Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. announced on February 2 that Summerfest will move from its original June 2021 dates to give health professionals more time to vaccinate the general public.

Summerfest 2021 will be held from September 2 to 4, 9 to 11 and 16 to 18. The festival will retain the three weekend format, running from Thursday to Saturday, three consecutive weekends.

“While the progress made through the vaccine rollout is encouraging, we believe it is in the public’s best interest to hold the festival in September to give government leaders and healthcare organizations enough time to distribute the vaccine,” said Don Smiley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “We will continue to work diligently with civic officials and healthcare professionals as we prepare to welcome artists, fans, employees, vendors and sponsorship partners this summer. Our team is excited to get back to what we do best, as soon as possible.”

The upcoming edition of the festival has been highly anticipated, because Summerfest 2021 will introduce three new major amenities to the public. They include the new $51.3 million American Family Insurance Amphitheater, the new Northwestern Mutual Community Park, and the new Generac Power Stage. All three capital projects will be completed by June 2021 and could be opened prior to Summerfest in September.

Festival officials are working to reschedule American Family Insurance Amphitheater concerts and will provide updated concert information within the coming weeks. Valid Summerfest 2020 and 2021 general admission tickets issued to date may be redeemed during the new September dates. Refunds on Summerfest admission tickets are also available.

Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance has evolved into what is now recognized as “The World’s Largest Music Festival” and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration. Summerfest hosts the music industry’s biggest acts, emerging talent and local favorites along with approximately 750,000 fans, for an unforgettable live music experience.

The festival got its start one year prior to Woodstock, in 1968, and before the coronavirus pandemic featured over 1,000 performances on 11 stages.

© Photo

Summerfest / Visit Milwaukee

The Milwaukee Independent began reporting on what was then referred to as the mysterious “Wuhan Virus” in January 2020. Other local media did not picked-up on the story until many weeks later. Our early features focused on the economic impact, social issues, and health concerns long before other Milwaukee news organizations even mentioned the coronavirus. Over the following year, we have published hundreds of articles about the pandemic and how it has affected the lives of Milwaukee residents. This extensive body of work can be found on our COVID-19 Special Report page, a chronological index of links by month. Our editorial voice remains dedicated to informing the public about this health crisis for as long as it persists.
For medical resources, please visit the CDC’s COVID-19 page or the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. All editorial content published by Milwaukee Independent can be found at mkeind.com/COVID19. With a mission of transformative journalism, our staff is free from commercial bias and are not influenced by corporate interests, political affiliations, or a public preferences that rewards clicks with revenue. As an influential publication that provides Milwaukee with quality journalism, our award-winning photojournalism and features have helped to achieve a range of positive social impact that enriches our community. Please join our effort by entrusting us with your contribution. Your Support Matters - Donate Now