It’s goetta every way you can think of at Newport festival

Goetta lovers rejoice! If you gotta getcha goetta, head to the 15th Annual Glier’s Goettafest at Festival Park on Riverboat Row in Newport. The festival, which runs Thursday, Aug. 6 through Sunday, Aug. 9, will feature about a dozen vendors with more than 40 goetta-infused creations to satisfy any palate.

From the perennial favorite goetta balls, to goetta stuffed baked potatoes and goetta mac and cheese, to the more daring goetta fish tacos, goetta gator and goetta brownies, the recipe list runs the goetta gamut.

“Yat Ka Mein does fried rice,” said Dan Glier, president of Glier’s Goetta. “It’s one of those things you don’t expect. Whoever thought of goetta in a Chinese item? But it’s really pretty good.”

According to Glier, goetta was originally a German peasant food made with pin oats, pork, beef and spices – and you can’t get it anywhere else.

“It’s all local,” Glier said. “Nobody else has goetta other than Cincinnati and I think that’s part of the pride in our city and it’s one of those unique things.”

This year Glier’s is unveiling a new product that will delight many goetta groupies – bacon goetta.

“We’ve added about 12 percent bacon so you get those little niblets of bacon in there and the flavor comes through pretty well, that hickory smoked flavor of bacon,” Glier said. “I liken it to Graeter’s chocolate chip ice cream where you get lots of little pieces but every once in a while you get this big piece and it’s so nice.”

Bacon Goetta will be sold at the festival at the world’s only goetta vending machine before it hits stores in late August or early September. Bacon Goetta will join original, hot and turkey goetta in the vending machine where rolls of goetta can be purchased cheaper than in the store.

Organizers say the festival has grown tremendously since it began in 2001 and are expecting 200,000 people. Last year visitors came from 50 states and 35 countries.

“We’re getting so big I don’t know what our next option is,” said Kerry Schall, Special Events Coordinator for Glier’s. “For this year we’re going to kind of run with it and we’re going to have a blast.”

The festival incorporates many of the same staples as in the past, free live music from 20 bands on two stages, Kids Zone games and activities, and a goetta eating contest.

Goettafest sponsors Warm 98 and Kerry Toyota are teaming up for the Gotta Getta New Car promotion. One lucky winner will drive away in a Toyota Rav 4 when the contest ends on Aug. 8.

Some proceeds from Goettafest benefit UpSpring, formerly Faces Without Places, and U.S. military veteran’s group Racing4Vets.

Glier’s Goettafest

When: Thursday, Aug. 6 to Sunday, Aug. 9, Riverboat Row, Newport; 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, noon to 9 p.m.Sunday

Tickets: Free admission. All food items priced $6 or less.

Parking: Newport on the Levee parking garage.

Vendors include Beckhart’s, Busken Bakery, Sneaky Pete’s, Chili Rocks, Cincinnati Grill, Goetta Haus, Original Corn Roast, Papa John’s Pizza, Wertheim’s, Yat Ka Mein and Zoomer

Goetta Country Stage

Thursday: 7:30 p. m. Ben Alexander

Friday: 5 p.m. Right Turn Clyde; 8 p.m. Skallywags

Saturday: 12 p.m. Split, 3 p.m. Derek Alan Band , 5:30 p.m. Kinsey Rose, 8 p.m. Six Gunz South

Sunday: 12 p.m. Hillbilly Inc., 3 p.m. The Danny Frazier Band, 5 p.m. The Renegades

Kerry Toyota Stage

Thursday: 5 p.m. Matt Cowherd, 8 p.m. Naked Karate Girls

Friday: 5 p.m. Hearsay, 8 p.m. Bad Habit

Saturday: 12 p.m. The Fast Forward Band, 4 p.m. 4th Day Echo, 8 p.m. Trailer Park Floosies

Sunday: 12 p.m. Carl G Acoustic, 3 p.m. Grooveyard, 5 p.m. The Cincy Brass