By Gary Ogle
gogle@wbcowqel.com

Sadly summer is winding down. But there is reason to rejoice because that also means the Bratwurst Festival will once again dominate Sandusky Avenue for three days in downtown Bucyrus.

The festival actually kicks off today with a good-bye of sorts. The 2014 Bratwurst Festival Queen, Tessa Starner, and her court will say farewell during the opening ceremonies which begin at noon at the CenturyLink Stage on West Rensselaer Street.

Musical entertainment will start at 2 o’clock this afternoon at the German Heritage Center located on North Sandusky Avenue.

Today’s highlights include the first of three Bratwurst Festival parades which begins at 7 o’clock this evening. Immediately following tonight’s parade is the Queen’s Pageant back at the CenturyLink Stage. Six young ladies are vying to see who will reign over the 48th edition of the Bratwurst Festival.

PHOTO GALLERIES: 2014 Bratwurst Festival (Thursday) | 2014 Bratwurst Festival (Friday) | 2014 Bratwurst Festival (Saturday)

Prior to the parade and Queen’s Pageant, the Junior Princess Contest will also be held at the CenturyLink Stage.

The Bratwurst Festival’s reputation as America’s Eatingest Festival is well-deserved. The Bratwurst and Ice Cream Eating contests are this afternoon and the Pizza and Crème Puff eating contests are Friday.

If style and beauty are more enticing, in addition to the Junior Princess Contest and Queen’s Pageant, there is also the Pretty Baby Contest today, the Kool Kountry Dancers on Friday and the always popular Men’s Legs Contest on Saturday evening.

Friday’s highlights include the parade, again at 7 that evening, which features entries from several Shriners’ organizations. Friday evening is the first of two big free concerts at the FC Bank Stage. The Eric Sowers Band from Sycamore will open for Brothers Osborne. All that begins after Friday night’s parade.

Saturday attractions include the Ohio State Alumni Band performing at 1:30 that afternoon on the FC Bank Stage. The Queen’s Parade featuring festival queens and their courts from all over Ohio begins at 4 o’clock that day.

Saturday evening’s big concert at the FC Bank Stage begins at 7:30 with Outshyne opening for Country Music star Keith Anderson who takes the stage at 9:30.

The Bratwurst Festival opens at noon and closes at 11 p.m. all three days. A complete list of entertainment at all three festival stages is shown below.

Thursday
CenturyLink Stage
12:00 Opening Ceremonies
1:00 Bratwurst Eating Contest
2:00 Pigtail Contest
3:00 Ice Cream Eating Contest
4:00 Pretty Baby Contest
5:30 Jr. Princess Contest
7:00 Parade Begins
8:00 Queen’s Pageant
11:00 Festival Closed

German Heritage Center
2:00 Ken and Mary
3:00 Mike and Larry
4:00 Richard Wiener
5:00 Ken and Mary
7:00 Parade Begins
8:00 Cellar Dwellars
11:00 Festival Closed
FC Bank Stage
7:00 Parade Begins

Friday
CenturyLink Stage
12:00 Bucyrus City Band
1:00 Pizza Eating Contest
3:00 Crème Puff Eating Contest
5:00 Julia Neville
7:00 Parade Begins
8:00 John Kennedy Band
11:00 Festival Closed

German Heritage Center
1:00 Ken and Mary
2:00 Mike and Larry
3:00 Richard Wiener
4:00 Ken & Mary
5:00 Kool Kountry Dancers
7:00 Parade
11:00 Festival Closed

FC Bank Stage
1:00 Set-up for sound checks
5:00 Living The Dream
7:00 Parade Begins
8:00 Eric Sowers Band
9:30 Brothers Osborne
11:00 Festival Closed

RELATED STORY: Brothers Osborne, Keith Anderson to headline BratFest Concerts

Saturday
CenturyLink Stage
12:00 New Washington Band
2:00 Sam’s Acoustic Jams
4:00 Parade Begins
6:00 Parade Awards, Mustache and Beard Contest, Stein Auction
7:00 Men’s Legs Contest
8:00 Bucyrus High School Players
9:00 Bucyrus X-Band
11:00 Festival Closed

German Heritage Center
12:00 Ken and Mary
1:00 Mike and Larry
2:00 Ken and Mary
3:00 Richard Weiner
4:00 Parade
5:00 Sam’s Acoustic Jam
11:00 Festival Closed

FC Bank Stage
1:30 The Ohio State Alumni Band
4:00 Parade Begins
7:30 Outshyne
9:30 Keith Anderson
11:00 Festival Closed