Passport
New PBS Wisconsin show highlights why Mile of Music is a sweet gig
June 5, 2025 Leave a Comment
Each August, the eyes and ears of music fans turn to downtown Appleton where more than 200 musical acts from across the country perform more than 700 free shows for tens of thousands of fans at the Mile of Music festival!
Now, PBS Wisconsin takes you inside the festival to experience the sights, sounds and fun of a true gem of a community festival.
Watch Mile of Music 8 p.m. Monday, June 23, on PBS Wisconsin.
Ahead of the broadcast, we asked some of the PBS Wisconsin staff who worked on the production to share their favorite Mile of Music moments.
And, get an on-site look at the work of the PBS Wisconsin production crew during the 2024 festival with videos from our behind-the-scenes social media series, created by PBS Wisconsin Communications Associate Director Erik Ernst.
“Making TV is cool – and seeing how it is made is fascinating,” Ernst said. “So, it was an honor to be able to immerse myself in the amazing work done by my PBS Wisconsin colleagues all weekend at Mile of Music and share that hard work, innovation and creativity with all of our audiences.”
🎬 Tap the images below to watch the videos!
Colin Crowley
PBS Wisconsin job title: Multimedia producer
What you did on Mile of Music: Lead producer, videographer, editor
Favorite moment from Mile of Music: Filming the Milwaukee band Diet Lite from the front row of a packed club on Friday night. It was really fun to film an energetic, loud, rock band for this project and show that important side of Wisconsin’s music culture.
View this post on Instagram
Deb Piper
PBS Wisconsin job title: Executive producer, Cultural Affairs unit
What you did on Mile of Music: Co-produced/directed concert recordings at Jones Park and Lawrence University Memorial Chapel, and produced the Mile of Music performances collection for pbswisconsin.org.
Favorite moment from Mile of Music: Seeing our entire PBS Wisconsin team working en masse to cover such a large music festival and doing it so creatively!
View this post on Instagram
Roz Greiert
PBS Wisconsin job title: TV programming assistant
What you did on Mile of Music: Production assistant, including contacting artists and getting signed release forms for interviews and performances, interviewing musicians about their experiences and carrying tons of equipment from venue to venue!
Favorite moment from Mile of Music: Without a doubt, my favorite moment was the last day of production. We wrapped up after a long, hot day of filming, and the whole production crew went together to see the band Illiterate Light perform at Gibson Music Hall. They were phenomenal and had the energy we needed after a fun weekend at Mile of Music!
View this post on Instagram
Adrienne L. Palm
PBS Wisconsin job title: Director of Corporate Development
What you did on Mile of Music: Community liaison and corporate fundraising
Favorite moment from Mile of Music: It’s nearly impossible for me to pinpoint a single favorite moment from Mile of Music. As a local who has only missed one year of the festival, the memories, collaborations and relationships I’ve built through this event have become a core part of who I am. The stories all weave together into a tapestry that reflects the deep, lasting impact Mile of Music has had on Appleton for over a decade. It’s special. It’s fun. It’s ours. And I am so excited to share it with the state on PBS Wisconsin!
View this post on Instagram
Ryan Ward
PBS Wisconsin job title: Multimedia producer
What you did on Mile of Music: Field producer and videographer
Favorite moment from Mile of Music: Interacting with all the music fans, specifically a few who saw our crew filming around the festival and asked me for recommendations on what shows to see. My answer? “All of them!”
View this post on Instagram
Watch extended performances online!
Mile of Music is a huge festival, and we knew that one hour of television would only whet the appetite of music fans. So, PBS Wisconsin has built a huge archive of extended performances from many of the Mile of Music artists that we recorded during the 2024 festival.
Watch these performances online at pbswisconsin.org/mileofmusic and on the free PBS app on your favorite streaming device by searching “Mile of Music.”
