Recap: Summerfest 2024 kicks off with fun-filled opening day

Thursday was the opening day of Summerfest and we were ready for the music — along with everything else involved with Milwaukee's lakefront festival.

Summerfest runs Thursdays through Sundays June 20-22, June 27-29, and July 4-6. The gates opened at noon each day and will close at midnight.

We provided live coverage from Maier Festival Park for much of opening day. Here's a recap:

Spanish-language musicians making a mark at Summerfest

This year’s Summerfest brings a number of Spanish-language music acts, including names such as Kevin Kaarl, Latin Mafia and Arath Herce.

For Milwaukee natives and out-of-state travelers alike, these artists are big incentives to attend the festival. Melvin Perez Geronimo drove more than two hours from Chicago to see Kevin Kaarl and Latin Mafia. Last year, he paid close to $800 for VIP tickets to see the two acts at Ruido Festival in Chicago.

Though Yamileth Santamaria hasn’t attended Summerfest in the past two years, she's excited to see Kevin Kaarl perform for the second time.

“I love it,” Santamaria said. “It’s great for the community to just feel more included, with such big events like this that bring so many people to the city.”

Tom Henry, a regular listener of Latin music, is looking forward to expanding his listening palette and hearing from various Spanish music acts.

“I haven’t heard (of Kevin Kaarl or Latin Mafia), which is another reason why I’m like, ‘Hey, this is here. Let’s do this,’” said Henry.

— Jane Park

Wyatt Flores has a crowd favorite with 'Milwaukee'

What better way to kick off Summerfest in Milwaukee than to hear rising Americana star Wyatt Flores sing “Milwaukee”?“This one is especially for you guys,” Flores said with a smile deep into his BMO Pavilion set Thursday afternoon. Released earlier this year, the Oklahoma native’s heartbreaker looks back at the death of a relationship as freezing rain falls on a cold Milwaukee night.You better believe the Milwaukee fans at his set knew all the words.

— Piet Levy

Milwaukee Admirals mascot Roscoe entertains in Sports Zone

Milwaukee Admirals mascot Roscoe spent some time at the Summerfest Sports Zone, as part of a 3-on-3 shootout competition with children.

Using a hockey stick, each player tried to shoot a tennis ball into the goal without Roscoe blocking it.

— Chesnie Wardell

When golf balls get hit into the lake, they fish 'em out

Summerfest event staff Nate Watts, Joshua Jordan and Nigel Harvey team up to help each other fish golf balls out of Lake Michigan.

The balls getting hit into the water come from people participating in the Iron Joc Hole-In-One Challenge, near the south side of the Summerfest grounds. Golfers on the edge of the shore hit over the water, aiming for a green and trying to get a hole-in-one.

As Jordan and Harvey tell Watts where the balls are located, Watts will step over large rocks on the edge of Lake Michigan and fetch them with a long net.

— Chesnie Wardell

A 12-foot-high, lighted corrnfield? Yup, a 12-foot-high, lighted corrnfield

“Welcome to 'Yield,' a cosmic cornfield!”

Daniel Murray, creative director of FuzzPop Workshop, greeted festgoers checking out the immersive light and sound experience his team brought to life.

Yield features 192 lit-up stalks of corn that stand at 12 feet tall.

“If you come on through, especially after dark, you can see the 75,000 LEDs glowing,” Murray said. “Our 3-D sound system will transport you, we hope. Come and check it out.”

Yield is by the south gate and will remain there throughout the festival.

— Hannah Kirby

Duke, the Bush's Beans spokesdog, is a big hit

Beloved spokesdog Duke of Bush’s Beans fame has returned to Summerfest. A long line of people waited for the chance to spin a wheel for prizes — bucket hats, T-shirts and “bean scrunchies” — and snap a photo alongside Duke.

“Duke does typically bring out a fairly long line,” said Leslie Miles, a marketing associate for Bush’s Beans.

Before their favorite artists take the stage, Eli Blumenfeld and his parents are waiting in line. Blumenfeld hopes to win a bucket hat, while his father is “really excited” to take a photo with Duke.

Duke will be at Summerfest Friday and Saturday, too.

