The Big Gig (Summerfest.com) runs from June 27 – July 1 and July 3 – 8 at Milwaukee’s lakefront. The festival, billed as the World’s Largest Music Festival, has been running for 45 years, but, this year was different. This year Les Paul was available for photos, or at least a life-size cut-out of Les was there.

The Les Paul Foundation at Summerfest had a Cool Down Lounge in the south end ofthe grounds. Les, the cutout, was there waiting for his fans. Foundation Program Director Sue Baker was also available to share Les Paul stories and invite fans to enter the annual drawing. The popular Summerfest drawing was even bigger this year thanks to an enhanced collaboration with Discovery World, which houses the Les Paul House of Sound exhibit, and with Cream City Music, that donated an Epiphone guitar.

Two grand prizes were awarded this year.

The first prize package included the hard cover book, Les Paul in His Own Words , two tickets to Discovery World’s House of Sound and admission to the museum plus two tickets to Discovery World’s Virtual Les Paul Experience.

Epiphone guitar signed by the Dropkick Murphys

The Second Grand Prize was an Epiphone Special II Guitar signed by the Dropkick Murphys,donated by Cream City Music of Brookfield, Wisconsin.

Two Daily prizes

In addition, each day one person’s name was pulled to receive a copy of the DVD, Les Paul Chasing Sound . Another person received two tickets to Discovery World’s Les Paul House of Sound and general admission to the museum. On July 6, 7 and 8 one free ticket to the virtual Les Paul Experience was included with the Les Paul House of Sound tickets.

As well as learning about Les Paul and his foundation, each visitor to the Les Paul Foundation booth at Summerfest was offered a free collectible, limited edition card of Les Paul. A limited number of Les Paul Foundation guitar picks were also distributed.

Tell us how Les Paul has affected you

Did you know Les Paul? Did you ever see him perform? Have you read about him? Visit the Les Paul Foundation booth at the yearly Summerfest or send your stories to Sue Baker and share your reflections about Les. Discovery World is collecting comments about Les Paul to include in its Les Paul House of Sound exhibit. Your words could be posted in the exhibit!