The Foo Fighters show of 7/30/2021 will go down as the best and worst concert we've ever experienced. The Am Fam venue hasn't changed much despite all the hype and millions of dollars in renovations. The Foo Fights outdid themselves. Unbelievably great concert. When we made it to Lot P which we paid for when we purchased our tickets, the experience went South. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get out of the lot. I would like to know who the hell was responsible for the shit show that left such a bad taste in ours and many many others mouths. As time passed people started getting nastier. At around 2:00 AM they opened gates no one was supposed to use to exit the lot. We witnessed a van exiting that scraped the entire side of the van. I had some moron flip me the bird on both hands because I got out of my car to ensure his wife didn't sideswipe our car while trying to get out but going nowhere. We've been going to ballgames, concerts, etc. since the 70s. Never have we experienced what we experienced last night. Im sure there will be some stories coming forward. The entire experience ruined due to ? Someone needs to explain what the hell happened, why it took about 2 hours to open additional gates. Fix this shit and publish what happened. Someone needs to be held accountable and ensure this never happens again. Personally, we're never coming back and will be telling everyone we know of our experience. Pure unabashed shit show. read more

Ticketmaster is a joke ... no customer service. If summerfest uses ticket master they should honor their mistakes. I'm out a lot of money and no one cares. Never ever again will I use Ticketmaster. read more

I'm kinda confused at all the negative comments people have about SF. Especially ones coming from MKE citizens themselves . It's a festival. It's not a church festival .... It's a festival . Yes there's gonna be kids , yes there's going to be drunk people . Go to any MKE event and your gonna see that happening ... It's MKE, what event doesn't include drinking . To be honest you really can't beat the price ! Weekday admission 12-4 is $12 and $19 at all other times . They do have promotions during the festival such as donating can goods and receiving a ticket for admission . There are bus shuttles you can grab at a lot of park n rides . You just pay one fee for a ride to and from SF. No drunk driving needed :) $19 for admission is kinda shocking at first , but think of all that includes . SF has 13 main stages and numerous smaller stages . If you have a ticket for the amphitheater admission is included . There are huge headliners playing in the evening hours that you would buy a ticket to go see at any other venue for at least twice the price . SF gives you the option to see numerous headlining bands all in one day for one price . The sets are typically a hour long so if you plan it out rite you can see lots of bands throughout the day /night . There are bleachers so camping out all day to catch your favorite act up close is easy . If you don't have time to save a seat, all the stages have back bleachers ( or tables ) and giant screens you can see the show . There are tons of beer , wine and drink options . The food is pretty unlimited , there's a little bit of everything . They have tons of workers so the lines for food and drink go rather quick and smooth . There is security and they have a check point before you enter the park . Need a break from the activity ? SF is placed literally on MKE lakefront . There's tons of picnic tables and rocks to sit on and chill . It gets less crowded back there and gives your feet a chance to rest for a hot minute. Traveling with a band opens up your eyes . SF is a safe , well ran event that offers a amazing lineup of bands. It's even family friendly during the day and at night .The staff is trained well and super friendly . It is located near the heart of MKE and offers a quick walk to bars and restaurants once you leave . read more

Summerfest - Vinyl Theatre killing SF! - Festivals Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Need I say anything? Biggest. Music. Festival. On. Earth. I've seen Dread Zeppelin, Talib Kweli, Weird Al, the Uncluded, Santigold, Iron Maiden, Zappa does Zappa, and countless others, including tons of my friends' bands - and playing there 4 times, myself. There's tons of festival food, of varying quality, and TONS of overpriced beer!!! Everyone complains about it, and acts like it sucks, but I go every year, and always have a blast. read more

The festival grounds are well kept There is a lot of food options at a reasonable price . The craft beer is cheaper than the domestic beer? Odd but Ill take it, they had gluten free beer that was delicious. The bathrooms are big so you don't have to wait in line too long. My biggest complaint is the parking, upon leaving we were stuck without moving for 45 minutes and it took us 30 more minutes to actually get out. People started to get so impatient that some crazy person decided that they would make their own exit, which actually helped to get things moving . ha read more

Summerfest is the best! If you can't find parking and don't get a deal to get in you must not be from around here!

How have I not been to Summerfest before?! Tip - Sprint cell service completely sucks here, even though three LTE showing. Tip - WiFi is present, but all passcode protected. Summerfest first timer here so I apologize in advance if I cover well tread ground or come across as a nube ;) Amtrak option from Chicago to Milwaukee is cool, but at $48 per person each way? Did I read that right? Is a bit expensive as a commute option and the last train out of Milwaukee during the week is like at 7:35pm. Most headliners do not even come on until 10pm. Having said that, the drive up was not bad at all just using Google Nav, I did not hit any really bad traffic, but I also cruised into town around 4pm-ish, so I suspect early helps. Parking is a breeze and will run you $20. Being physically located like it is, I was wondering how they were going to get all these people into the place and out, but to their credit, they did a pretty good job on both. Tip - they do not like you changing from your designated lane. I had never been to summerfest before and I was really wowed at how cool it is. It is basically like a Six Flags of Music, food and drink. There is music at every turn, food, drink, merchandise, etc. A pretty cool concept once experienced, although I would suggest experiencing it to start because trying to grasp it online before you go, was very confusing. Don't all these people have to work tomorrow? It is a school night after all. I was amazed at the turn out for Summerfest opener on a Wednesday night, the place was packed. I left at 11pm and they were still raging. The fireworks show was actually really good, went on forever and really loud. Blow it up America! I was really perplexed at how you can have so much music next to each other and not have it conflict with each other. Just in the small space I was in, Willie Nelson was playing at BMO, Selena was at Marcus, and The Cougars were screaming hair metal songs, it was nuts! The sunset from the west gave BMO atmosphere that you simply do not get at most venues, paired with the right music, in this case Willie, it was amazing. I saw all age ranges represented, including families and thought it was really cool how all of them were able to mix together within the same space and everyone enjoy themselves. Afterwards I had the thought that this is what Navy Pier could be, but is not. Nice job Milwaukee, I will be back. read more

Just another of these yearly Summer time festivals, I had to miss....Because the Fauci nannys seemingly had these events put to a standstill. Hopefully, This absurdity won't prevail this year.... read more

One of the top music festivals in the world. Definitely up there with any nearby for free. Entrance between noon and 3 or 4 each day with different promos. Plenty if ways to get there without driving into the crowded Third Ward. Park at a ParknRide and take MCTS. Also, the streetcar is free and takes you almost to the gate. read more

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Welp, pretty sure I risk expatriation (not sure if that's a word) from milwaukee for this one, but this review has been in my drafts for like a year and the weather this weekend's got me very summer oriented...so what the hey... I love our city and many of the other festivals (summer soulstice, bastille days, locust street days, etc etc etc...) this just isnt it for me. Its so crowded and we always seem to be walking around the grounds like some nomadic tribe searching for some band thats supposed to be playing. Somewhere. I usually get a pretzel somewhere in there. Summerfest used to be fun when I was 19 and got to clandestinely sip those red and white wine coolers (scandal!, I know.) It jumped the shark round about 1995 when I spent 12 hours there waiting for the hootie and the blow fish concert to start. (Please don't say "hootie who?") Later in life we always seem to go to a bar with a free shuttle to summerfest and end up never leaving the bar. All that being said, I have given lots of out of towners directions to the grounds over the years and they always seem wildly thrilled to be going, so what do I know? One strong one word piece of advice though for the bathrooms if you do go though: squat. Never sit. read more

I went last night for the first time in four years. I've been here 3 times prior. This place gets better with time! The food, parking, and drinks are super pricey but in the end it's all worth it. The price of admission (a little over $20) gets you a full day of music on 8+ stages. The variety and amount of music is worth every penny! I usually go for the rock acts at the Harley Davidson Roadhouse Stage but I've sat in at some of the other stages (BMI HARRIS, US CELLULAR, MILLER LITE oasis, JoJos martini lounge, etc. They are really nice too! The sky ride (whatever the technical term for it is) is only $5 one way. Great views, breezy ride on a hot day! All in all... I love this place and I'll be back!!! read more

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What can I say! This was my first Summerfest! My son and I took in every venue for a few minutes and settled in the Briggs and Stratton Back Yard where we enjoyed a variety of music. Our big event of the day was the Rascall Flatts concert with Little Big Town, Eli Young Band, and Edens Edge. We had fantastic seats and it was a great concert! This is one more thing that makes Milwaukee the best place to live! My son has lived in Denver, DC and New York and even he thinks Milwaukee Rocks! read more

I have been taking trips to Summerfest as long as I can remember. The venue is spacious with multiple music stages spread out amongst the water front. Price is good you can see multiple bands all day and night for $20ish for general admission. If you are going to anything at the Marcus Amphitheater you need to buy separate tickets. Over the years I have seen some awesome bands at a super discount. This year was one of my favorite bands "Hank & Cupcakes". The food is really awesome too. You have many options. This year we had curry fries which you get a ton of them for $8. Not as spicy as I would have liked. We also had a deep fried old fashion (think pineapple upside down cake with bitters), mini donuts which are always great and Reuben rolls (my favorite!). I will continue to come back every year because it is well worth your money. read more

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I experienced Summerfest for the first time this past weekend. I was very impressed with everything. So many stages, so many food vendors, you can sit down to eat as there is plenty of seating, you can find a place to go inside to sit and drink, many drink stations with a variety of adult beverages and plenty of restrooms. After all the eating and drinking it is nice to have many restrooms that are clean. I really enjoyed my weekend there. I caught a few cover bands and saw Chase Rice on a free stage one night and then paid to see Zac Brown Band at the Marcus Ampitheater. I will be back next year! read more

Ke$ha is so far 20 minutes late on top of poor communication of where general admission could sit. Overall disappointed. Who knows how long she will be. read more

This is my first visit to Summerfest in 20 years. We arrived at 4:40 on a Thurday and paid the 'throw back Thursday' price of $5 each. This was a bargain. The grounds were busy but not overly busy which also made it a great time to arrive. I had reviewed food choices before entering, but did not remember where they were, so it is important to review the food items and take note of where they are on the grounds. Use the free APP for information. The stages seem to change every 2 hours which seems a little long. We left at 7:30 and the crowds were approaching. It was the perfect time to leave. Also, to and from parking you can take a bike cab and save your feet for inside the fest!!!! read more

Music! Concerts! Fair Food! Lake-views! Cheap-ish entrance to the grounds, a multitude of stages, styles, times, and artists to choose from. This is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. It's been years since I've been able to go, though, as I have moved out of state. I am planning on coming for the 2012 festival....at least for a few days :-) read more

This was the worst experience that I ever had in going to summerfest since I was a kid being from Milwaukee Wisconsin the price of admission had increased significantly and in addition to the hassle for parking the city had a conveniently every street close to the summerfest grounds was blocked off there was very limited parking on the side streets so however the city was really pushing for people to park in the pay for parking lots which ranged anywhere from $10 to maybe $30 the price for admission I will not ever go back to summerfest again from the bad experience I had tonight since 2010 I had not been to the summerfest grounds 11 years later and it increased in price the poor parking and admission rules for non-refundable tickets we're in a pandemic for God's sake. Take it from me who's ever reading this review, do not go to summerfest save your money. It is a rip off and a big waste of time. read more

In a city that has so many amazing neighborhood festivals, it's sometimes hard to justify Summerfest. Yes, the ticket prices are affordable ($12 for daytime entry, $19 for nighttime) but once inside, it's going to cost you. Luckily, there are so many free tickets floating around you probably could go several times and not pay a gate fee at all. It's $4 for a soda or a bottle of water (you can bring in an empty bottle to fill at the drinking fountains), $6 for a 10 oz pour of Lakefront or Waterstreet Brewing beer, $7 for Miller products (but Coors Lite isn't sold at all the Miller spots because reasons). There are a few full-service alcohol areas and while you may pay $11 for a Rockstar Electric Lemonade, the sucker will be more than strong enough to cover the price (plus they're pretty large). There is a ton of food to choose from but the portions trend toward the smaller and the prices are higher ($6 for 2 soggy Reuben Rolls, Maders?). Major Goolsby's $7 cheeseburger is the bomb. I admit I had no music agenda when I went this year. Most of the acts I would like to see are 9 or 10 pm shows and I simply can't handle the crowds at those performances so I go in the day and wander around hoping to catch a new act that I'll want to hear more of. If you like shopping, there are so many vendors to choose from but you will pay a premium over say Locust Street Festival or even Summer Soulstice or Brady Street Festival. There are ample restrooms and they're not usually too gross. There are a couple of airbrush tattoo places and I saw at least one henna station but the lines tend to be quite long. I'm giving an entire star of for the Sky Ride, that's pretty much my whole reason for going. If you can, ride your bike because the traffic is a nightmare, especially later at night. read more

