The Milwaukee Post

10 • Milwaukee County Post • July 7, 2017 BY NICHOLAS DETTMANN Conley News Service MILWAUKEE — Summer- fest means everything to West Allis' Scott Doering. After all, he's seen it grow from piles of dirt to the multi-stage music festival it is known as around the world today. Doering was on the con- struction crew that laid down the dirt, the founda- tion for what eventually became Henry Maier Festival Park, the host site for the world's largest music festival — Summerfest. "It means everything," Doering said. As the festival celebrates its 50th year this year, it's no surprise that Doering was on hand for the opening on June 28. Since he helped spread the dirt on the site, Doering hasn't missed a Summerfest. "I talk to people all over the world on Facebook," he said. "I tell them all about it. 'Once in your life, come to Milwaukee, come to Summerfest.'" Almost immediately upon his arrival, he went straight to the tent housing the Summerfest Experience, a temporary museum cele- brating 50 years of Summerfest. Doering pushed aside a white curtain at the tent's entrance and was promptly greeted by the picture of the master mind behind Summerfest — for mer Milwaukee mayor Henry Maier. Doering said Maier was the man behind all of what surrounds this tent, several stages of music tal- ent from around the world, along with building after building housing food and drink vendors. Today, stages and build- ings are spread throughout the property, covering more than 70 acres. But Doering can't help but think of the piles of dirt he pushed into place to set the foundation for Milwaukee's trademark festival. "He wanted to bring something to Milwaukee that would bring the world's attention to it," Doering said of Maier, adding, "He wanted some- thing like the arch in St. Louis, the Space Needle in Seattle." Doering pointed to one area and said what was once there. He pointed to another area and said what was in that spot. "They used to have tents set up and the stages were inside the tents," Doering said. He also credited Elizabeth "Bo" Black, Summerfest executive director from 1984-2003, as the person who carried on Maier's vision. "When I come down here, it's 2017, I don't see it the same way some of these younger people see it," Doering said. "I see old stages, the Old Style, the Pabst. I see everything before. I look at this, I look at that. I look at where the fountain is and I see a dif- ferent stage. I don't see a fountain. I see a stage. "I walk through the North Gate, I don't see a gate. I see where you used to walk in for free." As he continued to walk through the exhibition, Doering snapped photo after photo of pictures showcasing the festival's history. It was almost like seeing his life relived, he said. "Memories just started popping into my head, what I was doing then, how young I was," he said. Thinking about Summerfest, Doering thought about all the posi- tive memories the festival has brought him, such as George Carlin's 1972 appearance when he reeled off the seven words you can't say on television. "Sitting out on the grass or on a bench for hours, to take turns to hold our spot for a show," Doering said when asked about his mem- ories. "I remember it like it was yesterday." He also thought about the somber memories, mostly of the people whom he worked alongside during the construction or those he went to the festival with over the years who have passed on. Among them were Bill Raybeck and John Kaspersak. "At the time, we were working with Milwaukee County and this was a land- fill," Doering said, refer- ring to the current-day Summerfest grounds. "We helped put the ground here." Doering was a seasonal laborer and 20 years old during Summerfest's con- struction. He said he still has several of the original keepsakes from the inaugu- ral Summerfest in 1968, including pins and posters. He also has a caricature of himself. "I'll be 67 on July 6," Doering said. "There's a lot of us that didn't make it. That's why I'm here." He almost didn't make it himself. "I had a heart attack," Doering said. "I'm not sup- posed to be here." Pointing to the sky, he added, "I'm supposed to be up there looking down." But he wouldn't miss Summerfest's golden anniversary for the world. "This is not history," Doering said. "This is my life." Email: ndettmann@conleynet.com History from the ground up Member of original Summerfest construction crew shares memories SUMMERFEST Submitted photo Scott Doering of West Allis stands outside the south gate of Summerfest on the opening day of the festival in Milwaukee. Doering was one of the construction workers that helped place the dirt for the grounds in the 1960s.

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