PROST!

Downtown Sparta will raise a glass to fall on Thursday, October 1, when Prost! Sip, Sample, & Stroll returns from 5 to 8 p.m.

"Prost!" is a German toast, much like saying "cheers." It is a fitting saying to accompany an evening built around raising a glass, sharing food, and spending time with neighbors in downtown Sparta. Visitors can sample craft beer, browse downtown shops, and enjoy food and polka music. The Oktoberfest Grenadiers from La Crosse will join the celebration.

Begin your Prost! by checking in at Creekside Commons, 110 E. Main St., or Wesco, 301 E. Oak St., where you will receive a map for participating businesses. Then spend the evening walking through downtown Sparta, visiting participating shops, and enjoying Sparta's camaraderie.

Participating downtown businesses include Wesco, Blue Collar Bar and Grill, Coulee Real Estate, Lilithmoon, Prestige Furniture, McClain Realty, Kazoku Bistro, Matsumoto Ramen House, Gamers Sanctum, Dapples and Dun, Cow 97, Cork and Barrel, Shovelmen, and Farmers Insurance agent Rebecca Doyle.

Businesses from outside the downtown area are located in huts downtown. Those businesses include: Wet Beaver, State Farm, Citizens First Bank, All American, P&P Products, Van Tassel Realty, Whiskey Creek, The Greens, Lost Island, Dub’s Pub, River City Championship Wrestling (RCCW), Brew Mechanics, Double A Meats, Sparta Floral, Bog’s Edge Brewing Company, Advantage Realty, State Bank Financial, 1st CUU, Kehren Development, Gravity Box Brewing Company, Kriskindlmarkt and 3 Sheeps Brewing Company.

The beer lineup includes Hillsboro Brewing Company, Potosi Brewing Company, Lift Bridge Brewing Company, Summit Brewing Company, Earth Rider Brewery, Bell’s Brewery, Schell’s Brewery, Raised Grain Brewing Company, Central Waters Brewing Company, Lake Louie Brewing, Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Whole Hog Beer, Capital Brewery, Eagle Park Brewing Company and Milwaukee Brewing Company.

Come hungry. Sparta Freemasons Valley Lodge No. 60 will serve brats, corn brats, corn dogs, chicken kebabs, and pretzels.

The evening ends with a raffle for leftover beer at Mueller Square at 8:10 p.m.

Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lance Hauser said Prost! gives downtown businesses a chance to meet potential customers face to face. He expects more than 100 people could come through a participating business in one night. "Take this opportunity to introduce yourself to someone you've never met," Hauser said. "Stand out, have fun, find ways to turn a PROST! stop into another future visit to your business." That could mean offering a product sample or a coupon, he said, or simply greeting a visitor and inviting them to return.

Tickets cost $40 before October 1 or $50 on the day of the event. Each ticket includes a commemorative sampling glass. People who register by the early deadline can receive a free beer stein while supplies last.

Registration is available at https://app.glueup.com/event/191596/register/ or stop into the Sparta Chamber office at 111 Milwaukee St., Sparta.