It's always a fun time going to. I consider Summerfest a giant outdoor bar with live music with tons of different food to eat and tons of live bands playing. During the year they have several different theme events like GermanFest that is all about the German foods, music and lifestyle. If your ever in Milwaukee during the summer check out any Summerfest event that is going on and you will have an awesome time. read more

After last night, I don't think I will ever see a show at the Marcus again. I purchased bleacher seats for the Mumford and Sons show and they were the most uncomfortable seats and they were 50 bucks a pop! If I am paying that kind of money, I should not be sitting on a high school-esque bleacher with about a foot of space. The problem with these bleachers is they do not account for the guy who takes up two spaces but purchased one, or the drunk gal who's dance moves take up 3 spaces. The lighting was terrible! This was a night time show and the lights inside the amphitheater were turned on sporadically making leaving very hard to do. My friend had to hold my hand as I lead the way out as we could barely see our feet in front of us. Towards the stage there were more lights, but it was very dark in the bleacher and lawn seats. Speaking of lawn seats, it was so packed up there, many were forced to stand behind the lawn. And they had to pay 30 bucks for the privilege! Security was worthless. You could find plenty of them together socializing, but very few were doing what they were actually supposed to be doing. Signs were clearly posted against smoking and there was a guy in front of me smoking cigarettes and more. This isn't the fault of Marcus, but their were swarms of mosquitoes last night. One might consider bringing bug spray if sitting in the open bleacher or lawn sections. The concert wasn't bad, but I was uncomfortable and crammed in like a sardine. I have no desire to see another show here anytime soon. read more

Summerfest - I paid 7.50 for a 16 oz Blue Moon and got about 10 oz beer, 6 oz foam. Rip. Off. - Festivals Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Still a great music festival. The outdoors forum with all the free music is fantastic. Like any big event food and beer are expensive but there's a huge variety of very tasty eats. read more

Wow i have to say this place is pretty crazy!! how can you go wrong with 8 stages!! we were here for the Harley Davidson 110th and i couldn't think of a better venue. There were bands playing everywhere, plenty of beer to drink and a huge food selection. I did find that not all the food is good food, but over all it was decent. The biggest complaint i found was the lack of shade. when its 90+ deg outside it helps to have some places to stop and cool off. Also there are only 2 venues that give you shade so that was tough too watching music while basking in the sun (and yes i know it doesn't help when your a biker wearing jeans and black clothing in the hottest part of the summer). Overall we had a great time and cant wait until the 115th. read more

Bah... I've always dreaded the day I would say this: I'm getting too old for this shiet. I remember Summerfest being the go-to music festival back in the day. "Back in the day" meaning 8-years ago. If you are not aware of what Summerfest is, its almost like the Milwaukee version of Lollapalooza -- multiple bands on many many stages, with crazy drunk music fans. We came here on a random day to check out the place. It was packed as usual, but this time around, at least more noticeable, is the amount of obnoxious hardly drinking age kids. It wasn't like teeny bopper kids trying to watch One Direction performing, it was just drunk people having a good ol' drunk obnoxious time. Now, I don't mind people having a good time, but its when you act like an amateur and can't handle your alcohol that annoys me. Anywho, there were some known bands playing that day like Florida Georgia Line (country) and even The Go-Gos (old school). The stages are spaced apart pretty well so the crowds weren't too crazy and there were plenty of food tents and bathrooms and other booths to keep you entertained. Overall, a decent place to check out if you're trying to avoid the Lolla crowd, especially if there's a band that is playing in Summerfest, and not at Lolla. The price is much cheaper -- tickets go for only $15. BATHROOM REVIEW: As mentioned above, there are plenty of bathrooms here for your urination pleasure. The bathrooms are decent, but considering there's a lot of foot traffic and the doors are left open, there are plenty of flies and mosquitoes -- picture your outdoor Park District bathrooms. Get in, pee, and get out. Save the number 2 for somewhere else if you can. Bottom line: sit or squat? Squat read more

Great place to hangout with friends! Always a show to watch! The staff could be more lenient with the doobies. Prices are pretty high but it is well worth it, find yourself a deal, they post deals on their social medias. You can get a cup, yes a cup of water for $4 and its less than 16 oz. the prices for food and drink are through the roof. I think if they lowered the prices for food and drink and kept ticket prices stable they would have earned a 5 star from me. read more

Summer fest is the best. Have a great time every year and see the nation's best artist in one place. read more

