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    Summerfest

    3.7 (253 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

    Summerfest Photos

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    JAMES TAYLOR
    Robynleigh O.

    Been living here for a jaw- dropping , whopping 5 months Had a friends mom come to town specifically for James Taylor. We had tickets purchased in the "tinned fish" bleacher seats. Jason Mraz opened, that was quite fun. I watched James Taylor for a bit. Then... I split off from my group to speed to the exact opposite of the park to see someone perform live for my first time. Lindsey Stirling is a lovely, exquisite, AMAZING sight to watch. She was on So You Think You Can Dance and while dancing plays epic violin music. Such a great night. #Utah

    The wheel. The Sky Glider is a way better ride if I had to choose.
    Nina H.

    For avid music goers, Summerfest should be on your radar. Summerfest Milwaukee, WI is a festival of music spanning over multiple weekends through June and ends on the July 4th weekend. This is the largest music festival in the country and at one point was the largest music festival in the world. Summerfest has been going on for decades and although late in discovering this, I'm glad we got to experience it. For the cost of a single ticket, cost for this year's Summerfest was in the $30+/pp range, you gain access to the multiple outdoor stage acts within the confines. Only the headlining acts cost extra outside the general admission price. There are multiple food and drink stalls along the path and there is something for everyone. I think the hardest part was trying to figure out who to see and time it right. As for rides, I only know of two which are the Ferris Wheel and the Sky Glider. We opted to take the Sky Glider which is basically a ski lift offering fantastic views of the festival grounds. 2024 Sky Glider pricing has options where you can purchase a round trip ticket for $11.12 or hop on either end of the line and pay the one way cost for $6.67. We chose to walk the entire length of the fest and at the end take the Sky Glider back to the entrance to save us the walk. There's a lot of great opportunities for people watching. People really get creative with their style at festivals and checking out all the fashion on display was pretty awesome. While waiting in between shows, I convinced my husband to do a caricature portrait with a renowned festival artist by the name of Cindy Berglund. I really liked her work and she does a great job doing portrait style caricature art. She had a waitlist of about 2 hours but we got our names in and got a nice keepsake afterwards. I only wished they offered carnival games. I was surprised they didn't offer that in a venue like this. We drove in from Evanston and if you are coming in from Chicago, the drive up is roughly 1.5 hours. We ended up parking in the nearby city garages for about $30 which covered the entire day. I loved the scene overall. Milwaukee folk are super friendly especially here at this fest. So much so we befriended another couple while waiting in line for the Sky Glider. We ended up chatting with them and had lively conversation. If you love music, festivals and fun don't pass up Summerfest!

    Christie B.

    This venue is amazing! So clean and pretty, right on Lake Michigan. There are lots of chairs and sofas overlooking the water where you can relax. mThe food venues did not disappoint either with so many options. The mac and cheese were delicious! Lots of seating around the park so you don't have to stand to eat your food. The music and arenas were great! My only complaint is the price of parking; come on give us a break! $40-$50 just to park daily. Who can afford that? Of course you can park far away for much less but that mean a lot of walking if you are up to trekking.

    Kade B.

    This review is specificially for the Level Up (LVL) experience in the Miller Lite Oasis. For $75, the package includes an exclusive seating area, 2 drink vouchers good for Pepsi and select alcoholic products, a bar for purchase, private bathrooms, and general admission to Summerfest. Hands down, it is ABSOLUTELY worth the price if you love one of the bands performing from 7:30pm onward at the Miller stage. The staff are super friendly, and it was nice to actually sit for a concert. My only complaint is that the chairs are not super plus-size friendly and could use some padding. That's just my personal opinion though! There is a couch/lounging area with TVs too if that's more your speed. The biggest thing to note about this area is that seating is first come, first served. There's standing room and tables if all of the chairs on the deck are taken. I also want to add that I attended this alone, so I was nervous about walking back to my vehicle late at night. Wow, was I impressed by Summerfest's commitment to security and traffic control! I felt so safe walking back, and it was extremely easy to commute back to my apartment thanks to the outstanding direction and work of the traffic controllers. Props to Summerfest all around for this experience!

