Live music, local vendors, food, beer and more are all on tap for Saturday’s inaugural Bloktoberfest in downtown Owensboro. The free event will be held Oct. 16 from 12-6 p.m., though the German-themed celebration will continue into the night with an afterparty.
The event will span two blocks of 2nd Street that will be blocked off — from Daviess to St. Ann, with music stages anchoring each end of the festivities.
Businesses along 2nd Street participating include The Pub, Mile Wide Beer Co., Mellow Mushroom, Famous Bistro and Don Mario Mexican Restaurant. Ben’s Soft Pretzels will also be included in the festivities, along with local musician and Little Nashville owner Andy Brasher.
Music will be provided throughout the day. The stage on Daviess Street will feature Rattskeller Band at noon, Vinyl Groove at 1, and Craig Gerdes Band at 4. The St. Ann stage will feature Insulated at 3 and Soul in the Pocket at 5. There will be more Live Music at Little Nashville after that, and the official afterparty is at Lure Seafood and Grille.
“We’ve put in a lot of effort to get this going,” said Mile Wide Operating Manager Palmer Dempsey, a co-organizer along with John Condray, co-owner of The Pub. “The idea is for people to be able to migrate back and forth to the different stages throughout the day, really have a good music festival, arts festival, Oktoberfest celebration. It’s really about locals helping locals.”
Unique festivities will include live chainsaw art along with Hammerschlagen and stein holding competitions. There will also be numerous local vendors with crafts and more set up along the sidewalks.
Partons will be able to carry alcoholic drinks outdoors using either special green cups or in commemorative steins that will be available.
Proceeds will go to local nonOn a Good Note, a local nonprofit that supports service industry workers and musicians impacted by pandemic.
Dempsey noted that many in the community have been confused why the City of Owensboro’s Trail of Treats was cancelled but other events have been allowed to go on.
“Most 2nd Street businesses would have loved for the Trail of Treats to take place,” he said. “I understand that the city chose not to have it because the target audience is unvaccinated, but we’re just as bummed out as everyone to not have it. But we’re excited that we’re still able to provide this.”
