M'Lou Elkins
Summerfest is a Milwaukee staple. There are a few things that are guaranteed in life, and having a good time on the Lake Michigan shoreline with friends and family is one of them. Since 1970, it has been a yearly ritual that attracts major artists across the world, and the level of talent ranges from local to the largest names in the industry.
Not only that, but the festival is considered one of the largest and longest-running ones in the country. A large red smiley face says it all, but with state fair-type foods, vendors with all sorts of products, and carnival rides, it has a little bit of everything for everyone.
Spread out over two separate weekends at the end of June and the Fourth of July weekend, it is easy to plan for. The city of Milwaukee itself also pitches in by opening parking lots and emphasizing mass transportation. Local businesses also offer shuttle rides across all of the surrounding cities. Over half a million attendees show up rain or shine and Summerfest delivers the fun in the heartbeat of Wisconsin’s largest city.
Each stage is uniquely set up and designed to not interfere with the other surrounding stages and performing artists. Beverage stands and beer halls are plentiful. Play areas and children’s themed shows and games are also on the grounds. The food courtyard by the front gates to the American Family Insurance Amphitheater flourishes. The “Big Gig” is a must-attend event for anyone considering visiting Milwaukee. After all, each stage hosts a different type of music, and is fun for everyone. If you want to take in the spirit of the festival, have a ride on the sky glider at sunset.
Tickets and upgrades are available here: https://www.summerfest.com/ticket-info/
THURSDAY, JUNE 19
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Def Leppard + Tesla
BMO PAVILION
5:45 p.m. Troy Tyler
7:30 p.m. Eric Benét
10 p.m. The Isley Brothers
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
4:30 p.m. Buffalo Nichols
6:30 p.m. The Shonn Hinton Experience
8:30 p.m. Joy Oladokun
10:15 p.m. Gary Clark Jr.
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Ava Maybee
6 p.m. Zinadelphia
8 p.m. Aly & AJ
10 p.m. Natasha Bedingfield
GENERAC POWER STAGE
4 p.m. Adam Jensen
7:45 p.m. Augustana
9:30 p.m. Jack’s Mannequin
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
5:30 p.m. Hiss Golden Messenger
7:30 p.m. The Record Company
8:15 p.m. Ginuwine
9:30 p.m. The Allman Betts Band
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
4:15 p.m. NilexNile
6:30 p.m. Mike Jones
10 p.m. Fabolous
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Hozier + Gigi Perez
BMO PAVILION
4:30 p.m. Bad Boy
7:30 p.m. Foghat
9:30 p.m. George Thorogood & The Destroyers
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
4:30 p.m. Bombargo
8:30 p.m. John Butler
10:15 p.m. Dispatch
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Allison Russell
9 p.m. Snow Wife
10:30 p.m. Betty Who
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Todd Cameron
8 p.m. Austin Snell
10 p.m. Muscadine Bloodline
GENERAC POWER STAGE
4 p.m. Illiterate Light
6 p.m. Arts Fishing Club
7:45 p.m. Yoke Lore
9:30 p.m. The Head And The Heart
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
3:30 p.m. Wang Chung
5:30 p.m. Paul Young
7:30 p.m. Grand Funk Railroad
9:30 p.m. Rick Springfield
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
10 p.m. Ayra Starr
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7 p.m. James Taylor + Jason Mraz, Tiny Habits
BMO PAVILION
10 p.m. Japanese Breakfast
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
4:30 p.m. Jason Scott & The High Heat
6:30 p.m. Jack Wharff & The Tobacco Flats
8:30 p.m. Kashus Culpepper
10 p.m. Whiskey Myers
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Eric Bellinger
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Odie Leigh
8 p.m. The Army, The Navy
10 p.m. Matt Maltese
GENERAC POWER STAGE
6 p.m. Iann Dior
7:45 p.m. Good Neighbors
9:30 p.m. Artemas
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
1:45 p.m. Justin Nozuka
5:30 p.m. Ben Rector
9:30 p.m. Lindsey Stirling
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
4:15 p.m. Luke Borchelt
6:30 p.m. Cooper Ramsey
8:15 p.m. Shaylen
10 p.m. Billy Currington
THURSDAY, JUNE 26
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Lainey Wilson + Lukas Nelson, Shane Smith & The Saints
BMO PAVILION
5:45 p.m. Bandits On The Run
7:30 p.m. Willy Porter
10 p.m. The Avett Brothers
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
4:30 p.m. The Summer Set
6:30 p.m. Olive Vox
8:30 p.m. The Maine
10:15 p.m. Mayday Parade
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
6 p.m. Lille Venn
10 p.m. Nessa Barrett
GENERAC POWER STAGE
6 p.m. The English Beat
7:45 p.m. The Mission U.K.
