By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Mar 30, 2018 at 10:26 AM Photography: Molly Snyder

Milwaukee Pride today announced the headliner lineup for the nation's largest LGBT+ festival, celebrating its 31st year this summer. And this year, the party is getting even larger, as PrideFest announced it will expand to a fourth day, opening Thursday, June 7 before running through the rest of the weekend. 

The festivities will begin that Thursday night with a kick-off party featuring east coast EDM trio Cash Cash, most famous for their hit collaboration with Bebe Rexha, "Take Me Home." The opening day celebration will also feature a variety of local entertainment, including DJs, dancers, drag artists and more. Admission for the kick-off party – hosted in the grounds's Dance Pavilion only – will cost $10. 

PrideFest will then party on into the weekend, with pop star Daya serving as the Friday night headliner. Daya is most famous for her hit songs "Sit Still Look Pretty" and "Hideaway," as well as her collaboration with The Chainsmokers, "Don't Let Me Down," which earned the teen pop hitmaker a Grammy last year for Best Dance Recording. 

Saturday evening's headlining act will be Jussie Smollett, most known as Jamal Lyon on Fox's hit TV show, "Empire" – though he also appeared recently in last year's "Alien: Covenant" and "Marshall," as well as "The Mighty Ducks" as Terry Hall as a child. However, he's also a musician, with several songs from "Empire" as well as a new album, "Sum of My Music," just released on March 2. 

The weekend's festivities will then come to a close Sunday night with one of the most sought-after and popular "wish list" submissions to PrideFest: The B-52s, who will bring their legendary new wave pop rock hits like "Love Shack," "Roam" and "Rock Lobster" to the Henry Maier Festival Park grounds and bring a joyful end to the first-ever four-day Milwaukee PrideFest. 

"Not only does this expansion and line up mean growth for Milwaukee Pride, Inc and PrideFest, it means growth in tourism, national recognition and activation in our wonderful city," said Milwaukee Pride board president Wes Shaver, in a press release. "We are thrilled to be adding an additional day to contribute to our community beneficiary, PLUS ONE partner and further inject resources into our local LGBT community"

More performers are still expected to be added to PrideFest's lineup – which already includes these headliners, as well as local sister act favorite Reyna, "Leave (Get Out)" pop star JoJo and more – so stay tuned to PrideFest's website for more updates, as well as information on how to buy tickets and weekend passes. 

Matt Mueller Culture Editor

As much as it is a gigantic cliché to say that one has always had a passion for film, Matt Mueller has always had a passion for film. Whether it was bringing in the latest movie reviews for his first grade show-and-tell or writing film reviews for the St. Norbert College Times as a high school student, Matt is way too obsessed with movies for his own good.

When he's not writing about the latest blockbuster or talking much too glowingly about "Piranha 3D," Matt can probably be found watching literally any sport (minus cricket) or working at - get this - a local movie theater. Or watching a movie. Yeah, he's probably watching a movie.