    Evelyn M.

    So many stages and the rain stopped to catch h 3 different bands!!! Good and drink options everywhere... what a consistent great experience right on the water!!! And yes we had some cheese curds!!!!

    Enterance - 2023
    John F.

    Summerfest has be around for 55 years, and I used to look forward to getting to at least one or two days every year. Now I'm only apt to attend if there is a MainStage act that interest me. (This year it was James Taylor) Unfortunately these type of acts are harder to find. This isn't Summerfest fault... it's mine for getting older! And for all the good bands for getting older too! Summerfest really tries to include everyone from Pop to Rock, Hip Hop and Country. But it is truly for the younger population. During the day there are a lot attractions for the very young and families, but as it heads into the evening the teens and 20-30 somethings take over and alcohol definitely shows it's effects. (Which I don't have a problem with... maybe I'm just jealous) The food can be hit and miss. I had a French Dip sandwich for a late lunch which was not good, but later in the evening I had a cheeseburger from the Charcoal Grill which was pretty darn good. Food and alcohol are very pricey so be prepared to spend some $ if you are going to want to eat and drink. Being removed from the 20-30 age group I no longer see Summerfest as an attraction I will put on my "things to do list in Milwaukee during summer". Parking sucks and getting out is even worse. So this year I took the bus from Brown Deer. $10 round trip. (There are other buses too) So worth it! Highly recommend looking into this option. Picked up and dropped off less than a block from the front gate.

    One of the rare chances to enjoy one of the country's biggest music festivals right by the lake--while indulging in all your favorite fried foods. P.S. Don't skip the fried Oreos!

    Waffle fries with pulled pork
    Ana T.

    The official last day of Summerfest! No disappointment at the fest. Awesome concert from Neon Trees. Warm and inviting to meet. Overall good energy! My first official stop was the Ethnic Gardens. I strolled upon the Maders restaurant. I selected the German Nachos; a combination of sauerkraut, corned beef, kettle chips & swiss cheese. The HARD ice cream station enticed a few. A feature of Chocolate espresso martini with a shot of chocolate vodka; making people do a double take. Looking forward to visiting next year 2025! I already have tickets.

    Fei R.

    We had a good time here. Good food, good music and good memories. Don't forget to snap your free Instax photo and get the M&M's chocolate hats while you are here.

    Kyle H.

    How many days did I go to Summerfest in 2022? Six? Seven? I'm gonna say it only once- go back to the old format of 10 days in a row with July 3-4 dark. Locals like to go during the week, a weeknight, a Sunday (I can't believe it's not open on Sundays), and I have more than a couple friends who grew up in Milwaukee but live out of state, who used to come home to visit family for the whole stretch, but now have to choose a weekend, or two at best. That said, I go for the music; beer, food and people watching come after, and 2022 was a good year for music! Definitely get there in time if you want a good "seat", aka aluminum bleacher. A few times I was trying to eke out the last of a set at another stage, and ended up way in the back, SRO! I'm a craft beer lover, so I head to Lakefront Brewery for their 4pm daily Firkin specialty tap, and also enjoy Terrapins. Food is about the same as ever, but Botanas steak tacos really hit the spot, a Saz sampler, Robbie's corn. My Chicago friends love this festival, so Milwaukeeans, don't take it for granted! Did 2020 teach you nothing! Summerfest- it's our World's Largest Music Festival!

    Iration!
    Victor H.

    Had the pleasure of attending this event on 9/11/21. The atmosphere of being near the shore and the setup to hold 7-8 stages and multiple vendors for products, food, music, merchandise, Etc. It exceeded my expectations. Here for the music; mainly Iration and 311 and enjoyed so many more bands than I expected such as Iya Terra and Tank and the Bangas. Other bands such as Ke$ha, Buckcherry, and ZZ Top performs as well. For the large amount of bands performing for the three day weekend, you couldn't go wrong with it. GA admission for one day was only $26 that I paid, well worth it! Very impressed and I look forward to what the 2022 lineup is. One of the better music festivals I attended and another reason why MKE rocks the summer!

    Smoked Turkey leg.

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    11 months ago

    This is one of my favorite festivals. Tip shaming and entrance fees are out of hand! These activities really put a downside to Summerfest.

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    Don't expect any response from contact email. Multiple attempts were ignored. Customer service is zero.

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    Page 1 of 7

    Ask the Community - Summerfest

    Review Highlights - Summerfest

    I usually like to go with my bestie as we have been attending this music festival for over 20 years now.

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    Brady Street Festival - Brady St Festival, mid afternoon, 7/30/22.

    Brady Street Festival

    4.1(24 reviews)
    1.5 miLower East Side, East Village

    Brady Street Festival 2022 was back and people were out with a vengeance. I was in New Orleans this…read morepast spring, and I don't think Bourbon Street on a Saturday night holds a candle to the frenetic drunk energy on Saturday night at Brady Street Festival, actually. Pros- One of the most diverse festivals in Milwaukee, good food vendors, good music lineups, good artisan vendors Cons- Overly Crowded, sprawling, a drunk fest with music (as an aside?), a surcharge on credit cards at Festival drink tents, people getting overserved Dryhootch Veterans house had a great R&B Veterans band, good food- Nomad staff were working hard and had a great party out back, as well. The main music stages have good local acts in a variety of styles, such as Negative Positive, Browns Crew, GuhGuhGoldDuhDuh (haha) throughout the day. I got some great tacos, and Elotes Mexican Street Corn. There is a lot of good food vendors here. Brady Street Festival is really great for the bars on Brady- as they set up shop w/slushies, liquor drinks, Mai Tais and the like, and the bars are bustling. But aye, there's the rub- our crowd of music dancers and watchers of De La Buena got physically plowed by people who by 7pm were already...plowed! Of course Brady Street Festival is 100% Brady Street, glad to have you back.

    First time going to The Brady Street Festival it was a good experience. Went with my daughter and…read moremy grandson. Well I wanted to eat some of their food but my daughter said another time, Iwanted some of the waffle fries that was in one of the stands. I had great people saying hi to me, got along fine with some people there. Got a free shirt but just walking by a shirt stand. Thank you, at least they was nice. Maybe if they have the Festival again for next year I'll be there ready for anything and eat the food, have more fun. Stay a bit longer. Love that they had bikers doing great stunts and the guys that with the drums doing stepping music. Took a pic of The Godfathers picture they had outside a restaurant. Thank you.

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    Brady Street Festival - Brady St Festival, mid afternoon, looking east, 7/30/22.

    Brady St Festival, mid afternoon, looking east, 7/30/22.

    Brady Street Festival - 7/28/23 Cool

    7/28/23 Cool

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    Festa Italiana - Dick Contino with Sally Jackson and Rita Rinelli at the Festa Italiana.

    Festa Italiana

    3.3(12 reviews)
    0.3 miHistoric Third Ward

    My first Festa Italiana in over 10 years and it's still an okay fest. I found free street parking…read morenearby- but most parking within easy walking distance is just $8. Buy tix ahead of time online to save a few bucks, or check for deals, like bringing in a red Sendik's bag for free admission. This small fest is nice that it's not that crowded, and has a mix of Italian cultural elements, with normal entertainment options. I enjoyed getting caught up in a parade with the UW marching band, Festa dignitaries in old cars, some Firenze drill team, and oversized puppets. There's lots of wine here, but few good beer options. Food options are limited and fairly pricey. I had a good but small entree of lasagna w/vodka sauce from diCarlo's, and also some excellent roast corn. Of the better non-Italian entertainment, the Heart cover band Dog 'n' Butterfly was excellent, and Gin Blossoms weren't bad, as their set overlapped an excellent fireworks display that could be heard for miles and miles, apparently.