Summerfest - Having an awesome time with my wife at summer fest. Lit is awesome. - Festivals Near Me - Milwaukee, Wisconsin

For over 20 years, I used the Nagawicka Park and ride to Summerfest. Living in Oconomowoc, this was the best way to get to Summerfest. The freeway flyers were a fast and convenient way of getting directly to the festival. To my great dismay this park and ride is no longer used along with most of the other park and rides. This unfortunate decision makes it much more slower and difficult to get to Summerfest from Waukesha county or any county around Milwaukee. I am faced with either driving in and paying for parking or useing a bar shuttle. I have used the bar shuttle which is very slow and expensive. There is a bar in Wauwatosa that is charging over $21 Dollors to use their shuttle. In addition, the bar shuttles are much more rowdy than the freeway flyers and overcrowded. I used a bar shuttle last Saturday that had every seat filled plus people standing in the aisle. Please bring back the freeway flyers and the Park and rides. The ridership level from the Nagawicka Park and ride was very high. It was the best option for the people of Waukesha county to get to Summerfest. There was no reason to cancel this service. read more

5 stars for Summerfest, zero stars for the Marcus Ampetheater. -there was good sound but awful hard metal benches (with no backs & on concrete) to sit on. -completely inadequate bathroom facilities. At one point I counted over 80 women in line waiting. Oh and thanks for roping off one whole bathroom area as "private" for some sort of special ticket-holder. jerks. -don't even bother offering the port-a-potties if you arent going to clean them and refill the handwashing stations Marcus! gross! -if you are sitting anywhere higher than the covered area, and you accidentally find yourself in these lower sections trying to make your way up to your seat, the stairs are blocked and you will be told to go back and all the way around. What is that all about - sorry for being such a second class citizen! -it was such a tremendous hassle to leave your seat to use the john that everyone around us stopped going on beer runs. Maybe you would sell more beer if you fixed the lavatory situation Marcus! read more

You know what? This curmudgeon is checking herself. (... in the middle of winter, no less... ) Sure, you may step in a beer/puke puddle, and sure you may have some awful drunk idiots walking too slowly in front of you or looking at their smartphone in the middle of fast-moving walking traffic. And sure: the whole thing can be a mess, but where else are you going to see this kind of depth and variety of musical entertainment that appeals to an equally deep and varied crowd. (I'm not using the world deep in a philosophical sense here, folks... ) I still maintain: the fest itself gets a four, and the unbearable people get a one, but it's not the fest's fault it draws such... interesting folks. And plus, some people are nice, and some of the extraneous stuff is cool, and also food and sitting on the rocks by the lake. Four. read more

:) I have lots of Smiley Love for Summerfest. This smiley is also coincidentally the logo for Summerfest - I have been going annually forever. Without summerfest I would never have discovered the band Bakra Bata, gotten to see Red Hot Chili Peppers, Christina Augilera, Tom Petty, Kid Rock, Johnie Lang, The Offspring, Lynnard Skynard, Rusted Root, Maroon 5 and many more! Most of these were either general admission or I won lawn tickets the morning of the show! This fest is cheap or expensive; crowded or not; You can plan your experience to an extent, depending what day/time/show you go to. Generally before 4 pm its not overly crowded, is family friendly and admission costs less. After 8 pm on weekends its generally mega packed at the ground stages! One thing that it has always has been is really fun and there is tons to do. Here's what you can do to make the most of your summerfest experience: 1. Go to http://www.summerfest.com, click through the links, and - find out the cost of admission; - find out who is playing; - find free admission promotions, - find deals on Brewers tickets; - find the Music Lineup for the 10 ground stages (inc w/general admission); - find out where to buy advance or score free tickets at the Marcus Ampitheater, the giant stage that requires additional admission; - find out what is going on for kids; - find out what special events are going on, such as Marathons, charity events; - find out how to get involved. 2. Come with the mindset you are going to have fun! 3. While at summerfest, give yourself plenty of time to scour the grounds! Its amazing what vendors are offering and explore the fun exhibits that are around. You can sit by the edge of Lake Michigan and enjoy people watching, sun bathing, bird watching and much more. This is a lakeside event. read more

