Tag: Summerfest

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

July 7, 2025

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 enoug...

Take Me Back To Summerfest 1997: Matthew Sweet at Leinie Lodge

Matt Wild

July 3, 2025

To paraphrase someone I always paraphrase: Memories are illusions. Memories of concerts in the times before smartphones and social media, doubly so. Take my memories of a concert that for many years I consid...

Summerfest 2025 Weekend 2 Recap: No plan, no problem

Tyler Maas

June 30, 2025

For Milwaukee Record, much of our Summerfest coverage is stuff we must do in advance of the festival. There's releasing (then organizing and continually updating) the lineup, finding all the local talent playin...

Take me back to Summerfest 1999: Brandy at Marcus Amphitheater

Tyler Maas

June 26, 2025

When you look at Summerfest lineups from year to year, certain patterns start to emerge. Due to the impossible task of trying to please everyone, as well as behind the scenes factors like budget, tour routing, ...

Record Recommended: Summerfest Weekend 2

Matt Wild

June 24, 2025

broadstreet.zone(152022); Summerfest! Like the last four installments, the Big Gig is staking out three Thursday-Friday-Saturday blocks instead of the old 11-day run. In an effort to help you make some potenti...

Dispatches from the bean line: My 28-minute wait for a Bush’s bucket hat

Tyler Maas

June 24, 2025

There are lots of reasons people go to Summerfest. Of course, the music is the main appeal of a nine-day event that calls itself "The World's Largest Music Festival." However, some people flock to Henry Maier F...

Summerfest 2025 Weekend 1 Recap: All local, all the time

Matt Wild

June 23, 2025

THURSDAY Summerfest fans of a certain age will remember the so-called "local stage." This was an official Summerfest stage—initially sponsored by Cascio, later sponsored by K-Nation Entertainment—that was stoc...

We tried 10 new food/drink items at Summerfest (2025 edition)

Milwaukee Record Staff

June 20, 2025

Summerfest is back! One day is officially in the books, and there are eight more chances to enjoy loads of live entertainment, heaps of tasty treats, and all sorts of refreshments. As the 57th installment of th...

Take me back to Summerfest 1981: Various artists

Vince Morales

June 19, 2025

There have been so many Summerfests. We know this. It's part of the marketing of the thing, but it is still wild to think about how many of these there have been and how many artists have performed on these gro...

Celebrate the first day of Summerfest 2025 with some random old Summerfest videos

Matt Wild

June 19, 2025

Happy Summerfest, Milwaukee! The 2025 edition of the monster lakefront festival takes place June 19-21, June 26-28, and July 3-5. Which makes today...opening day! So let's celebrate the first day of Summerfe...

A guide to Milwaukee acts playing Summerfest

Tyler Maas

June 18, 2025

Thursday marks the official start of another Summerfest. Now in its 57th year, the “Big Gig” has long been home to deep fried delicacies, prime people watching, and hundreds upon hundreds of musical acts from a...

Record Recommended: Summerfest Weekend 1

Tyler Maas

June 17, 2025

broadstreet.zone(152022); Summerfest! Like the last four installments, the Big Gig is staking out three Thursday-Friday-Saturday blocks instead of the old 11-day run. In an effort to help you make some potenti...

Summerfest reusable cup returns for 2025 festival

Press Release

June 11, 2025

Summerfest Reusable Cup Returns for 2025 Festival MILWAUKEE (June 11, 2025) – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance today announced the return of the reusable souvenir cup, available for purchase t...

Here are all the new food and drink items coming to Summerfest 2025, and that’s it

Matt Wild

May 28, 2025

FOOD Angelo’s Pizza – Sicilian Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks Beats & Eats - Lumpia City Mac 'n Cheese Rolls, Lumpia City Apple Crisp Rolls Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie - 1/4 Rotisserie Chicken with Frie...

Summerfest 2025 will feature a “mythical North Woods dreamscape where ancient forest spirits harness the magic of the Aurora Borealis in a cosmic chorus of light and song”

Matt Wild

May 22, 2025

Summerfest is all about the music, the food, and the bleachers, but it's also about the quirky one-off attractions. Remember that "Fritos Legacy Diner" in 2023? Remember that "cosmic corn field" in 2024? Well, ...

Summerfest will transform South Party Pavilion into country-themed Lasso Lounge

Matt Wild

May 21, 2025

Longtime Milwaukee Record readers will remember our reviews of Summerfest's Taped / Pre-Recorded Music. From 2014 through 2021, our very own Tyler Maas would go to Summerfest at noon on opening day, head over t...

Here are Summerfest’s “get in free” admission promotions for 2025

Matt Wild

May 12, 2025

Summerfest! You know it, you love it, and you want to get in for free! And thanks to the bevy of admission promotions listed below, you can totally do that last part! Summerfest 2025 runs for three consecuti...

Summerfest boosts 2025 lineup with Third Eye Blind, Local H, numerous Milwaukee acts, more

Matt Wild

May 8, 2025

It looks like we need to update our easy-to-read Summerfest 2025 lineup article, because the Big Gig just juiced its lineup with a bunch of new names. Leading the pack are Third Eye Blind and The Gufs, who w...

MCTS and Summerfest announce transit options for 2025 festival

Press Release

May 1, 2025

MCTS and Summerfest Announce Transit Options for 2025 Festival (May 1, 2025) – MILWAUKEE, WI – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance and Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) are excited to announ...

Hey! Here’s the 2025 Summerfest lineup!

Matt Wild

February 12, 2025

Well, here it is! The 2025 Summerfest lineup! For the 57th anniversary of the Big Gig! Dig in! Similar to recent years, Summerfest 2025 will take place over three consecutive Thursday-Saturday blocks: June 1...

Tagged Summerfest