In 2023 Summerfest will again be held over three consecutive weekends, Thursday through Saturday, on June 22-24, June 29-July 1 and July 6-8, Summerfest operator Milwaukee World Festival Inc. announced today.
It will be the third year in a row that Summerfest has gone with the three-weekend format, a departure from its traditional 11-day run of two weekends and the weekdays in between them.
After Summerfest was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was postponed in 2021 to September with a three-weekend schedule. The festival returned to the summer this year, while retaining the three-weekend format.
Total attendance for Summerfest 2022 was 445,611, an 8.8% increase compared to attendance of 409,386 in 2021, but far below pre-pandemic levels for the festival. The last pre-pandemic Summerfest was in 2019, which had attendance of 718,144, 38% higher than this year’s festival.
Milwaukee World Festival said that in a survey of its patrons, 80% of respondents said Friday and Saturday were among their three most preferred days to attend Summerfest. The organization also said that a three-weekend format provides an extended booking window, offering more opportunities to add national talent and maintain a diverse music lineup.
The 2023 edition of Summerfest will be the 55th anniversary for the lakefront music festival.
“Since its inception, Summerfest’s goal has been to provide a world class music festival and gathering place for the community to enjoy,” said Don Smiley, CEO of Milwaukee World Festival. “As we celebrate our 55th anniversary, we feel fortunate to have a passionate fanbase. It is important to be responsive to fans’ interests by providing more opportunities to attend on weekends, bringing more national touring artists, and offering an enhanced Summerfest experience.”
