I went to check out Bockfest Hall yesterday afternoon, and I thought it felt like a scaled down Oktoberfest or something.  German music was playing, old and middle aged men were dressed up in lederhosen and doing some German-ish dancing, and the crowd definitely skewed older.  In years past, my only involvement with Bockfest has been watching the parade, which I really enjoyed because it seemed to celebrate the eccentric and quirky aspects of Cincinnati while simultaneously being an excuse to drink.  What I saw yesterday did not feel quirky or eccentric in the least, and it felt like your average Cincinnati festival with a bunch of older white suburbians drinking beer and bopping their heads to some tuba music.  I left in 10 minutes.  I wish Bockfest would embrace the essence of the parade for the entirety of the festival and have diverse music, art, and food, which would hopefully draw a more diverse clientele as well.

 

Sunday is always the calmer, relaxed day of the fest where you can enjoy a beer and sit down at the tables. If you went on Friday or Saturday it's a lot more lively and quirky. The band Saturday night was actually pretty good and it wasn't just a German cover band. They had bands in the other tent all weekend, too. And guest speakers were in both the second tent and at the Woodward Theater on Saturday. It was a very diverse grouping of events. If you check the schedule you can find plenty that you'll enjoy.

 

And Bockfest is partly about German heritage, so why is it disappointing that people are dressed in lederhosen?

Bockfest is different because there is no Grammer's to escape to anymore!

I was definitely surprised by the number of people walking around Bockfest that looked like they stumbled right out of Oktoberfest or Taste of Cincinnati. Including one obnoxious bro who was crossing Liberty shouting, "I used to buy weed around here! Man, ten years ago... (Looks around at others crossing the street) C'mon, admit it, you bought weed around here ten years ago." Yeesh. I'm glad OTR doesn't get that crowd on a regular basis.

 

Much of the OTR revival is due to about 20 people.  Greg Hartman, Mike Morgan, and Steve Hampton organized Bockfest into something resembling its current form around 2006.  Steve and Mike were also big OTR boosters in the years after Main Street's collapse and there at the very beginning of the streetcar issue in 2005-06. 

 

A lot of people at the first "bigger" Bockfests were the people from Mallory's YPCC and early streetcar supporters.  Generally people who didn't necessarily have a lot of money or were economically invested in OTR but were longtime supporters.  All of those people hung out at Neon's when it first opened in 2008 and then Grammer's when it opened about a year later. 

 

The crowds in OTR are going to get progressively more obnoxious with the opening of Taft Ale House and other overpriced yuppie stuff. 

 

 

 

 

Yeah, yuppie stuff!

 

It's amazing that with how many times your hate speech towards just about everyone different than you has resulted in a talking to by moderators that you haven't caught on that that type of disdain for entire swaths of the population isn't going to go over well.

 

And Bockfest is partly about German heritage, so why is it disappointing that people are dressed in lederhosen?

 

I'm just sick of every festival in Cincinnati being so German.  I get that the majority of people in Cincinnati have German ancestry, and that Germans played a huge role in the development of this city, but it gets annoying to have the culture constantly paraded around for nearly every festival in the city.  I mean, LA's dominant ethnic group is Mexicans but there aren't Mariachi bands and people in sombreros walking around at their food and drink fests.  I guess Bockfest is partly about German heritage in that Bock beer originated in Germany, but I've always thought it was more of a festival about beer, celebrating OTR, and the interesting and quirky people that make Cincinnati unique.  As someone of non-German ancestry, walking into a beer hall and seeing men in lederhosen and women in ridiculous costume dresses dancing to loud German music is just not appealing other than at Oktoberfest.  Just my $.02. 

I don't understand why anyone is surprised, upset, or confused by the increasing investment in OTR and the "consequences" associated with them. More people are going to invest in OTR, more people are going to drink down there, and more people are going to live there. Wasn't this the plan the whole time? This whole degrading of people who are now coming to OTR by those who pretend they discovered it is getting really tiring.

 

It isn't too hard to read your post and figure out if you should post it or not. It would be nice if people would practice some self moderation instead of relying on the mods to delete or edit posts.