— Jane Park

Vendors ready to show off their products

In the afternoon, vendors inside the South Marketplace chill at their booths, ready to tell customers about their products.

Bryan Dashner and Brenda Kruse have been running the SRL Productions booth at Summerfest for two years. Shoppers at their booth can find hand-free gadgets, light-up items and accessories. The main product Dashner shows off is the neck fan.

“These neck fans are good when the weather is in the 80s and up,” Dashner said.

There are even neck fans made for people with long hair. Typically, the neck fans take an hour to charge and last for up to six hours. They're $25 or two for $40.

— Chesnie Wardell

Crowds starting to fill up at performance stages

Three hours into the festival, at about 3 p.m., people have started gathering at 5pm to Nowhere’s performance at the UScellular Connection Stage, signaling festival-goers’ slow shift to performance watching.

— Jane Park

Dyna Thor makes a Summerfest appearance — and he'll be back again

You may have seen Michael Durst, aka Dyna Thor, decked out in his iconic leather garb around town.

“You gotta have something to be different in this town,” he said at opening day.

He plans to be back at Summerfest six more times this year. And, he has different leather looks for different days, he said.

Durst said he has some health problems. But, music, meeting people and seeing their smiles at the fest “really lift the mood” and help him out.

“So far, my heath problems have been almost taken care of,” he said. “It’s helping just by being here.”

— Hannah Kirby

Long lines for free M&Ms, other swag

At about 1 p.m., long lines began to form in front of the M&M Sweet Tour stand.

The M&M Sweet Tour has been making stops at music festivals and amusements parks across the country since May, handing out free swag like hats, scarfs and candy.

According to Chris Maheu, a team member working on the tour, part of the goal is to promote new M&M’s.

“We are sampling our new peanut butter minis and mega (M&Ms),” he said.

— Chesnie Wardell

Hey, it's Dan Jacobs of 'Top Chef' at the new DanDan concessions stand!

It’s DanDan’s first time being a part of Summerfest.

“It feels great, I love it,” DanDan chef and co-owner Dan Jacobs said from behind the order window of its new concessions stand. “It’s such a cool event. I mean, it’s iconic Milwaukee. And, to just be involved in it is just, you know, really, really cool.”

Jacobs — who was a finalist on this season of “Top Chef” — co-owns DanDan in the Third Ward with Dan Van Rite.

DanDan’s Summerfest offerings include Happy Chicken, DanDan Noodles, Sichuan Pork Dumplings, an egg roll and Smashed Cucumber.

“We’re just trying to show these things as if you would get them at the restaurant — like just as good,” Jacobs said.

Summerfest's first day kicks off with a cap giveaway

The gates are officially open! The first 10,000 attendees get a free Summerfest cap, courtesy of American Family Insurance.

First-timers arrive early, looking for choice spot near stage

Summerfest first-timers Carina Paul, Annabella Siegel, Rachel Lindeman and Katie Young were among the earliest at the gates Thursday morning. Paul got to the north gate entrance at 7 a.m.

They came early, hoping to get in the front row at the UScellular Connection Stage.

Who are they here to see? Chance Pe?a at 6:30 p.m., Jonah Kagen at 8:15 p.m. and David Kushner at 10 p.m.

“I just really adore their lyricism and their melodies,” Paul said of the three singers. “It’s top-notch.”

“They really just, like, move you,” Lindeman said.

“They’re the sweetest artists you’ll ever meet,” Siegel said. “They’re such nice people.”

Here's the Summerfest weather forecast for Thursday

After a sizzling start to the week in the 90s and upper 80s, Milwaukee can expect cooler weather for the first day of Summerfest.

The National Weather Service forecasts a cloudy day with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60s and a high around 70 degrees in the mid-afternoon. There's a chance of evening showers and thunderstorms, so be sure to pack a rain jacket.

AccuWeather forecasts a 34% chance of rain, with it climbing to 50% at 5 p.m. when the Summerfest Opening Ceremony is scheduled to begin.

The evening’s headliner, Kane Brown with guests Kameron Marlowe and Nightly, takes the American Family Insurance Amphitheater stage at 7:30 p.m. Note: Umbrellas aren't allowed in the amphitheater.

