NEWPORT, Ky. — From the sizzling sounds of the grill to the alluring smells drawing people in, it was all things goetta this weekend at Newport on the Levee for the 24th annual Glier's Goettafest. 

What You Need To Know

  • Thousands descended upon Newport on the Levee for the 24th annual Glier's Goettafest 

  • Goetta is a German breakfast sausage popular in the Cincinnati/northern Kentucky area 

  • Vendors sold several creations with the famous meat, such as goetta nachos 

  • The festival will return for a second weekend, Aug. 1-4, 2024 

"It's got pork, beef, oats, peanuts, spices, and it just goes great with everything," said vendor Calvin Carpenter, describing the German breakfast sausage. 

While the dish has been around since the 1800s, Glier's Goetta opened its doors in 1946, enhancing the food's popularity in northern Kentucky. 

"I enjoy the taste a lot," said festival attendee Allison Lowe. "I think it's really good, so I'm a big fan.”

Dan Glier, known as the "Goetta Guy," has continuously worked to spread the love of goetta and keep his father’s business alive.

"It is our premium product," Glier said. "We do make other sausages, but goetta is by far and away the biggest item that we sell. So we've got to put emphasis on that.”

Glier’s is the largest producer of goetta in the Cincinnati/northern Kentucky area and makes nearly one-and-a-half million pounds of goetta each year. He added its texture, versatility and the ability to pair it with other dishes such as goetta cannoli or goetta nachos makes it a timeless option. 

"Here at the festival, we'll probably run through (7,000) to 8,000 pounds, but that's like one day's production," he said. 

The festival will return for a second weekend, Aug. 1 through Aug. 4, 2024. 

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