 

Thanks.

 

And Bockfest is partly about German heritage, so why is it disappointing that people are dressed in lederhosen?

 

I'm just sick of every festival in Cincinnati being so German.  I get that the majority of people in Cincinnati have German ancestry, and that Germans played a huge role in the development of this city, but it gets annoying to have the culture constantly paraded around for nearly every festival in the city.  I mean, LA's dominant ethnic group is Mexicans but there aren't Mariachi bands and people in sombreros walking around at their food and drink fests.  I guess Bockfest is partly about German heritage in that Bock beer originated in Germany, but I've always thought it was more of a festival about beer, celebrating OTR, and the interesting and quirky people that make Cincinnati unique.  As someone of non-German ancestry, walking into a beer hall and seeing men in lederhosen and women in ridiculous costume dresses dancing to loud German music is just not appealing other than at Oktoberfest.  Just my $.02.

 

OTR's history is very much connected to German heritage. The two aren't very easily separated. And I feel the German heritage is mostly celebrated during Bockfest, Oktoberfest, and to some extent Taste of Cincinnati. There are other German festivals around town (usually pretty small and most here likely haven't been to them), but I don't see hardly anyone in lederhosen or dirndls during any other events. Occasionally some dress in those during Opening Day, but it's usually those who are in the parade representing their German societies.

I was definitely surprised by the number of people walking around Bockfest that looked like they stumbled right out of Oktoberfest or Taste of Cincinnati. Including one obnoxious bro who was crossing Liberty shouting, "I used to buy weed around here! Man, ten years ago... (Looks around at others crossing the street) C'mon, admit it, you bought weed around here ten years ago." Yeesh. I'm glad OTR doesn't get that crowd on a regular basis.

 

I’m sure someone will dispute this, but I claim to have first come up with the term “BroTR” on a beautiful Friday night in 2011, sometime around the opening of Japp’s, to refer specifically to people that looked like they meant to go to Mt. Adams but got lost and ended up at Neon’s instead. It’s a sign of the neighborhoods resurgence when some guy who probably was too afraid to buy weed on Liberty and actually got it from some college buddy is now hanging out there, but it’s a big change from the crowds that used to frequent events like Bockfest, many of which have moved elsewhere.

I was definitely surprised by the number of people walking around Bockfest that looked like they stumbled right out of Oktoberfest or Taste of Cincinnati. Including one obnoxious bro who was crossing Liberty shouting, "I used to buy weed around here! Man, ten years ago... (Looks around at others crossing the street) C'mon, admit it, you bought weed around here ten years ago." Yeesh. I'm glad OTR doesn't get that crowd on a regular basis.

 

I’m sure someone will dispute this, but I claim to have first come up with the term “BroTR” on a beautiful Friday night in 2011, sometime around the opening of Japp’s, to refer specifically to people that looked like they meant to go to Mt. Adams but got lost and ended up at Neon’s instead. It’s a sign of the neighborhoods resurgence when some guy who probably was too afraid to buy weed on Liberty and actually got it from some college buddy is now hanging out there, but it’s a big change from the crowds that used to frequent events like Bockfest, many of which have moved elsewhere.

 

That's the earliest I've seen the term used.

I didn't spend much time at Bockfest Hall this year but instead watched the parade from the Macaron Bar and then spent most of my time at Rhinegeist which is a more fun atmosphere in general to me.

 

 

can we get a photo thread of this parade and festival business? i would love to see it. i always wanted to go to bockfest, but never made it. someday i will though it isn't going anywhere thankfully.

 

And Bockfest is partly about German heritage, so why is it disappointing that people are dressed in lederhosen?

 

I'm just sick of every festival in Cincinnati being so German.  I get that the majority of people in Cincinnati have German ancestry, and that Germans played a huge role in the development of this city, but it gets annoying to have the culture constantly paraded around for nearly every festival in the city.  I mean, LA's dominant ethnic group is Mexicans but there aren't Mariachi bands and people in sombreros walking around at their food and drink fests.  I guess Bockfest is partly about German heritage in that Bock beer originated in Germany, but I've always thought it was more of a festival about beer, celebrating OTR, and the interesting and quirky people that make Cincinnati unique.  As someone of non-German ancestry, walking into a beer hall and seeing men in lederhosen and women in ridiculous costume dresses dancing to loud German music is just not appealing other than at Oktoberfest.  Just my $.02.

