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2017 Story Ideas

Music • Love ’s ? There is plenty of opportunity to “stay local” at this year’s . Summerfest loves to give local bands the opportunity to play the Big Gig. Milwaukee (or Milwaukee based) talent fills all 11 days of Summerfest, featuring: o Voila (June 28 - 6:30 PM @ Miller Lite Oasis Stage) o Eagle Trace (June 28 – 6:30 PM @ Uline Warehouse Stage) o Dead Horses (July 1 - 8:00 PM @ Johnson Control's World Stage) o Painted Caves (July 2 - 4:00 PM @ Harley-Davidson Roadhouse) o IshDarr (July 4 - 10:00 PM @ Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard) o Shonn Hinton & Shotgun (July 5 - 6:30 PM @ Uline Warehouse Stage) o Lex Allen (July 6 - 8:00 PM @ Johnson Control's World Stage) o Tigernite (July 7 - 7:00 PM @ Miller Lite Oasis Stage) o Trapper Schoepp (July 8 - 8:00 PM @ Uline Warehouse Stage) o Nora Collins (July 9 - 8:00 PM @ Miller Lite Oasis Stage)

• The Emerging Artists Series is back again with more new artists thanks to the partnership with 88Nine Radio Milwaukee. The Johnson Controls World Sound Stage will host the series once again this year, highlighting emerging talent each evening from 3:00 – 7:30 pm with the opportunity for fans to vote for their favorite performances. Some artists who’ve played in past series have gone on to become well known in the , including Nathaniel Rateliff (now of Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats), Margot and the Nuclear So & So’s, X Ambassadors, The Mowgli’s, Walk The Moon, MisterWives, Maren Morris and more! Who will be the next rock star?

• Rockonsin is a Garage Competition for 7th - 12th graders in Wisconsin. Finalists will be competing June 29 and 30 on the Johnson Controls World Sound Stage with the final round taking place at the Briggs & Stratton Big Backyard Stage on July 9. The winner and runner-up will receive a professional recording session at Madison’s Blast House Studios and the ability to play a second set at Summerfest. The winning band will also represent Rockonsin at the 2017 Vans on July 24.

• has partnered with Summerfest to allow over sixty student bands from around the world to play onstage at the “World’s Largest .” Select bands will perform with world renowned at the final event on July 9th at the BMO Harris Pavilion. Each year School of Rock teaches over 25,000 students across 9 countries and 200 locations. Through a unique performance-based approach, students are guided from the lesson room to the stage where they play real shows at authentic venues with their peers!

What’s New? • Explore everything Summerfest has to offer and stop by the American Family Insurance Experience. This innovative space offers inspiration and fun for every goer, from experiencing a live art installation and designing your own photo that reflects your unique dream, to relaxing on the rooftop lounge and loading up on festival necessities.

• The Miller Lite Oasis has been renovated for this year’s festival, featuring enhanced amenities and access for patrons. The stage includes a new Miller Brew House, video screen upgrades, new bar areas, expanded hospitality areas and a reconfigured marketplace and Summerfest retail store.

• The Miller Lite Oasis is home to “Level Up,” a concert viewing deck, which features a private bar and restrooms, seating, and flat-screen TVs from 6:00pm – midnight for $100 per person. The ticket to Level Up includes admission to Summerfest, two beverages and evening appetizers. Tickets are available at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater Box Office or at .com.

• To assist with planning a visit to Summerfest 50, the 2017 Summerfest App presented by Pepsi is now available for mobile phones and tablets and FREE to download on the Apple or Google Play stores. This year’s Summerfest App has been given a new design that allows patrons to check out which of their friends are planning to see the same shows and explore recommendations based on music tastes when connected to Facebook.

• Come and experience the 360 Dome Pro Virtual Reality Village! An unforgettable experience for all ages! 360 Dome Pro provides a one of kind sensory experience combining music, art and visuals that will take audiences on a journey into new dimensions of Virtual Reality and 360 immersive experience. The exhibit will feature a variety of amazing content from top visionary artists, animated stories and hyper reality documentaries—all performed in audiophile surround sound.

Food & Beverage • Eat your way through Summerfest 2017, starting with new vendors and food items! Dietary restrictions? There are gluten free, vegan and vegetarian options to accommodate every fest goer. *See Summerfest 2017 New Vendors and Menu Items and “Summerfest 2017 Gluten Free- Vegetarian-Vegan Menus for more details.

• It’s a big year for the food of Summerfest! The food and beverage vendors continue to create new and innovative dishes for foodies to enjoy that raise the bar for festival fare. 2017 features over 50 additions to the 2017 food line-up, including: o Bacon Cheese Burger Combo from AJ Bombers o Stuffed Pasta Pizza from Angelo’s o Non-alcoholic Horchata from Botana’s o Waffle Nachos Hot Fudge Sundae from Cedar Crest o Spicy Pepper Jack Cheese Bites and Tater Tot & Bacon Cheesesteak from Chubby’s Cheesesteaks o Big Cheese Sub from Cousins Subs o Beer Battered Bratwurst on a Sick and Bacon Spatzle “Mac” & Cheese from Mader’s o Pretzilla (with Pine River Beer Cheese) and Nachos with Pine River Mild Jalapeno Cheese from Martino’s o Sciortino’s Bakery o Walking Pasta and Fresh Cheese Curds from Pitch’s & Miss Katie’s Diner o House made Cheddar Potato Tots with BBQ Pork & Chives from Saz’s

• Try one of the new beverage experiences that can be found on the Summerfest grounds this year: o Be A Taste Explorer at the Miller Long Bar (Miller Lite Oasis): Be A Taste Explorer and create your own 4 beverage flight from a list of 14 products available at the Miller Long Bar. Single taste explorer size and full size pours will also be available. o Miller Brew House (Miller Lite Oasis): Located on the north side of the Miller stage, the Miller Brew House offers Summerfest concertgoers another social space at the Miller Lite Oasis. This covered area provides additional seating, a bar and Front Row access for those who’ve participated in Miller promotions.

