By Matt Mueller Culture Editor Published Jul 03, 2019 at 2:01 PM Photography: Andy Tarnoff

Slurp up these festival stories packed with vitamins, minerals and everything you need to spike your summer fun. The Summer Festivals Guide is brought to you by Punch Bowl Social. Come on in – it's time we all win at adulting.

There's only one thing better than Summerfest tickets, and that's free Summerfest tickets.

So here are all of the Big Gig's admission promotions, gate giveaways and special offers for the 2019 festival. Unless otherwise noted, most promos start at noon and run while supplies last or through mid-afternoon, whichever comes first. All exchanges also take place at the mid-gate promotions booth, located at the mid-gate plaza.

And, with no further ado, here are all the ways you can save your way into Summerfest this year: 

Wednesday, July 3

  • Direct Supply Seniorfest Day: From noon until 4 p.m., all patrons aged 60 and up will be admitted for free when they check in at the designated turnstile at any gate, as well as offered $2 off a food and non-alcoholic beverage purchase over $10.
  • H.O.G. Member Day: From noon until 3 p.m., patrons who present a valid H.O.G. (Harley Owners Group) card will receive one free weekday admission ticket. The ticket is valid the day of the promotion only, and one admission is allowed per card. H.O.G. members will also have access to the Harley-Davidson Hospitality Deck, located at the Harley-Davidson Roadhouse, between noon and 5 p.m. The space is limited, so first-come, first-served. 

Thursday, July 4

  • Download the Summerfest App: There's plenty of reasons to check out the Summerfest App, but here's the best one: 15,000 free general admission tickets, valid for July 4, are available when you download the app and claim your ticket. The limit is one per device, and tickets are available only while supplies last, so get to downloading!

Saturday, July 6

  • "Make a Child Smile" Day: From noon until 3 p.m., the first 1,500 patrons who donate new or gently used children's books with a minimum $10 value – preferably picture books and early readers for children ages birth through 10 – toward Next Door will receive a free admission ticket. The ticket is valid the day of the promotion only. 

Sunday, July 7

  • "Fan Appreciation Day": From noon until 3 p.m., all patrons will be admitted for free. 

Special offers

  • Milwaukee Business Journal Power Lunch: All patrons that present an original coupon, printed in the Milwaukee Business Journal, at any ticket window will receive one free weekday admission ticket valid noon to 2 p.m. that same day.

For more information on special offers and promotional deals at this year's Big Gig, visit Summerfest's website. And for more Big Gig updates, reviews, previews and more, stay tuned to OnMilwaukee.

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.