Nothing Says “Summer in Milwaukee” Like Festival Season!
June is almost upon us, which means festival season is right around the corner! Milwaukee is not only home to the World’s Largest Music Festival, but several other festivals as well. The Henry W. Maier Festival Park, named after Milwaukee’s longest serving mayor, Henry Maier, started with Summerfest in 1968. If you’ve ever been to a festival at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park, you probably know why festival season is such an exciting time in Milwaukee! Corn on the cob, Miller Lite beer, music & dancing…what more could you ask for!? People travel to our city from all over the world to enjoy everything that these wonderful festivals have to offer.
While festival season is a very busy time for the Ambassador Hotel, the hustle and bustle of our guests going to and from all of the festivals makes it a very fun & exciting time. If you are a guest staying with us, or visiting our restaurant, the Fitz or lounge, Gin Rickey for dinner and drink before a show, enjoy free parking and our complimentary shuttle service to and from the festival grounds!
**The shuttle is a first-come, first-served service, however, we do recommend reservations for the shuttle especially during these busy times! The shuttle runs on a schedule and leaves the hotel at the "bottom" of the hour (i.e. 10:30, 11:30, etc.) and makes return runs (pickups from various locations) at the "top of the hour" (i.e. 10:00, 11:00, etc.). Last pick-up from the festival grounds is at 11pm.
To help make your planning easier, we’ve put together a list of the festivals that will be at the Henry W. Maier Festival Park throughout Summer:
PrideFest
June 8-10, 2018
PrideFest returns to Milwaukee’s beautiful lakefront June 8, 9, and 10th! With nine stages of live entertainment from noon until midnight, PrideFest offers something for every visitor throughout the three-day weekend. Since 1996, PrideFest Milwaukee has been hosted by Henry W. Maier Festival park, making it the only LGBT+ pride festival in the world with permanent festival grounds. Visit pridefest.com for more information.
Polish Fest
June 15-17, 2018
Polish Fest highlights Polish and Polish-American entertainment on five stages, Folk Art, Polish artists, demonstrations and a marketplace in a Cultural Village and offers authentic Polish fare. The festival also features a Children’s Area, Miss Polish Fest Pageant, Chopin Youth Piano Competition and Polish mass. Visit http://www.polishfest.org/ for more information.
Summerfest
June 27 - July 1 & July 3 - July 8, 2018
Following its 1968 debut, Summerfest has evolved into what is now recognized as “The World’s Largest Music Festival®” and Milwaukee’s cornerstone summer celebration, hosting the music industry’s hottest stars, emerging talent and local favorites along with approximately 850,000 people from Milwaukee and around the world each year for an unforgettable live music experience. During the festival, the spotlight shines on over 800 acts, over 1,000 performances, 11 stages, delectable food and beverages and interactive activities, all in a world-class festival setting. Visit Summerfest.com for more information.
Festa Italiana
July 20 - 22, 2018
Festa Italiana was the first ethnic festival to be held at Henry Maier Festival Park. Milwaukee's Italian community hosts this exciting celebration of Italian culture where patrons enjoy world-class performances, both local and national, cook-offs and eating contests and a wide range of other new events. Visit Festaitaliana.com for more information.
German Fest
July 27 - 29, 2018
“Get Your Deutsch On” at one of the largest, most authentic HAUS parties in North America! 2017 FEATURE: STIHL® TIMBERSPORTS® U.S. Pro and Collegiate Championship, visit www.stihltimbersports.com for more info. 5 stages of German music, food, Cultural Village, Glockenspiel, fireworks, Marktplatz, children’s activities, Model T and Volkswagen clubs, Sheepshead, Dachshund Derby, parades and more! Friday – Military Appreciation. Sunday – Family Day. Visit Germanfest.com for more information.
Black Arts Fest MKE
August 4, 2018
A NEW cultural festival celebrating and showcasing African and African American culture. Various genres of music on tap, performances and workshops for children, dance performances and activities focused around African heritage are in store. A Market Square will feature wares and products aligned with the culture and produced by black owned businesses. Visit blackartsfestMKE.com for more information.
Irish Fest
August 16 - 19, 2018
Irish Fest has been part of the Milwaukee community for more than 30 years and the Smithsonian Institution called it "the largest and best Irish cultural event in North America." True to its mission statement "to promote and celebrate all aspects of Irish culture and to instill in future generations an appreciation of Irish heritage," Irish Festivals, Inc. is much more than a festival, working on outreach endeavors throughout the United States. Visit Irishfest.com for more information.
Mexican Fiesta
August 24 - 26, 2018
Mexican Fiesta celebrates the sound, culture and taste of Mexico and other Latin American countries each year with three days of fun, food, Mariachi and Fiesta for everyone. Mexican Fiesta is more than just a celebration; it is a vigorous declaration of community spirit at its best, concentrating on providing education and cultural events for the growing Hispanic community. Visit MexicanFiesta.org for more information.
Indian Summer Festival
September 7 - 9, 2018
The mission of Indian Summer Festival is to educate, preserve and promote American Indian cultures and showcase the diversity that exists within tribal cultures. The event features a competition pow wow, cultural demonstrations, traditional food, fine art, lacrosse, Olympic-style amateur boxing, the Indian Summer Music Award Show, a marketplace and both cultural and contemporary entertainment. For more information visit indiansummer.org.
Whether you're a Milwaukee native or this is your first time visiting Milwaukee for festival season, we hope you enjoy all of the music, culture, delicious food & drink that all of these wonderful festivals have to offer!
Cheers!