Bock Fest, Fasching crowds

undeterred by winter storm

By KURT NESBITT

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM---To the Bock Fest faithful, wacky winter weather proves no obstacle when there's beer, brats and music at Schell's Brewery in New Ulm.

Many were expecting a sequel to last year's ice storm, with forecasts predicting six inches of snow and 20-degree temperatures.

That prediction started to come true around 4: 30 p.m., as light, fluffy snowflakes began to tumble from the sky -- just as most festgoers were getting into their cars or rented limousines, or boarding buses back to their hotel rooms.

"It was a grand party again -- considering the weather kept the fainthearted at home and only the hearty came out today," said Bock Fest Meister Joel Albrecht, as he and many others headed back down the long, narrow driveway to the gates.

Dressed in a three-point hat with the Bock Fest goat on it, a black snowsuit and a blue sash proclaiming him the official Schell's Bock Fest Meister, Albrecht represented the hardcore segment of the outdoor festival's crowd. Others came adorned with football helmets with deer horns, funky fur hats, Mardi Gras beads, Tyrolian hats, hunting camouflage and thick winter hats and gloves.

Yet others simply dressed as warmly as they could.

From the festival's opening at 11 a.m. to its close at 4:30, festgoers came, danced, chatted, smoked, sang and drank the day away. Judi Marti, special projects coordinator for Schell's, said the crowd was about average size for Bock Fest. She estimated it between 2,000 and 3,000 people.

"It's wonderful. It's been great," Marti said. "If it's 60 and sunny, it's not really Bock Fest."

Marti said she and other Bock Fest planners spent the previous few weeks keeping an eye on the National Weather Service forecasts in anticipation of the predicted six inches of snow that was supposed to fall early in the day. She said they only planned to plow out the route the forklift uses to deliver the beer kegs. The crowd, Marti said, would take care of the rest by tramping it down.

Bock Fest put to work about 180 volunteers in its many ticket booths and food trailers and manning the gates out front. Brewery tours partially ceased because of the thickness of the crowd, but those who wanted to go got to see the tap room, bottling plant and the presentation on the brewery's history. Schell's gift shop was also buzzing with festgoers perusing the many different glasses and big green foam hats with 'Prosit!' and the Schell's logo written across them.

While the tours kept going and the shoppers kept shopping, most festgoers simply did what many come to Bock Fest to do -- drink beer. Geoff Staab, a school teacher from Lakeville, stood with a few of his college buddies among the many young, dancing people with a big glass of beer, sipping occasionally as the Bock Fest Boys played 'Ring Of Fire' at request.

"The weather is beautiful, the snow is great and that's the only way to do it in Minnesota," he shouted.

This year's Bock Fest is Staab's second. His first was two years ago. Then he wore sunglasses and got sunburnt despite the fact that there was still snow on the ground. It was that year that Schell's saw an overflow of people due to the unseasonably warm weather. Marti said the attendance then was in the neighborhood of 4,000 people.

As the day at the brewery wound down, more and more beer drinkers headed down the driveway to cars, limousines and buses. Nate Fix, a reserve officer of the New Ulm Police Department, stood by the gates, reminding festgoers to either finish their beer or throw it out before leaving. Consequently, the large trash barrel next to Fix began to overflow with empty plastic cups emblazoned with the Schell's logo.

"This is a lot of people--it's quite a few people, actually," he said.

The Queen Bock managed to elude bock hunters for the fifth year in a row. Marti said that the idea behind Bock Fest is that if all the bocks are found, winter will end "quick and sweet".

The irony is not lost on Marti, who said, "I guess that's not going to happen."

Fasching

Slippery roads and wet snow were unable to stop the annual Fasching celebration at Turner Hall.

In comparison with last year's crowd, this year's Fasching celebration filled the hall's gymnasium for what many call "the German Mardi Gras", a celebration complete with food, beer, music and a costume contest. The idea behind Fasching is to celebrate one last time before Lent. From 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., people from all over managed to keep Turner Hall busy.

"We're really happy with the turnout of this crowd," said Concord Singer and New Ulm tour guide Joe Meyer.

At 8 p.m., the annual costume parade began. The year's contest saw a total of 17 entries ranging from Al Capone to the Heritagefest Narren. The winners of this year's contest were Joan and Jerry Boyle, who dressed as firefighters and carried an American flag. The Boyles received a standing ovation from the crowd as they marched into the gym.

"We couldn't think of anybody that needed to be honored more," said Joan when asked why she and her husband chose their costumes.

As usual, Fasching saw a few out-of-town visitors. This year's guests included the royalty from Spielmannszug Minnesota, a Twin Cities-based group that is "more Rhinelander than Bavarian," according to Prince Jim Bauer of Richfield. The group's name refers to a group of people who play horns. Coincidentally, the Spielmannszug royalty at Turner Hall say they're forming a drum and bugle corps soon.

Even among the many costumes in the room, the Spielmannszug royalty are easily recognized by their many medals and pins, tuxedos and formal gowns and large elaborate caps that have long bird feathers streaming from them.

In the past, Spielmannszug Minnesota has sponsored floats in New Ulm's Heritagefest parade, but never went to Fasching.

"It's fun," said Bauer, when asked what he thought of New Ulm's Fasching.

Spielmannszug President Al Drenchhahn said the group is looking to start a relationship with New Ulm in order to have "closer ties in Minnesota."