 

OTR's history is very much connected to German heritage. The two aren't very easily separated. And I feel the German heritage is mostly celebrated during Bockfest, Oktoberfest, and to some extent Taste of Cincinnati. There are other German festivals around town (usually pretty small and most here likely haven't been to them), but I don't see hardly anyone in lederhosen or dirndls during any other events. Occasionally some dress in those during Opening Day, but it's usually those who are in the parade representing their German societies.

 

I get your points, but I still think Cincinnati would benefit from toning down a bit of the German stuff at all these large events (Oktoberfest excluded).  The group I went to check out Bockfest with yesterday consisted of me (Italian and Irish), an Indian guy, black girl, and a guy who was born in Albania but grew up in Cleveland.  We all felt out of place and collectively eye rolled when we entered Bockfest Hall...kind of like ugh, THIS scene again. It's not like there is an abundance of recent German immigrants in the city.  The people who dress up and what not are largely decedents of German immigrants who came to the city 100+ years ago! It feels weird to cling to that culture so strongly and publicly, and I think it contributes to the clannish nature that Cincinnati is infamous for. 

 

 

Edit: To add, I'm not anti German, nor am I against people celebrating their culture.  My comments on this subject are strictly related to Bockfest and the disconnect I noticed between the parade and Bockfest Hall.

I would just like to add that Sunday's theme is "Continental Sunday" and anyone in tracht (traditional German wear) had $1 off their beers. That probably adds to the numbers over say Saturday afternoon but I have nothing that would confirm that. 

 

I was at Bockfest Hall on Saturday afternoon and I felt like I saw some in German gear but not that many.  On Saturday, the Cincinnati Iditarod also had a stop outside on Moore St. and that lead to a steady stream of people swinging by for brief moments in silly costumes and shopping carts doing skits.

I didn't spend much time at Bockfest Hall this year but instead watched the parade from the Macaron Bar and then spent most of my time at Rhinegeist which is a more fun atmosphere in general to me.

 

 

can we get a photo thread of this parade and festival business? i would love to see it. i always wanted to go to bockfest, but never made it. someday i will though it isn't going anywhere thankfully.

 

Just google image search "bockfest parade". 

 

 

 

 

can we get a photo thread of this parade and festival business? i would love to see it. i always wanted to go to bockfest, but never made it. someday i will though it isn't going anywhere thankfully.

 

The Enquirer has some photos: http://www.cincinnati.com/picture-gallery/news/2015/03/06/scenes-from-the-bockfest-parade/24535797/

 

And Bockfest is partly about German heritage, so why is it disappointing that people are dressed in lederhosen?

 

I'm just sick of every festival in Cincinnati being so German.  I get that the majority of people in Cincinnati have German ancestry, and that Germans played a huge role in the development of this city, but it gets annoying to have the culture constantly paraded around for nearly every festival in the city.  I mean, LA's dominant ethnic group is Mexicans but there aren't Mariachi bands and people in sombreros walking around at their food and drink fests.  I guess Bockfest is partly about German heritage in that Bock beer originated in Germany, but I've always thought it was more of a festival about beer, celebrating OTR, and the interesting and quirky people that make Cincinnati unique.  As someone of non-German ancestry, walking into a beer hall and seeing men in lederhosen and women in ridiculous costume dresses dancing to loud German music is just not appealing other than at Oktoberfest.  Just my $.02.

 

OTR's history is very much connected to German heritage. The two aren't very easily separated. And I feel the German heritage is mostly celebrated during Bockfest, Oktoberfest, and to some extent Taste of Cincinnati. There are other German festivals around town (usually pretty small and most here likely haven't been to them), but I don't see hardly anyone in lederhosen or dirndls during any other events. Occasionally some dress in those during Opening Day, but it's usually those who are in the parade representing their German societies.

