Garth Brooks in Milwaukee; fans travel for Summerfest pre-party
Garth Brooks concert draws fans to Milwaukee ahead of Summerfest
Garth Brooks took the stage Tuesday, June 16, at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, drawing fans to Milwaukee before Summerfest opens Thursday for the season.
MILWAUKEE - Country star Garth Brooks kicked off a pre-party Tuesday, June 16, ahead of Summerfest’s opening night.
Garth Brooks concert
What we know:
Brooks took the stage at 8 p.m. at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater. It marked his first performance at the Summerfest grounds and his first show in the Milwaukee area since 2015.
Garth Brooks (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Stagecoach)
Economic impact
Dig deeper:
Fans are also driving a boost for local tourism and the economy.
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According to Visit Milwaukee, nearly half of the ticket buyers for Brooks’ two shows are traveling from out of state, and midweek hotel reservations from Monday through Thursday are showing substantial year-over-year growth.
"Seeing everyone come in from out of state – it really just expands the reach of all of our small businesses so this is a great opportunity to be on a huge platform and a huge stage – just like Garth Brooks," said Gracie Coviello with Howdy Hat Bar. "So it’s an awesome opportunity to meet all these new people."
Brooks’ Tuesday and Wednesday concerts are the only shows he has announced in America for the entire year.
"It's his only shows in America announced for the entire year, here in Milwaukee, which is really significant, not only for Summerfest, but for our entire community," said Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.
Fans turn out
What they're saying:
That brought in fans from across the region and beyond.
"We’re most excited for ‘Friends in Low Places' and all of it," said Heather MacDonald.
She and her sister traveled from Canada to Milwaukee to see Brooks as he helped launch the excitement before Summerfest opens Thursday.
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"In the early days, we did all the county fairs and where you sat in the front row and bought tickets at the last minute," said Jan Lauwers of Yorkville, Ill.
"He hasn’t been around in a while, but he’s back," said Bobbie Gerarden of Kaukauna.
Garth Brooks concerts driving economic impact in city
The Big Gig is back in two days, but Garth Brooks kicks off the music tonight at the American Family Insurance Amphitheater!
What's next
What you can do:
Tickets are limited for Wednesday’s show, but Brooks will return to the stage for fans who missed out Tuesday night.
Summerfest 2026 runs across three weekends: June 18-20, June 25-27 and July 2-4.
Summerfest 2026: Opening weekend planning guide, what to know
Summerfest 2026 starts this week! Plan ahead to make sure you don't miss a beat.
The Source: The information in this post was provided by Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. and Visit Milwaukee.