Country music legend Garth Brooks is slated to kick off the 2026 Summerfest music festival with a concert at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Wednesday, June 17, the night before Summerfest officially opens on June 18 at Henry Maier Festival Park on Milwaukee’s lakefront.
This is not the first time that Summerfest has booked a major show the night before Summerfest officially begins. The Rolling Stones performed at the amphitheater the night before the opening of Summerfest 2015.
Brooks’ concert will mark his first performance at Summerfest and his return to Milwaukee after more than a decade.
Before the show, attendees will have the opportunity to visit the South Gate entrance of the festival grounds for a Garth Brooks pre-party, which will include food, beverages and specialty cocktails.
Tickets for the show will go on sale on Friday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m.
“We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Garth Brooks to Summerfest and cannot imagine a better way to kick off the festival in 2026,” said Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival Inc. “This show is not to be missed. We’ve seen countless iconic performances over nearly six decades, this promises to be one of the most memorable yet.”
Summerfest 2026 will take place over three weekends: June 18-20, June 25-27, and July 2-4.
Summerfest 2025 drew 602,231 attendees, up 8.3% from last year. Still, attendance fell 16.1% short of what is was before the COVID-19 pandemic.
