Summerfest 2017 is over, now only left to be relived through our 4-part preview of acts to see and our recap of the best live Hanson performance to ever hit Milwaukee.
Scratch that: Milwaukee’s biggest and bestest celebration of music, food, and people watching deserves an update to last year’s breakdown of all the over the top sights and sounds. We strapped on our Media Passes this year to bring you the Summerfest Superlatives of 2017:
All photos by Joe and Katie Powell for The Squeaky Curd.
Best White-Man Dance Moves
Ben Rector is the epitome of the boy you want to take home to mother, right down to his mastery of the Cha-Cha Slide.
Most Hometown Pride Shown by a Visiting Musician
Braddigan of Dispatch, rocking the custom Bucks jersey. “I was told to come out here and say ‘Bucks in six’ and see what happens.” (Spoiler alert: we chanted it for too long back at him.)
Most Useful Sign for Amish Hikers
Summerfest welcomes peoples of all faiths and hat choices.
Tastiest Tiny House
If there was one thing the whole “tiny house” phenomenon was missing, it was more Spam.
World’s Biggest/Ownliest Michelle Branch + Wu-Tang Clan Fan
The Michelle Branch concert was packed full of all types of considerate folks, but this Wu-Tang fan would not stop asking for Goodbye to You. We call them the “Wu-Tang Branch”.
Smelliest Car Ride Home
I’m unsure if I’ve ever seen an Ugg-lier car. Badum-bump!
Most Mysterious Light
But, still, what does it mean?!
Sleepiest Bro at Summerfest
The poor little dude, he was all tuckered out from a long day of high-fiving and dropping the bass.
Most Unnecessary Food Mashup
Angelo’s Pasta Pizza was one part delicious pasta, one part delicious pizza, one whole confusing dish. I mean, of course I’d eat it again, but did the world need it? (Maybe.)
Youngest Crowd of People On Earth
I understood why the Main Gate of Summerfest was the meeting place for all tweens/teens when cell phones didn’t exist, but somehow this mosh-pit of Axe Body Spray and crop-tops still exists in the new millennium. I haven’t seen that many underage “Madison”s look longingly at my beer since, well, my time in Madison.
Freshest Beer in Milwaukee
Though I won’t be able to get my fresh beer at Summerfest any longer this year, there’s plenty to be had elsewhere in the city while we wait until next summer’s World’s Largest Music Festival.