The Oktoberfest that can happen
MINSTER – Over the course of several months the Oktoberfest committee members have been wrestling with all the many moving parts that comprise the Oktoberfest and what changes need to be made to allow the next Oktoberfest safely and successfully operate for its 46th installment.
Considering all the changes in light of this year’s pandemic, Minster Oktoberfest President Craig Oldiges summed it up, “It’s been a long year for those of us on the Board. I think I’ve had more meetings this year than I think I’ve had in the last ten years ... combined. It’s kind of been crazy.
“Being the president I was hoping to have a nice peaceful year. Usually as president you have such great committee people and board members, being a president is easy. This year not so much. With everybody’s help it definitely made it a lot better.”
Oldiges spoke to the Minster Service Club last Wednesday to give an update on happenings for Oktoberfest 46 and how they would take place. “I definitely want to give a quick shout out to all them, all the Board and committee members for doing such a great job and all the great meetings we had.
Underlying much of the decision to not have a full Oktoberfest festival goes to the fact of the sheer size of previous Oktoberfests which would present so many problems for creating social distancing in light of the pandemic. The Board looked at all of its options and came to the conclusion, as Oldiges put it, “It was an all
or nothing kind of deal. Unfortunately, through all of our hard work, we’re still unable to have a true festival.”
“However, we are excited to talk about that we are having a few things going on. Miss Oktoberfest and Little Miss will still be happening. Miss Oktoberfest will be at the Halls of Hanover. It will take place on Saturday like it normally does. They’re going to have their interviews days in advance. They’re doing those like a Zoom meeting instead of in-person. The actual crowning, the good questions and the girls in their dirndls will all take place at the Halls of Hanover.” Little Miss will also happen on Saturday, at its normal 10 a.m. start at the K. of C.
Both pageants will be parents only. Both of them will also be live-streamed via Facebook Live or “something which is still being worked out.” The public will be able to see it.
“We were happy to announce the button winner. The announcement for the Grand Marshal will be forthcoming.” After some conjecture regarding prior notification of the winner, Oldiges allowed the GM to be named -the Minster Knights of Columbus was nominated and has been chosen for their 100 years of service.
“We’re pretty excited as a Board to give them that distinction this year.
“We’re going to try to promote as much as we can.”
As far as other activities: Coloring contest – “still having that. We’ll have those winners in advance.”
Oldiges noted there had been talk about a parade or a procession of some sort. Given the need for streets to be shut down and the personnel to do it, at this point, they decided against it.
“Several local businesses and individuals have been in contact asking ‘What can we do, how can we give back?’ Even businesses who are having trouble (because of the pandemic). They still want to help out. It’s been kind of humbling.” He noted Lauren Roetgerman recently put out that she is doing the “Prost test.” She is designing a shirt and will donate the proceeds of whatever she makes from the sale of those back to the organizations and it will be divided up.
Restaurants have stepped up too. They are joining together that weekend and they are going to have menus limited to five items per day. They will be making food items that would have been offered at Oktoberfest. The Wooden Shoe, Bud’s and Willy’s will operate on a pre-order basis . Once again, the profits they make will be donated back to Oktoberfest organizations.
“We have roughly 29 organizations who count on the Oktoberfest for raising money, for some of them it’s their only source of money. We’re hoping to be able to divide that up nicely and still give something back to them. It’s a great community and everybody steps up.”
He says they had a lot of requests for band contact information, “There will be parties around town that weekend. Hopefully, that weekend everybody will be able to get out and enjoy some German heritage and spend time with family, keeping socially distanced.”
The 10k run will go live and run on Sunday. Runners will each have a chip on their shoes to track their times, which will begin when they cross the start line. They will begin in sequences, starting with the fastest runners first, that way they can be spaced out.
“It’s really exciting that it’s been permitted and will be one of the first runs allowed,” Oldiges noting cancellations of so many other running events in the area.
Mugs, buttons, lapel pins and hat pins will be available for sale for Oktoberfest 46. Certain items are available at certain locations. Mugs are at the Wooden Shoe where they’ll sell you a beer in the mug.