MILWAUKEE, Wis. — The Milwaukee World Festival announced a new Summerfest sponsor Friday: Johnsonville.
Johnsonville and Milwaukee World Festival agreed to a multi-year deal, which begins this year and includes a new Johnsonville Summerville stage.
The stage will be located on the North end of the Summerfest grounds and features an outdoor patio-like stage area.
Under the deal, Johnsonville will be given the designation of the Official Sausage, Hot Dog, and Sausage Stick of Summerfest.
Summerfest said the stage would feature music by Wisconsin-based artists, grilling demonstrations, product samplings, and more. There will even be cornhole and a Johnsonville Marketplace!
"Meat" our newest Summerfest sponsor, @Johnsonville 🌭 They'll be bringing their brats and bites to Henry Maier Festival Park! Johnsonville’s Summerville will feature music by Wisconsin artists, grilling demos, samplings, and other more at #Summerfest55 ➡️ https://t.co/ziI1N61OC1 pic.twitter.com/2U3WyHyv2r
— Summerfest (@Summerfest) February 10, 2023
“The Johnsonville founders started their family in Milwaukee, with Ralph being born here. Even today, with the current family owners living in the greater Milwaukee area, our connection and involvement here have always been priorities to the family and the business,” said Shelly Stayer, Johnsonville owner, and board chair.
“As one of Wisconsin’s family-owned legacy companies, we are thrilled to have Johnsonville join our roster of sponsors at Summerfest as we celebrate our 55th anniversary,” said Don Smiley, CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “This new partnership celebrates hometown pride and provides the opportunity to showcase the Johnsonville brand and products during the festival.”
The new sponsorship comes after Milwaukee World Festival Inc. withdrew its sponsorship lawsuit against Klement's.
In December of 2022, TMJ4 obtained the lawsuit alleging Klement's failed to pay for its 2022 sponsorship. The lawsuit also alleged that Klement's wanted to terminate the sponsorship even though the agreement signed said the sponsorship would go through 2027.
As part of the sponsorship, Henry Maier Festival Park introduced Klement's Sausage and beer Garden, located at the north end of the park. The agreement also meant Summerfest dubbed Klement's the official sausage of Summerfest.
Before the lawsuit was withdrawn, Milwaukee World Festival was asking for more than $1 million, for the unpaid sponsorship year, plus additional compensation to cover the cost of removing or remodeling the Klement's area.