9:30 p.m. The Psychedelic Furs
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
5:30 p.m. Freddy Jones Band
7:30 p.m. The Producers
9:30 p.m. DEVO
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
8:15 p.m. Lecade
10 p.m. Gavin Adcock
FRIDAY, JUNE 27
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. The Killers + Cold War Kids
BMO PAVILION
9:30 p.m. CAKE
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
10:15 p.m. Billy Corgan And The Machines Of God
AURORA PAVILION
5:45 p.m. Chaparelle
7 p.m. Julien Baker & TORRES
GENERAC POWER STAGE
5:45 p.m. Showoff
7:45 p.m. Plain White T’s
9:30 p.m. Motion City Soundtrack
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
2 p.m. Adam Warner
4 p.m. Hotel California: A Salute To The Eagles
6 p.m. Steve Max: Master Of Simon Sez
7:30 p.m. Phil Vassar
9:30 p.m. Jo Dee Mesina
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
6:30 p.m. Skrilla
8:15 p.m. 1900Rugrat
10 p.m. Offset
SATURDAY, JUNE 28
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Megan Thee Stallion + Flo Milli
BMO PAVILION
5:45 p.m. Richie Allen
7:30 p.m. Preston Cooper
10 p.m. Riley Green
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
2:45 p.m. Sugo
4:30 p.m. Spyro Gyra
6:30 p.m. Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway
8:30 p.m. Cassandra Lewis
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Grupo Mania
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Paul Cebar Tomorrow Sound
6 p.m. Dumpstaphunk
8 p.m. The Cat Empire
10 p.m. Here Come The Mummies
GENERAC POWER STAGE
6 p.m. Chuckyy
7:45 p.m. YTB Fatt
9:30 p.m. BossMan Dlow
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
3:30 p.m. Nicotine Dolls
5:30 p.m. Amble
7:30 p.m. Zach Seabaugh
9:30 p.m. The Fray
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
4:15 p.m. Dogpark
6:30 p.m. HAFFWAY
8:15 p.m. Smallpools
10 p.m. Young The Giant
THURSDAY, JULY 3
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Benson Boone
BMO PAVILION
7:30 p.m. 311 + Badflower
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
4:30 p.m. Phoneboy
6:30 p.m. Phantom Planet
8:30 p.m. I Don’t Know How But They Found Me
10:15 p.m. Lovejoy
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Nettspend
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Timmy Skelly
6 p.m. Friko
8 p.m. Hey, Nothing
10 p.m. MJ Lenderman
GENERAC POWER STAGE
7:45 p.m. TWINSICK
9:30 p.m. Loud Luxury
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
5:30 p.m. Vixen
7:30 p.m. Rocket Mafia ft. Rikki Rocket
9:30 p.m. Sebastian Bach
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
6:30 p.m. GASHI
FRIDAY, JULY 4
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. Bad Omens + Spiritbox + We Came As Romans
BMO PAVILION
9:30 p.m. Chicago
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
6:30 p.m. The Ike Reilly Assassination
8:30 p.m. Bully
10:15 p.m. Social Distortion
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Gary Lewis & The Playboys
6 p.m. Darren Kiely
8 p.m. Max McNown
10 p.m. Alex Warren
GENERAC POWER STAGE
4 p.m. Little Texas
7:45 p.m. Frost Children
9:30 p.m. Porter Robinson
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
9:30 p.m. Richard Marx
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
6:30 p.m. Everclear
8:15 p.m Tripping Daisy
10 p.m. Fountains Of Wayne
SATURDAY, JULY 5
AMERICAN FAMILY INSURANCE AMPHITHEATER
7:30 p.m. The Lumineers + Hippo Campus
MILLER LITE OASIS STAGE
6:30 p.m. Saxsquatch
8:30 p.m. Rome
10:15 p.m. Dirty Heads
AURORA PAVILION
7 p.m. Snow Tha Product
BRIGGS & STRATTON BIG BACKYARD
4 p.m. Rivals
6 p.m. Archers
10 p.m. The Warning
GENERAC POWER STAGE
7:45 p.m. Real Boston Richey
9:30 p.m. Tee Grizzley
ULINE WAREHOUSE STAGE
5:30 p.m. Bloodywood
7:30 p.m. Jinjer
9:30 p.m. Babymetal
USCELLULAR CONNECTION STAGE
4:15 p.m. Aiden Canfield
6:30 p.m. Lauren Watkins
8:15 p.m. Josh Ross
10 p.m. Nate Smith
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