Summer Soulstice 2026: Schedule, music lineup and more

If you’re the kind of person who loves a milestone occasion, Summer Soulstice has a good one for you as it makes final preparations for this Saturday’s music festival on the East Side.

East Side BID #20 organized the first Summer Soulstice in 2001, which means the event turns the ripe old age of 25 this year. However, it’s only the 24th annual festival because of COVID-related cancellations in 2020 and 2021.

But those aren’t the numbers most people care about. What they want to know is that there will be six different spots to catch live music, with 28 different artists scheduled to play between the opening of the event at noon and closing time at midnight. The full lineup is down the page a bit, but here a few Radio Milwaukee favorites to consider throughout the day:

Emmitt James — 4 p.m. at the Farwell Stage
Wave Chapelle & NilexNile — 6 p.m. at the Farwell Stage
The Hallelujah Ward — 6 p.m. at the Murray Avenue Stage
Hanna Simone — 7 p.m. at the Ivanhoe Stage
Asher Gray & Greyhound — 9 p.m. in Black Cat Alley

Those are just a few of the acts you’ll find on either side of North Avenue or, as event organizers describe the location, “between Kenilworth Place, Ivanhoe Place, Farwell Avenue, Prospect Avenue, Murray Avenue and Kind Oasis.” We suggest just pointing yourself toward the Oriental Theatre, finding the nearest street parking (or biking if that’s an option) and following the music.

The other big draw to the block party are the vendors that line the thoroughfares. While a comprehensive list isn’t available quite yet, past years have attracted more than 60 vendors peddling their various wares, from food and drink to handmade goods. We do know that Kind Oasis will host a quartet of food trucks Saturday: Cocina Filipina, Twisted Plants, Isa’s Ice Cream and Chucho’s Red Tacos.

Beyond that, you can check out the music lineup below and go to the event’s webpage for updates about vendors planning to set up shop.