Summerfest 2025; Pete's Pops preps for big year at the Big Gig
Pete's Pops preps for Summerfest
Before the gates even open, the race is on to get everything ready for Summerfest.
MILWAUKEE - Before the gates even open, the race is on to get everything ready for Summerfest – and not just the stages.
What we know:
As it preps for the Big Gig, at 38th and Vliet on Milwaukee's west side, the Pete's Pops production facility feels a lot like an ensemble.
Pete's Pops
Every chef has their instrument, and when combined, the result is harmony.
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Only there, it comes through in flavor.
What they're saying:
"It is crazy, honestly. I try to make it fun, but saying it's not chaotic would be a lie," said Pete’s Pops culinary director Chloe.
Part of that just comes with summer. Because Pete's Pops is involved in just about everything, from farmers markets to weddings, to big events like Summerfest.
Pete's Pops at Summerfest
And this year, owner Ian Robinson is growing Pete's Pops footprint at the world's largest music festival. He'll have a truck and two carts on site this year, just as heat indexes are forecast to surge over 100 degrees during opening weekend.
"Personally, I'm not a heat guy — until I bought this business. Now I love the heat. I run warm, but when I see the heat going, I know the popsicles become that much more attractive," Robinson said. ""We're a Milwaukee staple and Summerfest absolutely is much bigger than we are. So, the fact that we get to be partners in this, I couldn't be happier."
2025 Summerfest: Lineup of experiences, activities, and events
Summerfest has unveiled an exciting lineup of experiences, activities, and events set to take place across all nine days of the festival.
That helps explain the busy kitchen, where his team produces as many as three-thousand popsicles a day.
But here, the team welcomes the big lift for the Big Gig.
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"It feels more honest than a lot of other restaurant work I've done, because it feels directly like we're a piece of the kids' summer," Chloe said.
Pete's Pops
Dig deeper:
Pete's Pops also hired around 10 more employees just to tackle the Summerfest demand.
Summerfest will take place over three weekends: June 19-21, June 26-28 and July 3-5. Gates open at noon.
The Source: FOX6 News went to the Pete's Pops production facility in Milwaukee.