Fitger’s Bockfest Welcomes in Spring

DULUTH, Minn. — “Whether the weather is good, whether the weather is not good, Bockfest always goes one and today we’ve got the sun and it’s amazing,” said Tami Tanski-Sherman, Fitger’s Mall Manager.

Bockfest is an authentic German beer festival and since 1995, Fitgers has been hosting its own Bockfest.

The traditional festival welcomes in spring and many people celebrate at Fitger’s each year.

“I love when we have the festival every year and we keep seeing the same faces come every year, they’ve got their steins from all the years that we’ve been doing it, 20 some years, they can’t wait to buy the new stein and see what the new one looks like,” said Jason Vincent, Boat Club Restaurant Owner.

The German work bock means goat, which is an ancient symbol of winter. So of course actual goats had to pay the festival a visit.

A staple at a Bockfest is of course the beer, after someone gets a cup they can head to the bonfire to get the beer “poked.”  The hot poker is used to caramelize people’s brews.

“Bock beer was first brewed in Germany in the 1400s, bock means goat and so it really is the welcoming of spring that we poke the beer, enjoy great bock and welcome in spring to the northland,” said Vincent.

The Fitger’s Bockfest is one of the few in the northland and has a long history of welcoming spring.

“This really is a generational event come with their now little kids, growing up into big kids and being able to enjoy beer we have a great festival and you know things are going good,” said Vincent.