Oktoberfest celebrates 10 years in Muenster
Oct. 4—Muenster is hosting its 10th annual Oktoberfest this weekend.
"It's a community event, and we are super excited to just show off our town as well as all that it has to offer," said Lilly Palmer, the director of the Muenster Chamber of Commerce. "With our Oktoberfest being on its 10th year, it is our second biggest fundraiser for the chamber."
Palmer added that the event has grown since the first year, having a lot of variety of vendors, activities and music.
"We have more than 50 vendors, just arts and crafts, then we have more than a dozen food varieties," said Palmer. "We're going to have fireworks Friday night and Saturday night. We're going to have a big, huge pumpkin patch... We'll have a bunch of different activities... We also have a band that is coming from Germany to perform this weekend. I wouldn't want to miss it."
The band coming from Germany is a group called Happy Hour. Other musicians include the German Band of North Texas, the Lederhosen Junkies and many more.
According to the Muenster Chamber of Commerce website's page on the history of Oktoberfest, the first Oktoberfest in the world was held in 1810 in Germany to honor the crown prince's wedding, and in the following years the celebrations were repeated. A little over two centuries later in 2012, Muenster decided to join in.
"Seeing that we are a German community, we thought it would be a natural thing for us to have," said Palmer. "And because we have Germanfest in the Spring, which next year is going to be April 28, 29 and 30, it gives us a good balance of six months apart."
The event opens on Friday at 4 p.m. and continues until midnight before starting up again at 10 a.m. on Saturday and continuing until midnight. The last day of the event is on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Oktoberfest has a variety of events, including music, a wurst eating contest, a stein hoisting competition and more. There are also traditional events, including the official tapping of the keg on Saturday at noon.
"It's like our ceremony to begin the event," explained Palmer. "We have the mayor welcome everybody, we do a little blessing over the festival, and then we have a miniature keg that we tap and as many people as possible can drink out of that same tap and have a beer together."
To add to the traditional flair, anyone who wears traditional German clothing, or trachten, gains free admission to the event.
"For girls, it would be the dirndl, the dress with the little apron and cute attire, and for the boys, lederhosen," explained Palmer. "Most people enjoy wearing them for these events. It just makes it more festive."
There will also be a best dirndl and lederhosen contest on Saturday at 2 p.m.
Before the official opening of the fairgrounds on Saturday, the Wurst Race 5k and half-marathon will begin at 8 a.m., with registration beginning at 7 a.m.
This race goes through downtown Muenster and benefits Sacred Heart Catholic School, helping to reduce the cost of tuition and aiding in building maintenance, textbooks and athletic expenses.
"They're super excited, especially after seeing the weather be so beautiful," said Palmer. "They have more participants than they've had in the past, so it's going to be a bigger race."
Another race will happen on Sunday at 2 p.m.: The Weiner Dog Race.
"We are limiting it to 50 dogs," said Palmer. "And we already have close to 40 pre-registered."
Admission is $5 a person and parking is $5. A percentage of parking proceeds goes to the Future Farmers of America (FFA), and a portion of admission goes to both Sacred Heart and Muenster ISD. Children 12 and under get in for free.
