On the heels of Bockfest, West Bend announces another new festival coming in 2025

After premiering Bockfest this year, a festival that highlighted Bock beer, West Bend has announced another new festival will be coming to the city. This one is called Global Fest Around the Bend.

It's scheduled to take place throughout the downtown area of West Bend and its Riverwalk the weekend of June 28-29, 2025.

The City of West Bend will be working with the Downtown West Bend Association "to celebrate diverse cultures and traditions through music, dance, food and more," said DWBA Executive Director Noelle Braun. "It will showcase the heart of our city and bolster downtown businesses.”

The City of West Bend Tourism Commission awarded a New Major Event Grant worth $20,000 to the DWBA to support Global Fest Around the Bend, City Administrator and Tourism Commission Chairman Jay Shambeau said.

“This event will have a positive economic impact, specifically on our historic downtown, and will generate overnight stays at local hotels," he said.

Many cultures will be represented at Global Fest Around the Bend

Braun said there are a lot of different cultures represented in West Bend and neighboring counties that people may not know about, including Latino, Irish, Native American, Hmong, Japanese and Chinese.

"We can highlight at least 10 cultures through performances and artists," she said.

While planning for this event is in its early stages, Braun said she will reach out to many restaurants, the Bend Theater and food trucks for the event. "We have a lot of ideas, and we are getting a committee started," she said.

She said working with the cultural organizations of neighboring counties will draw people to West Bend for the new event.

Braun said Global Fest Around the Bend will build on the success that West Bend's community event, Fiesta Latina, has created. Braun coordinated the event when she was executive director of Casa Guadalupe Education Center from 2012 to 2023. This year, Fiesta Latina will be held Sept. 20-21.

"We are getting the word out that there is so much to do here," said Braun.

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Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy.