Bockfest When: March 7-9 Where: Over-the-Rhine and surrounding neighborhoods What: The 33rd-annual Servatii Bockfest is prepped and ready for this weekend. With a keg tapping, .05k, parade, cry baby goat calling contest and more planned, Bockfest is celebrating the history of Over-the-Rhine brewing, spring and Bock beer. The official Bockfest Hall will include Moerlein Lager House, Northern Row Brewery & Distillery, Rhinegeist Brewery and Rosedale OTR, but other surrounding bars like Sam Adams Taproom and Voodoo Brewing will also be participating. Who: Servatii and Bockfest Why: Bockfest will be filling the streets of Cincinnati with beer and festivities. You don’t want to miss out on this fun. Photo: Provided by Steven Hampton of the OTR Brewery District

Bockfest Parade Photo: Provided by Steven Hampton of the OTR Brewery District

In the late 19th century, Cincinnati was the country’s third-largest beer producer and the citizens drank enough beer for every man, woman and child to consume 40 gallons a year — more than double the national average at the time. 

Needless to say, the Queen City has a storied history of drunken debauchery that extends to this day and Bockfest, America’s oldest German Bock-style beer festival, promises to perfectly capture our boisterously inebriated spirits this weekend for the 27th year.

Bock beers are typically dark amber lagers with heavy notes of malt and ABV levels comparable to IPAs, but without the bitterness. To celebrate this age-old elixir, the weekend begins with a parade from Arnold’s Bar & Grill to the Christian Moerlein Malt House Taproom event center (aka Bockfest Hall) where a ceremonial blessing of a keg kicks off the party.

If you’re a real trooper, there’s a 10 a.m. 5k on Saturday where the prize is more beer. Even more beer and unique historic brewery and cellar tours are offered throughout the weekend. Once night falls on Saturday, watch in awe as the prestigious (gender-neutral) sausage queen competition determines the most talented diva who looks good holding a sausage after the (equally gender-neutral) beard baron contest.

Sunday winds down the festivities with kid-friendly games and goat yoga for a more family-friendly atmosphere, but don’t worry, there’s still a bloody mary bar for the parents.

For a full schedule of events, visit bockfest.com. 

This article appears in Feb 20-27, 2019.

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