Colorful Places: The World's Largest Music Festival

Summertime Jammin' at the World's Largest Music Festival

All set for a great day-trip from the Wisconsin Dells? Just a two-hour drive will take you to Milwaukee — home to the mother of all outdoor concert events. Certified by the Guiness Book of Records as the "World's Largest Music Festival," Summerfest is also Wisconsin's best-kept secret.

Summerfest begins on the last Thursday in June (June 26 this year) and ends on a Sunday 11 days later; gates are open from noon to midnight.

It's Summerfest, and it's taken place in downtown Milwaukee every summer for the last 40 years. The festival begins on the last Thursday in June (June 26 this year) and ends on a Sunday 11 days later; gates are open from noon to midnight. There are 12 stages, just as many beer tents, 45 dining options, shopping and cool Lake Michigan breezes.

Like those figures? Here are some more. The 2007 festival lineup included countless up-and-coming bands from every musical genre imaginable, and these headliners: Ludacris, Daughtry, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Roger Waters, Heart, WAR, Randy Travis, Toby Keith, INXS, Bon Jovi, B.B. King, The Black Crowes, Collective Soul, Arrested Development, Violent Femmes, Sugarland, Peter Frampton, Blue Oyster Cult, Sum 41, Fuel, Sara Evans, Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon, Steely Dan and many more, if you can believe it.

The festival lineup includes countless up-and-coming bands from every musical genre imaginable, as well as numerous headliners.

The festival lineup includes countless up-and-coming bands from every musical genre imaginable, as well as numerous headliners.

Almost as unbelievable are the ticket prices. Full-day tickets at the gates are $14 for adults, and $3 for kids and seniors. The gate ticket gets you admission to the main festival grounds. Some of the larger, current acts play in the Marcus Amphitheater, a 23,000-capacity outdoor theater located on the 75-acre Summerfest grounds. Reserved seating in the amphitheater is an additional ticket cost, but if you get to the festival early enough in the day, you can get a hand stamp, which provides you free (as in, no cost) access to many of the amphitheater shows that still have lawn seats available.

Listening to your all-time favorite bands all day works up an appetite. This is a very good thing, since 45 of Milwaukee's best restaurants set up shop at the Summerfest grounds, providing scaled-down versions of their gourmet fare. Cuisine represented includes Italian, Thai, Mexican, German, Greek, Chinese, Cajun, and standard American. You can also grab a beer at one of the many, large beer tents serving everything from Miller Lite to Wisconsin micro-brews.

The festival also includes plenty of family and kids' activities and one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the country.

The festival also includes plenty of family and kids' activities, strolling musicians jamming out on impulse, sports demos, national comedy acts, and one of the most spectacular fireworks displays in the country. It's no surprise this festival attracts almost 1 million people every year.

If you've never heard of it, we can't say why. But you can now consider yourself cordially invited.

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