Uniqueness:

Marcus Amphitheater, 3
The Amp is unique within Milwaukee, but nationally it looks a lot like other open music venues.

Big Bang, 1
You'll find fireworks, albeit not this big, almost every weekend, all summer long. If you miss these, wait a few days and try again.

Economic value:

Marcus Amphitheater, 5
Milwaukee World Festivals is a non-profit organization and its rent is tiny, so it doesn't bring a ton in tax revenue to the area. But the Amp employes lots of security, vendors and tech people. Plus, people who attend shows also spill out to the rest of Summerfest and the city and spend money during the Big Gig's 11 days.

Big Bang, 1
Except for the trinket vendors, snack stands and parking lots, the Big Bang doesn't raise much money for the city.

Convenience factor:

Marcus Amphitheater, 3
Understandably, getting in and out of any part of Summerfest is a challenge by car. It takes a lot of walking, no matter what you pay. On the upside, you have myriad shuttle, "drunk bus" and public transportation options available at all times.

Big Bang, 1
Nothing is convenient about cramming tens of thousands of people along the lakefront -- including a lack of restrooms. However, you can see these fireworks from quite a distance away, so if you live on the East Side, you might be able to just look out your window and see these controlled explosions.

History:

Marcus Amphitheater, 5
The Amp dates back to 1987, when the Beach Boys headlined the first day. Twenty-one years for a venue isn't insignificant, but even locally, it's a baby compared to the city's other rooms.

Big Bang, 3
We apologize, but we don't have an exact date for the first Big Bang. But we know it doesn't stretch back to the beginning of Summerfest. It's old enough that we can't remember when it started, but we certainly remember summer without it!

Quality of product:

Marcus Amphitheater, 7
This one varies year by year. Critics claim that the music is too mainstream, skews too old and too white. But every year, Summerfest delivers a few blockbusters, and who doesn't have at least one lifetime memory from an Amp show?

Big Bang, 9
Unscientifically, the Big Bang is probably the second-biggest display of the Milwaukee summer (behind Festa and maybe the big July 3rd Lakefront display). That's about as good as fireworks can get.

Total:
Marcus Amphitheater, 50
Big Bang, 49

Winner: Marcus Amphitheater