MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee's streetcar, The Hop, will return to regular service hours beginning Sunday, Aug. 1. To celebrate, the streetcar is launching a new “Hop Summer Nights” promotion featuring great surprises to welcome riders back on board.

The Hop, presented by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, said in a news release the return to regular hours is a reflection of the increase in activity in greater downtown Milwaukee and ridership continuing to trend back up.

“It’s been fantastic to see our great city coming back to life this summer, with more and more people both returning to work downtown and taking advantage of the many great dining and entertainment destinations along the route,” Commissioner of Public Works Jeff Polenske said. “We’re excited to return to our pre-pandemic hours and service levels, and committed to maintaining a safe environment on the vehicles as our ridership continues to rebound.”

Beginning Aug. 1, the Hop’s schedule will once again be 5 a.m. to midnight Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to midnight Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday, with service every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 20 minutes during off peak hours and on weekends.

According to a news release, to celebrate the return of our regular schedule and encourage people to get back downtown, the streetcar will celebrate “Hop Summer Nights” every Sunday in August from 4-6 p.m. Beginning Aug. 1 and continuing each Sunday through Aug. 29, riders will be treated to free “hopsicles” from Pete’s Pops along with cool jazz from the Don Linke Trio.

Additionally, all riders are encouraged to enter a month-long “Hop Summer Nights” selfie sweepstakes by snapping a photo on board the streetcar and sharing it on Instagram and/or Twitter using #thehopmke. Entrants must be following @TheHopMKE and have public social media accounts in order to participate. One lucky winner will be randomly chosen on or about Sept. 1 to win a Hop summer night out of their own featuring $250 in gifts cards to Summerfest and Lowlands Group restaurants.

Enjoying the “Hop Summer Nights” promotion is as simple as hopping on board. Each streetcar in service will feature either the free “hopsicles” or local, live music, so riders are encouraged to make an afternoon of it by exploring the many great destinations along the route and experiencing the fun on each streetcar.

For more information on the streetcar’s “Hop Summer Nights” promotion, CLICK HERE.