Milwaukee World Festival’s 57th annual Summerfest music festival kicked off Thursday afternoon at Henry Maier Festival Park along the downtown Milwaukee lakefront.
Although early in the festival’s calendar, crowds gathered at the festival grounds on day one for School of Rock daytime concerts, new food and beverage options, a unique art display on the north end of the grounds, and several new amenities like The Phoenix’s Sober Lounge and the Lasso Lounge.
This year, 600 acts will play across Summerfest’s 12 stages between June 19-21, June 26-28, and July 3-5. Headliners including Def Leppard, Hozier, Megan Thee Stallion, Lukas Nelson, The Killers, Benson Boone, and The Lumineers will play at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater while others like Lindsey Sterling, Third Eye Blind, The Fray, Offset, Loud Luxury, Japanese Breakfast and The Isley Brothers will play at the festival’s other stages.
New to this year’s festival is a variety of food and beverage options including apple crisp rolls and mac n’ cheese lumpia from Beats & Eats, smoothies from Jamba Juice and mac n’ cheese from Nino’s Southern Sides. A new venue called the Lasso Lounge is also open on the south end of the grounds and features a mechanical bull for $10 per ride and a saloon-style bar.
Last year, attendance for Summerfest was 555,925, an 11% drop from 2023. The 2024 festival ran over three weekends in June and July, using the weekend-focused model introduced in 2021 instead of the festival’s original 11-day run.
Summerfest attendance has not yet returned to its pre-pandemic levels. See below a list of attendance figures from recent years:
- 2024 – 555,925
- 2023 – 624,407
- 2022 – 445,611
- 2021 – 409,386
- 2020 – canceled
- 2019 – 718,144
- 2018 – 766,192
- 2017 – 831,769
- 2016 – 804,116
- 2015 – 772,000
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- Scene from Summerfest 2025.
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- A singer welcomes guests to Summerfest 2025 near the south gate at the local artist stage.
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- The Phoenix’s Sober Lounge outside of Keg & Cask on the south end of the grounds.
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- The Phoenix team at the Sober Lounge at Summerfest 2025.
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- Keg & Cask at Summerfest 2025.
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- An inflatable moon sponsored by BMO Harris bank can be seen at the south end of the Summerfest grounds.
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- Guests can ride a mechanical bull for $10 at Summerfest’s new Lasso Lounge located on the south end of the grounds.
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- Inside the new Lasso Lounge at Summerfest 2025.
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- A member of the crowd joins the Milwaukee Hittaz Drum Corps on day one of Summerfest 2025.
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- Scene from Summerfest 2025.
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- Guests try for a hole in one at Lexus’ Hole in One contest over Lake Michigan.
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- A small floating island is the target for Lexus’ Hole in One contest at Summerfest 2025.
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- Guests wait in line at the American Family Insurance House near the mid-gate.
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- Scene from Summerfest 2025.
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- Astral Relics of the Great North Woods. A piece of art created by FuzzPop Workshop on the north end of the Summerfest grounds.
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- Astral Relics of the Great North Woods. A piece of art created by FuzzPop Workshop featured at Summerfest 2025.
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- A school of rock band plays on day one of Summerfest 2025.
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- Fest-goers ride the sky glider on day one of Summerfest 2025.
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- La Masa Empanada Bar, Famous Dave’s and Saz’s on the north end of the grounds on day one of Summerfest 2025.
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- A fest-goer poses for a picture at Bubbl’r’s Summerfest stand
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- One of a few Sil’s Mini Donuts locations at Summerfest 2025.
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- Scene from Summerfest 2025.
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- Scene from Summerfest 2025.
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- Guests line up at the Summerfest merchandise tent on day one of the festival.
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- Fest-goers smile for a photo-op
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- New to Summerfest this year is Beats & Eats, located near the Generac Power Stage
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- Starry’s display at Summerfest 2025
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- Guests get cups of soda at Starry’s booth at Summerfest 2025.
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- Fest-goers line up at Fiserv subsidiary Clover’s truck for chance to spin a free giveaway wheel.
