Summerfest

Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's Third Ward business district. Summerfest is known as "The World's Largest Music Festival", a title certified by Guinness World Records in 1999.

During Summerfest, the 75 acre (30 ha) park hosts the industry's biggest acts for an unforgettable live music experience, from late June until early July (including the Fourth of July). It was announced in 2021 that the festival would move to a three weekend schedule to allow for more Friday and Saturday event days. The performers include local and nationally known music talent from various genres, performing throughout the grounds from noon to midnight, including the 23,000-capacity American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Since 2004, nearly $150 million has been invested into Henry Maier Festival Park, including permanent stages, bars, production space, VIP amenities and other infrastructure.

Summerfest also showcases a wide variety of food from many Milwaukee-area restaurants. Other Summerfest attractions include shopping vendors, fireworks (including "The Big Bang" on opening night), family activities, and more. Summerfest is operated by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. a non-profit organization, which is governed by a volunteer board of directors.

In its 50+ year history, Summerfest has hosted a variety of well-known artists, including Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, The Jackson 5, Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Metallica, Whitney Houston, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Stevie Wonder, Kenny Chesney, Aerosmith, Cher, Bruno Mars, Arctic Monkeys, Lady Gaga, Usher, and Dave Matthews Band.

In 2024 Summerfest welcomed SZA, Tyler Childers, Lil Uzi Vert, Maroon 5, Kane Brown, AJR, Ivan Cornejo, Goo Goo Dolls, Bryson Tiller, Cold War Kids, Mario, Alison Wonderland, En Vogue, The All-American Rejects, REO Speedwagon, Ethel Cain, Key Glock, and many others.

Don Smiley served as president and chief executive officer of Summerfest from 2004 until his retirement in December 2023. He was succeeded in both roles by Sarah Smith Pancheri.

Community engagement

Aligned with Summerfest's non-profit mission, the festival made significant contributions to the community in 2024, providing over 26,000 meals for Wisconsinites struggling with food insecurity through Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, over $13,500 worth of hygiene products donated to Milwaukee and Waukesha County schools through the United Way, and over 4,000 books for Next Door's community literacy initiatives. The festival also integrated over 70 local community organizations into the festival through performances and events such as Direct Supply Seniorfest Day and Children's Fest Day presented by Shorewest, Realtors.

Economic impact

In 2023, Summerfest commissioned an economic impact study through Oxford Economics which claimed that Summerfest generated a total economic impact of $160.3 million for the city of Milwaukee and supported 3,400 total part-time and full-time jobs. For the state of Wisconsin, Summerfest generated $188.7 million in economic impact, along with $14.4 million in state and local taxes.

Admission promotions

Summerfest offers more ways than ever to access the festival via free or discounted admission, while giving back to the community. On select days, fans are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items, hygiene supplies, or books to get into the festival and enjoy the fun, while supporting the local community.

Let the Music Play grant program

Since its inception in 2019, the Let the Music Play grant program has supported over 40 organizations and hundreds of music students annually. The program is open to non-profit organizations and schools through music-based programming and represent the variety of music-based activities taking place in the greater Milwaukee community.

BMO Empower grant program

The BMO EMpower grant program is a long-term platform that helps support minority-owned businesses through BMO's partnership with Summerfest.

These grants are part of BMO's EMpower program, a more than $40 billion commitment to address key barriers faced by minority businesses, communities and families in the United States. In 2024, 11 minority small business owners received funding, along with business banking-related educational opportunities, to support their work as vendors during Summerfest.

Power Up with Purpose

The "Power Up with Purpose" program allows fans the opportunity to gain front row, pit access to Generac Power Stage headliners during the festival, while supporting Veterans Community Project in Milwaukee, WI.All proceeds will benefit Veterans Community Project (VCP), a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to ending Veteran homelessness.

History

Summerfest was conceived in the 1960s by then-mayor Henry W. Maier. Inspired by his visit to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, Maier envisioned a similar ethnic-themed festival in Milwaukee, and in 1962 formed a panel of business and civic leaders to study the feasibility of a large-scale summer festival. By the middle of the decade, the panel drew up a proposal for a 10-day multi-event festival with the proposed name of "Milwaukee World Festival," which was changed briefly in 1966 to "Juli Spaß" (German for "July Fun") and then to "Summerfest".

The inaugural Summerfest was held in July 1968 at 35 different locations throughout the city (including Milwaukee County Stadium and Milwaukee Arena), and its events ranged from concerts to a film festival, an air show, and even a pageant. The first Summerfest, produced by Dee Robb and Con Merten was regarded as a success; the second event in 1969, was less successful, as it was plagued by additional venues, inclement weather, and severe financial debt.

In 1970, a permanent central location was decided upon, and Summerfest moved to a former Nike missile site on the lakefront, where it continues to be held to this day. Also that year, Summerfest introduced its red "smiley face" logo, an insignia that has become synonymous with the event. The logo was designed by local graphic artists Noel Spangler and Richard D. Grant.

