A Midwestern city is a festival lover’s dream, with events celebrating food, culture, and beer year-round—but Summerfest in particular is one you don’t want to miss.
Milwaukee, Wisconsin is no stranger to hosting special events, with the city recently hosting the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum.
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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 Trump familyTucker Carlson and Dana White.
But Milwaukee, often called the City of Festivals, hosts all kinds of events for locals and tourists alike.
These special events aren’t just for summer, as the city hosts different festivals in each season.
Milwaukee started 2024 with the Cool Fool Kite Festival Wings Gift on January 1st.
Participants were able to watch Jake “The Kite Guy” Kelsick flies his huge kites while enjoying free hot chocolate and snacks.
In the spring, patrons attended several film screenings of the Milwaukee Film Festival in mid-April.
And autumn is when events like Milwaukee Oktoberfest are held, where guests can enjoy food, necessities and live music.
SUMMER PARTY
The biggest event has consistently been Summer partyan annual music festival held at Henry Maier Festival Park in downtown Milwaukee.
The first Summerfest was held in 1968 and the event has only been canceled once due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
From late June to early July, the 11-day event hosts hundreds of artists ranging from local musicians to nationally known talent.
It also features 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 provide the most incredible snacks and sips exclusively for our Summerfest guests,” the Summerfest website read.
Throughout the event historyhas 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 and 22; June 27th to 29th; and July 4th to 6th.
Artists such as Mötley Crüe, Maroon 5 and Carly Rae Jepsen performed.
Guests can participate in other experiences including a basketball challenge to win prizes, a Ferris wheel and the MKE Airport Skyglider.
“We offer hands-on fun for all festival goers,” the website said.
OTHER SUMMER FESTIVALS
In addition to Summerfest, there is the Milwaukee Night Market in the heart of the city center.
Over four nights – June 26, July 24, August 14 and September 11 – the event offers a taste of the region’s nightlife scene.
“That summer should be the busiest in Milwaukee summer still, and we are so happy that the Night Market’s tenth anniversary is part of the excitement,” said Stacie Callies, Executive Director of the Westown Association, in a statement.
“Each year, the event continues to grow; from record attendance, diversity of vendors and engagement with community stakeholders, we are very proud to host the Night Market in the heart of the Westtown 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 every year the big 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 being turned into a Nike missile facility in the 1950s at the height of the Cold War.
In the late 1960s, the land was sold to the city and Summerfest’s early leaders hoped to turn it into an ideal location for a music festival.
The event’s early years were marked by bad weather and grassy, muddy terrain.
In the 1980s, construction of the Marcus Amphitheater, now known as the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, was completed.
The venue became the central location for headlining performances at Summerfest.
During spring, winter and autumn, the park is used to host other events such as:
- Italian Party
- German party
- Irish Festival
- PrideFest
- Mexican Party
- African World Festival
- Arab World Festival
- Asian Moon
- Labor Party
- Polish Festival
- Indian Summer Festival
Jazz in the park is a low-key event on select Thursdays in 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 free weekly music venue. It attracts up to 5,000 people a week,” the website said.
And for those who want to enjoy the sights of Paris without traveling outside the USA, you can participate Bastille Days in mid-July.
“The free four-day celebration attracts more than 250,000 visitors annually who enjoy live music, an international market, French and Cajun cuisine and street entertainment,” according to the website.
Guests can run through the streets of downtown Milwaukee in the annual Storm the Bastille 5K run/walk.
The event pays homage to the storming of the Bastille in the 18th century prison in Paris while leading runners through the historic Third District.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
