Latest news with #Summerfest
Forbes
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Q&A: Summerfest CEO Sarah Pancheri On What Makes The Event So Special
Today (June 19) Summerfest in Milwaukee kicks off with a slate of shows that include Aly & AJ, The Isley Brothers, Gary Clark Jr. and headliners Def Leppard. Over the next three weekends, wrapping July 3 – 5, some of the biggest names in music – Hozier, The Killers, Lainey Wilson, James Taylor, The Lumineers, Benson Boone – will lead an insanely eclectic lineup of top-tier artists that will grace the eights stages on the festival grounds. Bishop Briggs, The Fray, Lindsay Stirling, Riley Green, The Avett Brothers, Devo, Babymetal, Rick Springfield, Billy Corgan, Mike Posner, Social Distortion, Iann Dior, Jo Dee Messina, the list goes on and on. At the head of assembling these dream weekends of music is CEO Sarah Pancheri, who took over that role in 2024. I spoke with her about Summerfest's history and future and more. Steve Batin: So, you're opening with Def Leppard. Sarah Pancheri: Yes, we are thrilled that they will be opening up Summerfest 2025. Baltin: Is this the first year they've played the festival? Pancheri: No, I would need to go back into our archive to know how many times they've played, but I know they've played and they're always a great show, Tesla's opening. And as we talked about briefly the variety of what we present is really one of the things that makes Summerfest so special, which I know you have a high degree of understanding of. Just the nature of it. Baltin: Yeah, that's what makes it special. But most US music festivals would never in a million years put Def Leppard on. Everybody in the world loves Def Leppard. There's a cool factor with a lot of festivals and I really appreciate the fact that Summerfest isn't afraid to go populist. Pancheri: That's our idea, there's always going to be a big variety. When we say something for everyone It's something that we that we take really seriously. So, in our amphitheater this time around, you'll see [acts from] Lainey Wilson to James Taylor to Megan Thee Stallion to Bad Omens. That variety is really one of the parts that makes the festival so terrific. That philosophy has been with us for 60 years almost. So, when you pull from the archives, you see names like Tina Turner and Kenny Chesney, and Billie Eilish, and I was just having a conversation, Sammy Davis Jr. It spans such a wide variety of music that it's really what we pride ourselves on. There are a couple of other things that make us special, of course, the permanent nature of our festival park, Henry Marr Festival Park. It really is 75 acres devoted to festivals. Sixty years ago, as our forefathers said, we'll take this space, which was an old, abandoned field, if you can believe it, just sitting on the lakefront steps away from downtown. And over time, we've developed it into this really gorgeous place with eight permanent stage houses. The range of stages goes from like a 2000 capacity pavilion all the way up to the 23 ,000 seating amphitheater where Def Leppard is going to play. So, it's the variety of music, but then also this permanent site that really makes us stand out. Baltin: I love the fact that James Taylor is one of those people who's just iconic. He's not of the moment. You have Hozier, who's a great guy, and you have Laney Wilson. You have those people that are of the moment, but you also have those people that are just iconic. Pancheri: That is how we program the event because we want to create an environment for everybody to find something that they're going to love. So, the biggest stages are always super exciting. But then just to orient you towards how we do it. The festival admission to the festival does not include access to the amphitheater, but it includes access to the rest of the festival park, where you're going to find bands like Cake, like Loud Luxury, like Gary Clark, Jr. We are so excited about that show. And you'll hear me say that again and again, because it's absolutely true. And as a music fan, you know, you're excited you get to come to work. On our poster, you have Baby Metal, Chicago and Porter Robinson, all kind of in the same place, which again, just speaks to how rare our lineup is. And the accessibility of that is you can come to the festival for the price of 30 bucks. And then the other piece of that, which really makes us stand out, I believe, is as a nonprofit organization, we do this so that we can continue to provide access to this world -class place, this world -class lineup. And then 20 percent of our fans come in free above and beyond that low ticket price. So, it's pretty unique, I think we're one of one. We can't find anything else quite like it. Baltin: Milwaukee is synonymous with Summerfest the same way Jazz Fest is New Orleans. Pancheri: That's high praise. We appreciate that. Thank you, I tend to believe that the people that do this work, it is very special and really takes a lot of dedication, and I know the folks in New Orleans as well as everyone that works really hard at what they do. And so, it's high praise to say that, and when you go back to the roots of the event, the idea that at the time there were massive breweries of beer. And so, the tradition of coming together and celebrating music as well as gathering around, at the time it was Schlitz, Papst, and Miller. It was a great reason to put on display all that Milwaukee and music had to offer in the summertime. Baltin: Talk about the site. Pancheri: Over the past 20 years, we put over $160 million into improving this site, which really does make it that special place. If it were just a field, it would probably feel different, but the permanence of the site really gives the festival a lot of wind in terms of just how important it is. And we're really proud of the fact, over $300 million in economic impact is generated from this park for Wisconsin. So, on an annual basis, $300 million going back into Wisconsin, again, as a nonprofit organization and being able to do that on a regular basis is really, it ingrains us into what Milwaukeeans and what Wisconsinites consider summer. The city of festivals is very real for us. Baltin: You took over in your role in 2024. There's such a legacy for the festival. That's always a fascinating thing to balance that legacy with your own style and vision to it. Pancheri: Thank you. We have an incredible team. So, I've stepped into the role in the beginning of 2024, my predecessor and I worked together for quite some time before that. So, stepping into the role now and really the dynamic nature of this industry, as you well know, it's changing every day. We're making sure that we're remaining current and maintaining that variety while also adding some of these new artists that are coming out. In addition to considering how we're going to use this park, how we're going to continue to expand what the use is, and highest and best use of this beautiful facility is, and how do we continue to enhance the Summerfest experience. So, last year, we started adding some art installations. We're looking at continuing to do that. We continue to push our value proposition. When someone new comes to the festival park and experiences Summerfest, someone who's never been here before, they're genuinely blown away with the value as well as just the variety of music here. So, as I think about what the future looks like and what our team is looking forward to doing, it's how do we continue, enhance, and grow that opportunity that we know is one of one in Milwaukee.
