Attendance for the World’s Largest Music Festival climbed back above the 600,000 mark for 2025, as Summerfest reported an 8% increase in visitors for a total of 602,231 fans through the gates this year.
On the entertainment side, event organizers highlighted sold-out amphitheater shows from Hozier, The Killers and Benson Boone, along with the capacity concerts from the Avett Brothers, Cake, Riley Green and Chicago at the BMO Pavilion. They also provided community-impact numbers from admission promotions and the festival as a whole, including:
- 20% of patrons who gained access to the festival grounds via the admission promotions.
- Donated food items that added up to nearly 24,000 meals that will fight food insecurity through Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and Northcott Neighborhood House.
- More than $11,900 in hygiene products collected for Mary Lou’s Closet.
- More than 4,850 children’s books collected for Next Door.
- 2,450 seasonal staff hired, more than 80% of whom reside in Milwaukee County
- More than 60 local community organizations that participated in the festival through performances, events and promotions.
- 37 local food-beverage vendors and 36 local marketplace vendors featured throughout the festival grounds.
“As an independent music festival, Summerfest delivers a one-of-a-kind experience, bringing fans together to enjoy incredible performances and Milwaukee’s vibrant energy,” Milwaukee World Festival president and CEO Sarah Pancheri said in a release. “We want to thank the artists, sponsors, vendors and fans that supported us this year."
Organizers also shared the dates for Summerfest 2026: June 18-20, June 25-27 and July 2-4
