After skipping a year due to the pandemic, Glier's Goettafest is back, bringing all of the goetta-infused creations you never knew you needed to both Newport's Festival Park on the Levee and Covington Plaza on the riverfront for two weekends of fun and flavor.
The event will span eight days — July 29- Aug. 1 and Aug. 5-8 — offering plenty of opportunities for folks to sink their teeth into creative concoctions using the Greater Cincinnati culinary staple.
If you're not familiar with the fest's namesake, goetta is a sausage- and oat-based dish that has been consumed in the region since the 1800s. The dish was inspired by the German immigrants who settled in the area; they added grain to a mixture of meats to help stretch their pork and beef supply over multiple servings.
Goettafest vendors must follow the fest's strict 3-2-1 policy, which restricts dining options to three goetta-infused dishes, two non-goetta dishes and one dessert. "These rules draw the very best talent and ingenuity out of each participating vendor. Chefs not only get to flex their creative muscle, they get to showcase their specialties alongside other top professionals in the local food community," the Goettafest website reads.
Here are the various types of goetta to gorge on in Newport and Covington this year:
Newport
Zoomer Inc.
- Goetta cheddar cheese
- Goetta burrito
- Goetta corn dog
- Goetta mountain
- Deep-fried PB&J
- Zoomer
- Brat
Goetta Haus
- Goetta barbecue sandwich
- Goetta balls
- Glier's sausage
- Fresh-baked strudel
- Philly-style goetta sandwich
The Cincinnati Grill
- Goetta hoagie
- Goetta steak and egg sandwich
- Goetta Buffalo wrap
- Goetta-loaded potato pancakes
- Goettawurst
- Sauerkraut balls
- Oktoberfest pretzel with cheese
Goetta Sweets
- Grilled goetta donut
- Grilled goetta donut sandwich with egg
- Goetta quesadilla
- Goetta brownie
- Giant cream puff
Original Corn Roast
- Jumbo goetta potato skins
- Fried goetta bites
- Goetta mac and cheese
- Goetta-stuffed cheese fries
- Roasted corn
- Chicken breast
- New York-style cheesecake
Covington
Festival Concessions Services
- Goetta nachos
- Goetta shepherds pie
- Hand-dipped footlong goetta corn dog
- Loaded ribbon fries
- Funnel cake
- Cotton candy
Mama Bears Mac (only at the fest July 29-August 1)
- Hot goetta mac and cheese
- Hankey panky grilled cheese
- Loaded goetta tots
- Loaded baked potato mac and cheese
- Key lime cheesecake cones
Mick Noll’s Covington Hass
- Goetta sandwich
- Goetta balls
- Curry goetta fries
- German sausage
The festival is free and open to the public. Hours are 5-11 p.m. July 29 and 30, noon-11 p.m. July 31, noon-9 p.m. Aug. 1 and 5-11 p.m. Aug. 5 and 6, noon-11 p.m. Aug. 7 and noon-9 p.m. Aug. 8.
For more information, visit goettafest.com.
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