Summerfest 2023 Saw 40 Percent Increase In Admissions Over Last Year

MILWAUKEE, WI — After the conclusion of Summerfest 2023, festival officials are reporting a 40 percent boost in admissions over 2022.

It was the 55th anniversary of Milwaukee's largest music festival. Over 600 artists played and over 624,000 fans were in attendance, according to a news release from Milwaukee World Festival Inc. Around 17 percent of patrons accessed the festival with a free admission promotion.

This year's festival took place over three weekends and hosted big names like the Zac Brown Band, Zach Bryan, James Taylor, Trippie Red, Earth Wind and Fire and many more.

“These are fantastic results for Summerfest’s 55th anniversary. We are thrilled our fans turned out to enjoy Summerfest’s unique brand of music, food, and fun,” said Don Smiley, Chief Executive Officer of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc, in a news release. “As I look back on my 20 years of leading Summerfest, this year’s festival is a highlight, as our team continued to deliver a world-class experience in a world-class setting.”

Around 50,000 free tickets were distributed across Milwaukee. With the festival's free admission promotions, patrons donated over 27,000 pounds of food to Hunger Task Force, $18,000 of hygiene products to United Way, and over 3,500 books to Next Door's community literacy projects.

“Summerfest’s 2023 results allow our organization to continue to position the festival for future success. The Summerfest experience remains one of the best in the business and our team looks forward to enhancing that experience in the years to come,” said Sarah Pancheri, President of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. in the news release.

Summerfest announced next year's festival will take place June 20-22, June 27-29, and July 4-6, aligning with the festival's recent change to a three-weekend format, organizers announced Tuesday.