Current Festmaster Brent Smith and last year's leader Mike Bakalars stopped in the WIZM studio for The Rick Solem Show to preview the final countdown to La Crosse’s Oktoberfest — and show how the sausage is made, literally.

The two shared what it's really like to keep one of the city's biggest secrets for six months — being selected Festmaster — from an anonymous front-door beer drop to joking about being the "last resort" on the list.

Beyond the ceremonial torch passing at next Wednesday's Festmasters Ball, the pair shared stories about minus-30-degree festival tours in Winnipeg, running into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby downtown in full Lederhosen, and the infamous 2 a.m. heist of the festival's 80-pound golden brat.

Episode Highlights:
Learning Their Festmaster Status: How both men got the secret news—from a front-door German beer drop to a joke about being fifth choice. 
The 80-Pound Heist: The chaotic 2017 story of when thieves actually stole the massive golden brat off the grill.
Designing the Button: How Festmasters select custom symbols — from scales of justice to Navy logos — to engrave on thousands of official Festmaster buttons.
Chancellor Encounter: Getting caught driving UTVs through downtown La Crosse in full festival gear and running straight into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby.
Missing Gambrinus: The morning-after panic when King Gambrinus was accidentally left unattended in a hotel hallway.

The Heart of Tour Week: Brent Smith reflects on why visits to local nursing homes and schools mean more than any parade crowd.Serving the Community: Mike Bakalars shares what it really feels like to spend a year as an ambassador for the city of La Crosse. 

Current Festmaster Brent Smith and last year's leader Mike Bakalars stopped in the WIZM studio for The Rick Solem Show to preview the final countdown to La Crosse&rsquo;s Oktoberfest &mdash; and show how the sausage is made, literally.
The two shared what it's really like to keep one of the city's biggest secrets for six months &mdash; being selected Festmaster &mdash; from an anonymous front-door beer drop to joking about being the "last resort" on the list.
Beyond the ceremonial torch passing at next Wednesday's Festmasters Ball, the pair shared stories about minus-30-degree festival tours in Winnipeg, running into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby downtown in full Lederhosen, and the infamous 2 a.m. heist of the festival's 80-pound golden brat.
Episode Highlights:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Learning Their Festmaster Status: How both men got the secret news&mdash;from a front-door German beer drop to a joke about being fifth choice.&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">The 80-Pound Heist: The chaotic 2017 story of when thieves actually stole the massive golden brat off the grill.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Designing the Button: How Festmasters select custom symbols &mdash; from scales of justice to Navy logos &mdash; to engrave on thousands of official Festmaster buttons.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Chancellor Encounter: Getting caught driving UTVs through downtown La Crosse in full festival gear and running straight into UW-L Chancellor James Beeby.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Missing Gambrinus: The morning-after panic when King Gambrinus was accidentally left unattended in a hotel hallway.</li>
</ul>
The Heart of Tour Week: Brent Smith reflects on why visits to local nursing homes and schools mean more than any parade crowd.Serving the Community: Mike Bakalars shares what it really feels like to spend a year as an ambassador for the city of La Crosse.&nbsp;

Listener conversations about the days events in and around the La Crosse area.  Weekdays from 5-6pm on WIZM 1410AM and 92.3FM

La Crosse Talk PM WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM

Rick Solem talks about the days events in and around the La Crosse area. Weekdays from 5:07-6pm on 1410 WIZM