Moderate rain chances are in the forecast for most of the night, along with temperatures in the low 60s.

— Claire Reid

Here's the Summerfest music schedule, with lineups for each day

Summerfest will be welcoming some 600 acts this year — including A-listers like SZA, Maroon 5, Tyler Childers, Lil Uzi Vert, Kane Brown, Motley Crue, Keith Urban, AJR and Illenium at the 23,000-person-capacity American Family Insurance Amphitheater.

Here's the schedule for each day. While the full lineup has been announced, artist appearances are subject to change, so be sure to keep checking back through the festival's final day for updates.

— Piet Levy

How to get Summerfest tickets

To purchase tickets, you can go to www.summerfest.com/ticket-info.

General admission: $28, single pass. Allows access to the Summerfest grounds and festival stages during operating hours. Not valid for admission to American Family Insurance Amphitheater shows.

American Family Insurance Amphitheater: Ticket prices vary by artist.

BMO Pavilion Reserved Seating: (includes general admission): Reserved tickets range in price around about $80-$90.

Level Up Viewing Deck: (includes general admission and two drinks): Tickets range in price starting at $75.

— Alex Groth

OK, but how can I get into Summerfest for free?

Here are Summerfest's free-admission promotions, listed by day:

June 20: Patrons who arrive at any of the festival's three gates between noon and 3 p.m. and donate three shelf-stable food items receive one free admission ticket good for that day only. (Donations benefit Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin.)

June 21: All patrons arrive between noon and 3 p.m. get in free for Children's Fest day.

June 22: The first 1,500 patrons who arrive between noon and 3 p.m. and donate new socks, deodorant and/or oral hygiene items (toothbrush and toothpaste) with a minimum value of $10 receive one free admission ticket good for that day only. (Donations benefit the Milwaukee Community Schools Partnership.)

June 20, 21 or 22: The first 15,000 fans who download the Summerfest app will get a free general-admission ticket that can be redeemed between noon and 4 p.m. on one of Summerfest’s first three days.

June 28: Patrons wearing shirts or hats representing select area colleges will get in free from noon to 3 p.m. Participating schools: Herzing University, Marquette University, Milwaukee Area Technical College, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, University of Wisconsin-Parkside and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

June 29: All active-duty military personnel, veterans, police, firefighters and EMTs (plus up to four family members) arriving between noon and 6 p.m. get in free. Valid Military ID, copy or photo of a DD-214 form, driver’s license with Veteran classification, law enforcement or fire department agency-issued credentials, or police and fire union ID cards required. Plus, the first 2,500 people who donate a gently used or new children’s book (minimum $10 value) get in free until 3 p.m. Picture books and early-readers books preferred.

July 4: Admission free for all until 6 p.m. courtesy M&M’s, which will supply free samples at the Mid Gate.

July 5: Everyone 60 and older gets in free from noon to 4 p.m. (ID required). And the first 2,000 people who arrive between noon and 3 p.m. and donate three shelf food items for Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin get in free. Bonus deals: Seniors will get a $2 off voucher for a food or nonalcoholic beverage purchase above $10. And all wheelchairs will be free for seniors from noon to 4 p.m.

July 6: Everyone arriving between noon and 3 p.m. gets in free courtesy of Potawatomi Casino Hotel. Bonus deals: The first 30,000 patrons get a Summerfest 2025 general-admission ticket and an entry ticket for the Big Win drawing. (Ticket needs to be dropped off in a specially marked bin inside the Mid Gate between noon and 3 p.m.)

— Chris Foran and Piet Levy

How to get to Summerfest

Take the bus: There will be three shuttles that run about every 15 minutes from College Avenue, Brown Deer Park or Hales Corners Park and Ride lots. These shuttles offer direct access to the festival ground entrance located outside Summerfest Mid Gate. MCTS Connect 1 BRT line can also drop you off at the lakefront, with a new stop at the Couture on Michigan Avenue and Lincoln Memorial Drive.

Take a bar shuttle: Several bars run shuttles to festival grounds during Summerfest. You can find a list here.

Bike: You can rent a bike from Bublr Bikes and dock it at the Discovery World station and walk to the grounds. If you're taking your own bike, bicycle parking is near the Mid, North and South gates.

