Summerfest Sticking With 3-Weekend Format For 2023

MILWAUKEE, WI — After Summerfest 2022 wrapped up in July from a return to more normal conditions since the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers are already making plans for next year's festival.

Marking the 55th anniversary of the festival, Summerfest 2023 is set to stick with the three-weekend format similar to what was rolled out in 2022. Previously, the festival ran on consecutive weekdays as well as weekends, at times with a break halfway through the festival.

The dates for the 2023 festival (each will be a Thursday through Saturday) are June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8, Summerfest announced in a news release Tuesday.

Festival organizers decided to stick with the three-weekend format after a survey of patrons found 80 percent preferred Fridays and Saturdays. Further, 85 percent of people surveyed said the diverse headliners and acts were a prime reason they liked Summerfest, according to the news release.

With the information from the surveys, Summerfest organizers decided to keep the three-weekend format as it allows for more Friday and Saturday events and provides a wider timeframe for booking acts, according to the news release.

“As we celebrate our 55th anniversary, we feel fortunate to have a passionate fanbase," said Don Smiley, CEO of Summerfest's parent company, Milwaukee World Festival Inc. "It is important to be responsive to fans’ interests by providing more opportunities to attend on weekends, bringing more national touring artists, and offering an enhanced Summerfest experience.”

Alongside the survey of preferences, festival organizers touted the pride they found people had for Summerfest. From the survey, 93 percent of people said the festival is a fabric of Milwaukee's culture and community, while 90 percent said it's a tradition they value.

While we haven't yet learned the lineup for Summerfest 2023, organizers said tickets and information on the artists playing at the American Family Insurance Ampitheater can be expected in the coming weeks.