It has been one year since Moon Dog Wild West opened its doors in Footscray and to celebrate, the venue is throwing a rootin’-tootin’ saloon party.
With free cowboy shots, DJs, bands and the venue’s centrepiece bucking bull in full flight, it promises to be a lot of country and western fun in the middle of Melbourne’s inner suburbs.
Reflecting on the first year in business, Sales Director Brook Hornung, told Beer & Brewer the Wild West-themed venue has resonated with customers as they enjoy the wide selection of drinks, parmas, live music and mechanical bull riding.
“We’ve been so lucky to have so much support and we love that the venue can be a great local hang-out, while also being party-central on the weekends,” Hornung said.
“Being able to support and provide a live music offering has been fantastic and there’s not a Friday or Saturday night that goes by that we don’t see hundreds of people on the dancefloor late into the night, often donning cowboy hats.”
According to the venue, in the last 12 months, the bucking bull has been ridden 35,687 times, the bar has served 18,459 cowboy shots and hosted more than 250 hours of live country music from behind the wire on the Honky Tonk stage.
Hornung said the sheer size of the saloon has given patrons a reason to return as there is a lot to explore and enjoy, but the first year hasn’t been without its hurdles.
“Of course there have been challenges, just like there are with opening any new large-scale venue,” he said.
“Any time you host thousands of people through the door in a day makes for chaos, but we love that, and the team have done a fantastic job making Moon Dog Wild West an unbelievably fun venue to enjoy.”
Moon Dog Wild West’s Rootin’ Tootin’ First Birthday Party will be hosted on 26 April and free cowboy shots will be served hourly to the first people to say “yee-haw” to the bar staff.
The Moon Dog Craft Brewery continues to expand in Melbourne, opening the Moon Dog Beach club in Frankston in December 2024.
It has taken the group’s portfolio to five, adding to Moon Dog OG, Moon Dog World, Moon Dog Doglands and Moon Dog Wild West.
