By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com

The stages and streets will be packed for the 2014 Bratwurst Festival, Aug. 14 – 16.

Festival Director Larry West said they expect to have just as many vendors as last year, if not more. In addition to the vendors lining the streets, there will be a Family Fun Zone in the Family Video parking lot and craft vendors at the north end of the festival. There will also be a car show in the parking lot of Bucyrus City Hall.

The parades will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday.

There is a lot of entertainment planned for the stages. The FC Bank Stage will be located in the FC Bank parking lot by the railroad tracks. The Century Link stage will be on West Rensselaer St. The stage schedules are as follows:

FC BANK STAGE CENTURY LINK STAGE
THURSDAY THURSDAY
No events scheduled 12:00 p.m. Opening Ceremonies
1:00 p.m. Bratwurst Eating Contest
FRIDAY 2:30 p.m. Pigtail Contest
TBA Bonfiglio & Sloan 3:00 p.m. Ice Cream Eating Contest
8:00 p.m. DeVault Ridge 4:00 p.m. Pretty Baby Contest
9:30 p.m. Aaron Tippin 5:30 p.m. Jr. Princess Contest
8:00 p.m. Queen’s Pageant
SATURDAY
6:00 p.m. Celler Dwellers FRIDAY
7:30 p.m. Jeff German and the Blankety Blank 1:00 p.m. Pizza Eating Contest
9:30 Red Wanting Blue 3:00 p.m. Crème Puff Eating Contest
5:00 p.m. Rooster
8:00 p.m. John Kennedy Band
SATURDAY
12:00 p.m. Columbus Swiss Singers
1:30 p.m. OSU Marching Band
7:00 p.m. Stein Auction
8:00 p.m. Legs Contest
8:45 p.m. Bucyrus High School Players
9:30 p.m. Grateful Life

 

The German Heritage Center, located in the parking lot between the railroad tracks and Gus’s Grill and Grog, will also be busy with events during the three-day festival. The schedule can be found below.

THURSDAY
2:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
3:00 p.m. Mike and Larry
4:00 p.m. Richard Wiener
5:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
6:00 p.m. Sam Benedict
8:00 p.m. Eric Sowers
FRIDAY
1:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
2:00 p.m. Mike and Larry
3:00 p.m. Richard Wiener
4:00 p.m. Dancing Grannies
5:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
SATURDAY
12:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
1:00 p.m. Mike and Larry
2:00 p.m. Ken and Mary
3:00 p.m. Cheese and Music
5:00 p.m. Cheese and Music

 

The Crawford County Arts Council will be having an art competition in the HomeCare Matters building, 133 S. Sandusky Ave. There will also be an art sale in the Crawford County Partnership for Education and Economic Development building, 117 E. Mansfield St. The art sale will run from 1 – 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It will feature work by local artists in a variety of mediums, from woodworking and pottery to oils and stained glass.

The Arts Council will be having a half price membership drive during the Bratwurst Festival. Membership during this time will be $10. Student memberships are free.

More information about the Crawford County Arts Council can be found at www.crawfordcountyartscouncil.com.

The Bucyrus Tourism and Visitors’ Bureau will once again be hosting the 36th annual Best Wurst Bike Ride on Aug. 16. Registration will be from 7 – 9 a.m. at the Crawford County Fairgrounds, 610 Whetstone St. Check in closes at 3:30 p.m. There will be four routes to choose from: a 12-mile family ride or the 32-, 65-, or 100-mile bike rides. Registration is $15 for the family ride (children under age 10 ride free) and $25 for the longer routes.

The first 200 registered riders for the longer routes will receive a commemorative patch and family riders will receive a decal. Tickets for a free beer at the Elks Lodge #156 Beer Garden on Saturday will be provided to riders age 21 or older.

Food and rest stops will be provided along the routes with showers available after the ride. Homemade ice cream will also be available upon return to the fairgrounds.

Call the Tourism Bureau at 419-562-0720 for more information or download the registration form at www.bucyrus.org.

The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day.