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Your guide to having a great summer is brought to you by Potawatomi Hotel & Casino and Peoples State Bank.
The great Milwaukee summer is with us – and continuing this weekend, so is Summerfest, back where it belongs in under the gorgeous glare of June and July.
This year's three-weekend format overall offers more than a week jam packed with delicious food, good lakefront vibes, tremendous traditions, exciting activities, outstanding vendors and, of course, live music seemingly belting out of every nook and crook of the Summerfest grounds – from huge names to local favorites to the next big thing and everything in between. This second terrific Big Gig trifecta is headlined by the likes of Machine Gun Kelly, Halsey, Alessia Cara, Stone Temple Pilots, Lupe Fiasco – and that's just a small handfull of the dozens of performers hitting the stage this weekend.
To guide your way to living your fest self at the Big Gig, here's a full guide to the second Summerfest set – from who's playing on what stage to how to score free admission. Now get out there and have a stellar Summerfest!
Day 5: Friday, July 1
Daily admission deal
Military Appreciation Day
As a tribute to those who serve our country, Summerfest will give free admission to all active-duty military members and vets who show a valid Military ID, copy or photo of a DD-214 form, or driver’s license with Veteran classification at the gates' designated turnstile from noon until 6 p.m. The deal is also good for free admission up to four family members.
Kinship Community Food Day
Another way to score a great deal while helping a great cause, the first 2,000 patrons who donate three non-perishable food items – cooking oil and fruit snack packs, such as low-sugar applesauce or mandarin oranges, are preferred – at the Summerfest mid-gate between noon and 3 p.m. will receive free Big Gig admission. All the donations go toward Kinship Community Food Center, formerly caled the Riverwest Food Pantry.
Full music schedule
American Family Insurance Amphitheater
7:30 p.m. – Machine Gun Kelly with Avril Lavigne and Iann Dior
Miller Lite Oasis
12:45 p.m. – Platinum
2:30 p.m. – Brewtown Beat
4:15 p.m. – Scarypoolparty
6 p.m. – Dean Lewis
8:15 p.m. – Vaultboy
10:15 p.m. – Timeflies
BMO Harris Pavilion
1:30 p.m. – Boney Fingers
3:30 p.m. – Craig Omick's Third Coast Grooves
5:30 p.m. – Bascom Hill
7:30 p.m. – Tyler Bryant and the Shakedown
9:30 p.m. – Stone Temple Pilots
UScellular Connection Stage
12:45 p.m. – V-Funk
2:30 p.m. – Joe Jordan and the Soul Trio
4 p.m. – Funkee JBeez
5:30 p.m. – DJ Stretch
6 p.m. – Cincere
8:15 p.m. – Nana
10 p.m. – 2 Chainz
Uline Warehouse
Noon – Heaven & Hell - Chicago
1:45 p.m. – Signalfire
3:30 p.m. – Blue Oyster Cult
5:30 p.m. – Claudia Hoyser
7:30 p.m. – Nora Collins
9:30 p.m. – Jessie James Decker
Generac Power Stage
Noon – Guitar For Vets
3 p.m. – Military Appreciation Day Ceremony
3:45 p.m. – Keni Thomas
5:30 p.m. – Ultravox's Midge Ure
7:30 p.m. – Modern English
9:30 p.m. – Howard Jones
Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard
Noon – Jim Hudson
2 p.m. – Lovin' Kind
4 p.m. – Pat McCurdy
6 p.m. – The Steepwater Band
8 p.m. – Ber
10 p.m. – Alessia Cara
Johnson Controls World Sound Stage
12:30 p.m. – Hotel Fiction
1:45 p.m. – Mac Saturn
3 p.m. – The Criticals
4:15 p.m. – Jagwar Twin
5:30 p.m. – The Beaches
6:45 p.m. – Jocelyn & Chris
8 p.m. – The New Pornographers
9:30 p.m. – TreatYoSelf
Klement's Sausage & Beer Garden
Noon – Gene Gruber
1:45 p.m. – Sigmund Snopek
3:30 p.m. – Sigmund Snopek
5:30 p.m. – Peter Neumer
JoJo's Martini Bar
1 p.m. – John Van Thiel: The Voice of Elvis
4 p.m. – Crossfire
8 p.m. – The Unxpected
Gruber Law Offices Sportzone
3 p.m. – Zumba Demonstrations
4:30 p.m. – Milwaukee Admirals Hockey
7:30 p.m. – Wheelchair/Adaptive Sports
9 p.m. – Division BMX Stunt Team
Northwestern Mutual Community Park
Noon – Shandini
12:45 p.m. – Wayne & Wingnut - Red Hot Chilli Puppets
1:30 p.m. – Jerry Frasier: Comic Magic Energy
2:15 p.m. – Spoon Man - Musical Interactive Comedy
3:15 p.m. – Wes Tank
4 p.m. – Marc the Zani
4:45 p.m. – Wes Tank
5:30 p.m. – Shandini
6:30 p.m. – Spoon Man - Musical Interactive Comedy
7:30 p.m. – Jerry Frasier: Comic Magic Energy
Day 6: Saturday, July 2
Daily admission deal
Make a Child Smile Day
Support reading, score savings – a good arrangement, right? That's the deal on July 2, as the first 2,500 fans who donate $10 worth of new or gently used childrens books (preferrably picture books or early readers targeted at kids up to 10 years old) at the mid-gate between noon and 3 p.m. will get free Summerfest admission.
