Since its inception in the spring of 2018, Rabid Brewing’s Feast of the Goat Queen has shifted to the summer as the scope of its activities have grown and evolved.
But the core tenets of the original have remained: “high-octane” beer releases, baby goats and costumery, according to co-owner Raiye Rosado. That last one is at the heart of what makes the festival worth all of the work Rosado puts into it.
“I really love the idea of making a space for people to be themselves or be somebody else for that day,” Rosado said. “People enjoy opportunities to express themselves and be part of the art.”
This year’s Feast is slated for noon-11 p.m. Saturday, July 27, in the open space alongside the brewery at 17759 Bretz Drive in Homewood. This year’s incarnation also includes an artisan market, live music, food vendors, a fire dance ritual, burlesque and professional wrestling.
Co-owner Tobias Cichon said the Feast is a culmination of everything Rabid.
“We call it ‘the most endearingly weird fest of the Midwest,’ because the concoction of entertainment and spirit here is a balance of the unusual and the unusually palatable, the feminine and the masculine, and the universal heart of the theater kid in all of us,” Cichon said.
The burlesque and fire dancers in the evening are strictly for attendees ages 18 and older, but before 7 p.m. the festival welcomes all ages. It will feature beer releases, baby goats and a wandering wizard, and fae costumes are encouraged. Ahead of the Feast, artist Annabelle Popa is once again creating a large-scale chalk mural installation on the footprint of the festival.
The artisan market — focused on purveyors of the natural, magical and mystical — is growing from 20 to 29 vendors this year. And food options now include Reina del Pozole, Jade Court, Juancho’s Tacos, Cinnaholic, Ste Martaen, and Geeky Goodies Bakery and Confections.
“We’ve got a really cool variety of food vendors,” Rosado said.
And after Wrestle League LLC’s pro wrestling exhibition turned out to be what Rosado called one of last year’s “fun surprises,” Rabid is doubling-down on the investment in wrestling for this year’s event — including thematic characters and a storyline that carries throughout the day.
“We found it was really effective,” she said. “People loved it and it really fit in with the vibe. So, we started our own wrestling company called Rabid Wrestling Entertainment.”
Feast of the Goat Queen has corporate sponsors for the first time, with Chicago Knockouts Roller Derby, Homewood Arts Council and Windy City Cannabis all supporting it. Rabid also added a VIP option for the first time, featuring a VIP-only bar, art exhibitions and shade under a tent. It’s already sold out.
“We have folks who have been to every Goat Queen, including the first,” Rosado said. “Those folks were really looking for a place to settle in for the day.”
This year’s Feast is the fifth, after Rabid shelved the event during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also could be the Goat Queen’s swan song at the brewery’s current location.
Rabid is planning to move from Bretz Drive, where it has been since opening nearly 7 years ago, to a retail development at 3003-3025 183rd St. Rosado said unknowns remain but the move could happen by spring, which already has her thinking about what the Feast may look like going forward.
“It’s an event that’s supposed to showcase our home and bring people to Rabid,” Rosado said. “There are some really cool opportunities to take this to another level at other outdoor spaces, maybe even in Homewood.”
For now, Rosado and Cichon plan to celebrate what they have built together over the better part of a decade with the people who have helped it grow – along with some beer, baby goats and costumes.
Tickets for this year’s Feast are $35 for general admission, which includes a bag and poster. Attendees under 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult but can get tickets that don’t include the bag for $7. Online ticket sales end at noon on Friday, July 26, but a limited number of tickets will be available on-site the day of the event. Information is at rabidbrewing.com/feastofthegoatqueen.
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
