Starting at Arnold's -- Cincinnati's oldest saloon -- the Bockfest parade is tradionally lead by a goat pulling a keg. It travels up Main Street and ends with the blessing of the bock beer. This officially marks the beginning of a weekend of festive celebration that might end in blaming a goat on your horizontal position. Goats, the German Renaissance, beer, irreverence and originality are all highly esteemed aspects of a parade entry. There are no fire trucks for the kids. In the past, entries have included faux-monks pulling a Trojan goat, futon queens, German beer bands, a four-poster bed pulled by slave labor, a leather-clad mistress with a huge whip, and patriotic chants of "drink more beer." As usual, you can bring your favorite canine to walk with "The Bocking Dogs."

The Bockfest Parade will be held on March 6, 2009. The parade will start to form in front of Arnold's Bar and Grill at 5:30 p.m. and start moving up Main St. at 6:00 p.m. The Bockfest Parade is Cincinnati's funkiest and most entertaining parade. It can be watched from the street or from a number of participating restaurants and bars along the route. It is free to enter, without advance notice.

The grand prize for best parade entry will be a one-of-a-kind, 12 in. hand-blown glass stein made by the Art Academy's River City Works. You can see photos of past year's stein being created at the Bockfest Blow.

For details or questions about entering the parade please contact David White at (513) 227-5155 or at davideliwhite@gmail.com