The top 6 summer Wisconsin music festivals
Live music is roaring back in 2022, dominating a full summer in Wisconsin for the first time since 2019, after COVID-19 canceled nearly everything from mid-March 2020 to late June 2021. And the best place to get the most bang for your buck is at a music festival. There's no shortage of them this year, with something for practically every taste, whether it's rock, bluegrass, country or all of the above. Here are six top summer music festivals to check out in Wisconsin in 2022.
6. Rock Fest
Unfortunately, like most music genres, rock is male-dominated, and Rock Fest in Cadott usually is dominated by male artists. So it's great to see some female-featuring, heavy-hitting rock acts at the top of the Rock Fest bill for 2022, including Kenosha-based Skillet. Lineup: Disturbed, Evanescence, Shinedown, Lamb of God, Halestorm, Mudvayne, Theory of a Deadman, the Pretty Reckless, Jelly Roll and more. When and where: July 14 to 16, 24447 County Highway S, Cadott. How much: $89 for single-day general admission; $149 for three-day general admission pass, at rockfest.com. Additional packages and camping passes available at the Rock Fest website.
5. Wiscansin Fest
We're going to wager that T-Pain didn't put a lot of thought into pronouncing Wisconsin "Wiscansin" to make a rhyme work in his 2008 hit "Can't Believe It." But he sure is making the most of it now, dubbing his first tour since COVID-19 "Road to Wiscansin Fest," a tour that culminates in a personally curated, 18-act lineup in Milwaukee that includes many of Mr. Pain's popular friends. Lineup: T-Pain, of course, plus highlights like Lil Jon, Milwaukee native K Camp, Yung Bleu, O.T. Genasis, Juvenile, Kid Ink, Mija and a hip-hop set from comedian Hannibal Buress under the stage name Eshu Tune. When and where: 3 p.m. June 11, the Rave, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave. How much: $60 to $90 at the box office and therave.com.
4. Blue Ox Music Festival
Speaking of artist-curated festivals, the band Pert Near Sandstone has been staging one in Eau Claire since 2015, offering an engrossing bluegrass and Americana lineup— and always reserving space in the bill to spotlight Wisconsin artists, represented this year by Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Them Coulee Boys, Chicken Wire Empire, Armchair Boogie, and Ryan Necci and the Buffalo Gospel. Lineup: Old Crow Medicine Show, Bela Fleck's My Bluegrass Heart project, Railroad Earth, Sam Bush Band, Punch Brothers, Del McCoury, Paul Cauthen, Samantha Fish, Joseph and the customary two nights with Pert Near Sandstone. When and where: June 23 to 25, 5024 Crescent Ave., Eau Claire. How much: $239 for full festival pass; $219 for Friday and Saturday; $129 for Saturday; at the gate and blueoxmusicfestival.org. Tickets include unreserved tent access and parking. No cover for all children ages 13 and under. Camping passes, VIP tickets and more information at the Blue Ox site.
3. Hodag Country Festival
Wisconsin is practically the top country music festival destination of, well, the country. There's Country Fest in Cadott, Country Thunder in Twin Rivers, Country Jam in Eau Claire, Country Boom in West Salem, Country in the Burg in Cedarburg, tons of country at Milwaukee's Summerfest, and much more. They'll all have big stars in 2022, but the state's oldest country festival is the tops this year. Lineup: Sam Hunt, Kip Moore, Jon Pardi, Chris Janson, Lauren Alaina, Russell Dickerson, Neal McCoy, Sawyer Brown, Clay Walker, Tracy Byrd, Jo Dee Messina and more. When and where: July 2 to 10 (with the major acts performing July 7 to 10), 4270 River Road, Rhinelander. How much: $80 for single-day ticket, $150 for two-day pass, $150 to $160 for nine-day pass. $35 for single-day children's ticket, $80 for nine-day children's ticket (ages 6 to 11). Two-day passes and children's tickets available at the gate only. Single-day passes and nine-day passes also available at hodag.com. Camping passes and more information at the Hodag site.
2. Mile of Music
Take the electricity of Austin, Texas, during South by Southwest but subtract the overpriced badges and unbearable congestion, and you get the inspired, nine-year-old Mile of Music, where 200-plus artists play more than 700 sets along a mile-long stretch of downtown Appleton. Lineup: Radkey, Jackie Venson, Carsie Blanton, Celisse, Sawyer Fredericks, Hannah Wicklund, Making Movies, Paisley Fields and dozens of Wisconsin artists. When and where: Aug. 4 to 7, multiple venues in downtown Appleton. How much: Free, with access to shows available on a first-come, firstserved basis, contingent on capacity. The "Music-Makers" VIP is $162 at mileofmusic.com, and includes several perks, including priority access to a couple of venues and access to shows exclusively for pass holders. More information can be found at the Mile of Music website.