    This was my first time attending the Festa Italians, wish I knew you could bring a sendiks bag…read moreinstead of paying $13. I was a bit disappointed after finding that out but then again I decided last minute to stop by. Easy parking right across from the entrance which was $10, not a lot of selection for food. And not that many venue were there, I was told it's fun at night however I made it there 3 or 4pm in the afternoon. The roast corn was pretty good (I didn't get to have any my friend did) love the mini donuts which I had 7 of those :). Overall it was just okay.

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    Festa Italiana
    Festa Italiana - Flag throwers

    Flag throwers

    Festa Italiana

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    Riverwest24

    Riverwest24

    4.8(11 reviews)
    2.8 miRiverwest

    It's so great to see a community of people who work together to help make this event happen year to…read moreyear. Talk about a group people who love celebrating for more than just 24 hours. I had a chance to experience this event on a reservoir rd aka twizzler alley this is an open road event with intersection spotters at a few locations hopefully in the future they could have more volunteers help warn bikers as they approach some of the most heavily traveled sections day and night. it made me nervous watching how fast they go and how easy a collision can occur Riverwest is a community that cares. Roll on Thank you sponsors and community volunteers! 36/2016

    RW24 is as good as the soul of a city can breathe out! It is the culmination of good vibes and…read moremasterful planning, uh hum, or at least flying by the seat of your pants. My Milwaukee neighborhood of Riverwest is alive more than usual for a full 24 hours of parties and camaraderie. Anywhere you walk the streets are shut down or at least barricaded off. A buzz is in the air from an event so killer, only a Milwaukee neighborhood nestled on the West side of the river could dare pull it off. All things Riverwest are in full swing, all hands on deck for a truly good time. Most streets are a mayhem of elated pandemonium to show the world or at least Wisconsin how much it means for a neighborhood to come together. Some sleep and others don't. Either way by the time the 24 is up any involved are feeling it. Long live the RW24!

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    Riverwest24 - Booth st check point

    Booth st check point

    Riverwest24
    Riverwest24

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    Oktoberfest Milwaukee

    Oktoberfest Milwaukee

    4.2(33 reviews)
    5.9 mi
    $$

    Great atmosphere, nice selection of beers but unfortunately the food is definitely not as good as…read moreseveral years ago. The $25 half chicken was overcooked and dry, and since last year the $30 pork wasn't so good we didn't even try it. However, the entertainment was nice and overall very enjoyable.

    It's been a long time since I've been to this Oktoberfest. Finally made a return over the weekend…read moreand totally forgot what a big, electric crowd it brings! Parking was a wild time, as they were directing people to an entirely different lot down the way, so it was a bit of hike to get to the entrance. Once we parked, we waited in like for 10 minutes or to get through the gates. I was tipped off the downland the Bavarian's app ahead of time, which got me $5 off my entry (and it was free from my little kiddo in tow). If you're looking for all the great German beer, German music, and German cuisine, this is your place! It's so fun to see how many attendees dress to theme in their lederhosens, dirndls, and hats. Some of the staff dress up as well, and of course those preforming on stage! We came to find out this isn't the greatest fest to take young kids, as the crowds are big, the lines are long, and the music (be it so fun and festive), is really loud. I'm sure we would have stayed longer if it was an adult-only trip. In any case, the food and drink are fare price. I'm now regretting not ordering the traditional pretzel and sausage options, but splitting a tasty platter of tenders and fries with my son hit the spot. Being pregnant, I'm not drinking, but friends we were with has nothing but great things to say about their German pints. The beer steins are of course an option which is a fun touch. Hot tip: if you can book a table reservation ahead of time, do so! That's what we did and it was a good call since this place is poppin. Happy official Fall! Enjoy!

