Bockfest 2025 with Carissa Barnes
Carissa Barnes, Communications Director for the City of West Bend, joins me to discuss the upcoming 2nd annual Bockfest, set to take place on March 1, 2025, at Regner Park in West Bend. This event celebrates the transition from winter to spring with traditional German festivities, focusing on bock beer and unique experiences like fire-poking the beer to enhance its flavor. Carissa shares insights on last year's successful Bockfest, which drew attendees from seven states and generated significant tourism for the area. Listeners will learn about new enhancements for this year's festival, including improved layout and a token system for quicker transactions. With live music, local business participation, and the promise of a fun-filled day, Bockfest is shaping up to be an event not to be missed!
Takeaways:
- The second annual Bockfest will take place at Regner Park on March 1, 2025.
- The event features traditional German festivities, focusing on bock beer and fire poking.
- Bockfest was created to drive tourism and support local businesses in West Bend.
- Attendees will receive five 'bock bucks' to use at participating downtown businesses.
- This year, Bockfest will implement token systems for faster transactions and improved experience.
- Live music will be featured throughout the event, with various local artists performing.
Links referenced in this episode:
Transcript
You know, it's fitting that I'm launching this episode today,
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:January 21st, 2025, since the number of
schools are closed due to cold weather.
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:It's unbelievably cold.
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:It's so cold.
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:I consider myself a cold weather
animal, but No sir, I don't like it.
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:You know what I do like?
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:I like warmer weather, I like hanging
out on the couch under a blanket when
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:it's negative 16 degrees outside,
and I like West Bend's Bockfest.
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:This week, Carissa Barnes, Communications
Director for the City of West Bend,
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:joins me to talk about their second
annual Bockfest celebration, which
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:is happening at West Bend's Regner
st,:
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:Last year was bonkers, in a good way.
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:I saw so many friends, the weather
was perfect, and everyone should
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:experience getting their beer poked.
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:some time in their life.
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:And I'll let you figure out what
that means during this interview.
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:With that, here are 15 minutes on
Bockfest:
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:here on Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
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:Carissa
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:Thank you so much for coming in today.
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:We are in the thick of cold
weather season here, and, Exactly.
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:And as this, as this podcast episode.
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:Launches, just had the winter
warm up in downtown West Bend.
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:So we're all looking
forward to warmer weather.
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:And it's time to look forward
to some more outdoor events.
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:So that's where Bockfest comes
into play, and that's what
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:we're going to talk about today.
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:Sound good?
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:Carissa Barnes: Sounds good.
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:All right.
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:Fuzz Martin: So can you first
tell us what Bockfest is?
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:Just give us an overview for
those who maybe didn't get
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:to experience the first one.
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:Carissa Barnes: Bockfest celebrates the
end of winter, and the start of spring
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:with traditional, German festivities.
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:So for our event specifically, though,
it's really focused around Bock beer,
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:so, we'll have Bock beer there as
well as other beers, but the idea
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:behind it is that, you can get your
Bock beer fire poked, which would
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:more or less caramelize your beer, so
it's an interesting taste and flavor.
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:And that's kind of what
makes Bockfest unique.
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:Fuzz Martin: Yea, Yea, absolutely.
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:And it's, uh, it's a total experience
too so it tastes caramelized and, and
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:good and also, um, they're sticking
a hot fire poker in your beer.
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes, exactly.
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:Fuzz Martin: So, which is not
an experience that most of
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:us get on a, Regular basis.
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:How did it get started?
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:Bockfest this is the second
year of Bockfest right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes, so this
will be our second year.
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:The first year really came with,
the Tourism Commission has a yearly
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:grant, that they were really,
um, pushing for, the community to
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:come up with new events within the
community to really drive tourism.
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:specifically overnight stays.
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:So, Bock Fest, the idea came out about
with Visit West Bend, to really create
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:that new event for the community.
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:In addition, they received a
GEM grant from, Travel Wisconsin.
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:Fuzz Martin: Sure.
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:Yeah.
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:Um, and so that helps to fund this kind of
event to help bring more individuals into
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:West Bend, as you said, to drive tourism.
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:They always say heads in beds, right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes, heads in beds.
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:Um, and then this year
we got really lucky.
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:The Tourism Commission saw how successful
the event was and, they decided
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:to, put dollars towards it again.
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:So we will have funding from the
Tourism Commission as well as
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:we received some small funding
from the GEM grant once again.
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:Fuzz Martin: Great.
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:Excellent.
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:So let's talk about, what
that success means, right?
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:So when you bring individuals
in for this event, It doesn't
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:just help the event, right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes.
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:The main idea, I guess, for
Bockfest is yes, to have fun, enjoy
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:the beer, everything like that.
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:But we also have, the opportunity to
really drive traffic to West Bend.
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:One of the perks of getting a ticket to
Bockfest is you get a 5 coupon to downtown
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:businesses, that are participating.
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:Fuzz Martin: Are those the Bocks bucks?
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:Carissa Barnes: Those are the Bock bucks.
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:The Bock bucks, yeah.
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:Yep.
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:Um, and it's really a
coupon that allows you.
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:to, visit one of our
participating businesses.
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:Most of them are downtown and we're
really trying to, bring that traffic
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:back to downtown, spend some funding
there, as well as hopefully stay
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:overnight at one of our hotels.
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:Fuzz Martin: Sure.
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:So, people spend money at the
restaurants and shops and hotels
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:and it helps, the machine.
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes!
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:Exactly.
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:Fuzz Martin: Uh, very good.
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:So.
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:Last year was the first event, and
as you said, it was very successful.
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:And obviously, being the first
event, you guys learned some stuff.
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:What, what kind of new things
are we expecting to see
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:this year at, at BockFest?
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:Carissa Barnes: We're changing
up the layout a little bit.
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:Last year we had our food and beverage
in one area, so we're going to kind
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:of separate them out as well as
have more beer locations so that
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:it's all not located at one spot.
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:We definitely want to make sure people
are getting their beer as soon as
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:possible so they can get it firepoked.
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:Fuzz Martin: Yes.
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:And there was, I mean, A lot of
conversations happening in the line.
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:I mean, there was, and it was a
beautiful day last year as well.
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:Carissa Barnes: It was beautiful.
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:Fuzz Martin: So, it was
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:Carissa Barnes: Knock
on wood for this year.
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:Fuzz Martin: Yes, exactly.
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:Exactly.
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:I would knock on this table, but then
we'll all hear it through the microphone.
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:I'll have to edit that out.
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:Um, but there's the, the
beer, and then there's food.
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:It's German food, right?
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:Yes.
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:Is that the case?
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:Let's talk a little bit
more about the fire poking.
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:So somebody gets a beer.
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:How does that process work?
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:Carissa Barnes: We're very
thankful for our fire department.
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:They'll be volunteering and they more or
less have a fire and they're going to get
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:their poker steaming hot and they put that
right into the beer, into the mug that you
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:actually get when you walk in the door.
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:And that really caramelizes the beer
and creates this frothy caramelized.
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:Goodness on top.
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:Fuzz Martin: Good, very good.
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:So this year, people are still
getting the, is the glass like, stein?
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:Yep,
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:Carissa Barnes: we're
definitely going to do it again.
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:Fuzz Martin: Alright, excellent!
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:Yes, I have a very nice big stein
in our house and looking forward
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:to having another one this year.
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:Live music is also a part of this event.
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:Can you tell us about, what kind
of music and things people can
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:expect from an entertainment side?
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:Carissa Barnes: We kick
off the event at 11 a.
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:m.,
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:with our local river city, Blaskapel.
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:They were with us last year, very
well known within our community.
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:And then at 1230, we have Copperbox.
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:They're out from Oshkosh, and
they play a lot of familiar
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:songs with kind of a fresh twist.
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:And then we have the Squeezettes
coming back again at 2 p.
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:m.,
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:but this year our headliner is Molly
B and the Squeeze Box with Ted Lang.
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:She is an award winning vocalist,
and will have a lot of high
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:energy like we had last year.
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:Fuzz Martin: Awesome.
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:Awesome.
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:Looking forward to that.
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:And so what, what time does, so let's,
I, we didn't even talk about the dates.
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:This is happening on Saturday,
March 1st, is that right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yep,
March 1st at Regner Park.
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:Fuzz Martin: And what time does it start?
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:Carissa Barnes: 11 a.
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:m.
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:Fuzz Martin: Okay, and this is
something you can't just walk
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:up to and buy tickets, right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes, only advanced sales.
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:That really helps us manage
figuring out how many steins we
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:need and all of that kind of stuff.
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:Fuzz Martin: And you guys have
some really cool merch this year
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:that you can buy as well, right?
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:Yep.
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:Yes, I forgot, I bought something
and I can't remember what I bought.
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:It is a 21 and older event, and you should
leave the kids with the babysitter, right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yes.
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:Yep.
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:But we will have, our transportation
shuttle again that will take you from
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:downtown to Regner Park and back.
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:So we're really thankful for
our sponsor, the Garden Lounge.
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:Fuzz Martin: Very good.
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:And then, There's also some options
for designated drivers as well, right?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yep.
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:So if you decide to be a designated
driver, you can get a wristband
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:and then you, any non alcoholic
beverages you can get for free.
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:Fuzz Martin: Very good.
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:If somebody wants to buy tickets to this,
first of all, what's the deadline to
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:do that and also where can they do so?
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:Carissa Barnes: Yep.
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:Um, that's the Friday before,
and that's Bockfestwb.
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:com.
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:Fuzz Martin: All right.
