The grand Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival

Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival is the name given to the ultimate Harley-Davidson event in Milwaukee. Harley-Davidson pulled out all the stops in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for its 120th anniversary. It's incredible how many tens of thousands of bikers from all over the world took part in this mega event.

The Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival will be celebrated annually starting in 2024.

To get straight to the point, the HHarley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz already announced during the 120th Anniversary Festival announce in Milwaukee that from now on, the Homecoming Festival will be celebrated every year in Milwaukee. Every year, all over the world, Harley-Davidson Events whether it Sturgis, or the European Bike Week Every year, tens of thousands of bikers gather here to celebrate the Harley-Davidson brand together.

It would therefore make sense to call on the community to come to the Mother City, Milwaukee, every year for the annual Homecoming Festival. The date will be set by the July 25 to 28, 2024 Jochen Zeitz stated this directly in conversation. The Homecoming Event 2024 honors Willie G. Davidson, who celebrated his 90th birthday in 2023.

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The Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival 2023

This year was my first time in Milwaukee, and I'm not really sure why I've never been here before. Looking back, it's clear that I've been missing out on something at the last H-D Anniversary Parties, which are held every five years. The Harley scene in the US is a lot crazier; they just have more freedom in some areas in the US.

Harley-Davidson in Milwaukee: Noise levels and mandatory helmets?

The noise of the Harley doesn't really bother anyone, especially in Milwaukee, where Harley riders are very popular and welcome, as Bill Davidson recently said at the Harley-Davidson Museum. Helmets are normally mandatory in Milwaukee, but at least during the Homecoming Festival, no one seems to mind, as many people ride their Harleys around the city without helmets.

I've heard that it's legal to ride without a helmet in Illinois. The funny thing is that anyone who got their driver's license in the neighboring state of Illinois is also allowed to ride without a helmet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. I suspect that the police don't really bother to check this. The only problem arises if something happens. There are generally different opinions on whether it is allowed or not. The insurance policy will be the deciding factor. If you don't want to ride at 100% risk, you shouldn't go without a helmet.

Harley-Davidson enthusiasm meets Green Day's rock revival in Milwaukee

It's very common to see entire families devoted to the Bar & Shield logo, at least I know families where everyone is completely obsessed with the Harley-Davidson brand. Just like in the photo, where even the youngest members of the family are brought along from Brazil to Milwaukee. The live concert with Green Day on Friday was a real blast, a great show that I never expected to be so much fun.

The main act was actually the Foo Fighters on Saturday, but I was much more impressed by Green Day's live performance. The rock band is known for its provocative punk revival rock. Frontman Billie Joe Armstrong put on a mega show, and it was crazy how the crowd got into it. We're talking about 50,000 people who gathered at Veterans Park on Milwaukee Bay. I would love to see a show like that at the European Bike Week I wish they would—the potential is there at Lake Faaker See, they just need to finally allocate a proper budget for Europe.

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The event is an experience and the beer prices are an experience

To be honest, you can't be too attached to your money, because the whole event is not cheap, and I don't just mean for Harley-Davidson, but also from the visitor's perspective. The entrance fee is not exactly cheap, and for half a liter of Bud Light Selzer beer from a can, you have to happily fork out $10 at the bar on the event grounds. The strange thing was that you couldn't get more than two beers at a time. That's the law in Wisconsin, so if you want three beers, you have to get another one at the next cash register.

The real festival takes place in Veterans Park

Milwaukee isn't just around the corner for us, so for most of us, it will always be a very special occasion. It doesn't necessarily have to be during the event itself, but it's nicer that way. There's a lot on offer at the venue. Unlike the events we have here, there's plenty of space in the middle of the site, but of course, when people flock to the venue in the evening to see the bands, they have to go somewhere.

Getting a homecoming T-shirt is a real challenge!

There are exhibitors and other attractions at the edges, and although the merchandising tent is quite far away, the queue to the entrance cuts through the entire event area, so I experience no different situation than in Budapest. At least I have a T-shirt from Budapest, but unfortunately not from the Homecoming Event in Milwaukee. I didn't have time to queue for hours, so I left without this valuable souvenir. Incidentally, it was no different at the Harley Museum.

There are no Harleys to be seen on the grounds themselves; they are all parked outside the event area. Generally speaking, I would say that the party is happening at Veterans Park, while everything related to Harleys and the community can be found on the grounds of the Harley-Davidson Museum.

The Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

There are thousands of Harleys at the Harley-Davidson Museum.

If you want to see Harleys, whether old, very old, or new models, you have to visit the Harley-Davidson Museum. The museum should always be your destination; it's not just a museum, it also has two stores that offer some exclusive rarities from the MotorClothes Collection. The smaller store has special offers and end-of-life items that are no longer in the range.