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    Oktoberfest Milwaukee
    Oktoberfest Milwaukee
    Oktoberfest Milwaukee - Expert level table decor

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    Expert level table decor

    Jazz in the Park - Now it's really summer!

    Jazz in the Park

    4.6(21 reviews)
    0.8 miEast Town, Downtown
    $

    This summer event is free and very much worth it. With perfect weather, my co-workers and I enjoyed…read morea lovely evening at Cathedral Square Park. Makes you wonder why you had not done this before. Everybody brings a cooler or a basket with food; and the event organizers kindly ask that you purchase your beverages with the vendors. That's how the can make a profit and support the event (makes sense). Drinks are about $6 per cup. This is my first "Jazz in the Park" and I'll definitely come better prepared next time. Besides my chair, I'll bring a book (for the wait) and snacks! There weren't really many options this time. Happy "Jazz in the Park"! Fun fact: "Jazz in the Park" has its own mascot! You can see it dancing around the park. Great for kids!

    "who played last night?" "oh, God, how do I know? It's not…read morelike I ever go to hear the music." I didn't start going to jazz until i moved away from Cathedral Square (well, so I'm 12 blocks away now instead of 1 block,) but I still feel like this is my neighborhood gettogether (as opposed to say, chill on the hill or tosa tonight.) So in the interest of repping home base and all, I have to increase it to 5 stars. That, and really, does summer in milwaukee get any better than sitting on the grass in cathedral square with a bottle of wine (Louises will even deliver a whole pizza to your staked out spot,) or roaming the grounds with a watermelon mojito in hand? I think not. It's always better the hotter the weather gets. There's all kinds of other stuff available for purchase, from kettle corn to beer and wine to tacos to risotto! And you'll see all sorts of milwaukee and neighborhood characters here for good measure. Disclaimer: the music and performers are generally very good...but I'm just more there for the festive atmosphere. Be sure to stop in one of the neighboring restaurants or bars around the square before or definitely after Jazz in the Park ends for the full effect. See you there!

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    Jazz in the Park
    Jazz in the Park
    Jazz in the Park

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    Summer Soulstice Music Festival - Chicken wire empire

    Summer Soulstice Music Festival

    4.2(9 reviews)
    2.1 miMurray Hill, East Side

    Summer Solstice is defined as "the solstice that marks the onset of summer, at the time of the…read morelongest day, about June 21 in the northern hemisphere". And so marks that time of year when all things Wisconsin are on the up and up. It's time to enjoy the warmer weather and hopefully it's dry out. This 2019 Solstice was a dry one despite the long wind up to summer we've all been waiting for. Eastside Summer Soulstice is a particular great event and this year would prove to be one of the best. Why you say, because there are so many new businesses on this corridor of street corners where all roads East intersect. Hacienda Beer, Crossroads Collective and it's many restaurants inside and so on... Plus, all of some of Wisconsin's finest vendors all on the closed of streets and all in the mix. This event is dog friendly and people watching equipped. The sun was shining and although not hot it was a perfect temp to relax and enjoy all this city has to offer. We sat at Hacienda outside and people watched, listened to the 88.9 stage and ate food with our pooch soaking up the sun. Cheers to Summer Soulstice!

    Summer Soulstice Solid. Great local music- so muchso that you can't see everything great happening…read moreat once. It's All Happening (at once)! Three well-spaced stages of great local music is the big ticket hang, here. Besides the great local music there's a good selection of quality Makers showing here, and an okay but not great selection of beer (would like to see more local craft on tap or in cans). I liked that Landmark and Von Trier and other places had bars set up outside. Great local MKE festival.

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    Summer Soulstice Music Festival - Jamming at Summer Soulstice

    Jamming at Summer Soulstice

    Summer Soulstice Music Festival
    Summer Soulstice Music Festival

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    Summerfest - festivals - Updated May 2026

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