Schell’s is hosting their 24th Annual Bock Fest on 2/13 (11-4:30). The event is held on the brewery grounds and will be outside, so be sure to bring your own firewood and 50 gallon drum to keep warm. Anecdotally, the event is a helluva good time, but crowded.
On a related note, I received a e-mail stating that The Herkimer is going to be running two buses to Bock Fest again this year. I’ve been told that they do a fine job. $60 per person gets you breakfast at The Herkimer starting at 7:30 (but not entry into Bock Fest – that is a separate $5 fee). The buses depart at 8:30. Space is limited. Sign-up at the bar.
They do a fine job? A number of friends took the bus from Herkimer last year. They had promised to have Herkimer beer on the bus. They couldn’t get the taps to work so they went to the liquor store to get beer for the bus riders. A couple cases of Miller Lite (or maybe it was MDG but something along those lines) is what they provided. The bus didn’t leave til after the fest had started and they wanted to leave to come home at 2:30, well before it ended. The bus riders started chanting “4:30, 4:30!” and finally got them to agree to leave at around 4pm or so. I ended up giving a couple of them a ride home so they could stay til the end (and hit Happy Joe’s Pizza). None of them will be riding it this year. Maybe it won’t be as bad as last year but I don’t think I’d risk the $60 on it.
The Happy Gnome usually does a bus too. Think they charged $50 for breakfast and transport (not sure if beer is provided on the bus) in the past.
Thanks for the feedback, Ben. It’s interesting how different folks come up with different opinions on their experiences. The feedback I received was based more on the good time that was had and not so much on the logistics/details. Maybe we should get you to coordinate a bus trip there and back. Any man who makes Happy Joe’s a stop has clearly thought about priorities. I don’t care for it myself, but I know a lot of folks love their ‘za.
I perhaps have said it before, but the real party takes place downtown after the fest is over. Makes for a long day however. I will not make it this year after attending the past six years.
Other priorities will prevent me from enjoying the company of the thousands this year, but my more dedicated college friends fly-in from both coasts for the event — some for over fourteen years now!
I hope some of the newcomers I met last year will enjoy it this year same as last (had some fun waiting in line in the afternoon after bowling beforehand). And like Trav said, it’s always a great time downtown afterward.
Whats bockfest?
BOCKFEST!!!
I run a bus ride that leaves and returns from Mankato. Good bars in Mankato for after the fest is over. It is 30 bucks until February then the fee goes up to 40. It will meet at the Pub 500, where we have a breakfast buffet, then loads up and leaves at 9am so you will arrive an hout to an hour and a half before the gates open. We return at about 4 to 5 pm, but sorry, no Happy Joes. Mankato does have some of the finest pizza in Minnesota at Paglaia’s though. Check out the website http://bockfest2011.blogspot.com/ for any questions