Summerfest, drone shows, and online misery vs. offline reality

Over the course of the last three weekends, I had a terrible time at Summerfest. The lineup was pathetic, the prices were outrageous, and the Saz’s sampler platter was mid. It was too hot and there wasn’t enough shade. It was too rainy and there wasn’t enough shelter. The crowds were out of control and no one goes to this thing anymore. Bring back the 11-day format! What a joke. Summerfest isn’t what it used to be.

In the middle of the three-week Summerfest, I had a terrible time at the Milwaukee County Drone Show. The Lite-Brite drones were pathetic, the Lite-Brite ads were outrageous, and something something liberal cities and the mayor. It was too small and you couldn’t see it from Summerfest. It was too quiet and you couldn’t hear the Lee Greenwood song they played at the end. The crowds were out of control and no one went to this thing. Bring back the fireworks! What a joke. [redacted racist, homophobic, and/or sexist slur]

But wait…that’s not what happened at all. I went to Summerfest and I had a nice time. (I saw Devo!) I went to the Drone Show and I had a nice time. (They did the Boat!) There were thousands upon thousands of other people having a nice time. Why all the negativity?

The internet, and social media in particular—that’s why all the negativity. Yes, the first two paragraphs are just a minuscule sampling of the frothing, hyperbolic, and bug-eyed vitriol I’ve seen directed at Summerfest and the Drone Show over the past few days. You’ve probably seen it, too: Endless threads of hate and anger from people whose profile photos are of them and their grandchildren. Endless arguments between people who don’t care for fireworks and people who [blocked due to racist, homophobic, and/or sexist slur]. Thousands of miserable comments from thousands of miserable people (and bots). Misery, misery, and more misery. Good lord.

There was once a time when virtual life and real life were two discreet spaces. “It’s only the internet,” people would say when things got hairy online. “It isn’t real life.” But these days, the line between “online” and “real life” has been severely blurred—if not outright obliterated. Online discourse is the de facto discourse of politics. Memes and podcast hosts radicalize entire generations. Social media—once filled with nothing but family news and photos of what you ate for breakfast—decides elections.

But let me make a few calm, collected, “in real life” rebuttals anyway. My Summerfest 2025 experience was great! I went for five of its nine days and had a blast. The festival remains a ridiculous gem of the Milwaukee summer: an overstuffed music festival with a little something for everyone that takes place in a lovely and well-appointed lakeshore park where you can eat and drink and relax and hang out with friends. Compared to just about any other music festival on the planet, it’s obscenely affordable. There are days when you can get in for free if you bring a few canned goods or something. There are other days when you can get in free for no reason other than the day is sponsored by Kohl’s. I ate a bunch of food, saw a bunch of fantastic local acts, and pondered the wisdom of waiting in line for a baked beans bucket hat. I saw Saxsquach.

As for the July 3 Drone Show…it was fine. The show itself was novel if a little underwhelming, but the night surrounding it was classic Milwaukee. There were thousands of people from all corners of the county crammed onto the lakeshore. There was music and food and beer. Folks were happy and friendly and in good spirits. My kid spent most of the time running around with friends and catching fireflies. The Boat was funny. The story I posted about the People’s Flag being greeted by dead silence and a woman asking me what it was supposed to be is absolutely true. (Sorry, Reddit!) If anything, I may have wildly underestimated just how passionate grown adults are for fireworks.

That isn’t to say that Summerfest and the Drone Show are above criticism–even harsh criticism. Far from it. For me, the three-weekend Summerfest format remains one weekend too many. There’s only so much summer to go around! We all have other shit we want/need to do! And the McKinley Beach Drone Show was simply no substitute for the good ol’ lakeshore fireworks, full stop. I hope Milwaukee County brings the fireworks back in 2026. Like I said, I may have wildly underestimated just how passionate grown adults are for fireworks.

There. Those are my criticisms. See how easy and painless that was? Mileages may vary, but would it kill some online folks to simply dial it down a few notches?

It’s summer. It’s summer in Milwaukee. The city—despite all its faults—is never better than it is now. Get out there and enjoy it. It’s yours for the taking. It’s real life.

Want more Milwaukee Record? Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and/or support us on Patreon.