Road closures, parade route and more about the festival

CINCINNATI — Grab a beer and get ready to celebrate this weekend at the 34th annual Bockfest celebration in Cincinnati.

The annual beer festival celebrates Over-the-Rhine’s brewing history and Bock beer, which is a dark, malt-forward German lager.

Bockfest kicks off Friday evening with a parade through OTR before festivities throughout five different Bockfest Halls at Northern Row Brewery & Distillery, Rhinegeist Brewery, Rosedale OTR, Arnold’s Bar & Grill and Moerlein Lager House.

So whether you want to attend the parade or sip on some bock beer at one of the five halls, here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Bockfest celebration.

Entertainment

There are several events throughout Bockfest, including a children’s parade, the annual Sausage Queen pageant, a goat calling competition, historic brewery tours, a 5K and more.

There’s also a variety of live music acts at the five Bockfest Halls throughout the weekend, including The Polka Warriors, Cincy Brass, the Zinzinnati Bierband, the Hot Magnolias and many others.

You can click here to see the full entertainment lineup.

Parade Route

The annual Bockfest Parade begins at 6 p.m. Friday and is traditionally led by a goat pulling a keg, the reigning Sausage Queen and the parade marshal.

The parade starts in front of Arnold’s Bar and Grill on Eighth Street before heading north on Sycamore Street, turning on 12th Street in OTR and then continuing further north on Main Street before ending at Liberty Street.

Those wanting to watch the parade have several streets to line up along, as well as several establishments along the parade route, including Rosedale OTR, one of the Bockfest Halls.

You can click here to view a map of the parade route.

Road Closures

With Friday’s parade comes several road closures during the rush hour evening hours. The City of Cincinnati released a list of closures that will begin in the hours leading up to the parade and reopen around 7 p.m.

Here are the Bockfest Parade closures:

4 p.m.

• Eighth Street — closed between Broadway and Main Street

5 p.m.

• Sycamore Street — closed between Central Parkway and Seventh Street
• Ninth Street — closed between Broadway and Main Street (cross traffic will be maintained as long as possible)

6 p.m.

• Sycamore Street — closed between Liberty Street and Seventh Street
• Main Street — closed between Central Parkway and Liberty Street
• Court Street — closed between Main Street and Sycamore Street
• Central Parkway — closed between Walnut Street and Eggleston Avenue
• Short Reading Road — closed between Eggleston Avenue and Main Street
• Elliot Street — closed between Sycamore Street and Broadway
• 12th Street — closed between Clay Street and Sycamore Street
• 13th Street — closed between Sycamore Street and Clay Street
• 14th Street — closed between Walnut Street and Sycamore Street
• Orchard Street — closed between Sycamore Street and Main Street
• Clay Street — closed between 13th Street and Melindy Street

There are also several road closures early Saturday morning for Bockfest’s 5K run down at The Banks. The race begins at 10 a.m., but the city did not give an estimated time for when these roads will reopen after the race.

Here are the Bockfest 5K closures:

7 a.m.

• Mehring Way — closed between Elm Street and Joe Nuxhall Way
• Joe Nuxhall Way — closed south of Second Street

9:30 a.m.

• Mehring Way — closed between Freeman Avenue and E Pete Rose Way
• Gest Street — closed south of Third Street
• W Pete Rose Way — closed between Central Avenue and Gest Street
• Central Avenue — closed south of Third Street
• Elm Street — closed south of Freedom Way
• Marian Spencer Way — closed between Second Street and Freedom Way (local access maintained)
• Marian Spencer Way — closed between Freedom Way and Ted Berry Way (local access maintained)
• Freedom Way — closed east of Rosa Parks Street
• Ramp LL — closed
• Johnny Bench Way — closed
• E Pete Rose Way — closed between Broadway/Taylor Southgate Bridge and Johnny Bench Way

You can click here to learn more about Bockfest 2026.