Get ready to raise your steins and chase away winter at the best bock beer festivals in the USA—these epic spring celebrations of rich, malty doppelbocks, crisp maibocks, and quirky German traditions are pure beer-lover heaven! From Cincinnati’s massive Bockfest (March 6-8, 2026) with its legendary goat-led keg parade drawing thousands, to New Ulm’s cozy Schell’s Bock Fest (March 7, 2026) featuring bonfires and hot-poked caramel bock, and Pottstown’s hilarious Sly Fox Goat Races (first Sunday in May) where the winning goat names the maibock—these top bockfests blend hearty lagers, live polka, brats, and unforgettable goat antics for the ultimate toast to warmer days ahead. Prost to the most fun, flavorful bock bashes across America!
Bockfest (Cincinnati, Ohio) – March 6-8, 2026
Get ready to goat wild at America’s biggest and oldest bock beer festival! Held in historic Over-the-Rhine, Cincinnati’s Bockfest kicks off spring with a hilarious goat-led parade pulling a keg of doppelbock, tons of local craft bock beers flowing freely, heritage tours, live music, and thousands of cheerful revelers toasting Cincinnati’s brewing legacy—it’s the ultimate bock party you don’t want to miss!
Address: Multiple venues in Over-the-Rhine (main events around Bockfest Hall, e.g., 1811 Vine Street)
Website: https://www.bockfest.com/
August Schell’s Bock Fest (New Ulm, Minnesota) – March 7, 2026
Bundle up for a Midwest classic at one of America’s oldest family-owned breweries! Schell’s Bock Fest is all about poking hot irons into your caramel-rich bock beer for extra flavor, massive bonfires to chase away winter, bratwursts grilling nonstop, a wild bock medallion scavenger hunt, live polka tunes, and crowds singing “Ring of Fire”—pure German gemütlichkeit and the perfect way to welcome spring with strong, smooth bock lagers!
Address: 1860 Schell Road, New Ulm, MN 56073
Website: https://www.schellsbrewery.com/events/bockfest/
Sly Fox Bock Fest & Goat Race (Pottstown, Pennsylvania) – First Sunday in May (May 3, 2026)
Who needs horse racing when you’ve got goats? Sly Fox’s legendary Bock Fest & Goat Race turns spring into a hilarious spectacle with real live goat races—the winner even names the brewery’s special maibock! Pair that with ice-cold German-style bocks, polka dancing, brats, and massive crowds cheering under the sun for one of the most fun, family-friendly bock beer festivals in the USA.
Address: 331 Circle of Progress Drive, Pottstown, PA 19464
Website: https://www.slyfoxbeer.com/bockfest
Capital Brewery Bockfest (Middleton, Wisconsin) – February 28, 2026
Shake off winter chills at Capital Brewery’s epic outdoor Bockfest! Celebrate the tapping of platinum award-winning Blonde Doppelbock and Maibock with quirky traditions like the fish toss, a 1K “Running of the Blondes” in silly outfits, live music, food trucks, and steins raised high—it’s Middleton’s backyard party where strong bock beers and Midwest fun make spring feel unbeatable!
Address: 7734 Terrace Avenue, Middleton, WI 53562
Website: https://www.capitalbrewery.com/
Big Bear Lake Maifest (Big Bear Lake, California) – Typically mid-to-late May
Trade snow for sunny spring vibes at Big Bear Lake’s Maifest, a multi-weekend Bavarian bash that’s like Oktoberfest’s cheerful little sister! Twirl around traditional Maypole dances, sip imported maibocks and refreshing Maibowle punch, feast on authentic German grub, and soak in live music amid mountain views—perfect for bock beer fans craving a scenic, festive escape.
Address: Big Bear Lake Convention Center, 42900 Big Bear Blvd, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315
Website: https://bigbearevents.com/big-bear-lake-maifest/
German-American Society Bock Fest (Pinellas Park, Florida) – Typically spring
Warm-weather bock lovers rejoice! The German-American Society’s Bock Fest brings ceremonial doppelbock tappings, specialty pours from local breweries, hearty German food, lively music, and sunny community cheers to Pinellas Park—it’s a laid-back Florida twist on classic bock traditions where strong lagers and good times flow under palm trees.
