Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., and Johnsonville, LLC Announce New Multi-Year Sponsorship

Posted: Feb 10, 2023

MILWAUKEE, WI (February 10, 2023) - Milwaukee World Festival, Inc. officials are excited to announce Sheboygan-Falls based and family-owned Johnsonville as a new sponsor of Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance. 

The multi-year agreement will begin with Summerfest 2023, the 55^th anniversary of the festival.  The partnership includes the Johnsonville Summerville footprint and stage, and the designation as the Official Sausage, Hot Dog, and Sausage Stick of Summerfest. 

The Johnsonville Summerville footprint will be located on the North End of Henry Maier Festival Park, featuring an intimate outdoor patio-like stage area spotlighting Wisconsin-based artists. Throughout the Summerville area, fans will also enjoy grilling demonstrations and contests, sampling of new Johnsonville products, backyard games such as cornhole, a pop-up Johnsonville Marketplace store and other promotions.

Johnsonville products – from brats, cheddar smoked sausages, hot dogs, chicken sausage and its new summer sausage snack sticks – will also be available for sale at Summerville and throughout Henry Maier Festival Park during Summerfest.

“The Johnsonville founders started their family in Milwaukee, with Ralph being born here. Even today, with the current family owners living in the greater Milwaukee area, our connection and involvement here have always been priorities to the family and the business,” said Shelly Stayer, Johnsonville owner and board chair. She added that she and husband Ralph attend Summerfest every year. “We’re no stranger to partnering with major Wisconsin sporting and entertainment organizations, so wherever the fun takes place, Johnsonville enjoys being a part of that and adding to that fun.” 

“As one of Wisconsin’s family-owned legacy companies, we are thrilled to have Johnsonville join our roster of sponsors at Summerfest as we celebrate our 55^th anniversary,” said Don Smiley, CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc.  “This new partnership celebrates hometown pride and provides the opportunity to showcase the Johnsonville brand and products during the festival.”

For more information visit Summerfest.com

About Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance

Located in downtown Milwaukee, Summerfest presented by American Family Insurance is one of the most iconic celebrations of music in America, hosting the industry’s biggest acts for an unforgettable live music experience.  Since its inception in 1968, Summerfest continues to distinguish itself as a premier national music festival and has developed an unrivaled reputation, consistently featuring hundreds of performances across 12 stages, throughout the 75-acre festival grounds along Lake Michigan. The 2023 edition consists of three weekends (Thursdays – Saturdays) June 22-24, June 29-July 1, and July 6-8, 2023.  For the latest information, visit Summerfest.com, or Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @Summerfest.

Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., producer of Summerfest, continues to fulfil its nonprofit mission of bringing the community together and providing a showcase for performing arts, activities, and recreation to the public, through music and special events.

 

About Johnsonville, LLC

Wisconsin-based Johnsonville is the No. 1 national sausage brand, selling and serving more than 80 different varieties of sausage across 40+ countries and in more than 75 U.S. professional, semi-pro and college sports stadiums. Founded in 1945 by the late Ralph F. and Alice Stayer, Johnsonville remains a family-owned company of obsessed sausage-makers that employs and develops approximately 3,000 members globally.