Full music schedule
American Family Insurance Amphitheater
7:30 p.m. – Halsey with the Marias and Abby Roberts
Miller Lite Oasis
12:45 p.m. – The Potentials
2:30 p.m. – Failure to Launch
4:15 p.m. – Brooke Alexx
5:15 p.m. – BASCH
6:15 p.m. – Ambar Lucid
7:45 p.m. – Romey
8:45 p.m. – Vincent Van Great
9:30 p.m. – Djay Mando
10:15 p.m. – Lupe Fiasco
BMO Harris Pavilion
1:30 p.m. – Bobby Way and The Fabulous Wayouts
3:30 p.m. – VO5
5:30 p.m. – 5 Card Studs
7:30 p.m. – Village People
9:30 p.m. – KC and the Sunshine Band
UScellular Connection Stage
12:45 p.m. – Part Time Models
2:30 p.m. – Parader
4:15 p.m. – Lit
6:15 p.m. – Avenues
8:15 p.m. – Hockey Dad
10 p.m. – Third Eye Blind
Uline Warehouse
Noon – Mascot Theory
1:45 p.m. – The People Brothers Band
3:30 p.m. – War
5:30 p.m. – Substitute: Tales From The Who
7:30 p.m. – Jackie Venson
9:30 p.m. – The Commodores
Generac Power Stage
Noon – Mo'Groove
1:45 p.m. – Night Spice
3:30 p.m. – Here Come the Mummies
5:30 p.m. – Sparta
7:30 p.m. – WHOKILLEDXIX
9:30 p.m. – Taking Back Sunday
Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard
Noon – The MilBilllies
2 p.m. – Boy Named Banjo
4 p.m. – Buffalo Nichols
6 p.m. – Houndmouth
8 p.m. – Madison Cunningham
10 p.m. – Mt. Joy
Johnson Controls World Sound Stage
12:30 p.m. – Less Common
1:45 p.m. – Chelsea Effect
3 p.m. – Carly Jo Jackson
4:15 p.m. – Arlie
5:30 p.m. – Jillian Francis
6:45 p.m. – Jackopierce
8 p.m. – Bodeans
9:30 p.m. – Djay Mando
Klement's Sausage & Beer Garden
Noon – Milwaukee Jazz Institute Ensemble
1:45 p.m. – Danny Miller Band
3:30 p.m. – Danny Miller Band
5:30 p.m. – Vivo
JoJo's Martini Bar
1 p.m. – SuperDave
4 p.m. – Marcell of the Rhythm Kings
8 p.m. – Rhythm Kings
Gruber Law Offices Sportzone
1:30 p.m. – Roll Train
9 p.m. – Division BMX Stunt Team
Northwestern Mutual Community Park
Noon – Wayne & Wingnut - Red Hot Chilli Puppets
12:45 p.m. – Mad Science
1:30 p.m. – Jerry Frasier: Comic Magic Energy
2:15 p.m. – Spoon Man: Musical Interactive Comedy
3:15 p.m. – Wayne & Wingnut - Red Hot Chilli Puppets
4 p.m. – Marc The Zani
4:45 p.m. – Wes Tank
5:30 p.m. – Spoon Man: Musical Interactive Comedy
6:30 p.m. – Jerry Frasier: Comic Magic Energy
7:30 p.m. – Wayne & Wingnut - Red Hot Chilli Puppets
8:30 p.m. – Wes Tank
For the schedule to the entire Big Gig, click here – and for more information on Summerfest, from getting to the grounds and more, check out all of OnMilwaukee's coverage here.
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.