Saturday, August 16, 2025
Kids Activities | Street Market | Live Music | Street Dance | + More
Soper Park, Emmetsburg
Presented by the Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce
Schedule of Events
KidsFest
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Join us on the lawn south of the beach at Soper Park for FREE family-friendly fun! There will be inflatables, face painting, carnival games, and more.
Street Market
10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Enjoy live music while you shop a variety of art, handmade goods, homemade and homegrown food and beverages, curated vintage and more, all located on Broadway Street east of Soper Park. Plus grab tasty drinks and lunch from food trucks on site.
Live Music
10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Enjoy free live music during the street market on Broadway Street. Entertainment TBA.
Paddle Boarding
12:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Want to try paddle boarding on Five Island Lake? Join Palo Alto County Conservation for some lake fun at Soper Park Beach.
Beverage Garden Open
2:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Enjoy a nice cool beverage on a hot summer day. The beverage garden will be located on the east edge of Soper Park and will be serving a variety of beer, wine, and liquor.
$6/drink ticket or 4 for $20
Bags Tournament
3:00 PM
Details TBD
Live Music ft. Liv McNair
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Enjoy a variety of country favorites and originals by Liv McNair.
Grillout
4:00 PM – Gone
Enjoy ribeye sandwiches, a burger bar, and beef hot dogs hot off the grill, plus nachos and other snacks!
BrewFest
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Purchase a ticket for $15 to enter the tasting area. Taste entries from homebrew competitors and vote for your favorite. Visit vendor booths and taste craft beer, seltzer, wine, and liquor from Iowa breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Tickets include a commemorative tasting glass. Each vendor will be serving 3-4 of their newest/favorite offerings.
Click here for homebrew competition details.
Homebrew Awards
6:30 PM
Prizes will be awarded for the top three People’s Choice selections. Winners will receive $150 + 10% of tasting glass sales, $100 + 5% of tasting glass sales, and $50 cash, plus a stainless steel growler for each. Professional brewers will sample all homebrew entries then award Brewmaster’s Pick awards to their favorite brews with prizes and growlers.
Street Dance
8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Gates open at 7:00 PM
Enjoy live music from Lone Tree Revival, a seven member American rock band with a funky back beat and soulful horn selection.
Must be 21+ to enter area | Admission
Registration Details
Entry Fee:
- $20 per brew before August 1
- $25/brew on/after August 1st
People’s Choice Awards:
Attendees sample brews and cast a vote for their favorite. The top three brews were win cash prizes and a stainless steel growler trophy:
- 1st Place – $150 + 10% of tasting glass sales ($422 prize in 2024)
- 2nd Place – $100 + 5% of tasting glass sales ($236 prize in 2024)
- 3rd Place – $50
- Brewmaster’s Pick: Professional brewers will sample all entries and each will award their favorite with a prize from their brewery valued at $100 plus a stainless steel growler award. Craft brewery judges to be announced.
Schedule:
- 2:30 – setup begins
- 3:00-4:00 pm – private tasting hour (homebrewers, breweries, distilleries, and wineries will have time to sample each other’s brews before opening to the public)
- 4:00-6:00 pm – public tasting and voting
- 6:30 pm – awards
Location:
Soper Park
701 Broadway Street
Emmetsburg, IA 50536
Entry Fee:
- $20 per brew before August 1
- $25/brew on/after August 1st
People’s Choice Awards:
Attendees sample brews and cast a vote for their favorite. The top three brews were win cash prizes and a stainless steel growler trophy:
- 1st Place – $150 + 10% of tasting glass sales ($422 prize in 2024)
- 2nd Place – $100 + 5% of tasting glass sales ($236 prize in 2024)
- 3rd Place – $50
- Brewmaster’s Pick: Professional brewers will sample all entries and each will award their favorite with a prize from their brewery valued at $100 plus a stainless steel growler award. Craft brewery judges to be announced.
Schedule:
- 2:30 – setup begins
- 3:00-4:00 pm – private tasting hour (homebrewers, breweries, distilleries, and wineries will have time to sample each other’s brews before opening to the public)
- 4:00-6:00 pm – public tasting and voting
- 6:30 pm – awards
Location:
Soper Park
701 Broadway Street
Emmetsburg, IA 50536
Applications are now open for the first annual BestFest Street Market in Emmetsburg on Saturday, August 16, 2025 from 10am-2pm. The Emmetsburg Chamber of Commerce is seeking vendors of art, handmade goods, homemade and homegrown food and beverages, curated vintage and more! We are not accepting applications from direct sales consultants (Scentsy, Pampered Chef, etc.) at this time.
To limit duplicates in types of vendor booths, we will review applications prior to approval. Upon approval, you must pay a $30 booth fee to secure your space.
Thank you to our sponsors!
