BMO and Summerfest Continue Support of Minority Owned Businesses through BMO EMpower Grants, BMO Customer Perks, and Big Artists at the BMO Pavilion

MILWAUKEE, WI (June 16, 2023) – Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance and BMO are excited to partner during Summerfest’s 55^th anniversary with the return of the BMO EMpower program’s support of marketplace vendors, a great lineup at the BMO Pavilion, and on-site perks for BMO customers.

BMO will once again support minority-owned businesses through the BMO EMpower grant program, which will provide six minority-owned small businesses with the opportunity to be featured as a marketplace vendor during the festival. The 2023 BMO EMpower Summerfest vendors include:  Golden Reign, Scents & Such, Philomena & Ruth, Keepnitmil, Kalina & Co. Jewelry, and WisconsinUp. Visit the BMO Pavilion page for more information about each of these BMO EMpower Summerfest vendors.

New this year, the Summerfest store will carry a t-shirt designed and produced by a BMO EMpower grant recipient – Cesar Cornier, owner of Keepnitmil. The item reflects a fusion between Summerfest’s brand and Keepnitmil’s hip-hop streetwear aesthetic. The collaboration was inspired by Cornier’s mission to help unify people through music, fashion, and art. It is also available online at https://store.summerfest.com/keepnitmil-tee

In addition to a financial grant, the BMO EMpower recipients will also have an opportunity to meet with a BMO relationship manager one-on-one to discuss their financial needs and explore various resources that BMO can offer to support their business. The experience will culminate at a community partner event hosted by BMO leaders on June 30, 2023, where the recipients will engage in professional networking with members and leaders of the local business community

“BMO is excited to welcome music fans and families back to Summerfest as the festival celebrates its 55^th Anniversary,” said Jud Snyder, BMO’s Regional President, Midwest. “Summerfest is a major highlight for Milwaukee with artists from all over the world and BMO is proud to be a longstanding supporter. Music is a great way to bring our community together and we look forward to celebrating this milestone Anniversary with our customers, employees, and community. We are also proud to continue our support for minority-owned businesses participating as Summerfest marketplace vendors through the BMO EMpower grant program, which marks its third year.”

BMO customers will also receive exclusive perks during Summerfest, which will take place over three weekends (Thursdays-Saturdays), June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8:

• 15% discount on merchandise at all Summerfest Store locations during the festival when using the BMO Harris Bank MasterCard® credit or debit card.
• BMO Customer Gate – provides easy access to Summerfest.  Show your BMO debit/credit card to enter, located south of the Summerfest Box Office.

The BMO Pavilion is home to some of the top names in music during Summerfest’s 55^th anniversary with Marcus King, Earth, Wind & Fire,
Avett Brothers, Ava Max, Cypress Hill, Lauren Daigle, Ne-Yo, Styx, and more.

For the full lineup at the BMO Pavilion visit BMOPavilion.com

About Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance
Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance is one of the most iconic celebrations of music in America, hosting the industry’s biggest acts for an unforgettable live music experience.  Since its inception in 1968, Summerfest continues to distinguish itself as a premier national music festival and has developed an unrivaled reputation, consistently featuring hundreds of performances across 12 stages, throughout the 75-acre festival grounds along Lake Michigan. Summerfest takes place in downtown Milwaukee, WI, which was recently named as one of the top 25 Best Places to Visit in 2023 by National Geographic.  Summerfest 2023 is June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8.

Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., producer of Summerfest, continues to fulfill its nonprofit mission of bringing the community together and providing a showcase for performing arts, activities, and recreation to the public, through music and special events.

About BMO Financial Group  
BMO Financial Group is the eighth largest bank in North America by assets, with total assets of $1.25 trillion as of April 30, 2023. Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a diverse team of highly engaged employees providing a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management, global markets and investment banking products and services to over 13 million customers across Canada, the United States, and in select markets globally. Driven by a single purpose, to Boldly Grow the Good in business and life, BMO is committed to driving positive change in the world, and making progress for a thriving economy, sustainable future and inclusive society.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.