I would give Summerfest a million stars if I could. I have made it to Summerfest every year since I was a child, and even now that I'm in St. Louis, I will make it up there, and even if I was halfway around the world, I would make it to Milwaukee to my beloved Summerfest. Yes, it's crowded, hot, sweaty, humid - or chilly, windy, rainy. There's tons of people watching, tons of greasy, delicious food, and lots and lots and LOTS of beer - all the beer you can drink! AND THE MUSIC! I have seen so many bands here over the years (both at the main stage and at free stages) - I don't care if they raised admission to $25 - I would still go. It's definitely one of my favorite things about Milwaukee - food, beer, and the lakefront. Counting down the days for Summerfest 2010! Tips: Don't drive. Just don't even try, even if you have a DD. Take a bus. Don't compare it to Lolla or Taste of Chicago (which sucks, by the way). Don't try to buy booze or have someone buy you booze if you're underage - there are TONS of undercover and I can count on more than both hands the number of morons I've seen arrested for this. What you can do is sneak booze in and pour it in your soda, like I did most through high school :). Going along with the drinking - if you look like you're 14 and you look like you're drunk - I don't care how cool you think you are, you look like a moron and I hope you get arrested. Don't dress up, you look like a hooker. And, most important: Stand on the bleachers with a cup full of beer atop a sleeve of empty cups and SING YOUR LUNGS OUT and have an AWESOME time! read more

Ya know, 10 years ago, when I was approx. mid-20's, I probably would have given Summerfest a hearty 4.5 stars and stood by my decision. Now, I am confidant in my 2 star rating for Summerfest. The crowds, the obnoxious drunks, the prices of (not just drinks) everything. Yes, they really do give you a good value for your money. It's still one of the cheaper music festivals around, and there is plenty to do and see. It's just not my game anymore. My husband and I did a first this year. We went to see the Avett Brothers at the new BMO Pavilion this year. (which is awesome, by the way!) The concert was probably in my Top 10 Shows I've seen. The smart thing we did this year? We took the Sky Glider from the entrance to the BMO. Yes, I realize this makes me a wuss. However, after our show at the BMO, and seeing the INSANE crowd to see Sublime Feat. Rome (really, just one guy left in Sublime? What's the appeal here?) we made the right choice. Pros : people watching (wow.), good array of bands (you can find someone you like during the span of Summerfest), nice views of the lake, BMO Pavilion. Cons : people watching (wow.), price gouging on the food / drinks, obnoxious drunks (I realize that can be anywhere but it seems to be encouraged here), stepping over puke. No thanks. Overall, it's gotten to the point that my husband and I will no longer go just to 'stroll around' during a random night of Summerfest. It's got to be a band we both want to see, and are willing to put up with the crap that goes with it. But for the array of bands, you are sure to find someone you want to see. The people watching alone makes it worth the admission. One request? Kids and strollers. Is it really necessary to have kids there after 8pm? Yes, they have a kids area - and yes, it's for kids, but night time at Summerfest is one place I would never take my kids. Too many creeps and drunks. read more

Sometimes for me it's been a Simmerfest, other times Stumblefest. Regardless, Summerfest is always a rockin event I look forward to year after year! Highlights this year were Jane's Addiction ( although, the set was short with no encore performance ) & the local Milwaukee band Whiskey Of The Damned. Owen of Whiskey has an infectious & highly energetic stage presents leaving crowds mesmerized from coast to coast. We're lucky to have Whiskey Of The Dammed call our Milwaukee home. The Irish rock band is my favorite local band by far! Glad to see attendance was down from last year. The place was far too packed previous years. I've always though they need to combine a couple of smaller stages ( US Cellular & Uline ) into 1 large stage & add another large stage in the parking lot just West of the Summerfest grounds. The Miller Lite & Harley stages attract crowds that extend out to Lake Michigan. The freeway flyer or shuttles are the best way to get to the Summerfest grounds. I usually pack Jager Bomb Jell-O shots for a little pre-game during the ride. The festival offers a plethora of food choices. Most are poor quality & overpriced. A few that are worth consuming would be Solo's pizza cone & Saz's pulled pork sandwich. Venice Clubs fried egg plant is good too. But, they tend to undercook the eggplant. They need to put some brown / burn on it. Be sure to hit Lakefront Brewery for the best beer choices. It's the best beer offered on the Summerfest grounds. read more

