Brat Fest
The main serving tent at the 2007 Brat Fest.
Date(s)May 1983 (1983-05)
FrequencyAnnually
Location(s)Madison, Wisconsin
Coordinates43°2′46″N 89°22′43.64″W / 43.04611°N 89.3787889°W / 43.04611; -89.3787889
CountryUnited States
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Brat Fest, which bills itself as "World's Largest Brat Fest", is an annual fundraiser held in Madison, Wisconsin.

The event has been held every Memorial Day weekend since 1983, when it was launched by Tom Metcalfe, an area businessman who owned the Hilldale Mall location of Sentry Foods in Madison. Initially held in the parking lot in front of the Metcalfe's Sentry store, the event was intended as a customer appreciation event for those who shopped there, but soon evolved into a fundraiser for local charities.[1][2] Bratwurst, hot dogs, and soft drinks are served at the festival. Tom Metcalfe's sons, Tim and Kevin, are now coordinators for the event.

During the 2011 Wisconsin protests, it was made public that the main sponsor of Bratfest, Johnsonville Foods, sent large contributions towards the election of the Republican Governor Scott Walker.[3] This led to calls to boycott the festival, as well as the formation of several small left-wing alternative brat fests, including The People's Bratfest and The Wurst Times festival.[4]

Overview

  • Many non-profit groups donate grillers and servers. Local celebrities and politicians volunteer time as servers during the event. Past servers have included Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle and Senator Tammy Baldwin.
  • In 2005, Brat Fest was relocated from its Hilldale Shopping Center location, which had grown too small for the crowds, to Willow Island at the Alliant Energy Center.[2][5]
  • For many years, the Brat Fest was held over both the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.[2] After the move to the Willow Island site, organizers decided to hold the event only on Memorial Day weekend, to minimize expenses.
  • In 2006, two filmmakers, Benjamin Lamb and Vernon Johnson, created a documentary film honoring Brat Fest. Released on July 15, 2006, the film contained interviews with Governor Jim Doyle, Brat Fest Organizer Tim Metcalfe, Kevin Metcalfe and the wife of Tom Metcalfe.
  • In 2009, 208,752 brats were consumed during the 2009 festivities, which is believed to be a world record for single festival over a four-day period.[6][7]
  • In 2010, Brat Fest set a new "self-proclaimed" world record by selling 209,376 brats during the four-day festival.[8]
  • In 2011, the festival was chosen by Parade magazine as one of the top 50 festivals in the U.S.
  • In 2012, Brat Fest was again recognized by Parade magazine as one of the top festivals in the U.S.
  • In 2015, Brat Fest featured four music stages with 100 bands performing, including Charlie Daniels Band and Bret Michaels.[9]
  • In 2020, the Brat Fest was scrapped as officials cited the COVID-19 pandemic as grounds for cancellation.[10]

References

  1. ↑ "BratFest Menu". bratfest.com. Archived from the original on 2006-06-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. 1 2 3 Franklin, Teryl (18 May 2019). "Photos: How the World's Largest Brat Fest grew over the years". Wisconsin State Journal. Lee Enterprises. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "Boycott of businesses that supported Walker gains steam on Facebook". Wisconsin State Journal. Mar 10, 2011. Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Protesters to host alternatives to annual Brat Fest for second year". Wisconsin State Journal. Mar 3, 2012. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
  5. ↑ Daglas, Cristina (24 May 2005). "Brat Fest Organizers Hope For Record Sales At New Site". Madison Capital Times. ProQuest 395309693.
  6. ↑ "Brat Fest Statistics". Brat Fest Website. Archived from the original on 2011-05-27. Retrieved 2011-03-28.
  7. ↑ "Memorial Day weekend means lots of things to do in the Madison area". Wisconsin State Journal. 27 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023. Last year, the fest set a (self-proclaimed) world record of 208,752 brats consumed in four days.
  8. ↑ Hansen, Haley (29 May 2016). "Brat Fest organizers hope to break 2010 sales record". Wisconsin State Journal. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "World's Largest Brat Fest". Travel Wisconsin. Archived from the original on 2015-03-21. Retrieved 2015-05-22.
  10. ↑ Arbuckle, Brandon (12 May 2020). "World's Largest Brat Fest canceled due to COVID-19 concerns". Channel3000.com. Madison, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on 18 March 2023. Retrieved 18 March 2023.

43°02′58″N 89°22′47″W / 43.04944°N 89.37972°W / 43.04944; -89.37972

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