Children’s Fest Day has been a thing at Summerfest for quite a while now, including this year’s festival (the first Friday, June 21). Beyond that, the full nine days of programming at Northwestern Mutual Community Park also gets its own kid-themed wrapping: The Lil Gig.
Geared toward the youngest folks through the gates, the Lil Gig is sort of a festival within a festival happening within the park’s confines. Whereas the grownups have MUNA and Rico Nasty, the kids will be able to enjoy the Mad Science Stage Show and Red Hot Chili Puppets, plus a whole bunch of other performances aimed at the lil’uns (full schedule down below).
On top of that, family-friendly exhibitors will set up shop in the park, including Urban Air Trampoline Park and Goldfish Swim School during the first weekend (June 20-22). Several others will be around throughout the festival, including:
- Soul Spin interactive vinyl art
- Dazzle Body face painting
- Coal Creek Tie Dye
- Shimmer & Shine hair sparkles
- Starship henna tattoo
- JImmy Flintstone airbrush t-shirts and hats
- Survive Alive House interactive fire truck
If you’re a relatively new parent or just haven’t been down to the park area of the festival grounds in a while, it’s come a long way since the big slides with those roller things that pinched your fingers. The playground itself is accessible for children of all abilities between the ages of 2 and 12, the restrooms are conveniently located right next to the equipment area, there are sensory rooms for those who need a break from the chaos, and nursing mothers have access to stations if they’d like some privacy.
You can find the full performance lineup for the Lil Gig below, and keep in mind that every evening will end with something Summerfest is calling the Kids Boogie Down Family Fun Dance Party at 7:30 p.m. (think of it as Summerfest’s version of Kids Disco).
The Lil Gig performance schedule
Thursday, June 20
- 12:45 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Steel Drum Band
- 1:30 p.m. — Bob Bohm Comedy Magic Show
- 2:15 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Steel Drum Band
- 4:45 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Steel Drum Band
- 5:30 p.m. — Bob Bohm Comedy Magic Show
Friday, June 21
- 12:45 p.m. — Bob Bohm Comedy Magic Show
- 2:15 p.m. — Danceworks
- 4:45 p.m. — Danceworks
- 5:30 p.m. — Shandini
Saturday, June 22
- 1:30 p.m. — Caricatures & Comedy by Bill Begos
- 2:15 p.m. — Matthew Magic Morgan and Liliana
- 4 p.m. — Matthew Magic Morgan and Liliana
- 5:30 p.m. — Caricatures & Comedy by Bill Begos
- 6:30 p.m. — Marvelous Michelle: Milwaukee Bubble Lady
Thursday, June 27
- 12:45 p.m. — Shandini
- 1:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
- 2:15 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 4 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 4:45 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 5:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
Friday, June 28
- 1:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
- 2:15 p.m. — Amy Lowe & King Katz
- 3:15 p.m. — Accompany of Kids: Song and Dance Troupe
- 4 p.m. — Accompany of Kids: Song and Dance Troupe
- 4:45 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
- 5:30 p.m. — Amy Lowe & King Katz
- 6:30 p.m. — Marvelous Michelle: Milwaukee Bubble Lady
Saturday, June 29
- 1:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
- 2:15 p.m. — Main Street Song and Dance Troupe
- 4:45 p.m. — Main Street Song and Dance Troupe
- 5:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
Thursday, July 4
- 12:45 p.m. — Shandini
- 3:15 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
- 4:45 p.m. — Shandini
- 6:30 p.m. — Mark Hayward: Cool Yo-Yo Guy
Friday, July 5
- 1:30 p.m. — Caricatures & Comedy by Bill Begos
- 2:15 p.m. — Danceworks
- 4 p.m. — Danceworks
- 5:30 p.m. — Caricatures & Comedy by Bill Begos
Saturday, July 6
- Noon — Matthew Magic Morgan and Liliana
- 12:45 p.m. — Accompany of Kids: Song and Dance Troupe
- 1:45 p.m. — Matthew Magic Morgan and Liliana
- 2:30 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 3:15 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 4 p.m. — Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra Jazz Combos
- 5:30 p.m. — Accompany of Kids: Song and Dance Troupe