 

I get your points, but I still think Cincinnati would benefit from toning down a bit of the German stuff at all these large events (Oktoberfest excluded).  The group I went to check out Bockfest with yesterday consisted of me (Italian and Irish), an Indian guy, black girl, and a guy who was born in Albania but grew up in Cleveland.  We all felt out of place and collectively eye rolled when we entered Bockfest Hall...kind of like ugh, THIS scene again. It's not like there is an abundance of recent German immigrants in the city.  The people who dress up and what not are largely decedents of German immigrants who came to the city 100+ years ago! It feels weird to cling to that culture so strongly and publicly, and I think it contributes to the clannish nature that Cincinnati is infamous for. 

 

 

Edit: To add, I'm not anti German, nor am I against people celebrating their culture.  My comments on this subject are strictly related to Bockfest and the disconnect I noticed between the parade and Bockfest Hall.

 

 

The difference between Cincinnati and most other places is that the wave of immigration precedes the shortening of last names, meaning many people in Cincinnati (like myself) still have conspicuous German family names.  I went to grade school with people with last names like Biersdorfer, Zirkelbach, Niederhelmen, Allendorf, etc. whose families have all been here since the 1830s. 

can we get a photo thread of this parade and festival business? i would love to see it. i always wanted to go to bockfest, but never made it. someday i will though it isn't going anywhere thankfully.

 

You don't have to be German to pull off lederhosen, didn't anyone else see Yvette Simpson rocking the lederhosen on Friday night?

You don't have to be German to pull off lederhosen, didn't anyone else see Yvette Simpson rocking the lederhosen on Friday night?

 

Cultural appropriation!!!  :-D

 

Without a doubt this town is primarily GERMAN, sometimes oppressively so.  A roster of my HS class reads like a list of the Hitler Youth.  I'm not German at all but I ended up with a German surname when I married.  Germans pretty much rule here.  The rest of us have to learn to tolerate lederhosen and [OMFG] oomp pah pah bands.  I'd hate to see them dominate Bockfest though, and crowd out the quirkiness of it.  I hope that doesn't happen.

 

I had some bock beer at Arnold's waaay back when, in the early years of the festival, and it tasted awful.  But last year I asked my husband to bring home a couple of bottles of beer (to marinate a pork roast with sauerkraut!) and he got some Triple Digit bock.  I hated to use it for a marinade because it was so superior to that draft I'd had at Arnold's.  It was really flavorful.  Delectable really.  And I'm not much of a beer drinker.  The Triple Digit bottles were big.  I only needed one for the pork so we drank the rest.  Yummy!

I'm just sick of every festival in Cincinnati being so German.  I get that the majority of people in Cincinnati have German ancestry, and that Germans played a huge role in the development of this city, but it gets annoying to have the culture constantly paraded around for nearly every festival in the city.  I mean, LA's dominant ethnic group is Mexicans but there aren't Mariachi bands and people in sombreros walking around at their food and drink fests.  I guess Bockfest is partly about German heritage in that Bock beer originated in Germany, but I've always thought it was more of a festival about beer, celebrating OTR, and the interesting and quirky people that make Cincinnati unique.  As someone of non-German ancestry, walking into a beer hall and seeing men in lederhosen and women in ridiculous costume dresses dancing to loud German music is just not appealing other than at Oktoberfest.  Just my $.02.

 

Cincinnati and Southwest Wisconsin (though there its Swiss German) are probably the ONLY places in the whole country that put that level of emphasis on a German-American culture.  Everywhere else is a lot more low key because German-Americanness was repressed during WWI and WWII.  Cincinnati should trump it up, just like how New Orleans trumps up its french creole/arcadian heritage or Chicago with its Irish/Polish heritage(you think watching a bunch of people with lederhosen in Cincinnati is bad, you should see what Chicago is like on St. Patty's day lol).  Frankly Cincinnati should make its German-American culture better known outside of its region.  Far more people are familiar with Milwaukee in that regard which IMO isn't nearly as overtly German-American as Cincinnati is.  Again like a lot of other things, Cincy could leverage this as a vehicle for tourism, I know Greg Hardman and co understand that but Cincinnati as a whole has a hard time wrapping their head around that concept. (even the Oktoberfest isn't that well known past Dayton as big as it is!)

