Alpine Valley Music Theatre Adds On-Site Camping
By Andy Kahn May 21, 2016 • 9:15 am PDT
On-site camping has been approved for Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. Concertgoers will now be able to stay overnight on the grounds of the long running outdoor music venue.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a 25.5-acre parking lot will be converted to a campground able to host up to 3,324 campers across 554 camping areas, including 45 RV areas. The reduction in dedicated parking space means capacity for concerts which is 37,000 ticketholders will drop by 9,000. The report stated Walworth County Zoning Agency unanimously approved the request for on-site camping at the Live Nation-owned venue that has struggled financially in recent years.
“You guys have all seen our attendance numbers drop down, our show counts drop down,” said Brian Rutkowski, general manager for Alpine Valley Music Theatre. “We’re trying to rebound, change with the times, and bring back a facility that has been a great asset in the area and allow people to come in and enjoy shows more frequently.”
The newly available camping option would likely allow for larger scale events and for the venue to expand its current number of summer concerts. The Grateful Dead and Phish have played Alpine Valley many times each, and this summer the large outdoor shed will see two nights by Zac Brown Band, Dave Matthews Band and Dead & Company as well as a show by Jimmy Buffett. This year camping will only be offered at the two DMB shows at Alpine on July 1 and 2.
Watch Phish play “The Oh Kee Pa Ceremony” > “Suzy Greenberg” at Alpine Valley on June 30, 2012:
