Harley-Davison’s Homecoming festival, which is an annual event for the first time this year, officially kicks off Thursday in Milwaukee and runs through Sunday, July 28.
Live music (headlined by Jelly Roll and the Red Hot Chili Peppers), demonstrations, food and beverage vendors, and more will be located at four main venues throughout the course of the event: Veterans Park in Milwaukee, the Harley-Davidson Museum, Harley-Davidson’s headquarters (which features a newly renovated public gathering space called Davidson Park), and Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations in Menomonee Falls.
The Homecoming celebration, which was previously celebrated every five years, was changed to an annual format following last year’s 120th anniversary.
“There are big annual rallies going on all over the world, why would we just have a rally every five years in our hometown? Let’s have a big party (every year) – that’s the plan,” said Jochen Zeitz, chief executive officer of Harley-Davidson, at a Homecoming panel last year.
The 2024 Homecoming event will honor Bill ‘Willie G.’ Davidson, the company’s former senior vice president and chief styling officer.
Mark McClain, director of business development at House of Harley-Davidson in Greenfield, said the exact number of anticipated Homecoming attendees is difficult to pinpoint due to the major shift in the event’s format. During a typical five-year anniversary, dealerships see a boost in business from international customers. It’s unclear how that will work out this year, McClain said.
“We’ve embraced the fact that this is now an annual event,” he said. “A year after a major event like last year’s 120th anniversary, it’s difficult to judge what the turnout will be. We’re still planning a very robust music lineup with food and other vendors. We’re planning for a great crowd.”
He said the hope is to build the annual Homecoming celebration into another legacy event akin to the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.
“We’re building and planning to create the same sort of event in Milwaukee,” said McClain.
The House of Harley-Davidson will have live music all four days of the event, along with seven local food vendors and more than 40 other vendors.
Last year’s Homecoming celebration attracted approximately 80,000 concert attendees, and 73,000 visitors to the Harley-Davidson Museum, according to data provided by the company.
About 7,000 motorcycles participated in the Harley-Davidson 120th Anniversary Motorcycle Parade through downtown Milwaukee. A similar parade has not been planned for this year’s Homecoming.
Here are some highlights from this year’s scheduled events:
- Homecoming opening ceremony, 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Thursday, Harley-Davidson headquarters
- Juneau Avenue historical tour and “Building a Milwaukee Icon” photo exhibit, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Harley-Davidson headquarters
- H-D Factory Racing Team experience, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, Harley-Davidson Museum
- Self-guided factory tours and experiences, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, Harley-Davidson Powertrain Operations in Menomonee Falls
- Jelly Roll concert, 9:30 p.m., Friday, Willie G. Davidson stage at Veterans Park
- Red Hot Chili Peppers concert, 9:30 p.m., Saturday, Willie G. Davidson stage at Veterans Park
- First responders charity ride, registration at 8:30 a.m., Friday, House of Harley-Davidson in Greenfield
