Bockfest Sausage Queen

Preliminary Rounds throughout February, Finals Saturday March 7, 2026 at 7PM at Rhinegeist Brewery 1910 Elm Street
The renowned (and sometimes notorious) Bockfest Sausage Queen helps lead the Bockfest Parade by carrying a symbolic tray of  Bockwurst. The Sausage Queen is Bockfest royalty who is anointed in the least aristocratic manner we could create: a gender-neutral pageant. Winning contestants receive prizes, but are mostly vying for the honor and prestige of being the 2026 Sausage Queen.

There are five preliminary rounds held at local bars and breweries throughout February and the winning "princess" from each round goes on to compete at the final round held Bockfest weekend.
Reigning Bockfest Sausage Queen Kelley Nicole

Schedule

MOTR Pub
1345 Main Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Friday, February 6th Sign up at venue until 7:30 PM, Show starts at 8:00 PM

Arnold's Bar and Grill
210 E. 8th Str, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Saturday, February 7th | Sign up at venue until 7:30 PM, Show starts at 8:00 PM

Moerlein Lager House
115 Joe Nuxhall Way, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Friday, February 20th | Sign up at venue until 7:30 PM, Show starts at 8:00 PM

Northen Row Brewery and Distillery
111 W. McMicken Ave, Cincinnati OH 45202
Saturday, February 21st Sign up at venue until 7:30 PM, Show starts at 8:00 PM

Crazy Fox Saloon
901 Washington Ave. Newport, KY 41071
Saturday, February 28th | Sign up at venue until 7:30 PM, Show starts at 8:00 PM


FINAL ROUND
Rhinegeist Brewery
1910 Elm Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Saturday, March 7th | Show starts at 7PM

Be a Queen

Note: It is not necessary to register prior to the night of the competition, but early registration is strongly recommended. It is very helpful for the venue to know how many contestants to expect and any special requests they might have, so advanced registration is highly appreciated. Contestants can register at the venue a half hour before each preliminary event or may pre-register online HERE.

Sausage Queen Judging

At each of the preliminary venues and the finale, guest judges and crowd participation will determine the best (gender neutral) applicant based on the following criteria:
  • Personality
All contestants are required to have one, and having a good one is typically helpful. The sum total of a contestant’s personality is arbitrarily judged by his or her responses to a series of ridiculous questions.
  • Presence
The contestant must look good carrying a sausage and have diva tendencies. The winners of each preliminary round will represent that bar in the Sausage Queen finals. Therefore, you must possess the presence to fulfill this heady responsibility with honor, dignity, class, grace, or the complete and utter lack of any of these traits.
  • Talent
What kind of “talent” should the Sausage Queen 2025 display? That is a question that only you can answer. Surprise us. (But be warned that after a decade of conducting this competition, it is getting progressively harder to surprise us.)

Requirements

  • There is no admission fee.
  • Contestants must be at least 21 years of age.​
  • Contestants must be open-minded and fun. The competitions are gender neutral. They are open to all shapes, sizes, and varieties of potential Bockfest royalty.
  • Contestants agree that their photos, videos, and/or likenesses may be used in promoting the event.
  • Manner of dress is up to each contestant.
  • Although possessing mysterious and frightening political power, the Royal International Bockfest Sausage Queen Commission cannot suspend the laws of the municipalities or states where competitions are held. Therefore, while contestants are free to push the boundaries of human decency, they must do so within the boundaries of all governing law.
  • Sausage Queen Contestants must be  available for the Bockfest Parade on March 6, 2026. The Queen must not be too much of a diva to show up to these events on time and must be capable and willing to traverse the full parade route.​
  • The Sausage Queen will reign until the following year’s Bockfest Sausage Queen, will be in the Bockfest 2026 parade, and will crown the 2026 Queen. It is virtually impossible to commit any act unbecoming of a Sausage Queen that is sufficient to cause the Royal International Bockfest Sausage Queen Commission to revoke the title, but each venue has its own standards for what might cause you to be disowned.