Friday March 7th, 2014, members of the League of Cincinnati Steampunks marched in the Bockfest Parade for their fourth year participating in this old local tradition.

In the 1800s, Cincinnati was one of America’s most prolific brewing cities. Cincinnatians drank more beer per capita than any city in the country (2 1/2 times the national average), and Over-the-Rhine was the epicenter of beer production and consumption. By 1890, the neighborhood was home to roughly 300 saloons and had over a dozen-and-a-half breweries within or adjacent to its boundaries. Bockfest occurs during the first full weekend of March. It begins with a parade on Friday evening that starts at Arnold’s Bar & Grill, Cincinnati’s oldest saloon. The parade is lead by a goat pulling a keg of bock beer and the reigning Sausage Queen. It ends at Bockfest Hall where the ceremonial first keg is blessed, the best Parade entries are honored, and Bockfest officially begins. The Hall is open throughout the weekend and features live entertainment, great food, historic walking tours, authors and breweriana, a homebrew competition, 5K, Continental Sunday celebrations and lots of delicious bock beer.

Even though it is a year away, any ladies and chaps wishing to join us for the 2015 Bockfest Parade please RSVP at our Facebook events page to get updates on our big plans to further make Steampunk a part of these festivities.