See photos: Summerfest opening week draws large crowds to Milwaukee’s lakefront

Summerfest kicked off its 2023 festival this week, marking 55 years, at Henry Maier Festival Park along the downtown Milwaukee lakefront.

The music festival features roughly 200 acts across nine stages, and for a third year it takes place over three consecutive weekends: June 22-24, June 29-July 1 and July 6-8. See photos below from the second day of Summerfest.

Based on feedback from attendees, the three-weekend format has replaced Summerfest’s traditional 11-day run since the festival returned in 2021, after being canceled the year prior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the festival returned to the summertime after it was postponed to fall in 2021.

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.

Summerfest’s 55th anniversary brings a variety of special events and new experiences for festival-goers to enjoy. An opening ceremony was held Thursday to commemorate the milestone, featuring remarks from Milwaukee World Festival officials and local leaders. Also on Thursday, the first 10,000 fans to enter received a Summerfest hat, courtesy of American Family Insurance.

New to Summerfest this year is the US Mode Lounge, adjacent to the the UScellular Connection Stage; the Keg & Cask bar on the south end of the grounds, with 12 beers on tap from Terrapin, Hop Valley and Leinenkugel’s, including the Summerfest 55th Anniversary beer; The Starry Bar with Pepsi, along the waterfront, offering a selection of cocktails and mocktails; Fritos Legacy Diner, a new free sampling experience by the official and exclusive chip sponsor of Summerfest, open from noon to 6 p.m. daily, just inside the South Gate entrance.

This year’s festival marks another milestone for longtime CEO Don Smiley, who will retire at the end of 2023 after 20 years. Smiley on Friday participated in a Q&A at the Summerfest Community Leader Luncheon hosted by BMO Harris Bank.

Reflecting on Summerfest’s evolution and his legacy, Smiley said: “We are guardians of this festival. While we are celebrating 55 years, this is my 20th. That means 35 years prior to that there are a whole bunch of people here making this thing run and be successful over the years, whether they were fans, whether they were sponsors, whether they were board members. There’s a lot of fingerprints on this festival in terms of success. So, I’m just happy we were able to keep it on the rails.” Read more from the Q&A here.