How To Get to Summerfest 2023

Summerfest from the sky glider. Photo by Alison Peterson.

Wondering how you’re going to get to Summerfest this year?

With Summerfest less than two weeks away, festival organizers Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and other partners are getting the word out about the many ways to get to the festival, which begins Thursday, June 22.

“As ambassadors of this fabulous city, it’s really important for all of us to come together and find solutions to accommodate the incredible number of visitors that Summerfest sees each year and to make it as easy as possible for each and every one of them,” said Beth Weirick, Executive Director of Milwaukee Downtown, at a press conference held by Milwaukee World Festival Monday.

The organizers have created a “Get Around Guide” to help festival-goers navigate transportation options during the festival. It’s available on the Summerfest website.

“The guide provides key tips for planning your trips to Summerfest,” said Milwaukee World Festival President Sarah Pancheri. “Most importantly, we ask our fans to consider how they’re gonna come to the festival before they get in whatever car or vehicle or mode of transportation they’re gonna take.”

There are more than 20 parking lots and structures near the Henry Maier Festival Park, 200 N. Harbor Dr, and they can all be accessed by taking freeway exits in Downtown Milwaukee. But below are a list of transportation options that don’t require a car.

MCTS Festival Shuttles and Bus Routes

Of note is the return of the Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) Summerfest shuttles running to and from park and rides in the county, albeit fewer than the last time they ran. MCTS last ran Summerfest bus service in 2019, with shuttles running between 10 park and rides around the county. This year there will be two: the Brown Deer Park and Ride, 851 W. Brown Deer Rd., and the College Avenue Park and Ride, 1400 W. College Ave.

Shuttles will run every half hour from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. between the festival grounds and the park and rides. The shuttles are cashless and riders will be able to pay through the MCTS Umo mobile app, with MCTS WisGo or M-Cards, or with a credit or debit card.

MCTS also operates several regular routes, with $2 one-way fares, that bring riders within walking distance of the music festival. Five routes in particular, the GreenLine, Route 14, Route 15, Route 18 and Route 30 can be used to get close to the festival.

The new bus rapid transit service, called Connect 1, is free and will drop riders off near the intersection of N. Van Buren and E. Wisconsin Ave. The new service runs for nine miles between Downtown Milwaukee and Wauwatosa.

“So I hope you enjoy the fest,” said MCTS CFO Tim Hosch during a press conference Monday. “And please leave the driving to us.”

Rideshare and Bar Shuttles

Summerfest will have an area outside the north gate of the festival grounds dedicated for pick up and drop off by ride share services like Uber and Lyft.

There are also more than 20 bars and restaurants that will be operating shuttles to and from the festival. These will pick up and drop off riders outside the North and South gates. A list of these shuttles can be found on the Summerfest website.

The Hop

Milwaukee’s streetcar provides a free option for transportation that will bring riders near the Summerfest grounds, with stops on the Lower East Side, Downtown and the Historic Third Ward.

It is a 10-minute walk via N. Broadway and E. Chicago Street to the festival’s Mid Gate.

Bike

The festival grounds are easily accessible by bike. Milwaukee County Parks‘ Oak Leaf Trail network can be used to access a trail running along Lincoln Memorial Drive that will bring cyclists right to the North gate of the festival. Additionally, the Hank Aaron State Trail provides a connection for cyclists traveling from the western end of Milwaukee County.

Bikeshare service Bublr Bikes has more than 50 stations throughout the city, and several are located adjacent to the festival grounds. Find a nearby Bublr station at this link.

Bicycle parking is available near the Mid, North and South gates.

Train

If coming to Milwaukee from Chicago, Racine or Kenosha, the Amtrak Hiawatha Service is a viable option. And from the Milwaukee station, you can take The Hop to get within walking distance of the festival.

The train has stops at Chicago’s Union Station, suburban Glenview, Ill., and the Village of Sturtevant in Racine County. The timing of the trips may require an overnight stay.

Boat

Lakeshore State Park has several public docks, but they are often busy during festival season and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Once your boat is docked, it is a seven-minute walk to Summerfest Grounds. More information is available on the Friends of Lakeshore State Park website.

Walking

For those who live close by, there are several entrances you can get to by walking.

The North Gate is the nearest to E. Wisconsin Ave. and people can walk down to it via O’Donnell Park. The Mid Gate lines up with E. Chicago St. The southern gate is closest to E. Erie St.

Weirick noted that the two ZIP codes that make up the Greater Downtown area of Milwaukee are the highest-rated in Milwaukee by the national real estate brokerage Red Fin.