It was also in 1970 that Henry Jordan, former Green Bay Packers defensive tackle, became executive director of Summerfest, a title he held during the event's early years until his death in 1977. After a few other businessmen were hired by the board for the executive director's job, Elizabeth "Bo" Black, who was formerly Henry Jordan's secretary, became executive director in 1984 after a ten-year lobbying effort.

The event has not been without its controversy. On December 9, 2002, Lee Gates commented in the ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' about the lack of opportunity to play at Summerfest. "I don't get the credit I deserve here. I've been playing 50-something years. There's discrimination at Summerfest. I shouldn't need to have a CD out to be paid $700 at Summerfest. If they want you to have CDs, they should pay you like they pay the professional people."

Summerfest celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2007. The event's history was the subject of "Summerfest Stories", a documentary that aired in June 2007 on Milwaukee Public Television.

In 2015, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc and ReverbNation announced a three-year agreement to use the online service as an audition to give musicians a chance to perform. Summerfest wanted to provide an opportunity for performers to get a chance to be one of the 800+ acts and allow new talent to be seen by over 900,000 people that attend.

2020 saw the COVID-19 pandemic as grounds for scrapping the concert part & moving others online.

Attendance

Summerfest attendance since 1995

Summerfest attendance peaked in 2001 (12 days over 2 weeks) at 1,000,563 attendees. In 2010 Summerfest officials announced a new 11-day schedule for the 2011 festival. Summerfest was closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021 (409,386 attendees), the event was revised to 9 days (3 weekends) instead of 11 days (over 2 weeks), and it occurred in September rather than during the summer months. Summerfest returned to the June/July summer months in 2022 (445,611 attendees), but continued the 3 weekend format. Citing analyzed available data, patron surveys and the event landscape Milwaukee World Festival ultimately determined the best possible path forward for Summerfest was to transition to a 3 weekend format.

The festival reported 555,925 fans during Summerfest 2024, despite rain impacting six of the nine festival days (2024 saw the most rain since Summerfest 2000). In fulfillment of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.'s (MWF) nonprofit mission, 21% of those patrons who attended the festival gained access via one of the 14 free admission promotions.

Stages and other venues

The Summerfest grounds include seven permanent stages and two pavilions that can be converted to stages (Johnson Controls World Sound Stage and the South Pavilion).

Concert history year by year

Summerfest has been most famous for its music since the first festival in 1968, when acts such as Ronnie Dove, The New Colony Six, The Robbs and Up With People performed. Since then, musical acts from Bob Dylan, The Jackson 5, Frank Sinatra, Prince, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, The Jonas Brothers, Fleetwood Mac, Maroon 5, Fun, Britney Spears, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Cher, Tina Turner, and James Taylor to Christina Aguilera, Diana Ross, Roy Orbison, Liza Minnelli, Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Stevie Wonder, Mary J. Blige, Wiz Khalifa, Imagine Dragons, Nine Inch Nails, The Ramones, Billie Eilish, Willie Nelson, The Rolling Stones, and Paul McCartney have graced the Summerfest stages. Acts with Milwaukee and Wisconsin connections have had a prominent history at Summerfest, most notably the BoDeans, The Gufs, Danny Gokey, and Violent Femmes.

The concerts have been mostly civil events, with two notable exceptions. In 1970, a performance by the late-arriving Sly & the Family Stone nearly resulted in a riot. In 1973, a performance by Humble Pie & Jo Jo Gunne resulted in a riot, a bonfire, and about 300 arrests. As a result of the latter concert, organizers shied away from rock bands for several years, and established guidelines for "family-friendly" acts and a ban on alcohol brought in by patrons. This was properly managed when Henry Jordan found the experienced managers, Joel Gast and Lou Volpano, to manage entertainment in-house, eliminating Cleveland's Jules Belkin Promotions, who were hired by Board Members Bernie Samson and Steve Marcus. Also at that time local manager Volpano was hired specifically to improve production and book international superstars on what was a mere Local Rock Stage, where then the Ramones, UFO, and Judas Priest headlined

Live comedy acts have also been a part of Summerfest's history, even before a regular "Comedy Showcase" was first established in 1975. Bob Hope was the main headliner at Summerfest 1969, performing two shows at Milwaukee County Stadium. George Carlin (opening for Arlo Guthrie) performed his " Seven Words You Can Never Say on Television" routine at the 1972 event and was subsequently arrested for violating obscenity laws. Prior to his arrest, he discarded a bag of cocaine to avoid further imprisonment.

Since 1975, comedy acts ranging from David Brenner and Henny Youngman to Jay Leno and Jon Stewart have performed at the event. Sandra Bernhard did TV and radio promos for its 1986 season when she was a performer there. Lewis Black has also become a frequent performer at Summerfest.

Recent performers

Opening headliners

See also

*Henry Maier Festival Park
*List of historic rock festivals

References

External links

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* Retrospectives by Dave Tianen in th
June 24, 2007
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June 28, 2007
''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel''.

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Music festivals in Wisconsin
Rock festivals in the United States
Music of Wisconsin
Festivals in Milwaukee
Recurring events established in 1968
Music festivals established in 1968
Pop music festivals in the United States
Henry Maier Festival Park
1968 establishments in Wisconsin