MILWAUKEE -- Summerfest has announced major changes for the 2021 version of the world's largest music festival, including a new three-weekend format.
Next year's version of the festival will take place across three consecutive weekends: June 24-26, July 1-3, and July 8-10. Festival organizers say this will allow more flexibility to book big national acts.
“The pandemic, which resulted in the cancellation of the 2020 event season, profoundly impacted our non-profit organization. In response, our leadership team analyzed available data, patron surveys and the event landscape and ultimately determined the best possible path forward for Summerfest was to transition to a new format,” said Don Smiley, President & CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “Our fans have been asking for a bigger experience, and we are excited to be able to bring more weekends and more national talent to the already blockbuster Summerfest lineup, while continuing to provide significant economic impact to our state and region.”
Here's the lineup of shows that are already scheduled for 2021:
| Khalid | June 24, 2021 |
| Luke Bryan | June 25, 2021 |
| Justin Bieber | June 26, 2021 |
| Dave Matthews Band | July 1, 2021 |
| Blink-182 | July 2, 2021 |
| Halsey | July 3, 2021 |
| Chris Stapleton | July 8, 2021 |
| Guns N’ Roses | July 10, 2021 |
The newly-renovated American Family Insurance Amphitheater will also make its debut in 2021, Summerfest says.
The $51.3 million investment will feature "expanded concourses, all new seats, additional restrooms, new food and beverage options, accessibility enhancements and much more," a news release says.
Summerfest 2020 was originally postponed until fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, but was later altogether canceled.
This is a developing story. Check back often for updates.