Henry Maier Festival Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry Maier Festival Park |
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| Alternative names | Summerfest Grounds |
| General information | |
| Address | 200 North Harbor Drive Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Coordinates | 43°01′41″N 87°53′56″W / 43.02806°N 87.89889°W |
| Named for | Henry Maier |
| Opened | 1970 |
| Client | Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. |
| Owner | City of Milwaukee |
| Known for | Summerfest |
| Other information | |
| Parking | Yes |
Henry Maier Festival Park is a huge 75-acre park in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It sits right on the beautiful shore of Lake Michigan. This park is famous for hosting the yearly Summerfest music festival. It's also home to the American Family Insurance Amphitheater, a big concert venue.
Park History
Before Summerfest
Long ago, in 1927, this land was home to Maitland Airport. It was one of the first places in Milwaukee where planes could take off and land. The airport operated for over 20 years.
Later, in the 1950s, during the Cold War, the airport became a military base. It held Nike missiles, which were rockets used for defense. These missiles were a way to protect the city from possible attacks. The military base closed in 1969 to save money.
Summerfest Begins
After the military left, the city bought the land. Leaders of the new Summerfest music festival saw it as a perfect spot. They needed a central place after bad weather hurt their second festival.
In 1970, the city agreed to lease the land to Summerfest for a very low price. Summerfest quickly set up offices in the old military buildings. This marked the official start of the park as a festival ground.
The first Summerfest in 1968 was held in many different places. The next year, bad weather caused big problems and financial losses. So, in 1970, they decided on this one central spot by the lake.
In the early days, the festival grounds were quite simple. They had concrete blocks with wooden slabs for stages in a grassy, often muddy, field. But having a central location was key to the festival's success. It helped the park grow and improve. Construction continued through the 1970s and 1980s. A major addition was the Marcus Amphitheater in 1987. This venue has 23,000 seats and is partly covered.
Fun Festivals
Starting in the 1980s, many different cultural festivals began to use the park. These events celebrate various traditions and communities. The park also hosts charity run/walk events.
Some of the festivals held here include:
- African World Festival
- Arab World Fest
- Asian Moon Festival
- Festa Italiana
- German Fest
- Indian Summer Festival
- Irish Fest
- Labor Fest
- Mexican Fiesta
- Polish Fest
- PrideFest
See Also
- Summerfest
- American Family Insurance Amphitheater
- Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon
