Home > Liquid > Archives > 2010 > September > 03
Friday, September 3, 2010
Almost that time: Oktoberfest
Ah, yes, with temperatures plummeting into the low 90s fall is just around the corner, which means Oktoberfests will be a-poppin’ all over. Here’s word from the German-Texan Heritage Society of austin, which will have its event noon-6 p.m. Oct. 16 in the German Free School, 507 E. 10th St. Tickets are $5 (cheap!). Press release:
A brief history - Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a wedding celebration between Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Austria. The party was so good that it has been repeated ever since in the same meadow outside Munich known as Theresienwiese, named for the bride. It was not until 1872 that the event was finally named Oktoberfest. Spaten, Munich’s oldest and largest brewery, created a special brew for the first official Oktoberfest in 1872 and still uses the same recipe today. All Spaten beers are brewed using Germany’s Reinheitsgebot 1516, literally meaning “purity order”, that states that brewers can only use the four basic ingredients: Water, Malt, Yeast and Hops
At our festival we will be pouring Spaten Oktoberfest brew, just as they are in Munich. Additionally we will serve Franziskaner Hefe Weisse (a wheat beer with a hint of clove), Spaten Dunkel (classic German dark beer) and Spaten Premium Lager (also known as Helles). There will be German Riesling wines and lemonade as well.
Germans often drink from a ‘beer boot’ and the German-Texan Heritage Society has some special German-Texan beer boots for sale. We encourage anyone to come in traditional German costume.
With beer comes food and we will be selling Wurst, Sauerkraut, Pretzels and Apfel Strudel, all authentic German recipes.
Live music will be provided by The Walburg Boys, The Siekers, and The Polkadillos as well as accordion players from the Central TX Accordion Association and traditional song and dance by German language students from local schools.
Family fun activities include Moonwalk, Face Painting, Arts & Crafts, Balloon Games and traditional German Children’s Games of Sackhuepfen, Eierlaufen, and Topfschlagen.
Admission is $5 adults, children 12 and under free. Discount coupons can be found on-line at www.germantexans.org.