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:Bockfest is B O C K.
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:F E S T W D B dot com.
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:Um, thank you.
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:There we go.
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:Talking about those Bock Bucks again.
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:So you get that with your entry.
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:You said it's five, five Bock Bucks.
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:Is that right?
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:And then are they, where,
where can they all be used?
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:Carissa Barnes: There's a full list
on our website that you can check out.
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:It's a variety of downtown businesses
as well as beyond downtown.
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:But a lot of local restaurants, the
specialty shops, those kind of things.
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:Fuzz Martin: Sure.
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:Okay.
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:Excellent.
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:Reflecting on last year's Bockfest
what were some of the biggest successes
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:that you saw overall from, , both
the event and tourism itself?
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:Carissa Barnes: We were really
proud to say that we had over,
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:seven states that we actually saw
traffic come to West Bend from.
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:We had a decent amount of overnight
stays, as well as, We reached our
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:ticket goals, so that was really
surprising for the first year, so
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:we're really thankful for that.
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:And some things that we are also going
to do this year that's a little different
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:is instead of, cash for, beer and merch,
we're actually going to do tokens.
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:So you purchase a, set of tokens
and use that throughout the events.
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:We're hoping that will also speed
up some of the lines and beer
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:and all of that kind of stuff.
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:Sure.
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:Not making
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:Fuzz Martin: change and, and, uh, serving
the beer and all that stuff as well.
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:Yes.
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:Oh, that's a, that's a great idea.
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:And it's great that it was so successful
last year that these changes needed
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:to be implemented and that you guys
took that feedback and made them.
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:It was a lot of fun and I'm sure
it's going to be a ton of fun again.
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:this year as well.
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:So, looking ahead, what are some of
the future aspirations of Bockfest?
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:Carissa Barnes: We definitely want to grow
it, and we're really thinking of Regner
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:Park as its entirety throughout the park.
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:We would love to actually have
two locations to have different
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:music in different spots.
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:Right now it's really focused on polka
music, which we absolutely love, but
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:it'd be great to also have a different
variety of music throughout the park.
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:Fuzz Martin: Sure, to
the Bockfest Rockfest?
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:No.
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:Oh, we can workshop that, Carissa.
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:The, again, the website is Bockfestwb.
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:com and you need to sign
up before the, the Friday?
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:You said the The
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:Carissa Barnes: Friday before,
I think that's February 28th.
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:Fuzz Martin: February 28th.
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:Okay, very good.
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:These kind of events are big generators
for tourism and such like that.
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:So, Bockfest was created because
you put out, something to A plea.
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:Yeah, a plea to the community.
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:And they gave you ideas and this is one
of them that came out and it was great.
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:Are there, are you still doing that?
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:Are there more of those or
was this just the one then?
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:Carissa Barnes: In 2025 this year, the
downtown West Bend association received
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:the tourism grant for, their global fest.
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:Okay.
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:as well as, from my understanding, the
tourism commission would like to open
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:it again for 2026 in hopes to find
another organization that will step up
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:and hopefully come up with a new idea.
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:Fuzz Martin: Great, excellent.
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:And again, as the more that
these happen, the better it is
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:for our local businesses and.
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:You as a community member or
somebody outside the community
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:get to have something fun to do.
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:This has been great.
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:The Downtown West Bend Association
has been great at bringing
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:events for downtown as well.
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:And kudos to them.
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:And, I just enjoy having
something fun in the community.
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:I think it's, it's great for
the community as a whole.
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:to make good space of this
beautiful park that's here in West
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:Bend during this time of year.
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:Carissa Barnes: Yep, it's
definitely one in a million.
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:Fuzz Martin: Carissa, thank
you so much for coming in.
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:We appreciate it and I
look forward to seeing you.
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:I will not be wearing lederhosen, but
look forward to seeing you at Bockfest.
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:Carissa Barnes: Thanks.
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:Fuzz Martin: Thank you so much
to Carissa Barnes of the City of
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:West Bend for hanging out with
me and talking about Bockfest.
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:Fest 2025.
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:It's going to be a great time
and you don't want to miss it.
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:So get your tickets at Bockfestwb.
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:com today.
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:Again, you got to buy them in advance.
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:Speaking of advance, these episodes
come on, on Tuesdays, subscribe to the
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:show on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and
YouTube, or listen to them at fuzzmartin.
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:com.
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:If you have an idea for a guest
for the show, raise your beer
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:poking hand and send me a note.
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:You can email me fuzz at fuzzmartin.
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:com, that is fuzz at fuzzmartin.
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:com or use the form fuzzmartin.
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:com slash guest, and
they'll come right to me.
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:Next week, I'll be joined by
Steve Kennetts of Milwaukee Tool.
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:How cool is that?
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:And with that, I'll talk to
you next Tuesday right here
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:on Fifteen Minutes with Fuzz.
