Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Press Release

Celebrate Labor Day Weekend at the Lakefront with Bikes, Music & 3rd Annual Big Gig BBQ

$5,000 Prize to be Given Away During Big Gig BBQ

By - Jul 26th, 2018 05:00 am

MILWAUKEE, WI (July 26, 2018) –  Three great events celebrating the Labor Day weekend are on tap at Henry Maier Festival Park– first starting on Thursday, August 30th and running through Sunday, September 2nd is the Katancha Rock, Rally & Roll, on the North End of the grounds, featuring the ultimate destination for motorcycle aftermarket parts, vendors, entertainment, and more. Then, on Saturday, September 1, 2018, seven-time GRAMMY® award-winning trio Lady Antebellum and multi-platinum recording artist Darius Rucker bring their co-headlining SUMMER PLAYS ON TOUR with special guest Russell Dickerson to the American Family Insurance Amphitheater.  On Sunday, September 2, 2018 it’s the 3rd annual Big Gig BBQ from Noon-7:00 p.m. featuring big fun, music and the best barbeque in town from 15 local cookers. Once again this year, the Big Gig BBQ will offer FREE admission and FREE parking for all attendees.

“Henry Maier Festival Park will be the place to be for the best in BBQ, music, and activities this Labor Day weekend,” said Don Smiley, President and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. “We invite all music lovers, families, motorcycle enthusiasts, and foodies to visit the lakefront for four days of the Katancha Rock, Rally & Roll, a great night of music at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater on Saturday with Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker, followed by the Big Gig BBQ on Sunday.”

Katancha Rock, Rally & Roll:

This free event will be held Thursday, August 30 through Sunday, September 2, 2018 from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily on the North End of Henry Maier Festival Park. It’s the ultimate destination for motorcycle aftermarket parts and accessories, from internationally-known vendors such as  J&P Cycles, Vance & Hines, Kuryakyn, Cycle Solutions, and Knight Rider Jewelry. The Katancha Rock, Rally and Roll features live music, food and beverage, and daily bike shows, Pack-O-Ratz Speed Club rat rod car show on Sunday, September 2nd, and much more. The four day event offers FREE admission and FREE bike parking – it’s the place to be during the city-wide motorcycle celebration.

Summer Plays On Tour – Lady Antebellum, Darius Rucker, and Russell Dickerson:

Lady Antebellum and Darius Rucker with special guest Russell Dickerson will perform on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster.com, Summerfest.com, at the Summerfest Box Office in person, Ticketmaster Ticket Centers, select Walmart stores, and by phone at 1.800.745.3000 (live Ticketmaster Agent) or 1.866.448.7849 (“Ticketmaster Express” automated phone line). Patrons may also utilize “ticketfast” at Ticketmaster.com to print barcoded concert tickets from home. Convenience fees may be added to all purchases.

Big Gig BBQ, produced by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.:

The 3rd Annual Big Gig BBQ on Sunday, September 2, 2018 will take place on the South End of Henry Maier Festival Park from Noon – 7:00 p.m. Admission and parking are FREE. New this year, attendees can enter to win the BIG GIG BBQ $5,000 Cash Giveaway. Also, new this year is the Amateur BBQ Rib Competition, open to local backyard BBQ enthusiasts who are ready to take their skills to the next level. Entrants must bring their own grill and the meat will be provided by Kettle Range Meats.

The Big Gig BBQ will feature many fest favorite activities from past years, including cooking demonstrations, picnic games and attractions, music, and the best BBQ in town.

The 15 local vendors participating this year include:  Atlas BBQ, DOC’s Commerce Smokehouse, Double B’s BBQ, Famous Dave’s Bar-b-que, Hue Vietnamese Restaurant, Iron Grate BBQ Co., Maxie’s, Miss Beverly’s Deluxe Barbeque, Nino’s Southern Sides, Pitch’s, Saz’s State House, Silver Spur Texas Smokehouse BBQ, Smoke Shack, The Saucy Swine, and The Charcoal Grill and Rotisserie.

The “Big Gig Pig Award” (favorite BBQ cooker) will be back and fans will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite BBQ cooker until 6:00 p.m.  The Big Gig Pig Award winner will be announced at 6:30 p.m.

For more details on the Big Gig BBQ, sponsored by Miller Lite, visit www.biggigbbq.com

For more information on all the events at Henry Maier Festival Park Labor Day weekend, visit www.milwaukeeworldfestival.com/find-events/calendar

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, an 11-day festival that generates approximately $186 million in direct and indirect economic impact for the community each year.  Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. also maintains 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 and provide a showcase for performing arts, activities and recreation for the public and employment opportunities for the youth of the community.

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.

Leave a Reply

You must be an Urban Milwaukee member to leave a comment. Membership, which includes a host of perks, including an ad-free website, tickets to marquee events like Summerfest, the Wisconsin State Fair and the Florentine Opera, a better photo browser and access to members-only, behind-the-scenes tours, starts at $9/month. Learn more.

Join now and cancel anytime.

If you are an existing member, sign-in to leave a comment.

Have questions? Need to report an error? Contact Us