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In the ten years I've lived here, I think I've only missed Summerfest entirely three times, and all were due to the military. I've enjoyed free tickets, overpriced seats at the Ampitheater, too many beers, sour cream and chive fries and views of people who should be wearing lots of layers not wearing nearly enough....causing me to search for more beer. I've never gone to more than three days in any year, but that's only because I'm too picky about who I want to see. It's worth the say trip from nearby locations (Chicago - Madison - Green Bay) to see weekend shows and the fireworks for certain, and, if you're reeeeeeeeally into seeing someone over time, you can maybe find a decent rate at a nearby hotel with a shuttle. Otherwise, the novelty can wear down quick. It's like the State Fair...people watching is the best free part of the day, but then you're stuck there. The first day in is always a fun sight and exchange of money and I'm there for several hours. But, as the week goes on, behavior and standards always seem to lower, and I eventually get to a point where I don't even look in the general area of the grounds unless I'm taking a shuttle in for a single show and then back out again. I've never been disappointed, however, and I'm sure I'll be back at most future iterations. But make it a point to scour for all of the random free or discounted ticket options. $19 entry is getting a little high for some of these days. read more

Love it! First day is the best because it's not too crowded and it's clean. The workers are all happy and helpful. We will be back before it's over! I'm only hoping security has taken care if the growing problem of kids laying across seats to save them and then sitting with their backs to the performing artists. I complained about this last year because it is so rude to the performers AND for the people that came to see those artists who can't see or are distracted while these kids chit/chat - play cards - etc, it's really wrong......I hope this is handled. read more

Summerfest!! I love big outdoor music festivals. This was my first year at Summerfest and my boyfriend bought 2 one-day passes for each of us. One day tickets, I think, are $20 a piece. I believe you can get an 11-day pass for $75/person. There were definitely your fair share of headliners not in Marcus Amphitheater (You pay more for these headliners -- Sam Smith, Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar, etc). Definitely not as big as some of these radio stars, but AWOLNATION, Big Data, Vance Joy, OK Go were all "big names" that were a part of the $20 ticket. I would recommend Uber'ing, or even walking/biking if you can. I think there's also a shuttle bus, but parking is a nightmare. The bf and I biked from his house and when we were leaving, we saw so many cars backed up and streets closed. Suckers! Kidding... but it was definitely nice riding the bike in and not having to deal with traffic on the way out. Summerfest is huge! There are numerous stages playing music at the same time. I'd say they did a pretty good job of keeping the music separate. The food... is definitely subpar. Compared to festivals in Atlanta, the quality is just not there. Not only is it expensive, but the food is only mediocre. I got a pizza cone, and there were only 3 slices of pepperoni on top. The best thing we had was probably the wings. Chipotle would have been our safest option, I think. They also had Island Genki Noodles, which I thought was so cool because there's a Genki Noodle food truck in Atlanta! Noodles were a disappointment though. I actually wanted more noodles, and less sauce and vegetables. The noodles were definitely overcooked, and the entire entree was way too salty. What IS really cool are all the vendor booths. Sensodyne/Pronamel had a booth giving out toothpaste and toothbrushes. In fact, they even let you brush your teeth at their sink stations! Uber had a booth giving away free snap-bracelet-esque koozies. Talk about a throwback! The BMX bike team was there. I had previous seen them at Summer Solstice fest on N. Ave a couple weeks prior to Summerfest. They were definitely a very must-see act. One guy had even taken home a bronze medal from the xGames! There's a 7 year old doing tricks. While his tricks weren't as advanced as some of the others, he's 7. Give him a break. That's pretty frickin' awesome. Some of the "street performers" were pretty entertaining as well -- fire jugglers, guys who balanced crap on their faces, your usual "wow" tricks for an extra dollar in tips. One tent had a local rapper. I thought his message was really empowering. He raps to relate to his audience (troubled teens). Some of his rhymes were pretty slick. I really should have done a better job of taking down the names of these cool artists. There was a Marine Corp mystery pull-up bar some where, but we never managed to find it. The festival map is a little counterintuitive, What gets Summerfest 1000 bonus points is the fact that in addition to port-a-potties they also have REAL RESTROOMS. While the line for these are a little longer, it's definitely less daunting peeing in a well lit area at night than in super dark portable toilet that could tip over at any minute. The concerts themselves were mediocre, in my opinion. There were definite sound issues when we saw AWOLNATION. I could barely hear the lead singer. That's how loud the music was. THe bleacher setting didn't pose for a very good tight crowd, or was it reminiscent of an outdoor concert scene. However, I am not going to complain too much because we got there maybe 45 minutes before AWOLNATION started playing and managed to snag front row seats. TLDR; TIcket prices are good, would go back depending on lineup. Thumbs down on food, thumbs up on other promotional vendors. read more

