Our Daily Show Interview! Strassenfest Set for This Weekend in Jerseyville!
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JERSEYVILLE - Jerseyville Legion Post #492 is excited to revive Strassenfest, a beloved festival complete with German food, polka music and more fun.
Started in the early 1970s, Strassenfest was a community favorite until its discontinuation in the 1980s. Duane Montgomery, commander of Jerseyville Legion Post #492, is excited to resurrect the event and invites the community to come out and enjoy it this weekend.
“We’re going to bring it back this year. If we have a good outing, we’re going to try to make it a yearly event,” Montgomery said. “We’re trying to bring people into Jerseyville and help out the tax base. It helps somewhere.”
On Friday, Sept. 12, 2025, St. Louis Express Band will kick off the evening with polka music from 4–7 p.m. This will be followed by Soulshine Groove until midnight.
The fun begins again at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, when St. Louis Express Band returns to the stage. Backwoods Burden rounds out the night from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m.
The food, to be prepared by the Ladies’ Auxiliary and the Sons of the Legion, will include brats, German potato salad, sweet corn on the cob and more. Montgomery expressed his excitement to welcome the local bands, which all have “a pretty good following” and promise to get people dancing. He suggests arriving early for the food.
“I myself, I’m looking forward to the polka band and the food. That’s what I enjoy the most,” he shared. “We’re proud to have [the bands], and we’re just hoping their followers come out and eat and have a drink and have a good time and enjoy themselves.”
There will also be a 50/50 raffle, and Montgomery hopes both the winner and the legion walk away with “a pretty good chunk of change.” He noted his appreciation for the volunteers who will work to make Strassenfest a success.
As an organization, Jerseyville Legion Post #492 is looking to grow. They want to welcome more members who can support the military community in Jerseyville.
But Montgomery emphasized that the legion is open to anyone, every day. They offer a bar, gambling and community at their location near the fairgrounds in Jerseyville. If you’re curious about the legion and want to know more, Montgomery noted that Strassenfest is a great chance to check it out and connect.
“We’d always love more people joining the legion or legions anywhere,” he added. “If you’re ex-military, come out and get to know everybody out there. Shoot the bull with your fellow military people. We’re open to the public. We have people come in every day or every couple of days. They’re regulars. They’re not military, but they appreciate being out there. It’s pretty quiet and pretty cheap.”
For more information about Strassenfest, visit the official Facebook event page. To learn more about Jerseyville Legion Post #492, check out their official Facebook page.
