TIME TO PARTY
US hotspot known as City of Festivals celebrates culture, food, and beer year-round – and Summerfest is not to be missed
One 11-day event is held from late June to early July
A Midwest city is a festival lover's dream with events celebrating food, culture, and beer year-round - but Summerfest in particular is one that can't be missed.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is no stranger to hosting special events with the city recently welcoming the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum.
3
3
3
The four-day event declared Donald Trump as the Republican nominee in his third bid for the White House.
Several guests attended and spoke at the convention, including the Trump family, Tucker Carlson, and Dana White.
But Milwaukee, often referred to as the City of Festivals, hosts all kinds of events for locals and tourists alike.
These special events aren't just for the summer as the city hosts different festivals in every season.
Read more travel
Milwaukee kicked off 2024 with the Gift of Wings Cool Fool Kite Festival on January 1.
Attendees could watch Jake "The Kite Guy" Kelsick fly his massive kites while partaking in free hot chocolate and snacks.
In the spring, patrons attended several film screenings for the Milwaukee Film Festival in mid-April.
And the fall is when events such as the Milwaukee Oktoberfest are held, where guests can enjoy food, need, and live music.
Most read in Travel
PARTY OF THE SUMMER
The biggest event has consistently been Summerfest, an annual music festival held at Henry Maier Festival Park in downtown Milwaukee.
The first Summerfest was held in 1968 and the event was only canceled once due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Bandaged Donald Trump gets rock star welcome at RNC event days after assassination attempt
From late June to early July, the 11-day event hosts hundreds of artists that range from local musicians to nationally known talents.
It also showcases a variety of food from the Milwaukee area to support local restaurants.
"We have a deep-rooted commitment to local vendors who bring their A-game to supply the most amazing bites and sips exclusively for our Summerfest guests," read the Summerfest website.
Throughout the event's history, it has seen hundreds of artists perform such as Britney Spears, Paul McCartney, The Jonas Brothers, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, Billie Eilish, The Rolling Stones, and The Jackson 5.
This year's event was held between June 20 to June 22; June 27 to June 29; and July 4 to July 6.
Artists such as Mötley Crüe, Maroon 5, and Carly Rae Jepsen performed.
Guests can partake in other experiences including a basketball challenge to win prizes, a Ferris wheel, and the MKE Airport Skyglider.
"We offer some down-to-earth fun for all you festival-goers," read the website.
OTHER SUMMER FESTIVALS
Aside from Summerfest, there is the Milwaukee Night Market in the heart of the downtown area.
For four nights - June 26, July 24, August 14, and September 11 - the event offers a taste of the area's night scene.
"This summer is expected to be Milwaukee’s busiest summer yet, and we are so happy to have the Night Market’s tenth anniversary be part of the excitement," said Stacie Callies, Executive Director of Westown Association in a statement.
"Each year, the event continues to grow; from attendance records, vendor diversity and engagement with our community stakeholders, we are so proud to host the Night Market in the heart of the Westown neighborhood.
"We can’t wait to see the thousands of Milwaukeeans and visitors on West Wisconsin Avenue on opening night on June 26."
Henry Maier Festival park
Summerfest is the biggest festival in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and each year the massive event is held at Henry Maier Festival Park.
Before Summerfest the land served as one of the city's first airstrips, operating for more than two decades before it was changed to a Nike missile instillation in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War.
By the late 1960s, the land was sold to the city with the early leaders of Summerfest hoping to turn it into an ideal location for a music festival.
The early years of the event were plagued with bad weather and grassy, muddy land.
By the 1980s, the construction of the Marcus Amphitheater, now known as the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, was completed.
The venue has become the central location for headlining acts performing at Summerfest.
During the spring, winter, and fall, the park is used to host other events such as:
- Festa Italiana
- German Fest
- Irish Fest
- PrideFest
- Mexican Fiesta
- African World Festival
- Arab World Festival
- Asian Moon
- Labor Fest
- Polish Fest
- Indian Summer Festival
Jazz in the Park is a low-key event on select Thursdays in the summer.
Guests can bring blankets, drinks, and friends to Cathedral Square Park to enjoy the sounds of a saxophone.
"Jazz in the Park in downtown Milwaukee is the largest weekly free music venue. It attracts up to 5,000 people per week," read the website.
And for those who want to enjoy the sights of Paris without traveling outside the US, can attend Bastille Days in mid-July.
"The free, four-day bash attracts over 250,000 visitors annually who enjoy live music, an international marketplace, French and Cajun cuisine, and roaming busker entertainment," according to the website.
Read More on The US Sun
Guests can run through the streets of downtown Milwaukee at the annual Storm the Bastille 5K Run/Walk.
The event honors the 18th-century attack on the Bastille prison in Paris while leading runners through the historic Third Ward.