Summerfest and Northcott Neighborhood House have announced a broadened collaboration for 2025, introducing new initiatives that celebrate Milwaukee’s Black culture, community leadership, and culinary talent as part of the city’s Juneteenth observance. The expanded partnership includes a new food-centric event, scholarship support for youth, and contributions to Northcott’s food pantry.
Headlining the effort is a new ticketed experience, A Taste of Juneteenth, set for Saturday, June 21, 2025, on the Summerfest grounds. The event will showcase a diverse lineup of local chefs, restaurants, and food entrepreneurs offering samples of their dishes to attendees. Scheduled for two sessions at 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m., the experience includes live music from a local DJ and admission to Summerfest for the same day. Tickets are priced at $100, with all proceeds benefiting the featured vendors. Participants include culinary businesses such as Atwood Hwy BBQ Company, It’s Smackn, Uyghur Grill, and Pop’s BBQ Memphis Style, among others.
The collaboration also supports Northcott Neighborhood House’s long-standing Juneteenth youth scholarship program. Now in its 34th year, the initiative honors young leaders in the community through the titles of Miss and Mister Juneteenth (ages 14–18) and Little Miss and Mister Jr. Juneteenth (ages 8–13). This year’s recipients will be formally recognized at the Summerfest opening ceremony on June 19 at 6 p.m. at the Aurora Pavilion, featuring national performances and community tributes.
In a show of support for local food security efforts, Summerfest’s traditional opening day food drive—Bush’s Beans Stomp Out Hunger Day with FOX6 Milwaukee—will direct a portion of its collected donations to Northcott’s food pantry. The campaign, organized in partnership with Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, is a longstanding part of the festival’s community engagement.
Sarah Pancheri, president and CEO of Milwaukee World Festival, Inc., emphasized the significance of the collaboration: “In the spirit of Milwaukee’s collective tradition as the City of Festivals, Summerfest is proud to partner with Northcott Neighborhood House to celebrate Juneteenth. Together, we are committed to shining the spotlight on Milwaukee’s unique cultural celebrations.”
Tony Kearney, executive director of Northcott Neighborhood House, echoed the sentiment, noting the impact on local youth and entrepreneurs. “An appearance for the Juneteenth Court at the Summerfest Opening Ceremonies will add to cherished moments for our youth. The donations that will support our food pantry program and our mission to meet the needs of those we serve are greatly appreciated. I’m equally excited about the entrepreneurs participating in A Taste of Juneteenth, whose cultural cuisine will be available for the entire community.”
As part of the expanded Juneteenth programming, Summerfest will also host a dedicated celebration on the evening of Thursday, June 19. Following the annual Juneteenth Day parade and festival along Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the Summerfest grounds will come alive with performances and cultural programming across multiple stages beginning at 6 p.m.
More information about Milwaukee’s traditional Juneteenth Day festivities can be found at JuneteenthMilwaukee.com, and details about Summerfest events, including A Taste of Juneteenth, are available at Summerfest.com.
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