"The World’s Largest Music Festival®” --that's how they bill Summerfest. This festival began fifty years ago and is a Milwaukee summer tradition: 11 days, 11 stages, featuring over 800 acts, with more than 1000 performances. There is a lot of big name entertainment here; last year Maria and I saw Paul Simon. And even though some of the acts, like Paul Simon, are blasts from the past (Def Leppard, Steven Tyler, Ringo Starr, Journey, and James Taylor were a few from this year), we find that as we get older, more and more Summerfest headliners are unrecognizable to us. But that's OK.
Maria and I both appreciated the exquisite weather on this visit; The walk along the waterfront was shaded and cool. We browsed the shops selling tie-dyed dresses and T-shirts, jewelry, and art from other countries. We made a stop at a Guatemalan clothing stall and visited with a lady and her daughter from San Antonio Aguas Calientes. I spotted an artist's tribute to Anthony Bourdain, and talked with him and his assistant about our mutual admiration (and expressed our sadness) for this recently deceased TV personality. I purchased a large print from the artist and he signed it for me.
We enjoyed some barbecued pulled pork sandwiches, waffle fries, and a couple of beers. The highlight for us, though, was being able to stroll into an amphitheater, sit down (or stand and dance in place), and enjoy some excellent music from bands we had never heard of. As one walks through the park, the sounds of African drums, a booming bass line, or a singer's wail can be heard in the distance, calling us to them. So, we go there and enjoy the sounds.
After about four hours we were tired from the walking, but it felt good to be able to enjoy this music tradition. We look forward to next year and hope the weather is just as nice!