• Home
  • About Maureen
    • As Seen On
    • Contact Me
  • Reviews/PR Requests
  • Contact Me
  • Blogger Resources
  • Privacy Policy

Wisconsin Mommy

Resources and Reviews for Parents by a PR friendly mommy blogger and brand ambassador

  • Bloglovin
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Wisconsin Doggy
  • Travel
    • Hotel Reviews
  • Technology
  • Beauty
  • Healthy Living
    • Wellness Wednesday
    • Gardening
  • Around Wisconsin
    • Field Trip Friday
  • Reviews
    • Entertainment
    • Around the Home
      • Home Decorating
      • Home Office
    • Car and Automotive Reviews
  • Recipes

Summerfest Celebrates 50 Years of Music

I always love when I tell people who aren’t from here about Summerfest and I mention that it’s the largest music festival IN THE WORLD. Yep, they have heard of Coachella and Lollapalooza but many are not familiar with Summerfest (also known as The Big Gig). Summerfest started 50 years ago and lasts 11 days featuring 11 stages with over 800 acts and over 1000 performances. One headliner performance each night requires a special concert ticket and the rest are free to attend with just a festival general admission ticket. Between 800,000 and 900,000 people attend each year.

We usually attend a few days of the festival, especially Family Day which always includes some activities and shows specifically targeted to kids. This year, we partnered with BMO Harris Bank for our Family Day festivities and got a taste of some of the VIP benefits they give their customers. While this post is sponsored in conjunction with our partnership, all of the opinions and experiences mentioned are our own.

As with any event where large numbers of people congregate, lines become a part of the experience. We took advantage of GoRiteway’s shuttle from our suburb and arrived at Henry Maier Festival Park as it opened, as did hundreds of other people. We loved skipping the general admission line and using the BMO Harris customer entrance where we walked right up, went through security and entered the park. I really hate standing in lines, so this was an especially nice perk!

Skip the long lines with BMO Harris Bank!!

Once we arrived at Summerfest, we headed over to the Gruber Law Offices Sportzone where BMO Harris was sponsoring a performance of The Rim Rockers and also had the Milwaukee Bucks own John Henson speaking. The Rim Rockers are an amazing group of athletic entertainers who dazzle crowds with high-flying aerobatic dunks. We’ve seen them at Bucks games in the past and thoroughly enjoyed their high energy show.

A post shared by Maureen Fitzgerald (@wisconsinmommy) on Jul 5, 2017 at 11:25am PDT

Josh loved hearing John Henson’s thoughts on his career and his advice to kids. He was thrilled to have the chance to grab an autograph and picture with Henson as well!

A post shared by Maureen Fitzgerald (@wisconsinmommy) on Jul 5, 2017 at 11:39am PDT

We had a blast exploring everything Summerfest has to offer – all kinds of food, experiences with brands, and hearing music from groups we might not have discovered otherwise. Another cool BMO Harris customer perk is that there are lots of fee-free ATM machines located throughout the grounds. There are so many things to try at Summerfest, I almost always find that I should have brought more cash!

BMO Harris customers also save 15% on Summerfest merchandise at onsite Summerfest stores. I picked up this cool commemorative guitar picks wall hanging for my office.

Around 5pm, the BMO Harris VIP area opened and we enjoyed sitting by the lake and cooling off a bit with some drinks.

They provided dinner by Saz’s and to say the food was delicious would be an understatement!! We could hear the music coming from the BMO Harris Pavillon stage which made dinner even more enjoyable. And the VIP area has their own private bathrooms. Guys are probably wondering what the big deal is, but you ladies know what I am talking about when I say that the bathrooms alone made my night!! No lines, they were squeaky clean and there were even flowers!

The headline act at the Pavilion that night was Phillip Phillips and we were seated in the “Blue Circle” seats right up front. I don’t know that I have ever been that close to the stage at a concert before. I’m pretty sure Phillip smiled at me at least once. (I kid, I kid.)

A post shared by Explore with Josh (@explorewithjosh) on Jul 5, 2017 at 8:19pm PDT

There are still a few day left of Summerfest, so if you haven’t been down to celebrate its 50th anniversary, it’s not too late. If you are a BMO Harris Bank customer, make sure to take full advantage of the perks available to you. (And if you’re not, maybe it’s time to think about becoming one!)

Comments | 19 comments

« 5 Ways to Make Flying with Kids Stress Free
The Secret to Amazing Sandwiches »

Comments

  1. Meagan says

    July 10, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    This looks like a fantastic event. I am sure I would have enjoyed it too.

