Al Johnson’s to Ring in New Year with First-Ever New Year’s Eve Goat Drop

Sister Bay, Wis. (October 8, 2026) – There’s a new goat tradition coming to Sister Bay. Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik will ring in 2027 with the inaugural Al Johnson’s New Year’s Eve Goat Drop, a new celebration on the grounds of the Stabbur Beer Garden in downtown Sister Bay.

The highlight of the evening will come at midnight, when a large illuminated goat will descend toward the iconic grass-covered roof as the crowd counts down the final seconds of 2026.

The celebration will take place inside a heated tent at the Stabbur Beer Garden and will feature live music, warm drinks, cold beer, food and plenty of New Year’s Eve fun.

We’re excited about the opportunity to create another New Year’s tradition in Sister Bay and hopefully something people will want to add to their Door County bucket list,” said Al Johnson’s co-owner Rolf Johnson.

“This year presented a great opportunity to add to the New Year’s fun in Sister Bay,” Johnson said. “With the skating, sledding and fireworks at the Sports Complex, along with all the great restaurants where people can enjoy a New Year’s Eve meal, we thought the Goat Drop would be a wonderful addition. People can enjoy the News Year’s Eve festivities at Stabbur and then after the drop at midnight head up the street and enjoy Sister Bays local nightlife.

The heated tent will open at noon on Thursday, December 31, with festivities continuing throughout the afternoon and evening until the Goat Drop at midnight.

The celebration won’t end when the calendar turns to 2027. The tent will reopen Friday and Saturday from noon to close, with food and drinks available and sports shown on large-screen TVs throughout the tent.

The Goat Drop brings a distinctly Al Johnson’s twist to the traditional New Year’s Eve countdown and adds another winter event to Sister Bay’s growing lineup of holiday activities.

“We love traditions in Door County, but every tradition has to start somewhere,” Johnson said. “We hope years from now people will be saying they remember coming to Sister Bay for the very first Goat Drop.”

Additional details, including the live music schedule, food and drink offerings and New Year’s Eve activities, will be announced as the event approaches.