Summerfest 2021 Drew 400K, Less Than Previous Years

MILWAUKEE, WI — Some 409,386 fans attended the nine days of Summerfest this year, Milwaukee World Festival Inc., the company that runs the event, announced Wednesday.

That was far less than Summerfest's 2019 attendance of 718,444, which in turn was down from 766,192 in 2018, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.

The company blamed the lower turnout on the delta variant, new entry protocols, the loss of public transportation and a rainy Labor Day weekend, the company said in a statement.

"While the results were not what the organization anticipated, it was significant to be able to operate Summerfest in September, during the pandemic," the company said. "[Milwaukee World Festival] would like to thank the fans, vendors, and sponsors for their support this year, and look forward to seeing them next summer."

The COVID-19 pandemic's effect on the entertainment industry forced Milwaukee World Festival to host the festival over three weekends in September, the company said.

The festival included headline artists including Megan Thee Stallion, Miley Cyrus, Chance the Rapper, Twenty One Pilots and Dave Chappelle.

Summerfest 2022 is set to take place in June and July over three weekends: June 23 to 25, June 30 to July 2, and July 7 to 9.

The company will decide how it will format future festivals using data from Summerfest 2022's attendance, it said.

See Also: Summerfest Announces 2022 Dates, Extended Fan Appreciation Hours