Leaders with Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) and Aurora Health Care gathered Wednesday morning on the sunny Summerfest grounds to unveil the renamed and updated Aurora Pavilion stage and announce the details of yet another partnership between the two entities.
Located in the center of Henry Maier Festival Park near the Mid Gate, the covered stage was sponsored by Johnson Controls from 2013 to 2022. In 2023, before Aurora Health signed on as a sponsor, it was known as the Sound Waves Stage and featured a variety of Milwaukee-area DJs and themed dance nights.
The updated Aurora Pavilion, which has been reconfigured and updated to include wider entrances, a permanent video screen, a pylon sign with digital messaging, public restrooms, an added front row area and upfront ADA accessible area, and backstage hospitality area, will amplify diverse voices through music performance, leaders said, while also providing a forum for health focused programming.
A MWF spokesperson declined to disclose the cost of the updates or the sponsorship itself, which was first announced in December.
Health and wellness fest
In addition to the new stage, Aurora Health Care officials announced Wednesday that the company will be hosting its very own health and wellness festival on the Summerfest grounds on Sunday, Sept. 8. Slated to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day, the free event will feature a special workout led by former Green Bay Packers receiver Donald Driver. Event goers will be able to engage in a variety of fitness activities, watch cooking demonstrations, hear panel discussions, and interact with dozens of vendors and community partners. There will also be a “Pickleball Village,” featuring open play, workshops, coaching, and competitions with pros.
“We know that music can be an essential part of healing and is linked to both physical and mental well-being. That’s why we’re excited to share information about the expanded programming that will occur through our partnership, and our hope is that the Aurora Pavilion will be another vibrant place where our community can come together, connect, recharge, and enjoy all that Milwaukee and Summerfest have to offer,” said Gabrielle Finley-Hazle, president, Aurora Health Care, and board member, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Finley-Hazle described the stage and event sponsorship as a natural outgrowth of Aurora Health Care’s ongoing partnership with MWF, which began in 2017. The health care provider also provides health care services during festivals, she noted, and is the exclusive health care partner of Summerfest.
“Part of our intention was to look at ways we can expand programming,” Finley-Hazle said. “This is another opportunity for us to invest as it relates to community programming. When you talk about a hospital, you can talk about buildings, but it’s really the people at the end of the day that provide the care in the community. It’s the same thing (with this stage). This is a gathering space for the community to come together in a different way.”
Summerfest acts
The multi-use stage area will be showcased during ethnic and cultural festivals at Henry Maier Festival Park, kicking off the season with Festa Italiana this weekend.
During Summerfest, the Aurora Pavilion will be home to a diverse range of headlining artists such as Lily Rose, Jamila Woods, HYO, Luis Figueroa, Cimafunk, Say She She, and the popular Sound Waves DJ Series, where local and national DJs host curated dance nights.
“Today marks the start of a new chapter as we officially launch the Aurora Pavilion and celebrate the space as a new community asset for the greater Milwaukee area,” said Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “We are excited to place a new focus on health and wellness programming at Henry Maier Festival Park and continue to fulfill our mission of offering activities for the general public.”
Here to stay
With a pavilion now emblazoned with its name Aurora Health Care will be the only health care company at Maier Festival Park to have a stage named for them.
Beyond expanding their existing partnership, having their name on a stage is expected to serve as a reminder that Aurora is committed to Wisconsin, Finley-Hazle said. The state’s largest private employer, Aurora serves patients across 18 hospitals, more than 70 pharmacies and more than 150 clinics and other healthcare facilities.
“The goal is to continue to remind the community that we are here. We are part of the community. We’re part of Wisconsin, and that we are here to stay,” she said.
