The B-52s, Jussie Smollett, Daya top PrideFest lineup
Milwaukee’s PrideFest couldn’t fit all of its good times into a mere weekend. So the 2018 installment of the festival opens with a Thursday evening dance party.
The LGBT+ festival at Maier Festival Park launches the summer lakefront festival season in Milwaukee.
Here’s a selection of PrideFest highlights:
THURSDAY: The festival’s Dance Pavilion opens for a booty shaking prelude from 6 to 11 p.m. Dance-pop DJ trio Cash Cash headlines at 9:30 p.m.
FRIDAY: Opening ceremonies at 3 p.m. feature keynote speaker Danica Roem, the first openly transgender person to hold an elected seat in a state legislature (in Virginia).
The Women of Comedy, including Milwaukee native Kathleen Dunbar, perform at 5 p.m. at the Miller Lite Mainstage.
Synth-pop band Reyna, led by sisters Victoriah and Gabriela Banuelos, play at 7 p.m. at the Miller Lite Mainstage.
Pop star Daya (”New,” “Hide Away”) sings at 10:15 p.m. at the Miller Lite Mainstage.
SATURDAY: Former teen star JoJo, who has emerged as a resilient adult singer after a record company dispute, sings at 8:35 p.m. at the Miller Lite Mainstage.
Singer-actor Jussie Smollett, who plays Jamal Lyon on the TV series “Empire,” performs at 10:10 p.m. on the Miller Lite Mainstage.
SUNDAY: The Milwaukee Pride Parade begins at 2 p.m. at the staging area at S. 2nd St. and W. Lapham Blvd. The parade travels north on 2nd St., to E. Oregon St. For a route map, visit
The B-52s, led by vocalists Kate Pierson, Fred Schneider and Cindy Wilson, cap the festival with an 8:15 p.m. show at the Miller Lite Mainstage. Few rock bands have blended a blatant sense of fun with musical intensity like the creators of “Rock Lobster” and “Love Shack.”
Hours: 6 to 11 p.m. Thursday, 2:30 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday, noon to 10 p.m. Sunday. (The Dance Pavilion is open until midnight Sunday.)
Admission: $13; $9 for the Thursday night opening party. Four-day weekend passes, $39. Children 12 and under free with a paid adult admission. Visit
Free admission: From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday with a $1 donation per person to Diverse & Resilient. Fireworks: 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Info: