Organizers Cancel Milwaukee German Fest Due To Coronavirus

MILWAUKEE, WI — For the first time in its 40-year-history, German Fest, Wisconsin’s largest German heritage celebration, will not be held due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the event’s parent company announced on Friday. The three-day festival was to be held from July 24-26 at Henry W. Maier festival grounds.

The event, which was first held in 1981, was designed to serve as a celebration of German culture, food, music and appreciation of cultural history. According to organizers, more than 80,000 people typically attend the festival each year. Organizers said in a release on Friday that the festival will return in 2021.

Tickets for this year’s festival that were already purchased or received as gifts will be honored in 2021, organizers said. The festival is the fourth to be held this summer along the lakefront to be either canceled or postponed. Organizers of Festa Italiana, Polish Fest and SummerFest, already announced that their festivals not take place as scheduled due to the ongoing pandemic.

“This decision (to cancel) was not arrived at lightly,” Eric Radue, the festival’s president said in the release. “Our Board of Directors took many scenarios into consideration. After much consideration and deliberation, the only responsible option for our attendees and dedicated volunteers was to cancel German Fest this year.”

He added: “With the current COVID-19 situation in the U.S., the health and safety of everyone involved with German Fest, from vendors to volunteers, to the bands and festival attendees, is of the utmost importance. It’s an unfortunate situation, and totally unforeseen but we will take the necessary steps to support public health.”