Mint
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Summerfest 2025 in US: Location, schedule, ticket prices, lineup, a complete guide
Summerfest 2025 is back and bigger than ever, transforming Milwaukee's stunning Lake Michigan waterfront into a nonstop celebration of music, community, and pure summer joy. Held at Henry Maier Festival Park from June 19–21, June 26–28, and July 3–5, this iconic festival, dubbed "The World's Largest Music Festival," draws thousands to its 75-acre grounds for an unforgettable blend of live performances, local culture, and lakeside vibes. It's more than just a party; since 1968, Summerfest has been a nonprofit powerhouse, uniting people through music while supporting Milwaukee's arts and recreation scene. This year's lineup is stacked with headliners like The Killers, Megan Thee Stallion, and Def Leppard at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, alongside 800+ acts across 12 stages, from hip-hop legends Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to Latin music stars lighting up the Aurora Pavilion. This 2025, it's hosting its first-ever Juneteenth celebration on opening day (June 19), featuring a parade court ceremony and performances by artists like Gary Clark Jr. and Eric Benét. You can also dive into quirky installations like the Astral Relics light forest near the north gate, rally friends for pickleball at Dean's Dip Village, or even kayak Lake Michigan for free thanks to Black Creek Cheddar. Don't miss the fireworks on June 19 or the drone spectacle set to light up July 4th with Johnsonville's "Happy Birthday America" sing-along. Foodies, families, and thrill-seekers all get love here: refuel with craft beers at the Keg & Cask Bar, let kids loose at the accessible Lil' Gig playground, or ride the sky-high Ferris wheel for killer city views. Pro tip: Score a free hat if you're among the first 10,000 on opening day, or bring canned food June 19–21 for free entry before 3 pm. Seriously, whether you're chilling with cold beer by the lake or dancing under the fireworks, Summerfest 2025 is where Milwaukee's heart beats loudest.
USA Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Summerfest 2025: Set times, daily schedule, ticket costs, lineup
Summerfest 2025: Set times, daily schedule, ticket costs, lineup Show Caption Hide Caption Tony Awards: James Monroe Iglehart admires Louis Armstrong's legacy Broadway star James Monroe Iglehart admires Louis Armstrong's legacy and the state of Broadway this year. Live music and vibes will take over Milwaukee this week. Summerfest is here, taking place from June 19 to June 21, to kick off the first weekend of the massive event. Here's what you need to know about Summerfest, including the full lineup, set times, and ticket costs. B-52s, Devo announce tour: Dates, cities, how to get tickets Where is Summerfest? Summerfest is set in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The festival will take place on three weekends: June 19-21, June 26-28, and July 3-5. Summerfest 2025 Ticket Prices UScellular 9-Day Power Pass: $130.00 UScellular 3-Day Pass: $63.00 General Admission: $30.00 Festivalgoers must purchase separate tickets to attend the shows at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. However, tickets to the amphitheater, which can be found on Ticketmaster, include same-day gate admission to Summerfest. Summerfest 2025 lineup Thursday, June 19: Def Leppard and Tesla are slated to headline at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Festival stage performers include The Isley Brothers, Gary Clark Jr., Eric Benét, Aly & AJ, Ginuwine, DJ Kenny Perez & Friends, Fabolous, Natasha Bedingfield, Bow Wow, and Mike Jones. Friday, June 20: Hozier is scheduled to perform at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, along with Gigi Perez. Other acts hitting the festival stages are George Thorogood & the Destroyers, The Head and The Heart, Dispatch, Muscadine Bloodline, Mike Posner, and Rick Springfield. Saturday, June 21: James Taylor, along with Tiny Habits and Jason Mraz, will headline at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Artists performing on the festival stages include Japanese Breakfast, Yung Gravy, Matt Maltese, Artemas, iann dior, Eric Bellinger, GROOVY, Billy Currington, and Lindsey Stirling. Summerfest set times A complete list of day-by-day set times can be found on Summerfest's website or in an Instagram post below: Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Around Fountain Valley: Community springs into summer with four-day festival
