Summerfest Closed July 4th 2011 and Back On After That

In what I find to be a very interesting change, Summerfest will close the gates for the July 4th 2011 holiday. This is the first time that they will shut down in the middle of the run. Summerfest management stated that the festival will run through Sunday July 10th. This will cut out the Monday doldrums that seem to occur down at the festival. Summerfest tickets do not sell well when the Forth of July lands on a Monday, and that is exactly what is lining up for 2011.

I like the idea of closing for one day. It's tough for music fans to decide between attending the local fireworks, or seeing a band that you love. My holiday starts early that day, and I don't feel like heading down to the festival grounds after eating a ton of great food. This way, we can enjoy the holiday, and know that we won't have to decide between family traditions, and music.

Summerfest South End Renovation Begins with Demolition

The pictures coming from the south end of the Summerfest grounds are proof that the renovation project has begun. The Briggs stage is coming down, the beer stand has been torn apart, and the building just to the North of said stage is now a pile of lumber. The majority of the work is due to be completed by Summerfest 2011, but additional work will take place after the summer festival season ends.

Briggs Chips In to Renovate Summerfest Stage

Briggs and Stratton has hosted a stage at Summerfest for the past 13 years. As the south end of the festival grounds prepares for its makeover, Briggs agreed to help pay for renovations to their stage.

Included with the stage renovations will be the construction of a building that will house vendors. As winter approaches, we look forward to the new look of the southern end of the festival grounds. The entire renovation will take two years, but major changes will be in place by Summerfest 2011.