Milwaukee summers are absolutely stuffed with outdoor music series. (Need proof? Here you go!) But none of those outdoor music series are quite as cozy—or quite as eclectic—as Musical Mondays. The free summertime series takes place on the Lake Park Summer Stage, near the playground, throughout July and August. Combine that with the more kid/family-focused Wonderful Wednesdays series, and you have a whole summer of great live music at Lake Park.
So without further ado, here are the 2026 lineups for Musical Mondays (co-sponsored by Milwaukee Record!) and Wonderful Wednesdays. All blurbs courtesy of Lake Park Friends. (Shout-out to Musical Mondays series presenter/mastermind Jeff Bentoff for always putting together a stellar lineup.)
MUSICAL MONDAYS
Musical Mondays concerts are from 6:30 – 8 p.m.
July 6 – DE LA BUENA
A powerful 10-piece band, Milwaukee’s De La Buena electrifies audiences with its own brand of Afro-Cuban and LaTn Jazz. De La Buena is ever conscious of the influence and necessary respect for tradition yet is willing to inject sophisticated, psychedelic sensibilities into an aggressive, expansive framework.
July 13 – FLOW TRIBE
New Orleans’s Flow Tribe brings the fire to audiences through genres of music ranging from soul, funk, blues, rock and more. At the heart of each tune is their passion for the beautiful music of the Crescent City, and the melting pot of influences can be heard in their music and performance.
July 20 – THE R&B CADETS
Milwaukee’s most popular and longest-running supergroup, The R&B Cadets play a unique signature mix of danceable originals and obscure covers, fronted by some of the city’s most cherished voices – Paul Cebar, Robin Pluer and John Sieger.
July 27 – LAURA RAIN AND THE CAESARS
A proud product of the Motor City, hard-driving singer Laura Rain and her hot band pump out soul, R&B and funk originals worthy of the many greats hailing from Detroit, with fearless emotion and excitement.
August 3 – BUCKETS OF PRINE: THE SONGS OF JOHN PRINE
With its pitch-perfect harmonies and varied orchestrations, this Door County supergroup has created one of the peninsula’s most popular concert traditions. After performing Bob Dylan’s songs to full houses since 2011, the group is now also covering the beloved songs of legendary songwriter John Prine.
August 10 – BUCKWHEAT ZYDECO JR & THE LEGENDARY ILS SONT PARTIS BAND
Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. & The Legendary Ils Sont ParTIs BandFrom Lafayette, Louisiana, Buckwheat Zydeco Jr. carries forward the Grammy-winning legacy of his father, zydeco pioneer Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural Sr. A dynamic multi-instrumentalist and bandleader, with his dad’s band, he has shared the stage with legends like Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson, and Buddy Guy.
August 17 – THE KAI BERGENDAHL PROJECT FEATURING FAITH HATCH
The Kal Bergendahl Project is a six-piece instrumental jazz-funk band powered by a three-piece horn section. This top Milwaukee-based group will perform originals as well as jazz standards featuring up-and-coming vocalist Faith Hatch.
August 24 – MAMA SAID STRING BAND
Delivering a refreshing reinvention of sounds once forgohen, Mama Said String Band has been impacting the bluegrass scene and beyond since its 2016 debut. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the band’s four songwriters and players feature exquisite vocal harmonies and contemporary instrumentation.
WONDERFUL WEDNESDAYS
Wonderful Wednesdays concerts are from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
July 15 – THE LAST BEES
Wisconsin-based Ian Ash was inspired by the Led Zeppelin throwback of Greta Van Fleet and the 60’s throwback of artists like Megan Trainor and Pokey LaFarge. The result: positive, uplifting, nostalgia- inspired melodies, as sweet as honey, with vocals and instruments with an edge that stings like a bee.
July 22 – BRANCH & CO.
Will Branch is a musician with over 35 years of experience who has performed around the US and his original songs have been played on folk radio around the world. Lil Rev is an award-winning, Wisconsin-based mulT-instrumentalist and folk arTst. He is the 1996 NaTonal Blues Harmonica Champ and was voted 2004 Best Folksinger in Wisconsin by The WAMI board.
July 29 – MAIN STREET SONG & DANCE TROUPE
High-energy show choir performance featuring pop hits, choreography & young local talent. Main Street Song & Dance Troupe develops character and talent in its community of young performers through education and exceptional performing experiences.
August 5 –FROGWATER
Renowned for their virtuosity and exuberant live performances, the repertoire of this musical pair spans from CelTc to Delta blues, from classical to pop with a healthy dose of unique original material filling out the mix.
August 12 – JEN & THE JELLYFISH
Featuring the sounds of David Weinstone’s Music for Aardvarks and Other Mammals music along with other family friendly tunes.
August 19 – LITTLE MISS ANN
Nationally-touring Chicago based Filipina American kids’ musician who has made 9 award winning albums that span different genres with fun, interactive, upbeat songs that inspire kids to sing, jump, dance and let their own lights shine.
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