Dear Summerfest: You're a mess. You're expensive and loud and sweaty and crowded. You're full of musics and foods and beers and drunks. Your security is a joke and the amount of pot smoke is quite laughable. You took all of my money and sobriety and free time and sleep. You are 11 days and nights that I'll never get back. Don't ever change. Love, Mike read more

Nothing bothers me more than when people complain about ticket prices, food prices, and beer prices. This is a festival, expect to pay. If you would not like to pay, then please pick up a 12-pack of beer and pop on Pandora. Summerfest is one if the cleaner fests I have attended. The grounds are beautifully kept and the atmosphere is always fun. We have always had a great time when we have attended and really have nothing to complain about. I think Milwaukee does a great job putting this together every year. Keep up the good work! read more

Summerfest mixes Milwaukee's best assets together: music and food. I've been going to Summerfest since the early 90's and awesomeness of the festival remains. You can't go wrong with a place where you can listen to music and sample offerings from the city's different restaurants ranging from Italian to Brazilian to Greek. Every year, I have to have some Saz's sour cream and chive fries while listening to some favorite bands or watching drunken revelers try to sink a hole in one across a body of water. This year at Summerfest proved to be a decent experience. I enjoyed walking the grounds which were surprisingly sparse this year even on the night of the Big Bang. I noticed some of the improvements with the stages and layouts. All postive in my book. This year's drawbacks were mainly a weak selection of bands and an overload of promotional groups like Nokia, ADD, and Capri Sun. Despite the fest's sore spots, I keep coming back for a unique experience filled with food and music. read more

I've been coming to Summerfest for a few years now - obviously I'm a fan. I've done a lot of things wrong and a lot of things right over the last few years, so thought I'd pass on a few tips and tricks for those thinking about going for the first time. Tickets - Unless you're going to see a huge headliner, never pay face value for a ticket. You can often get these on the cheap on the days leading up to the event, and if you're willing to be patient (i.e. risk missing seeing an artist because you can't get a ticket), you can score super cheap tickets the day of the performance from people around the festival grounds. Also, there are a bunch of ways to get free admission if you're smart - check out the below list of daily free admission deals (get your cans of soup and children's toys ready!): http://www.milwaukee.about.com/od/festivalsevents/qt/SummerfestFree.htm Getting there - If you're coming in from out of town (I live in Chicago), it's tempting to take the train or a bus and not worry about a car. Don't do it. First, these options are packed and uncomfortable, and it can be hard to get back at the end of the festival (heaven forbid you miss your train - look forward to spending an extra night or two in Milwaukee). Also, it's a nightmare to get around Milwaukee without a car - you're not going to be walking distance from the grounds, and the shuttle service is spotty and can get really messy. The first year, I spent half my time fighting to get onto crowded shuttles at the end of the night, and ever since then I've been renting a car. Parking - Assuming you're driving, parking can be tough. It's twenty bucks a day to do the "official" parking through the organizers, which really adds up if you stay for a week. There are some park and ride options, but then you're stuck with the shuttle all over again. I've had a bit of luck in the past driving up to surface lots about a mile or so from the festival and walking, but these fill up fast. Looks like there's actually a solution this year - my buddy told me about a company SpotHero that lets you pre-purchase parking in these lots. Not sure how they do it, but I've bought parking in a lot that's about 3/4 of a mile from the North Gate (on E. Michigan) for the entire time I'm there, so hopefully that's one headache down: http://www.spothero.com/milwaukee/summerfest-parking Other tips - A few other things of note that might be helpful for first-timers. First, they are super strict about not allowing backpacks or large purses into the festival grounds. PLAN AHEAD. There's always 20 people outside complaining because they have nowhere to store their phones and wallets. Second, and in the same vein, while I certainly don't condone bringing "external beverages" into the festival, keep in mind that they take their security seriously, so be smart about it. And finally, they tend to crack down on photos and videos, so just be aware of your surroundings before you flip out the old smartphone. Overall, Summerfest is one of the most fun experiences of the year, and I hope everyone has a blast! Check out the main website for info on artist lineup, performance schedules, FAQs, etc: http://www.summerfest.com/ read more