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MILWAUKEE - At 9:30 p.m. Friday night, Milwaukee's lakefront will become fireworks city as hundreds of thousands of people view the annual US Bank Fireworks at Veterans Park.

At about 4:00 a.m. Friday morning, it was tent city as hundreds of foldable tents showed fireworks-goers where not to go to stake their spot.

People claimed their territory for hours before then to allow their families and friends to join them.

Among them: Erica Downing.

Her family came down at 3:00 p.m. Thursday afternoon to take up one of the prime spots, just north of the Veterans Memorial on Lincoln Memorial Drive.

"We've joined up with about two other families that we do each and every year," said Erica about the tradition her family has had for about 25 years.

"It's the only time you get to camp out at the lakefront."

About 100 to 150 people pack into her space by the time 9:30 p.m. comes around.

"Friends and family, (though) we have a few creepers that try to creep in each year, but it depends upon what time of the day it is, whether we let them in or not."

Some of the friends they make every year already had a cold one by 8:30 a.m. Friday.

"Yeah, there's been a few people that have."

Drinking at Veterans Park Illegal, But....

Technically, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke says those people who have a beer have to have a permit to do it, but if you behave, you should be all right.

"We'll have a concern if somebody comes down with a quarter-barrel or a half-barrel, and you have 500 cups and some heavy drinking going on," said Sheriff Clarke on 620WTMJ's "Wisconsin's Morning News."

"For that sort of thing, we're going to require a permit. If somebody wants to bring down a six-pack or a bottle of wine with a picnic basket, as long as everybody is behaving, we'll kind of let the good times roll."

Bacon, Not Beer the Morning Fare for One Family

Deanna Solodi was cooking bacon and eggs at about 7:00 a.m. along her family's perch by the lagoon along Lincoln Memorial Drive.

They got to their traditional spot at about 6:00 a.m., pitched their tent among the hundreds that were waiting at that hour.

She said it turns into a reunion when they come down.

"I have a group of high school friends that come up here," said Solodi.

"They set up volleyball nets, have some drinks, play volleyball, hang out, watch the fireworks. Everybody just gets together, brings the wife and the kids down."

Fireworks and Basketballs Filling The Air

It's not just the fireworks, the family and the camaraderie that bring Klint Knueppel down to Veterans Park with his family.

"We get about 100 people down here every year," said Knueppel.

They're there for, yes, the basketball.

There's no courts set up along the lakefront, so he and his family bring portable hoops.

"We get a good 20 games in."

He admits his hang time lowers every year since the days his family played in 3-on-3 tournaments around the world.

"We put the hoops at eight feet. It will be six foot before we know it with our age."

He said that as long as he can stand at 9:30 p.m. when the fireworks begin, he'll be OK.