Then there is the Motor Bar & Restaurant and the hall, where almost all current Harley-Davidson models are on display. The big highlight is, of course, the museum. There is so much to see here. The hallowed halls contain not only motorcycles, but also boats, jet skis, and displays of 4-cylinder engines—all things that Harley-Davidson has produced at some point.

One highlight is the Harley-Davidson archive!

Normally, you can't really get into the archive; everything is kept safe behind bars. I was given the honor of taking a look inside the archive. It sent a chill down my spine. I still have lots of old US Easy Rider magazines, in which many of the models on display here have appeared from time to time.

The 1991 Sturgis FXSTC Softail is standing right in front of me!

And suddenly I was standing in front of it, the unique 1991 FXSTC Sturgis Softail, the only one of its kind, and it's here in the archive. I don't know why, but it really caught my eye, maybe because I have an '88 FXSTC myself.

The Harley-Davidson Museum spans several floors, each offering a deep insight into the rich history and culture of the legendary motorcycle brand. The main entrance is located on the ground floor, which features a large entrance hall. Here you will find a selection of the brand's most famous motorcycles, showcasing the evolution of Harley-Davidson from its beginnings to the present day. It would be too much to go into all the details about the museum here, but it is definitely worth a visit!

There is a difference in timing from the Homecoming Festival that should be noted. During the party, it is crowded here, so if you want to shop in peace, you should go to the museum a few days earlier, which is certainly more relaxed.

A large tent and a large stage have been set up at the museum.

There's a lot going on at the museum, because a large stage has been set up here too, along with a big open tent that can accommodate several thousand people in case the weather isn't so stable. There are Harleys everywhere on the grounds and in front of the museum, and the large bridge has been closed especially for the bikers. It's just crazy what's going on here. A group of over twenty police Harleys paid a brief visit to the museum; these were real service vehicles and not police bike fans. The police even showed up with two horses. In general, they were really relaxed here and basically just directed traffic and showed their presence. It's cool how everything works together here.

And no Harley-Davidson gathering would be complete without the bike show, which is also held at the museum, along with several other exhibitors. Food is not only available in the restaurant, but there are also various stands where bikers can get typical American fare such as burgers, steaks, and ice cream, so no one will go hungry here.

Pictures from the Harley-Davidson Museum during the Homecoming Festival 2023

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Powertrain Operations plant in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin

Not to be forgotten is the Powertrain engine factory. Correctly called the „Powertrain Operations Plant“ in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, it is one of Harley-Davidson's main production facilities and focuses on manufacturing engine and transmission components for the brand's motorcycles. This is where Harley-Davidson's iconic V-Twin engines are manufactured. In addition to the main engine components, the plant also manufactures various engine assemblies and parts required for the assembly and final assembly of the engines.

Even the 135ci Stage IV Milwaukee-Eight engine rolls off the production line here.

Here, they even assemble the 135ci Stage IV Milwaukee-Eight engine in large quantities. The factory is open to visitors, which is well worth a visit. It's interesting to see not only the technical aspects, but also the employees, whose work clothes include regular Harley-Davidson T-shirts. A lot of the work here is still done without robots, which is really impressive and worth seeing. They produce all engines here, including the Revolution Max engines, all Milwaukee-Eight V-Twin engines, and the new VVT 121 engine. They also manufacture the transmissions and many components for the engines themselves. I even saw that they wind the coils, or copper wires, for the alternator themselves, which I hadn't expected at all.

The latest Evolution engine stands at the entrance to the factory.

Right at the entrance stands the last Evolution engine, a Sportster 883 engine that rolled off the production line at the Powertrain engine plant in September 2022 and has been immortalized with countless signatures from employees. The emotions in the plant are palpable; you can feel the passion for the brand among many of the employees. Let's hope for them that program-controlled automation will not cause the spirit to disappear from the halls for a long time to come.

What to expect at the Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival

In short, the big party is in the Milwaukee Bay area at Veterans Square, and at the Harley-Davidson Museum it's smaller, but not really small. The Powertrain engine factory is located in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, about 30 kilometers from the museum, and the factory should definitely be included on the list. To House of Harley-Davidson I didn't manage to visit the authorized dealer myself; somehow, time just flew by. A visit to Milwaukee is something very special; just being there is an experience in itself, regardless of whether there's a Homecoming Festival or not.

Further information about the Homecoming Event 2024 can be found in the Harleysite Event Calendar

Text: Harleysite Image credits: Harley-Davidson and Harleysite

Images from the Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee

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