In the 1800s, Cincinnati was one of America’s top beer-brewing cities; Cincinnatians drank more beer per capita than any city in the country, and Over-the-Rhine was the epicenter of both beer production and consumption.
Today, as Cincinnati experiences a brewing renaissance, the city has even more reason to celebrate its rich brewing history with the 22nd annual Bockfest — a celebration of beer and spring. The festival kicks off with a parade Friday at 6 p.m., leaving from Arnold’s (210 E. Eighth St., Downtown) and ending at Bockfest Hall inside the Christian Moerlein Brewery, where the first Bockfest keg will be blessed and tapped.
On Saturday, enjoy bock beers at the hall plus the Bloatarian Brewing League’s bock home brew competition, an exhibition of historic beer steins and breweriana, live music and Prohibition Resistance tours. The German-American Citizens League presents a variety of authentic German entertainment, German food and beer specials on Sunday.
Friday-Sunday. Free. Bockfest Hall, 1619 Moor St., Over-the-Rhine, bockfest.com.