Address: 8098 66th Street North, Pinellas Park, FL 33781
Website: https://germantampabay.com/bockfest/
Sacramento Turn Verein Bockbierfest (Sacramento, California) – Typically mid-April
Dive into authentic Bavarian bliss at Sacramento’s historic Turn Verein, where Bockbierfest celebrates dark, malty bock beers imported straight from Germany alongside homemade eats, polka bands, folk dancing, wine, champagne, and a cozy Kaffeehaus—it’s the capital’s most genuine spring bock gathering for raising steins and feeling fröhlich!
Address: 3349 J Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Website: https://sacramentoturnverein.com/bockbierfest/
Plattduetsche Park Maibock Festival (Franklin Square, New York) – Typically spring
Spring blooms deliciously at Plattduetsche Park’s Maibock Festival, featuring a custom-brewed golden maibock paired with a massive hot-and-cold buffet, live Bavarian bands, and biergarten vibes on Long Island—grab your lederhosen for this tasty tribute to lighter bock styles and German hospitality!
Address: 1132 Hempstead Turnpike, Franklin Square, NY 11010
Website: https://www.parkrestaurant.com/
NuLu Bock Fest (Louisville, Kentucky) – March 28, 2026
Goat races meet great bock beers in Louisville’s trendy NuLu neighborhood! This street party features adult and baby goat dashes down “Nanny Goat Strut,” local craft bock pours, live music, vendor fun, and the “Best of the Wurst” contest—it’s quirky Kentucky energy at its bock-loving best.
Address: 600-700 blocks of East Market Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Website: https://www.nulu.org/BockFest
Beaver Island Brewing Maibock Fest (St. Cloud, Minnesota) – Typically May
Welcome spring the Minnesota way at Beaver Island’s casual Maibock Fest: fresh maibock releases on tap, juicy brats sizzling, yard games, commemorative glasses, and everyone encouraged to rock lederhosen or dirndls—it’s a relaxed taproom bash bursting with bock beer cheer and community spirit!
Address: 216 6th Avenue S, St. Cloud, MN 56301
Website: https://beaverislandbrew.com/
Schulz Bräu Brewing Maifest (Knoxville, Tennessee) – Typically mid-May
Southern hospitality meets German roots at Schulz Bräu’s Maifest: fresh maibock tappings, local vendors (think plants, crafts, and farms), cocktails, live music, and plenty of prost-ing—Knoxville’s springtime bock bash is pure fun in an authentic brewery setting.
Address: 126 Bernard Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37917
Website: https://www.schulzbraubrewing.com/maifest/
Lakefront Brewery Bockfest (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) – Typically spring
Milwaukee’s lager legacy shines at Lakefront Brewery’s Bockfest, pouring hearty maibocks and doppelbocks alongside brewery tours, classic German bites, live tunes, and that unbeatable beer hall atmosphere—perfect for bock enthusiasts in America’s brewing heartland.
Address: 1872 N Commerce Street, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Website: https://lakefrontbrewery.com/
Summit Brewing Bockfest (St. Paul, Minnesota) – Typically late winter/spring
Cozy up to bonfires and hot-poked bock beers at Summit Brewing’s winter-to-spring Bockfest in St. Paul—strong seasonal releases, food trucks, live entertainment, and Twin Cities camaraderie make it a frosty-yet-fiery celebration of Minnesota’s bock traditions.
Address: 910 Montreal Circle, St. Paul, MN 55102
Website: https://www.summitbrewing.com/
Liars Bench Beer Co. Bockfest (Portsmouth, New Hampshire) – Typically late March/early April
New England’s craft scene gets bock-y at Liars Bench’s multi-brewery Bockfest, showcasing classic doppelbocks to creative twists, goat-inspired dishes, German lagers galore, and Northeast flair—it’s a flavorful fest for adventurous bock beer hunters!
Address: 459 Islington Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801
Website: https://www.liarsbenchbeer.com/events-1
Sprankle Woods Maifest (Ohio/Pennsylvania border area)
Channel old-school German-American vibes at this community Maifest with ceremonial maibock keg tappings, colorful Maypole dances, polka bands pumping the energy, and traditional festivities—it’s a hidden gem for bock beer fans seeking heartfelt spring celebrations near the Ohio border.
Address: 340 Riemer Road, Winfield/Jefferson Township area (near Ohio border)
Website:https://spranklewoods.com/
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