultures and what not. You’ve got chorizo, Polish, Italian sausages; so we made our own sausage.”
However it’ll take “magic” to get the machine to fly because there’s “no way to practice it.” But the Flying Schmeat has “full faith” in their aircraft.
“As far as knowing if it’s going to fly,” Balistreri said. “Well, that’s the power of magic. If we get the right gust of wind; we calculated it, it might land somewhere almost in Michigan.”
If the Flying Schmeat win any money, it’ll all go to a GoFundMe where all the money will be donated to Feed the Change Inc. A nonprofit that provides food and clothes for homeless families and people in need in the Milwaukee and Madison area.
