CINCINNATI — One of the Queen City's more quirky festivals will return to Over-the-Rhine during the first weekend of March.
Bockfest will kick off at 6 p.m. Friday, March 1 with its annual parade. Those participating in the parade will gather in front of Arnold's Bar & Grill at 210 E. Eighth St., Downtown and make their way to Bock Hall, which is located inside the Christian Moerlein Brewery and Tap Room at 1621 Moore St. in Over-the-Rhine.
After the parade, organizers of Cincinnati's annual celebration of spring will oversee the blessing of a ceremonial keg of bock beer inside the hall. Bockfest will then continue inside Bockfest Hall with live music, food and bock beer. There will also be a free shuttle that will take Bockfest-goers to more than a dozen establishments participating in Bockfest on Friday and Saturday night.
Festivities will continue through Sunday, March 3.
TIMELINE: See how Bockfest has evolved through the years
A highlight of other annual Bockfest events taking place throughout the weekend include Brewery District Tours from Bockfest Hall; the Bockfest 5K, which begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 2; the Beard Baron and Sausage Queen competitions begin at 9 p.m. the same day; and the last day of the festival will feature "Games, Germans, & Gemütlichkeit," which begins at noon Sunday.
There will also be a "Billygoat Ball" and "Beer & Bygone Days" on Saturday. "Beer & Bygone Days" will feature local keg tappings, tastings, home brew beer competitions, and stein and breweriana displays. Sunday will also feature goat yoga, a "Bock Bloody Mary Bar," Bockfest Dinner and showcase of the Queen City's German heritage.
There will even be a few events leading up to Bockfest taking place in February. Those include the Beefsteak Club Dinner on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at the Moerlein Lager House and the Precipitation Retaliation Happy Hour on Friday, Feb. 22, which will also include a Schoenling Bock keg tapping inside the Christian Moerlein Brewery and Tap Room.
For more information about the festival visit bockfest.com.