• Everyone loves a good cup of coffee, so while visiting make sure to stop by the new vendor Valentine Coffee (BMO Harris Pavilion) where you can find the following: Hot or Iced Coffee, Café Mocha, Café Au Lait, and Espresso will be made featuring Valentine Coffee. Hot or Iced Tea as well as Chai will also be available.

• Everyone has their favorite festival food and thankfully two popular vendors will add locations for Summerfest 2017: o Charcoal Grill (Ethnic Village): This second location will feature Burgers, Rotisserie Chicken, Turkey Legs, Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts, BBQ Ribs, Chicken Tenders, Wisconsin Harvest Salad, Pulled Pork, Fries and more! o Peter Sciortino’s Bakery (BMO Harris Pavilion): This second location will feature Cookies, Brownies, Eclairs, Assorted Jumbo Cupcakes, Tiramisu and Italian Cookies.

Community Impact

• Patrons love to get in free through Summerfest’s daily admission promotions. Last year, in total, 92,271 patrons – or 11.4% of all attendees – took advantage of admission promotion offers. For more information on 2017 Admission Discounts, please refer to news release.

• While visiting Summerfest, kids and their families have the opportunity to interact with various community partners in the Kohl’s Captivation Station, such as:

• Kohl’s Wild Theater: Meet new characters and enjoy new adventures in conservation- themed performances using drama, and puppetry with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee. Check the official schedule for show times.

• Kohl’s Color Wheels: Families can enjoy a fun-filled, hands-on art experience with the mobile extension of the Milwaukee Art Museum. Not only do kids take part in creative projects, but also grow and learn through art!

• Kohl’s Design It! Mobile Lab: Your ingenuity will soar as you turn your ideas into products you design. Learn techniques and methods of making things from Discovery World design professionals with unique take-away projects. Dream it. Build it. Take it home.

• Kohl’s Building Blocks Workshop: Through the Kohl's Building Blocks program, Penfield Children's Center promotes the health and positive development of children and celebrates their unique abilities.

• Kohl’s Cares Grow Safe & Healthy: Children's Hospital of Wisconsin brings health and safety education to local families through an interactive Mobile Unit. Kids can play the "Keep Spriggy Safe" game and parents can pick up free injury prevention information.

Exclusive Summerfest 50 Activities: We’re proud of our history and plan to celebrate by sharing some of Summerfest’s most memorable moments with the community. Look for opportunities to learn about our rich history and relive some of the festival’s fondest memories.

• Follow the history of rock ‘n roll through the evolution of Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance. Featuring photos of renowned artists that have appeared over the past 50 years, this 124-page book, “50 Years of Smiles,” includes decade-by-decade details on how a collection of local events with modest beginnings became the World’s Largest Music Festival! This piece of Summerfest history will cost $15 and will be available for order at Summerfest.com starting May 9, 2017 or at the Summerfest store throughout the festival. Shipping and handling fees for books purchased online will apply.

• Summerfest 50 presented by Pick ’n Save is a celebration of the festival’s history accompanied by a series of historical exhibits that depict 50 years of iconic moments. The three pronged exhibit will feature a traveling display, a summer-long exhibit at the Milwaukee County Historical Society and an onsite exhibit at Summerfest. Decades of festival highlights will be illustrated through large graphic panels and displays of original posters, banners and vintage memorabilia. o At Milwaukee County Historical Society A comprehensive exhibit that will be housed at the Milwaukee County Historical Society, open to the public May 19 – September 29, 2017, complemented by the current exhibit Melodies and Melodies: 200 Years of Milwaukee Music. A special open house happy hour event will be hosted on June 14 at the Milwaukee County Historical Society from 4:30 pm – 7:00 pm as part of the kick-off to River Rhythms Summer Concert Series in Pere Marquette Park.

o Around Wisconsin A traveling display that will visit select Pick ‘n Save locations from May – June and neighboring counties on the following dates: June 7 – June 17: Wisconsin Historical Society June 20 – June 26: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Libraries

o At Summerfest An installation of the exhibit on the Summerfest grounds will be open daily at Summerfest from Noon – 8:00 pm during the festival A digital tapestry of fan photos will be featured at the exhibit and will offer fans a unique photo opportunity during this special year.

• Summerfest’s HomeGrown Merchandise Collection features locally sourced and designed apparel and gifts and is a further attempt to incorporate the greater community into Milwaukee’s cornerstone festival. Reaching out to many local artists and businesses, this collaboration provides the festival an opportunity to feature an eclectic variety of merchandise, as well as two limited edition commemorative posters, available for purchase. These businesses include: Orchard Street Apparel, Too Much Metal, Milwaukee Home, Words & Images, Wiskullskin, James Steeno Gallery, Orange Pops, Drawstring Studio, Fiore Boutique, Local Change, BlackPaint Studios and Whaleskin Illustration. Select Homegrown Merchandise will be available in advance of the festival at Milwaukee Boston Store locations in their local “Close to Home” shops or Summerfest.com. A majority of the HomeGrown Collection will be available at the Mid-Gate Summerfest Store during the festival.

Media Contact

Julie Stolper Dieckelman| Media Relations

Office: (414) 270-6517 Website: www.summerfest.com Cell: (262) 853-1602 : @Summerfest Hashtag: #Summerfest50 Facebook: Facebook.com/summerfest Online Electronic Press Kit: summerfest.com/media-assets