    Reply
  2. Vera Sweeney says

    July 10, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    I haven’t had the chance to see Summerfest, but I really want to. I keep hearing about what an amazing time it is.

    Reply
  3. Colleen Lanin says

    July 10, 2017 at 4:17 pm

    Summerfest sounds amazing. There’s nothing like a GOOD music fest to really make you feel young again. I love it!

    Reply
  4. robin Rue says

    July 10, 2017 at 4:56 pm

    Summerfest sounds like a great show! I definitely want to go next year!

    Reply
  5. Pam says

    July 10, 2017 at 5:10 pm

    Sounds like a great event. The fee free ATMs must have mad expensive getting cash much easier.

    Reply
  6. Liz Mays says

    July 10, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    It sounds like Summerfest is worth checking out. Seeing the Rim Rockers perform must have been so cool! I would have loved to see them.

    Reply
  7. Debra says

    July 10, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    What a fun sounding & looking summer festival! I know my kids would love to go to this – looks like there’s something for everyone in the family!

    Reply
  8. Melissa Chapman says

    July 11, 2017 at 9:37 am

    I can’t believe I never heard of this it is like a Woodstock every year for the last 50. I would love to take a road trip there some summer and take in the whole thing and Wisconsin.

    Reply
  9. Toni | Boulder Locavore says

    July 11, 2017 at 9:38 am

    This is one of my favorite summer activities! Summerfest is really fun! I always enjoy it with the kids!

    Reply
  10. Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place says

    July 11, 2017 at 10:33 am

    Sounds like an awesome event to be part of during the summer! I love that there’s so much to look forward to! I haven’t been to a music festival in a long time and I’d love to be a part of next year’s Summerfest!

    Reply
  11. Rosey says

    July 11, 2017 at 11:01 am

    That is nice that you got those seats. I’m sure he was smiling at you, close-uppers are always big fans. 🙂

    Reply
  12. Travel Blogger says

    July 11, 2017 at 12:18 pm

    I haven’t heard of this before. I had no idea it was the biggest music festival. That sounds like such an amazing event! I love the fee free ATMs. You have to appreciate a good deal when you see one ha ha.

    Reply
  13. Mary Edwards says

    July 11, 2017 at 4:12 pm

    That is a TON of artists at one festival. Sounds like a great time for music fans!

    Reply
  14. Shannon Gurnee says

    July 11, 2017 at 4:31 pm

    I hadn’t heard of Summerfest yet, but it sounds like a great event! Looks like you had a blast! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  15. Kita Bryant says

    July 11, 2017 at 4:50 pm

    Shuttles and ATMS are a saving grace at festivals. This sounds like it’s a blast!

    Reply
  16. AnnMarie John says

    July 11, 2017 at 11:36 pm

    A summer fest sounds really fun! I’ve never been to this event before and I can’t believe they’ve been doing this for 50 years! That’s so amazing!

    Reply
  17. Annemarie LeBlanc says

    July 12, 2017 at 1:35 am

    What an awesome event! 50 years in the banking industry is definitely a reason to celebrate. I love how they take care of their customers. I wish there was one near me! Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience at the BMO Harris Summerfest.

    Reply
  18. My Teen Guide says

    July 12, 2017 at 4:22 am

    Wow. This bank sure knows how to throw a party! Well, there is definitely a reason to celebrate – a golden anniversary! I love all the fun things to do at the Summerfest. i only wished i lived closer.

    Reply
  19. Melissa Hagan says

    July 12, 2017 at 3:13 pm

    Sounds like BMO has some awesome perks! I love that dining area! Summerfest sure is a hot thing a round here and I can’t wait for next year’s festivities!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Maureen Fitzgerald of Wisconsin Mommy

Maureen Fitzgerald is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin influencer, brand enthusiast and strategist. She helps brands reach more potential customers through targeted consultation sessions, press coverage, product reviews and campaigns both at WisconsinMommy.com and by leveraging her blogger network. You can also see Maureen hamming it up on her YouTube channel at WisconsinMommy.tv. READ MORE...
All links on this site may be affiliate links and should be considered as such. WisconsinMommy is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com as well as other affiliate programs. The cost to you remains the same, but I make a very small commission off of your purchase. Thanks for supporting WisconsinMommy!

gardening information

home improvement ideas

easy recipes

There….I Said It.

boy holding iphone over ixpand charger

The Easiest Way To Charge and Backup Your Phone

Extend the Life of Your Mac

Five Reasons Why I Love the Amazon Echo Show

Copyright © 2023 · Wisconsin Mommy ✺ All Rights Reserved