10 Tips to “Sommerfest” Like a Pro in Haubstadt!

Every year, hundreds of people attend their first Haubstadt Sommerfest Bierstube. While Haubstadt is an incredibly inviting town, and the Sommerfest atmosphere has a tremendous amount of energy about it, it can be a bit overwhelming when you first arrive.

The event that benefits local projects like the library, park playgrounds, little league & soccer facilities as well as scholarships for high school students. It benefits various other not-for-profits over the year.

Here are 10 tips that will help you fit in, make friends and have the time of your life.

1. Show up early! The Haubstadt Sommerfest only happens once a year… Although there is ample parking around town within just a few blocks of the Sommerfest Grounds, it’s a lot easier to find a spot if you show up early (especially if you arrive before dark). Though a few of our carnival vendors are for profit, the Haubstadt Sommerfest is primarily a fundraising festival. You’ll feel amazing while you’re eating, drinking and donating all at the same time.
2. Bring your appetite! Outside of having Southern Indiana’s Finest Bierstube, we also have an incredible selection of food, from carnival fare to fried chicken dinners & ice cream. Come early and come hungry. Remember, you can always take food into the bierstube, but you can’t bring beer outside the bierstube!
3. Bring your ID: Indiana state excise police require that each of our attendees have a valid ID. We are committed to a zero tolerance policy for under-age drinking at our event.
4. Bring Cash: You’ll need cash for the bierstube, as we don’t take credit cards. There are ATMs at each of our three local banks, and at Sunrise convenience store (all on highway 68), but if you’re coming from out of town and don’t want to wait in line for cash, it’s best to bring some along with you.
5. Beer Tickets: Once inside the Bierstube, you’ll need to buy tickets to exchange for beer. You’ll have a few options, including buying a pitcher (one-time cost) that you can refill with Pitcher Refill Tickets or buying individual beer tickets good for one draft beer, a canned beer or a “wine cooler” (Lime-A-Rita, Mike’s Hard, etc.) We do not carry liquor at the Haubstadt Sommerfest.
6. Collapsible Koozie: You’ll really look like an out-of-towner or a newbie if you’re holding your beer with your bare hand! The collapsible drink cooler is a must for any bierstube-goer.
7. Sharing is Caring: Every year, we’re saddened to hear about people in local communities who “didn’t realize it was Sommerfest weekend.” This is one of the most heart-wrenching, devastating feelings known to man, and we’re committed to preventing it in the future, but we need your help: We’ve really worked to develop our social media presence so we can spread the word about Sommerfest events, so check in, like us and #haubstadtsommerfest so people can find out exactly what they’re missing… hopefully soon enough to get cleaned up and avoid disaster! We know, you’ll feel like you’re braggin’, but share away!
8. The Beer Trade: One way to save money at the Bierstube is to charm someone into buying you a beer. It’s a fun and exciting game to play, and the financial rewards can be substantial. Also, if you owe someone money, the Sommerfest is a great time to “settle up.”
9. Saddle Up and Roll Out: One reason why so many people attend all three nights of the Sommerfest is that when it’s over, it’s over! The event is held in the middle of town and the bands are loud, so we shut down promptly at midnight and our teams go straight to work on cleaning up. A few vendors (Haubstadt Little League, Sati Babi) stay open late, so stop and grab something to eat on your way out. We know it’s hard to leave Haubstadt, so come back and see us soon. Remember what your dad told you… nothing good happens after midnight.
10. Drink Responsibly: It’s always a good idea to come with a group and use a designated driver. It’s okay if your mom (or your kid) drops you off at the Sommerfest, no one will make fun of you. Get your travel plans in order early or stay with a friend. Haubstadt’s population swells to 5 times its normal size on Saturday night, so why not be a part of the biggest sleepover of the year!

The Sommerfest is a charity event designed to raise money to support infrastructure improvements, scholarship programs and community projects. Over the past 10 years, we’ve given over $250,000 to support projects in and around Haubstadt, with an emphasis on our youth.

It’s kind of awesome.

We are proud to provide you with a one-of-a-kind experience in exchange for your contributions to the organizations we support.