 

Also, Bockfest is supposedly a festival of German origin what do you expect?

 

The Economist had a pretty good writeup on German-Americans in the rest of the country: http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21642222-americas-largest-ethnic-group-has-assimilated-so-well-people-barely-notice-it

 

Full disclosure I'm 1/2 German 1/2 English with a German last name.

 

I'm zero percent German and love that we have two German festivals here. It's something unique. Unless you're first or second generation in this country your heritage rarely, if ever, comes into play in your life so I'm not really sure why that matters here. I'm half Irish and a quarter Syrian and never once have I felt any connection to those heritages other than maybe the fact that I have some red hair in my facial hair and I tan super easily (thanks Syria!). Granted I'm also like fifteenth generation in the Americas on my mom's side and 6th on my dad's side, but that just proves my point.

 

We should celebrate anything that makes us unique as those are the things that will distinguish us in the eyes of potential future residents. Which is important.

I'm zero percent German and love that we have two German festivals here. It's something unique. Unless you're first or second generation in this country your heritage rarely, if ever, comes into play in your life so I'm not really sure why that matters here. I'm half Irish and a quarter Syrian and never once have I felt any connection to those heritages other than maybe the fact that I have some red hair in my facial hair and I tan super easily (thanks Syria!). Granted I'm also like fifteenth generation in the Americas on my mom's side and 6th on my dad's side, but that just proves my point.

 

We should celebrate anything that makes us unique as those are the things that will distinguish us in the eyes of potential future residents. Which is important.

 

Just like how I'm happy with Chicago having a good Polish parade and a crazy St. Patricks day (later is a bit much for me in more than small doses) but I'm happy both of those exist, it gives life color and celebrates what makes us unique.

Nothing wrong at all with celebrating heritage, and I think Oktoberfest is awesome both for driving tourism and just for fun.  I guess I missed the memo about Bockfest being a German festival having only watched the parade in year's past.  The Bockfest website says "Bockfest is a Cincinnati bock beer festival celebrating historic Over-the-Rhine brewing heritage and the coming of spring." I know the brewers in OTR were German, but it doesn't say anything specifically about it being a German festival.  I guess I embraced the 'coming of spring' aspect and the weirder, quirkier things that make Bockfest different than just a cultural festival ala a St. Patricks Day parade or Oktoberfest. 

Just posted a gallery of my Bockfest photos:

I didn't spend much time at Bockfest Hall this year but instead watched the parade from the Macaron Bar and then spent most of my time at Rhinegeist which is a more fun atmosphere in general to me.

 

 

can we get a photo thread of this parade and festival business? i would love to see it. i always wanted to go to bockfest, but never made it. someday i will though it isn't going anywhere thankfully.

 

Just google image search "bockfest parade". 

 

 

 

 

 

 

what no streetview or satelliting recs? instagram? tumblr?? pffft.

 

Jake promised to fly his drone over the Bockfest Parade next year.

lol now we're talkin -- dont get in trouble with the faa!

Bockfest is nigh!

 

Bockfest runs from Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 6. But the festivities begin on Thursday!

 

Sausage Queen Competition

Preliminary: 02/18 at Washington Platform

Preliminary: 02/20 at Crazy Fox

Preliminary: 02/25 at Rhinehaus

Preliminary: 02/27 at Milton's

Final: 03/05 at Bockfest Hall at 7:30pm

 

Precipitation Retaliation: 02/26 at Milton's

Shoenling Bock Tapping: 03/02 at Mecklenburg's Garden

Bock Beer Experience: 03/02 at Arnold's

Hudy Bock Beer Tapping: 03/03 at Arnold's

My band Elk Creek will be providing live music in the outdoor tent on Saturday from 6 to 8 pm!

Look for the OAR (Ohio Alleycat Resource) staffed beer booth Fri-Sun. Our tips go to the cats!

I hate cats.

The 28th annual Bockfest will take place from February 28 to March 1, 2020!

