What to Expect as a Volunteer | Brat Fest
Memorial Day Weekend: Madison WI

What to Expect as a Volunteer

Each year, Brat Fest depends on volunteers to cover over 15,000 volunteer hours. All organizations will be paid $8.00 per volunteer hour worked.

Listed below are examples of job duties that are available at Brat Fest.  Volunteers should be versatile and able to do any of the listed duties for a position. Shifts are 4 hours or less with bathroom breaks only.  At the end of your shift, volunteers check out where they receive a voucher for a FREE Brat or Hot Dog, or Soda and Free Ice Cream.

It is imperative that all volunteers check-in 20 minutes prior to their shift in order to keep the flow moving during shift changes.  When you check-in, you should be ready to work. Upon arrival, please report immediately to the Volunteer Check-In tent to sign in and receive your name tag and t-shirt.

Volunteer Parking

Check out our Volunteer Parking Map  to see where volunteers & celebrity cashiers are able to enter the island, park, and check in!

Expectations

  • Minimum age for volunteers is 14, unless otherwise noted.
  • Any personal purchases of food must be purchased through the cashiers by waiting in line like other customers.  No back of the tent purchases are allowed.
  • If, at any time, we find that we are not busy – volunteers are expected to help clean, remove garbage or complete any other tasks assigned by the Brat Fest Team.
  • All volunteers must  stay at their stations. If we find that we are so well staffed that we have too many volunteers, we will approach you and see if anyone wishes to go home.  This decision is made solely by the BRATMAN.
  • Closing shifts a­re responsible for clean up.  If your work station is cleaned and “okayed” for shutdown, please report to the volunteer tent to help with other cleanup.
  • Task reassignment. Brat Fest reserves the right to reassign tasks to any volunteer, cancel or shorten any shift depending on daily scheduling needs of the event, including but not limited to inclement weather, or lack of customer demand

Volunteer Duties

Griller

This is a “Hot Job”! If you enjoy a fast-paced job and love grilling – this is the place for you! It does get very smoky, so contact lenses could be a problem here. You will spend your time putting brats on the grill and turning them until they are cooked to perfection.  You’ll definitely need to shower after this job!

Bag Opener

Opens plastic bags so that brat runners can put brats and dogs in the bags easily for customers. Keeps the lines moving.

Snipper

Snippers cut apart the brats and dogs so they can be grilled

Brat Grill Runner

Takes brats from the grills to be store hot, while keeping the grillers full of raw brats to cook.

Brat Runner

Keeps feeding hot brats and hot dogs to the wrapping stations for wrapping. No minimum physical fitness level required, only ability to carry hot pans of good eats.

Wrapper

Some volunteers will put brats and hot dogs in the buns while others will just wrap the food to go.

Cashier

Greets customers, takes orders, accepts payments and thanks customers for their support

Cashier Runner

Listens for orders from customers, puts them together and brings them to the customers.

Condiment Stocker

Maintains clean and full condiment stations.

Corn Roaster

Loads corn into corn roasters, removes and prepares corn for customers

Corn Cashier

Greets customers, takes orders, accepts payments and thanks customers for their support

Corn Runner and Wrapper

Listens for orders from customers, puts them together and brings them to the customers for pick-up and wrap as necessary.

Valet Driver

Assist with driving event goers and Brat Team duties on golf carts.

Sparkle Patrol

Empties trash cans, clean tables, retrieves water in 5 gallon buckets, and assists customers as needed.

Zero Waste Sorter

Assists Brat Fest in their Destination Zero Waste Initiative by helping event-goers know into which containers to put their waste.

Brat Gear

This is the place for Sales Man Sam! You’ll spend your time helping customers pick out the perfect souvenir. Lots of folding and straightening.

Volunteer Check-In

Assists the volunteer coordinator by checking in other volunteers as they arrive. Helps hand out t-shirts, name tags and job assignments. Fast pace, must be able to write legibly.