Henry Maier Festival Park by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. — Attraction in Milwaukee

Summerfest has some real issues. "The World's Largest Rock Festival" in the nation's 31st most populous city ought to be able to fill a few seats in the smaller venues down the lane a bit from the Briggs and Miller stages. But it can't. Even on a Friday night. I can imagine the vendors around those stages crying to the Summerfest organizers, "Get some decent musicians in here so we can sell a coupla french fries fa criss sake!".

But the organizers are having none of it. "We like to bring in the cheap crappy bands year after year so you vendors can stand there twiddling your thumbs while five drunk people jump up and down in front of the crappy band stage." Or so they seem to be saying. Not only are these side venues not good, the music everywhere you go at Summerfest is TOO LOUD! And it's not because I'm getting old that I think this way. I've been saying this since I started coming here in 1974. Ok... Yes I am getting old. But the point is that good music is played at the proper volume, each it's own. But the organizers of Summerfest like to serve they're whites at 76 degrees (so to speak). In other words, they don't know how to stage a proper show anymore, some at a stronger volume, others more constrained. But the Summerfest organizers seem to demand that everything be at max volume... Or a little past maximum. "Surely our audience likes distortion and blood dripping down their earlobes even if they're listening to country or folk." What are these guys good at? These guys are good at drawing a much smaller crowd than Summerfest, with it's epic 50 year reputation, and the ever-smaller city of Milwaukee should command. Maybe I'll be back next year. Maybe I'll go to the Wisconsin State Fair instead.

And let me add another thing. Do you wanna know why (I think) that Milwaukee is the FORMER beer capital of the world? Because, Miller has choked the creativity out of this formerly great city. The beer choices at Summerfest are the proof. Take your pick from corporate beer #1, corporate beer #2, or corporate beer#3. And pay too much for any of the three. Pretend like your drinking something special, but your taste buds don't lie; it's Miller Lite with a little red food coloring and a fancy native American name on the label. With literally hundreds of great micro breweries across this great country, why should goers to the world's largest rock festival be stuck drinking overpriced swill from the river nearby.

Everything about Summerfest is out of date. The vendors (how much fried food can you eat in one night), the beer (no flavor, no quality, no character...), the shops (the toe rings were tonight's best seller, and who buys a painting at a rock festival?), the everything else. You can see from the picture I've attached how big a draw Summerfest is on a Friday night. It must be really something...

Well 1st of all it was Summerfest. Who doesn't have a GREAT time at Summerfest? They've got about 10 stages of free concerts for about 2 weeks every summer! And they're good, big, well known bands at least once at each stage everyday. Sometimes 2 or 3 Big bands. At this particular stage you are required to pay because this is the "Main stage" at Summerfest and every night during the festival they have the most famous bands performing and usually theres 2 or 3 bands that perform. This particular night was the incredibly talented, (and probably one of the greatest live bands ive ever seen), extremely great, Dave Matthews Band! Obviously we had some seats further back, but this was also the 3rd time i have seen them in concert. The concert hall has a half way covered and then some seating. I have no idea how many seats there are, but its A LOT. Obviously the closer you want to be the more expensive the tickets are. They also have seating behind us and further back on the lawn. Sometimes if you get to the festival early enough and if the concert isnt extremely sold out, you can get your hand stamped for free and come back to see the concert in the "lawn seats," or seats set up in the very back of the concert hall. Sometimes tho, as was with the fabulous Dave Matthews, the lawn seats are paid seats as well. They do provide big huge screens for people in the back that can't see the stage very well, hanging from the top of the over hang and on the stage. Which allows you to see the musicians on stage up close. Summerfest also has plenty of food, attractions, rides, all different kinds of vendors and stores and even activities for the whole family to enjoy. Keep in mind, the crowds are a plenty. If you have small children keep them close or even on a "child leash." At times its so crowded that you almost have to push thru the crowds. Be wary of other people, because alcohol is served. But most of all, let loose, enjoy some good eating, listen to some rockin live music, and have a safe and...

I came here for the Mexican Festival with my family, and overall it was a wonderful experience. The park is large, so be prepared to do a fair amount of walking, comfortable shoes are a must! One of the highlights is the absolutely gorgeous view of the river, which makes the atmosphere feel extra special. The park itself is fairly well maintained, and I was impressed by how friendly and attentive the workers were. At one point, I needed to find the nearest ATM, and instead of just pointing me in a vague direction, one of the staff members actually walked me there while making friendly conversation. That level of hospitality really stood out. Most places would never go that far. Another thing I appreciated was how thoughtfully the festival stages were set up. They were spaced far enough apart that the music didn’t clash, which is rare for big events like this. It made moving from stage to stage a lot more enjoyable. Like most festivals, food and drink prices are definitely on the higher side, so come prepared to spend more than you normally would. The main drawback was parking. Definitely utilize spot hero for affordable priced parking. The lot across from the venue charged $50, and it took over 30 minutes just to leave the lot after the event. When we arrived there was a police officer directing traffic, but none were present during exit, which created unnecessary chaos.

I’d love to see the city take a more thoughtful, long-term approach to parking and traffic management. Not everyone can or wants to park far away and walk long distances, especially elderly visitors, families with young children, or those with disabilities. A more balanced parking approach would benefit everyone: affordable closer lots for those who need them, clear designated spaces for rideshare drop-off/pick-up, and improved shuttles from farther lots for those who don’t mind parking away. Just a...