Electric Scooter: If you see a scooter, you can download the app on your smartphone to rent an electric scooter. Users can park the scooters essentially anywhere in an upright position, without blocking traffic.

The Hop Streetcar: The streetcar stop serves the Milwaukee lakefront. You can find more information about how to ride the Hop here.

— Alex Groth

Where to park if you go to Summerfest

Attendees are encouraged to get off the highway at any of the downtown exits prior to the Lakefront exit and park in one of the many downtown parking structures.

Parking lots are open daily at 9 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. You can get a pre-paid parking pass for a specific date during Summerfest online at the Summerfest store. Preferred parking is $40 per day. For a list of public parking lots near the ground, visit Park Milwaukee.

Here's a list of some parking spots recommended by the festival:

• Museum Center Park, 719 N. Prospect Ave.

• Lewis Center, 616 E. Clybourn St.

• US Bank Structure, 716 E. Clybourn St.

• 411 E. Wisconsin Ave Garage, 601 N. Jefferson St.

• Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St.

• Chase Tower Garage, 525 N Water St.

• The Pfister Hotel, 421 E. Mason St.

• Cathedral Structure, 580 E. Mason St.

• 780 N. Jackson St. parking

• 777 N Cass St. garage

• Wells Fargo Tower, 632 N. Water St.

• 720 N. Water St. garage

• SP+ Parking, 721 N. Broadway

• The Avenue, 615 N. Plankinton Ave.

• Convention Center Ramp, 615 N. 4th St.

• Historic Third Ward Parking, 212 E. Milwaukee St.

• Historic Third Ward Parking, 225 E. Chicago St.

— Alex Groth

What's Summerfest's bag policy?

All bags are subject to inspection before you enter the grounds. Backpacks and bags larger than 9x10x12 inches aren't allowed on the grounds.

If you need to bring any medication, medical equipment or diapers, you can store those items in a clear bag. If you have privacy concerns, you can put those items in a smaller bag within the clear bag.

— Alex Groth

What can't I bring with me to Summerfest?

You can't bring in the following items:

• Backpacks (with consideration given for parents with infants and those with medical needs)

• Large bags over 9x10x12 inches

• Camelback-style hydration packs

• Picnic baskets

• Outside food and beverages (unless needed for infants, medical and dietary needs)

• Cans and glass/plastic or metal containers

• Coolers or other hard side containers

• Stainless steel reusable drinking straws

• Self-defense sprays (such as OC, pepper stray or mace)

• Aerosol cans (except for spray sunscreens 6 oz. or less)

• Drones

• Alcohol

• Illegal drugs or substances

• Firearms (no open or concealed weapons)

• Knives

• Weapons or objects that could be used as weapons

• Fireworks, sparklers or explosives

• Professional cameras or video equipment

• Recording devices

• Brooms/broomsticks, selfie sticks, poles, trekking sticks and tripods

• Pets (except service animals, or during special events or promotions)

• Banners or flags on poles

• Laser pointers

• Skateboards, roller skates, inline skates or hoverboards

• Scooters

• Bicycles, tricycles or unicycles

• Wagons

• Kites

• Hula-Hoops, frisbees and beach balls

• Stadium seats, Sit-Upon seat cushions and lawn chairs

— Alex Groth

Is Summerfest cashless?

Summerfest is cashless and no cash will be accepted at the box office, ticket windows or on the grounds.

Cash-to-card services are available where attendees can change cash to a reusable debit card with no additional fees. Cash-to-card locations can be found at the following:

• Outside the grounds at the North Gate, Mid Gate and Summerfest Box Office

• Inside the grounds at the Summerfest Box Office and inside the American Family Insurance Amphitheater gates.

— Alex Groth

What's the Summerfest exit and re-entry policy?

You can get a wristband to leave and re-enter the festival at all gate areas from noon until 6:30 p.m. daily. Reentry wristbands are only valid for a single same-day reentry until 7 p.m.

Reentry wristbands will not be issued after 6:30 p.m. and there are no reentries after 7 p.m.

— Alex Groth

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Summerfest 2024 kicks off with fun-filled opening day