Fountain Valley's four-day, kickoff-to-summer event returns this week, as Summerfest will take over Fountain Valley Sports Park from Thursday through Sunday. The community festival, which debuted in 2009, regularly takes place during the third week of June. It saw more than 21,000 people attend the event in 2021, when it was one of the first activities to be offered following the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are out, and so is the sun — albeit with moderate temperatures expected to fall into the low 70s. Those comfortable conditions could aid efforts to keep attendance up this year. Ride discounts will be offered at $3 per attraction on Thursday, when the festival hours will be between 5 and 10 p.m. Fan Halen, a Van Halen cover band, will rock the main stage beginning at 8 p.m. Rob Frizzelle, the city's director of community services, said Friday night will have a country theme to it. The entertainment includes Kenny and Luke's Country Beach Party from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Dirt Road: The Jason Aldean Experience from 9 to 11 p.m. The opening ceremony will take place at 8 p.m. on Friday, with the national anthem being performed by Miss Fountain Valley. There will also be a dragon dance, Frizzelle said. Friday's festivities, which run from 5 to 11 p.m., will also feature a fireworks display, and it will be $5 beer and wine night. 'We do have a main stage with some really cool entertainment, but we also have something called a community stage, and we invite out the schools and local entertainment acts to come perform,' Frizzelle said. 'It's free for them to perform, and so we have a community stage for anybody looking for that opportunity to present in front of a large crowd all weekend at Summerfest. … Typically, the schools and a lot of community groups come out and perform, and it's really fun for them to have that opportunity.' Community groups and nonprofits also have a chance to host food booths to raise money for their organizations, provided that they submit an application to participate as a vendor. Summerfest continues Saturday from 3-11 p.m., and it concludes on Sunday from 2-8 p.m. The final act will be a local favorite in the Tijuana Dogs, with their set starting at 6 p.m. 'They're a local group that has a huge following here in Fountain Valley,' Frizzelle said. 'They pretty much are always the headliner on Sunday night.' Free parking is available. General admission is $5 for those who are 5 years and older Fountain Valley Sports Park, the community's central gathering place, will also be hosting concerts in the park each Thursday in July. The Original Lobster Festival is scheduled to return from Sept. 5-7. Former Fountain Valley police chief Kevin Childe has died, the city's police department said in a news release on social media on Monday. Childe, a graduate of Los Amigos High, started his career in law enforcement with the Fountain Valley police department in 1990. He was appointed as police chief in 2017, a position he held until his retirement in 2019. In addition to his time with the police force, Childe also served six years in the Marine Corps. His service time included deployments to the Middle East and Moscow.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Kunes Auto & RV Group Expands Milwaukee Presence with Acquisition of Griffin Chevrolet and Summerfest Partnership
DELAVAN, Wis., June 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kunes Auto & RV Group, one of the Midwest's fastest-growing dealership groups, announces the acquisition of Griffin Chevrolet, located at 11100 W. Metro Auto Mall in Milwaukee. This strategic expansion showcases Kunes' dedication to serving the Milwaukee community and reinforces its longstanding partnership with General Motors, particularly the Chevrolet brand. The addition of Griffin Chevrolet marks Kunes' 19th GM dealership across its Midwest operations, reflecting the company's robust growth trajectory. Since its inception in 1996, Kunes has expanded to over 40 automotive and RV dealerships spanning Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. "We're excited to deepen our roots in Milwaukee, a city that aligns with our values of faith, family and giving back," said Scott Kunes, Chief Operating Officer of Kunes Auto & RV Group. "Chevrolet has been a cornerstone of our offerings, and this acquisition allows us to better serve our customers with the quality and reliability they expect." Griffin Chevrolet's integration into the Kunes family ensures continuity for existing customers while introducing them to Kunes' customer-centric programs and community initiatives. The dealership will continue to offer a wide selection of new Chevrolet vehicles, certified pre-owned models and comprehensive service options. Kunes Auto & RV Group is also proud to support Milwaukee's cultural scene through a new partnership with Summerfest, the world's largest music festival. As the presenting sponsor of the newly introduced Lasso Lounge, Kunes brings a country-themed experience to festivalgoers, featuring live music, line dancing, mechanical bull rides and specialty cocktails on the shores of Lake Michigan. Kunes Auto & RV Group remains committed to delivering exceptional automotive experiences while continuing its legacy of community engagement across the Midwest. About Kunes Auto & RV Group Founded in 1996 in Delavan, Wisconsin, Kunes Auto & RV Group has grown to over 40 locations across the Midwest. The family-owned company operates with a mission centered on faith, family, and giving back, donating 10% of its annual net profits to local charities. Kunes has received numerous accolades, including multiple "Automotive News' Best Dealerships to Work For" awards, recognizing its commitment to employees, customers, and community engagement. For more information, visit Media Contact: Ryann ChecchiInterdependence Public RelationsEmail: 396782@ Phone: (708) 420-4776 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Kunes Auto & RV Group Sign in to access your portfolio
