An unexpected snowfall the night before covered the grounds at Schell’s as visitors waited to get into the brewery, but by the close of the festival much of the snow had melted and nearly 5,000 people had come through the front gate.

Organizers had salted the grounds early to address ice left by overnight freezing rain.

More than 250 volunteers helped staff the event, according to Meg Koebel of Madison Lake, who assisted with volunteer coordination.

“There were over 250 names on this list,” Koebel said.

The Bockfest Boys take the stage to open the 2026 Bockfest

Volunteers received free admission, a sweatshirt and three drink tickets. Koebel said she and fellow volunteer Jodee Williams of Coon Rapids have worked both Bockfest and Oktoberfest for multiple years.

Held annually on the first Saturday in March, Bockfest marks the seasonal release of Schell’s Bock, a caramel lager brewed at the historic brewery.

Among those waiting in line at the start of the festival were Tyler Hexum, Wade Persson, Jake Weidenbach and Brent Knoble from South Dakota, who have been attending the festival for 11 consecutive years. The guys were famous for wearing dresses to Bockfest for most of those years. However, this year the guys decided to switch it up and wear brightly colored windbreakers.

Hexum said part of the reason they decided to go with windbreakers is because their wives joined them this year and everyone wearing dresses would not have the same impact. In addition, he said it became difficult to shop for dresses in their size.

A popular tradition at the event involves fire tenders inserting a heated poker into glasses of bock beer, caramelizing the drink and creating a smoky foam. The practice is also available for root beer.

Mark Fritsche and Mike Manske hold up their steins Saturday at Bockfest at August Schell Brewery. The two have attended Bockfest for approximately 15 consecutive years. "We like Schell's, we like beer," Fritsche said. "This is one of the best." Photo by Amy Zents

Another longtime festival rule allows outside food on the grounds only if it is worn around the neck, leading to a variety of pretzel and snack necklaces among attendees each year.

Visitors traveled from across Minnesota and neighboring states to attend.

Krista Mason of Cottage Grove and Cheryl Phillippi of Oakdale were attending their fourth consecutive Bockfest and stayed overnight at the Best Western to avoid icy roads.

John and Jen Dorn of Arlington, South Dakota, said Saturday marked their fifth straight year at the festival. The couple rents the same Airbnb in Sleepy Eye each year for both Bockfest and Oktoberfest.

Others were attending for the first time, including Jaden and Lisa Gehrking of Rochester.

Left to right: Jake Widenbach, Vanessa Weidenbach, Wade Persson, Ashley Persson, Kyle Hexum, Hillery Hexum, Brent Knaeble and Kellie Knaeble return to Bockfest wearing matching windbreakers. Kyle Hexum said this is the first time in 10 years the guys have the festival in anything other than a dress. Hexum said they made the change because their wives wanted to participate more and none of them wanted to shop for a dresses. Photo by Clay Schuldt

Music played throughout the day across two stages.The Bockfest Boys opened the main stage at 11 a.m. with German-style festival music, polka and crowd sing-alongs. The Blue Ringers followed in the afternoon with classic rock and danceable bar-band favorites, while DJ Strudel Boy performed in the woods below Schell’s.

The Bock Hunt, a scavenger hunt in which participants search the brewery grounds and nearby woods for wooden goat cutouts, also drew participants throughout the day. Though many searched the woods for the bocks, only a few lucky hunters found them.

Will Sutherland of White Bear Lake was the first to locate one.

“I was trying to find the clues and I just stumbled my way onto it,” Sutherland said.

He said the cutout was buried under a pile of logs and sticks covered in snow.

Sam Sveine (right) volunteers his first years as a “St. Bernard,” helping to carry a miniature keg through the woods below Schell’s. Sveine helps refill the cups of people hunting for the missing bocks. Photo by Clay Schuldt

Dan Sowers of New Ulm successfully found the February Bock hidden in the woods around Schell’s. Sowers said he found the bock on the hillside below the brewery stuck between two trees. This was the third time Sowers has found a bock during the Bockfest. He found one in 2010 and 2019.

For those who fail to find a bock, there is always the hospitality of the “St. Bernards.” The St. Bernards are special volunteers who carry a keg through the woods to refill empty cups.

Joey Steinbach has volunteered as a St. Bernard for a decade and was showing new St. Bernard, Sam Sveine, the ropes. Steinbach said the trick to being good at the job was to pour generously and to be chatty.

Many of those attending the festival were longtime visitors. Bonnie Petersen, Tricia Petersen and Kristie Cope have been attending Bockfest for 16 years. This year the brought along two new friends; Jenny Linehan and Kathy Kearn.

The group comes Fargo, Farmington and Rochester. Every year the group takes a bus from the Twin Cities to the festival.

A group of friends, (left to right: Jenny Linehan, Bonnie Petersen, Tricia Petersen, Kristie Cope and Kathy Kearn) traveled by bus from the Twin Cities to Schell’s Brewery, Saturday. Photo by Clay Schuldt

Bonnie Petersen said they love Schell’s beer, but they also love the people.

“Everyone is a friend here,” she said. “It is a great atmosphere.”

Longtime attendees Mark Fritsche and Mike Manske said they have come to Bockfest for about 15 years, missing only the year it was canceled during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We like Schell’s, we like beer,” Fritsche said. “This is one of the best.”

The festival concluded with another Bockfest tradition, the ceremonial burning of a wooden goat in the lower level of Schell’s. After the burning of the goat, visitors headed downtown for the after parties.

Will Sutherland holds up the bock, a cutout of a goat, after finding it under a pile of logs Saturday at Bockfest at August Schell Brewery. Sutherland was the first to locate a bock in this year's Bock Hunt, a scavenger hunt held across the festival grounds and surrounding woods. Photo by Amy Zents

Cameron Vander of Madison, Wisconsin collected at least 350 plastic cups for recycling during Bockfest. Vander said she did not want to force the brewery staff to clean up.

Dan Sowers of New Ulm successfully found the February Bock hidden in the woods around Schell’s. Sowers said he found the bock on the hillside below the brewery stuck between two trees. This was the third time Sowers has found a bock during the bock hunt. He found one in 2010 and 2019. Photo by Clay Schuldt

Jose Cervantes of New Ulm, dressed as a bock, poses at Bockfest Saturday at August Schell Brewing Company in New Ulm. Cervantes, an employee of DSM-Firmenich, was attending the festival for his second time. Photo by Amy Zents

The Bockfest crowd gathers for the wooden goat burning to bring the festival to a close

Kay Garrin (left) Beth Beranek (center) and Molly Garrin celebrate the close another Bockfest as the Schell’s goat burns in the background. Photo by Clay Schuldt