A shorter Summerfest generates a smaller crowd.
Officials say just over 409,000 of us hit the Big Gig during its nine-day run that ended Saturday.
That’s down more than 300,000 from the last time Summerfest happened in 2019.
The lingering pandemic caused planners to change the event from its usual 11-day mid-summer event to nine days on three consecutive September weekends.
Officials blame that, plus new COVID entry protocols, the loss of MCTS bus service and a rainy Labor Day weekend for the drop.
Next year’s Big Gig will again happen over three straight weekends: June 23-25, June 30-July 2, and July 7-9.