Tosa's 41st All City String Festival Headed To American Family Field

WAUWATOSA, WI — Over 1,100 students from orchestras across the Wauwatosa School District are expected to take part in the 41st annual All City Strings Festival in May. For the first time ever, the festival will take place at American Family Field in 2023, the district announced Thursday.

The annual music tradition has seen significant growth and was previously held at spots like the Wisconsin Lutheran College and the Brookfield East Field House, but now it's relocating to the home of the Major League Baseball team the Milwaukee Brewers, the district said in a news release.

Students from 4th-12th grade will be showcasing their abilities at the festival in a range of styles, the news release said. This year's festival is scheduled for May 6 at 2 p.m.

“Our community is overjoyed about the return of this tradition, which has grown in popularity
to now require a much larger venue than in years past,” said Wauwatosa School District Superintendent Demond Means in a release. “We are thrilled to host this year’s event in a
space where all students can perform together for an audience of more than 4,000
attendees. This year, as a result of the expanded venue capacity, the number of participating
musicians will approach a record for the largest string orchestra performance.”

Beyond the music presented at the All City Strings Festival, the event is also meant to bring the many schools in the district together and deepen the city's sense of community, the district said.

"This unique performance event invites the listener to experience all levels of students’ musical journeys, from beginner to advanced," reads the news release. "Families are able to experience music of all levels and see the growth that their child will have from beginner to advanced student."

Ahead of the plans, the district said its orchestra department is looking for donations and sponsors to offset the costs. The festival is looking for organizations that can help offset costs from the facility rental, audio and visual equipment, merchandise and ticketing. Any companies interested in sponsorship can contact Christopher Kuranz at Christopher.Kuranz@halo.com.

“Your contribution to the 41st Annual All City String Festival will provide incredible
community exposure for your organization,” Orchestra Director Michael Hayden in the release.
“The support of the Wauwatosa community is paramount to the success of this event, and we
look forward to continuing this amazing tradition together with our students, families and
community members this year.”

Others who wish to donate to the event can visit Hometown Ticketing and select donation. Anyone interested in attending should also visit Hometown Ticketing to purchase a $10 general admission ticket, the district said. The tickets went on sale Thursday.