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Where in Wisconsin is the world's largest brat(wurst) festival located?
What is Madison?
The World's Largest BratFest started in 1983 in Madison, the state capital, as a grocery store's simple promotion and customer thank-you. The Metcalfs setup shop in their parking lot at Hilldale Mall. The event was such a success that it was decided to make it an annual Memorial Day event and all proceeds donated to charities that volunteer at the event. Johnsonville Brats came on board as a sponsor in 2001 and began donating all the brats cooked and served. BratFest outgrew the mall parking lot and moved to a larger location in 2005. The Brat Fest is normally held for four days over Memorial Day Weekend and features brats (duh!), live music, local celebrity cashiers, 5K walk/run, rock climbing, kayaking, and fireworks on Sunday night. Friday is designated "Take Your Brat To Work Day". A record number of brats sold was set in 2010: 209,376. The total brats sold since 1983 to 2011 was 3,003,435; total funds raised during that time period was $1,092,698 for 100 charities.
Sheboygan, home to numerous sausage companies, claims to be the Bratwurst Capital of the World. Monroe is home to the Cheese Days festival, and Minocqua is home to Beef-a-Rama, a festival celebrating grill-roasted beef. In Wisconsin, we have festivals to celebrate farm breakfasts butter, hamburgers, fish, coffee, mustard, chocolate, cranberries, apples, morel mushrooms, pumpkins and rutabagas... and don't forget beer. There is always beer.