Summerfest in Milwaukee reports 40% attendance increase, sticks with three-weekend format for 2024
Summerfest saw a major leap in attendance for its 55th anniversary celebration this year, with 624,407 people walking through the turnstiles — a 40% increase from 2022.
That was despite air quality warnings from the Canadian wildfires that were still in effect for one of Summerfest's days this year, and the cancellation of two ticketed American Family Insurance Amphitheater shows for July 6 — Jimmy Buffett and his planned replacement, AJR. University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate Yung Gravy played a show on the stage that night, his second at this year's festival, that was free with festival admission.
More: The 20 best, and 8 worst, Summerfest shows we saw at the 2023 Milwaukee festival
And while the total attendance tally is less than the last pre-pandemic year in 2019, the average daily attendance this year was actually slightly higher.
Buoyed by huge turnouts on the first and last Saturdays and sold-out and near-capacity amphitheater shows with Zach Bryan and Imagine Dragons, the daily average attendance for the 2023 fest was 69,379 this year. In 2019, the last year the now nine-day festival had its 11-day format, the daily average attendance was 65,286.
"These are fantastic results for Summerfest's 55th anniversary," Don Smiley, CEO for parent company Milwaukee World Festival Inc., said in a statement.
Sarah Pancheri, president of Milwaukee World Festival who is likely to take over as CEO after Smiley retires at the end of the year following a 20-year run in the role, added in a statement: "Summerfest's 2023 results allow our organization to continue to position the festival for future success."
Along with significant growth in attendance, festival officials celebrated the addition of 15 new sponsors and 17 new sponsors signing on for its Summerfest Tech event. There were also several ticket sales increases, including twice as many nine-day power passes sold in 2023 compared with last year.
About 17% of patrons attended the festival through a free festival promotion, officials reported Tuesday, and more than 50,000 free tickets were issued. As part of the promotions, festgoers donated more than 27,000 pounds of food for the Hunger Task Force; more than $18,000 worth of hygiene products for Milwaukee and Waukesha County schools through United Way; and more than 3,500 books for local non-profit Next Door.
Summerfest announces dates for 2024
On Tuesday, festival officials also confirmed that the nine-day format that was introduced in 2021 will return next year, and announced Summerfest's dates for 2024: June 20 to 22, June 27 to 29, and July 4 to 6.
Chris Foran of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Summerfest in Milwaukee saw 40% attendance jump, announces 2024 dates
