Directors of DAS Fest USA recently announced that the festival dates are set for Aug. 13 to 15 at the 99-acre Walworth County Fairgrounds in Elkhorn. Organizers have also released more event details.
The event will preface Oktoberfest season, celebrating German culture. The motto is “One Festival. One Weekend. One Mission.”
To further explain the DAS Fest motto, organizers offered the following. The three-day event will center on German-American history with the inclusion of multiple cultures in the future: One Festival. The fest has established a five-year commitment to the Walworth County Fairgrounds for the second weekend in August: One Weekend. The event will support area nonprofits and promote tourism: One Mission.
Co-hosting DAS Fest are the Elkhorn Area Chamber of Commerce and the United Way of Walworth County.
“We share office space, and we have experience in event planning. We witnessed so many events cancelling in 2020 (and) it was rough. Rough on nonprofits, vendors, businesses, it was just tough on everyone,” said Tammy Dunn, executive director of the United Way of Walworth County.
“It was time to think outside the box and create something big, an event we could all get behind as a team. We sat down last summer, put our strengths on the table, and DAS Fest USA was born,” she added.
With full support from Wisconsin’s largest tourism department, Travel Wisconsin, DAS Fest has received a JEM grant providing an additional $39K in marketing resources.
“The first thing we did was apply for the JEM grant. When Travel Wisconsin gets behind you, possibilities are endless. Our goal is to showcase Elkhorn, Walworth County and the state of Wisconsin, directing tourist traffic and dollars back to our communities,” said Chris Clapper, Elkhorn Chamber director.
Three days of entertainment and German experiences are already in place for the free-to-attend festival.
DAS Fest USA has secured entertainers including Alex Meixner, Die Freistadt Alte Kameraden, Copper Box and several German dance groups.
Mader’s Restaurant and a line-up of food and beverage vendors have committed to providing guests with authentic German cuisine. And dessert lovers will enjoy traditional German sweets at Inge’s Konditorei, DAS Fest’s bakery.
Strolling down Stein Street, fest goers will find German beer and wine, as well as some local favorites.
Shoppers can explore the indoor and outdoor Marktplatz, DAS Fest’s Market Square, with German apparel and specialty items from dozens of vendors. Enthusiasts will discover European culture in the Heritage Haus.
Children of all ages can enjoy the carnival that will be on site. And of course, there will be two days of dachshund racing.
When asked about the current climate of the COVID-19 pandemic, the directors said that they will closely monitor developments, but feel confident with the time of year the festival is slated for, and the outdoor space DAS Fest USA provides.
“This is the one festival, the one weekend and the one mission you want to take part in,” DAS Fest director Kate Abbe said.
For more information, visit dasfestusa.com, or call 262-723-5788.
