St. Benno Fest returns to The Athenaeum INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Athenaeum in downtown Indianapolis is getting ready to welcome spring with its annual St. Benno Festival this Saturday. Organizers say it’s one of the longest-running cultural festivals in Indianapolis. St. Benno Festiv al is based on the German tradition of “Frühlingsfest,” the springtime version of Oktoberfest, Athenaeum Foundation President Craig Mince says. “It would always be the festival that would open up the beer garden,” Mince said. “So that was kind of their kickoff of the spring and that warmer season. “ The Athenaeum’s celebration focuses on St. Benno, the patron saint of anglers and the city of Munich, Germany. There’s a lot of folklore surrounding St. Benno. He’s said to have created Bach beer. He also had a sidekick, “Einbeck,” which means “billy goat” in German. Legend has it that when the invaders were coming to Munich, he threw the key to a church into a body of water. Years later, he caught a fish that had eaten the key and retrieved it. “When the German immigrants came here to central Indiana, Indianapolis in particular, they started to organize,” Mince said. “They celebrated Benno. They celebrated Bach beer. So that was kind of the beginning of this institution.” St. Benno Fest will include lots of beer, pretzels, and Gomez BBQ’s doner kebab. Francene Thomas, the Athenaeum’s event and festivals manager, says there’s a lot of thought that goes into the menu. “We want to definitely bring the tradition of this festival and continue that, but also, just bring some fresh flavor to it, too.” The celebration serves as a fundraiser for the Athenaeum. Money raised will go back into maintenance and other events that promote German culture.  Tickets are $25 and can be bought in advance on the Athenaeum website. St. Benno Fest is a 21+ event and runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. ...read more read less