 

It seems so early this year. I don't remember it starting in February before. 

It is one week earlier than it normally would be. I think the rule is that it usually starts on the first full weekend of March.

 

At the Brewery District meeting last week, Steve said that very early on the Cincinnati Winter Beer Fest was bumped from the convention center on their typical weekend by a bigger, more profitable convention. They asked the Brewery District if they would be willing to move ahead one week and they had no opposition, so they moved it so the two beer events wouldn't happen on the same weekend.

1 hour ago, taestell said:

The 28th annual Bockfest will take place from February 28 to March 1, 2020!

 

It seems so early this year. I don't remember it starting in February before. 

Before the Brewery District took over planning it bounced around weekends and sometimes was in late February. 

 

1 hour ago, ryanlammi said:

It is one week earlier than it normally would be. I think the rule is that it usually starts on the first full weekend of March.

 

At the Brewery District meeting last week, Steve said that very early on the Cincinnati Winter Beer Fest was bumped from the convention center on their typical weekend by a bigger, more profitable convention. They asked the Brewery District if they would be willing to move ahead one week and they had no opposition, so they moved it so the two beer events wouldn't happen on the same weekend.

Yes, this is a one time thing. There isn't a "rule" so to speak of, but we have found consistency on holding the date to work best for planning. Next year it will be March 5-7, 2021.

 

8 minutes ago, mcmicken said:

Before the Brewery District took over planning it bounced around weekends and sometimes was in late February. 

 

Yes, this is a one time thing. There isn't a "rule" so to speak of, but we have found consistency on holding the date to work best for planning. Next year it will be March 5-7, 2021.

 

 

I mistakenly believed it always happened the first weekend of Lent. Pretty good coincidence that it lines up this year with the change. 

23 minutes ago, DEPACincy said:

 

I mistakenly believed it always happened the first weekend of Lent. Pretty good coincidence that it lines up this year with the change. 

That's how it was traditionally scheduled but it played hell trying to plan year to year as Lent moves around a lot.

Looks like in-person Bockfest will be returning this year, but with a new location due to the closure of the Moerlein brewery which previously served as Bockfest Hall. I just received the following via email:

 

Quote

Bockfest returns for the 30th year on March 4-6, 2022! The annual celebration of bock beer, Cincinnati's brewing heritage, and the Coming of Spring will be back with more of your favorites plus some new fun

 

We have a new Bockfest Hall in the heart of Over-the-Rhine's historic Brewery District at Findlay Playground, 1811 Vine Street (near Findlay Market). 

 

Bockfest Hall and the adjacent outside spaces around the Brewery District will host a number of popular traditions including:

 

Bockfest Parade: Friday, March 4, 6P stepping off from Arnold’s Bar & Grill, 210 East Eighth Street

Bockfest Hall: open March 4, 5P-11P, Saturday, March 5, 11A-11P, and Sunday, March 6, 11A-6P at Findlay Playground, 1811 Vine Street.

Bockfest 5K: Saturday, March 5, 10A starting from Bockfest Hall. Registration now open at www.Bockfest5K.com

Brewery District Tours and Programming: Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 at Bockfest Hall and Rookwood Pottery

Sausage Queen Crowning: Saturday, March 5, 9:30P at Bockfest Hall

 

Details and sales for all events including ticketed events and packages will be available by February 1 at www.Bockfest.com, STAY TUNED!

 

The 2023 Bockfest Parade and Friday night festivities were cancelled due to a tornado watch/warning. 

 

 

If I'm understanding this correctly, there is no Bockfest Hall for 2024. Instead, the events are being split between three "Bockfest Halls": the Moerlein Lager House, Rhinegeist, and Northern Row.

 

The parade starts at Arnold's, goes north on Sycamore, west on 13th, and north on Main like it has the past few years, but then turns west on 15th, south on Clay, and ends at 13th & Clay.

 

Anyone know why the organizers decided not to use Findlay Playground this year?

57 minutes ago, taestell said:

Anyone know why the organizers decided not to use Findlay Playground this year?

