Henry Maier Festival Park welcomed visitors back to Summerfest on Thursday, marking the music festival’s return after it was forced to cancel the 2020 festival due to COVID-19.
The opening day of the nine-day festival – which is being held over the next three weekends – included new screening protocols, with guests being required to show a negative COVID test or proof of COVID vaccination, as well as new improvements to the festival grounds.
It’s the first time many visitors will see the fully remodeled American Family Insurance Amphitheater, which underwent a $53 million upgrade over the past three years. Country singer Luke Bryan is scheduled to headline the main stage tonight.
The new Generac Power Stage is another noticeable change, as the Town of Genesee-based generator maker’s name is now on the stage that Harley-Davidson formerly sponsored.
The new Northwestern Mutual Community Park is also new this year. The Milwaukee-based life insurance company invested $2 million to convert the former children’s theater and play area into an accessible playground.
In past years, the annual event has made an estimated $186 million economic impact on the Milwaukee area. In 2019, the festival had 718,144 visitors.
See photos from early afternoon on opening day:
-
- Visitors at the Miller Lite Oasis.
-
- Guests enter the VIP deck at the Miller Lite Oasis.
-
- A Summerfest worker serves up a beer at the Miller Lite Oasis stage.
-
- The new Northwestern Mutual Community Park.
-
- Lou Malnati’s, which has been expanding its presence in southeastern Wisconsin, set up a tent by the new Northwestern Mutual Community Park on the Summerfest grounds.
-
- bubly, the sparkling water brand, has a presence throughout the park.
-
- Drink Wisconsinbly set up shop near the south end of the festival grounds.
-
- Klement’s representatives played a spin-the-wheel game with people passing by the company’s Sausage and Beer Garden.
-
- New this year is the Shop Local Market, featuring Wisconsin-based vendors.
-
- A CBD vendor was among the Wisconsin-owned businesses in the new Shop Local Market.
-
- A visitor donning a Summerfest shirt walks to the BMO Harris Pavilion.
-
- Advocate Aurora Health sponsored sunscreen and hand sanitizer stations around the festival grounds.
-
- The tower at the entrance of the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage is powered by solar panels.
-
- Gruber Law Offices’ kiosk included a life-size cutout of Dave Gruber.
-
- Generac representatives distributed prizes to passersby.
-
- Lakefront Brewery’s beer tent on the Summerfest grounds.
