Oktoberfest Will Be In Smaller Area This Weekend
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From Staff Reports
Ste. Genevieve’s annual Oktobertfest, this Saturday and Sunday, will celebrate the old French town’s strongly German heritage.
Music, food, games, and of course beer will be on tap, along with other fun.
According to event coordinator Kara Burt, it will be “more compacted,” to the area around Audubon’s and Silvanus on Merchant and Main streets.
It will begin with a Volkswagen parade at 11 a.m., Saturday, at the Valle Desert. Various vintage beetles, wagons and other VW vehicles will meet there for the parade.
At 11 a.m. on Sunday, local historian Bob Mueller will explain how the originally French community got to be so predominantly German by mid 19th century with his talk, “How Ste. Genevieve Became a German Town.” According to the Oktoberfest Facebook page, the talk will be given at the Genco Building (formerly Otte’s Cleaners and Lewsi Winery) at 57 N. Main.
The festival will conclude with the wiener dog races at 1 p.m., Sunday.
The Southside Johnny Band, 5-9 p.m., will provide live music Saturday.
A new feature this year will be will be a contest for families and individuals for their German attire. Event organizers urge participants to “bring on the Dirndls and Lederhosen!”
Quintessential Rivertown Spice & Tea is having a German Tea Party on Sunday, with East Frisian Black Tea, Belgian Mint Tea and Pistachio Pu-her Tea, along with German snacks.
Bloomsdale Bank is the event sponsor.