Bob Babisch Announces 2022 Season will be Final Year Serving as Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. Vice President of Entertainment

MILWAUKEE, WI (March 3, 2022) – Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. (MWF) announced today that Bob Babisch, Vice President of Entertainment, will begin to transition his role as leader of the organization’s Entertainment Department at the end of 2022. Babisch has been with MWF for 46 years, starting in 1976, and has served in his current role for over four decades. Scott Ziel, current Associate Booking Director, will become Director of Entertainment, taking on additional responsibilities for Summerfest and other events produced by MWF. Following the 2022 season, Babisch will take on an ongoing consulting role with MWF.

During his tenure, Babisch has led the entertainment team at MWF, overseeing booking and production for all concerts during Summerfest, in addition to shows held at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater and BMO Harris Pavilion, outside of the festival. He also has booked countless events for other venues in and outside of Wisconsin. Over the years, Babisch has also cultivated close working relationships with all major talent agencies and management firms in the music industry.

“Bob has an unmatched legacy that has helped shape not only Summerfest, but the music industry, during his illustrious career,” said Don Smiley, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “In the months to come, he will provide exceptional support for his team as we begin this transition to new leadership. On a personal note, I will miss seeing Bob on a day-to-day basis in 2023, but we both look forward to rocking and rolling in 2022.”

“It has truly been a dream job, I can’t believe I’ve been here for 46 years,” said Bob Babisch, Vice President of Entertainment, Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “Looking back, it’s the connection of live music and the fans that has inspired me for all these years. I am excited to continue to work with Scott and bring that connection to the next generation of music fans.”

Scott Ziel has worked closely with Babisch on the booking and production of Summerfest for over 25 years. Ziel began with MWF as a member of the seasonal production team in 1992, became consultant in 1995, and later joined the team as Associate Booking Director in 2015. Since that time, Ziel has taken on increasing responsibilities, including booking stages for Summerfest, the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, and representing the festival at industry conventions.

“I am excited to continue our tradition of presenting the world’s top talent as well as our strategy of offering an eclectic Summerfest line-up,” said Ziel. “We have an excellent booking and production team, which will continue to elevate the live music experience for artists and fans alike.”

About Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. is an independent, private 501(c)(3) corporation founded in 1965 that produces Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance, a three-weekend music festival featuring over 800 artists across 12 stages.  Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. also maintains and improves Henry Maier Festival Park, located on 75 acres on the shores of Lake Michigan in Milwaukee, WI.  In addition to Summerfest, Henry Maier Festival Park hosts a variety of ethnic and cultural festivals, concerts, walks, runs, and other special events, attracting nearly 1.3 million people.  The mission of the organization is to promote an understanding of different ethnic cultures, the histories and traditions of various nationalities, harmony in the community, civic pride as well as to provide a showcase for performing arts, activities, and recreation for the public and employment opportunities for the youth of the community. For more details, visit Summerfest.com, Facebook.com/Summerfest, Twitter: @Summerfest or Instagram: @Summerfest.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.