BUCYRUS — The 2016 Bratwurst Festival kicks off at noon on Thursday with the opening ceremony at the AEP stage on West Rensselaer Street.
The theme for this year’s festival is “If You Mustache … Brattie is 49.”
Chris Short of the Bratwurst Festival Committee said there are a few new attractions this year that focus on family.
“In our Family Fun Zone area, we have added a large slide for the kids, along with a rock-climbing wall and petting zoo, free of charge. We will also have the other fun activities that we have had in the past such as crafts for kids to make,” Short said.
The Family Fun Zone is in the parking area of Family Video at the corner of South Sandusky Avenue and East Rensselaer Street.
Along with plenty of contests to enter and a variety of food stands to choose from, this year’s main entertainment includes a performance by country music artist James Otto.
Otto is known for several chart-toppers including his breakthrough hit, “Just Got Started Lovin’ You.” He will take to the FC Bank Stage near Washington Square at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, with local band, the Eric Sowers Band from Sycamore, opening at 8 p.m.
On Saturday night, 7 Bridges: The Ultimate EAGLES Experience ,from Nashville, Tennessee, will treat festivalgoers to all of the hits from the Eagles at 9:30 p.m. The Ohio-based Jessica Hannan Band will open the evening at 8 p.m. Jessica is from Ashland County.
Short said an information booth, in front of the German Heritage area north of the railroad tracks, is available for people needing information on all things festival-related.
Deb Pinion will be the grand marshall of all three parades for this year’s festival. Pinion has been executive director of the Bucyrus Area Chamber of Commerce since 1995 and has a passion for Bucyrus. Parades will travel north to south on the midway each day of the festival, with the parades beginning at 7 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
For more information about the festival, visit http://www.bucyrusbratwurstfestival.com/index.html or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Bucyrus-Bratwurst-Festival-46232926529/?fref=ts.