 

I don't know specifics about the use of Findlay Playground. I do know they reached out to the owners of the former Moerlein Malt House on Moore Street, but they are trying to sell the building, and wouldn't commit to renting the facility until February, and they obviously couldn't plan Bockfest without an earlier commitment.

1 hour ago, taestell said:

If I'm understanding this correctly, there is no Bockfest Hall for 2024. Instead, the events are being split between three "Bockfest Halls": the Moerlein Lager House, Rhinegeist, and Northern Row.

 

The parade starts at Arnold's, goes north on Sycamore, west on 13th, and north on Main like it has the past few years, but then turns west on 15th, south on Clay, and ends at 13th & Clay.

 

Anyone know why the organizers decided not to use Findlay Playground this year?

2 major reasons:

 

1. 3CDC and CRC could not commit to the site availability until very recently as they were holding the site for construction of the new OTR Rec Center. In addition, we looked at Grant, Hannah, Washington, and Ziegler parks and for a variety of reasons they either were not available, were too small, or too far out of the way. As @ryanlammi mentioned, the old space on Moore Street is vacant but since it is for sale the owners weren't willing to rent it too us far enough in advance to plan anything.

 

2. Setting up a temporary outdoor event on a site with no infrastructure has become ridiculously expensive and as last year's Friday night showed, very risky.

 

When Bockfest started 31 years ago, Over-the-Rhine was a very different place. In one sense, it's a good problem to have as we've grown the festival from its humble roots but there is nowhere left to hold it as so much has been redeveloped.

That all makes sense. I know that Bockfest is getting increasingly difficult to plan for the organizers, much like MPMF became in its last few years.

 

It would be really awesome if Bockfest could simply be held at Washington Park or Ziegler Park but my understanding is that 3CDC has not been very cooperative. That's a real shame given how important of an event Bockfest has been for the last three decades, before 3CDC even existed. I generally don't have an issue with 3CDC managing the major downtown public gathering places, but the fact that an important community event like Bockfest can't rent out one of the large publicly-owned parks in the neighborhood without paying a huge "3CDC tax" is outrageous.

14 hours ago, taestell said:

If I'm understanding this correctly, there is no Bockfest Hall for 2024. Instead, the events are being split between three "Bockfest Halls": the Moerlein Lager House, Rhinegeist, and Northern Row.

 

The parade starts at Arnold's, goes north on Sycamore, west on 13th, and north on Main like it has the past few years, but then turns west on 15th, south on Clay, and ends at 13th & Clay.

 

Anyone know why the organizers decided not to use Findlay Playground this year?

Fortunately there's a small train that connects all of these destinations 

41 minutes ago, taestell said:

That all makes sense. I know that Bockfest is getting increasingly difficult to plan for the organizers, much like MPMF became in its last few years.

 

It would be really awesome if Bockfest could simply be held at Washington Park or Ziegler Park but my understanding is that 3CDC has not been very cooperative. That's a real shame given how important of an event Bockfest has been for the last three decades, before 3CDC even existed. I generally don't have an issue with 3CDC managing the major downtown public gathering places, but the fact that an important community event like Bockfest can't rent out one of the large publicly-owned parks in the neighborhood without paying a huge "3CDC tax" is outrageous.

 

I agree with the sentiment, but at the same time I fear a Bockfest at Washington Park or Ziegler Park would feel really sanitized. Hopefully a solution for a more permanent home independent of 3CDC can be found for 2025 and beyond similar to the time it spent at the Moerlein Malt House

7 hours ago, ryanlammi said:

 

I agree with the sentiment, but at the same time I fear a Bockfest at Washington Park or Ziegler Park would feel really sanitized. Hopefully a solution for a more permanent home independent of 3CDC can be found for 2025 and beyond similar to the time it spent at the Moerlein Malt House

The long term plan is to base it at the new CinBev brewery being renovated in the Clyffside Brewery building. However they don't have an individual space in the building that can hold over 150 people, about 600 people total. So this might be the model long term. We'll see how this year goes.

Be sure to ride the "Cincinnati Bock Connector" to all of your favorite venues this year!

 

Bockfest 2025 will be held March 7-9.