Jasper Strassenfest in Dubois County, August 4 - 7, 2011

If you’re German, like Germans, or just want to hang around a bunch of Germans, visit the Jasper Strassenfest in Dubois County, from August 4 – 7. This year’s festival, with the theme “Living – Giving – Growing…Together,” celebrates the city’s German heritage.

Organizers promise that this year’s Strassenfest will be bigger and better than previous festivals. They’ll have food, arts and crafts booths, music and entertainment on three stages, and competitive events, including log sawing, bratwurst eating, and even a road rally).

Other notable events include:

• Hot air balloon race at 6:30 pm on Friday.
• Encampment of The German Soldier in Europe and in America from 1776 to 1918 — All day Saturday at the Dubois County Museum Grounds.
• The Wettlauf 5K Run and Walk on Saturday at 8 am.
• Strassenfest Bicycle Ride/Race — A fun ride of 22 miles, and a race of 62 miles. Starts at 7:00 am on Sunday.
• The German-style Kapp Winery will have wine tastings from 12 – 5 Sunday, including real German style hot dogs.

The festival last for four days, opens at 5:00 with a box parade, followed by singing of patriotic songs at the main stage, and officially kicks off at 6:15 pm on Donnerstag (Thursday), with the official Burgermeister Proclamation on the main stage, and runs until Sonntag (Sunday) 7:00 with the Celebration Singers at Holy Family Church.

Photo credit: elmada (Flickr)