Goodbye, summer … hello, Oktoberfest! Join the Delaware Saengerbund and Library Association for the Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest September 15‒17 in Newark. Enjoy a fun-filled weekend of German eats, culture, entertainment and, of course, beer!
The festivities kick off on Friday, September 15, at 5 p.m., with an opening parade officially getting underway at 7 p.m. The parade will include the Müncher kindl (Munich child), who will be wearing the traditional brow monk’s attire with golden stripes. To learn more about the history and significance of the Müncher kindl, visit the event website.
The entertainment will be lively all weekend, with the “Enzian Volkstanzgruppe,” the Saegerbund’s Bavarian dance troupe, performing intermittently all three days. The dancers will don the traditional costumes—the men will wear black lederhosen (buckskin leather pants) and the women will be dressed in dirndls (dresses with a skirt, blouse, vest, shawl, apron and hat). German music will be playing in between the dance troupe’s performances, and popular German band Heidi und Heimat Echo will be playing on Sunday.
Be sure to bring your appetite to Oktoberfest, for a variety of authentic German delicacies await you! Enjoy traditional bratwurst, veal sausage and sauerkraut, along with BBQ chicken, hot dogs, potato salad, pretzels and “rollmops,” marinated herring in rye bread. The Ladies’ organization will be dishing up some delicious desserts, including traditional plum cake and torten, German cakes.
There will be plenty of imported gifts and souvenirs, including glassware, mugs, t-shirts and hats, as well as amusement park rides for the kinder.
For those looking to get the party started a little earlier, there’s a special Brewmaster dinner on Thursday, September 14, at 6 p.m. in the Oktoberfest tent. Enjoy a beer-inspired German feast, including bier brot (beer bread), brotzeit (assorted meats, cheeses and vegetables), gezogenes rindfleisch (stout pulled beef) and much more, along with a variety of desserts. Many German beer and wines will be available, along with beers from local brewers. Tickets are $40 per person and reservations are required, as there is limited seating. You can purchase your tickets online.
Admission to the general Oktoberfest is $8 per person, which includes unlimited amusement rides. Parking will be at Christiana High School, with free shuttles transporting people to and from the festival. Parking is $5 on Saturday and Sunday and free on Sunday.
The Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest hours are Friday, 5‒11 p.m.; Saturday, noon‒11 p.m. and Sunday, noon‒6 p.m., and will be held rain or shine.
You can find the Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest at 49 Salem Church Road in Newark; phone: (302) 366-9454.
- Photos: Bigstock
