If you’re unfamiliar with Cincinnati’s weirdest festival (which is saying something for a city that is home to the world’s largest chicken dance), you may be confused when the streets of downtown and Over-the-Rhine are overtaken tomorrow night by roaming goats, kegs on floats and a bunch of dudes and ladies in lederhosen and dirndls.
The 26th-annual Bockfest is back this weekend with three days of protracted celebration for the coming of spring, bock beer and OTR’s brewing heritage. Things kick off 6 p.m. Friday with the annual parade, led by a goat pulling a keg of beer and the reigning Sausage Queen (more on this later), and lots of other beautiful and bizarre people with festive floats and costumes. (According to the site, past processions have included a Trojan goat, futon queens, German beer bands, goats on Segways, bocking dogs and more.)
The parade launches from Arnold’s Bar and Grill on E. Eighth St. downtown and travels up Sycamore to 12th to Main and ends at Bockfest Hall (Christian Moerlein Brewing Co., 1621 Moore St.) in OTR with a blessing of the bock beer.
So, first thing to know: What is bock beer?
Bock beer is generally stronger than your typical lager, with a robust malt character and a dark amber hue with little to no hops. It was invented by German brewers in the 14th century in the town of Einbeck, and then adopted by Bavarian monks and other brewers in Munich who couldn’t pronounce the name. They called it “bock” instead of “beck” and the name stuck. It’s apparently hilarious in German because “bock” also means “billy goat.” Hence the goats and monks and other assorted German accouterments on display during Bockfest.
For the festivities, plenty of local breweries have made their own bock beers, like Christian Moerlein’s Emancipator Dopplebock, 50 West’s Road Bock, Listermann’s Friar Bacon Smoked Bock, Rhinegeist’s Vince Van Goats and more. Expect to find plenty of these tapped at local participating venues. There are 26 of them throughout downtown and OTR that have their own Bockfest-related schedules — they also happen to be on a free and friendly Bockfest Shuttle route.
Here’s what you can expect each day at Bockfest Hall inside Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.’s taproom and event space, which has been transformed into a German festival hall with tons of beer vendors, a gigantic outdoor tent, food (Eli’s BBQ, LaRosa’s, Taste of Belgium, etc.), live music and more. With free admission all weekend long.
FRIDAY 5 p.m.-1 a.m.
– Food and beer all night with tappings of guest beers from 13 Below, 50 West, Fretboard, MadTree and a bunch more local breweries (including some of those mentioned above).
– Live music from the Zinzinnati Bierband, Hickroy Robot, 500 Miles to Memphis and assorted DJs.
SATURDAY 10 a.m.-1 a.m.
– 10 a.m.: Bockfest 5K. Run/walk past historic brewery sites and finish with a cold one at Bockfest Hall.
– 10 a.m.: Live music starts with Just Add Beer. Come dance if you aren’t jogging. Other bands throughout the day include Cold Tuna and Hot Magnolias, with more music and DJs into the night.
– Noon: Historic tours start. This year’s walking tours include Mishaps, Malfeasance and Murder; Brushes and Beer; Dr. Morgan’s Hangover Relief Tour; and Below Bockfest.
– Noon: Beer & Bygone Days Series. The Brewery Stage will feature speakers, presentations, breweriana displays and homebrewing demos.
– 7:30 p.m.: Beard Baron finals. This contest occurs in conjunction with the Sausage Queen competition. If you have facial hair, you can enter in one of five categories, which will be scored. Categories include full beards from 5-inches to 10-inches and up, plus mustache, partial beard and ladies fake creative beard. The overall winner gets to accompany the Sausage Queen during next year’s Bockfest Parade.
– 9 p.m.: Sausage Queen finals. The Little Kings Bockfest Sausage Queen is one of the most highly regarded positions of the festival — a gender-neutral royal who reigns over Cincinnati and the festival until the next year’s crowning. The queen will lead the 2019 Bockfest Parade, carrying a symbolic tray of bockwurst. The competition finals take place Saturday and entrants are judged on personality, presence and talent — which means there will be a whole bunch of weird displays of sausage eating.
SUNDAY 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
– 11 a.m.: Continental Sunday. This family-friendly all-day extravaganza is a throwback to the Cincinnati of the 1800s, with authentic entertainment from German-American societies, German food and beer specials and a breweriana exhibit.
– 11 a.m.: Bock Bloody Mary Bar. Featuring Grandma Debbie’s homemade mix and a ton of garnishes.
– Noon: Bockfeast. Bockfest turns into Bockfeast on Sunday afternoon with this special German-inspired buffet dinner. The meal includes rotisserie chicken, a Brew City Sausage sampler, homemade sides, dessert and bock beer. ($35 pre-sale only; includes dinner and a beer.)
– Noon: Bocklympics. There will be family-friendly games like cornhole, giant Jenga and hula-hoops in the festival tent until 5 p.m.
– Noon: Little Links Pageant. This is the inaugural child’s Bockfest pageant, which invites kids to dress in their best “Welcome Spring” attire. Think German outfits, goat costumes, monks robes… Kids will be judged by a panel of local “celebrities.” Registration ended March 1, but you can still watch and cheer on your favorite little tyke.
Click here for a full list of events with times and prices, if applicable.
