Schell’s Brewery has held an annual Bockfest celebration for almost 40 years, but this is the first year that ended with the burning of a goat effigy. A seven-foot tall straw goat held together with chicken wire was placed on the hill by the lower levels of Schell’s.

A little after 4 p.m. Kyle Marti, Franz Marti and Joe Falkowski set the goat on fire. Falkowski said the greatest issue with the goat was making sure it did not fall over. Before setting it on fire, the straw goat was securely tied in place.

The controlled burn went off without a hitch and will likely become a Bockfest tradition moving forward, much to the delight of the gathered crowd.

The goat sacrifice was not the only change to the festival. Regularly, Bockfest attendees were quick to notice the main gate to enter the brewery was moved closer to the festival grounds. In previous years, the gate was located at the edge of South Park and before Junior Pioneer Park.

Over 4,000 people gathered at August Schell’s Brewery Saturday for the 2023 Bockfest. This is higher attendance than last year, mostly likely due to the warmer than average temperatures.

Schell’s employee Ann Bauer has worked at the Bockfest gate for nearly 30 years. She said moving the gate, the line gathers closer to the brewery and those waiting can still hear the festival. In addition, the volunteers taking tickets are closer to the music. The arrangement works out better for everyone. It also keeps some of the festival spillovers out of South Park.

This year’s festival drew a larger-than-average crowd. Overall, it was estimated that over 4,000 people visited the brewery. Roughly, 3,500 tickets were pre-sale. The gorgeous weather likely influenced a higher turnout. Temperatures started at 28 degrees and rose to 34 degrees by afternoon, which is balmy for Bockfest.

While the warm weather made it comfortable to celebrate outside, walking Schell’s ground was a challenge. Those on the lower levels had to contend with deep mud. The snow-covered trails were icy, forcing many patrons to penguin shuffle to avoid falling.

This made bock hunting difficult. Each year seven wooden bock heads are hidden in the woods surrounding Schell’s. The legend was if all seven were found, winter would end early.

This year proved a challenge for the bock hunters. Only two of the bocks were found and turned in during the festival. Even the experience bock hunters were struggling.

Michael Bee of Rochester found the first bock, the “Queen Bock,” shortly after the hunt began near the Cottonwood River. Bee found the same bock a few years ago in 2019. He was determined to find more bocks, but said the hunting conditions were “brutal.”

Those not hunting bock were content to socialize with the eclectic characters gathered at the festival. Andy Beltz of Mankato convinced his friends Oliva Maldonado and Ethan Gruis to visit Bockfest for the first time. Maldonado and Gruis had a wonderful time. The trio dressed in late 1980s attire. Gruis said themed costumes make it easy to stay together. In the event one of them ever gets lost in the crowd, just ask everyone if they saw someone else in the same outfit.

Another group from Sioux Falls came dressed in drag. Brent Knoble, Alex Keehe, Tyler Hexum and Wade Persson return to Bockfest in their best Sunday dresses. This is the boys’ eighth Bockfest and the sixth year they attended wearing dresses. The boys make sure to wear different dresses each year.

Most of those attending Bockfest this year were regular attendees, many coming from across the state or even surrounding states. There are some who have attended the festival for decades.

Peter Jensen of the Twin Cities has been attending Bockfest since 2007 and has always been impressed with how the event hangs together under unpredictable conditions.

Outside of the weather, which is always chancy this time of year, there are several different activities occurring at a single location. People dance to music at multiple sites while others hunt the woods for bock. Beer is being served and if asked, an individual will plunge a red hot poker into the beer.

“It is the most controlled chaos I’ve ever seen,” Jensen said. The thing that was the most surprise was how well everyone gets along. “You’ve got four to five thousand people outside at a brewery drinking and no one fights.”

Bockfest is an unusual event, but it brings out the best of people.