Oktoberfest comes to Sisters

When, in 1810, the Crown Prince of Bavaria celebrated his marriage with a festival and horse race, he certainly had no inkling that 200 years later the event would be commemorated in Sisters, Oregon, half a world away. In fact, the event is celebrated as "Oktoberfest" in countless venues throughout the world, including such unlikely places as Hong Kong, Viet Nam, and Pakistan.

The first celebration was such a success that Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) reprised the occasion on an annual basis. On his 25th wedding anniversary, in 1835, King Ludwig added a parade to honor his bride. Ludwig was a better festival organizer than a husband, and the parade was second only to his even more impressive parade of mistresses - a habit which led to his eventual abdication.

Still, the king knew how to throw a good party; and, eventually, the annual festival was taken over by the enthusiastic citizens of Munich and continues to this day, having been interrupted occasionally by plagues and wars. The horse racing was finally discontinued after 150 years, but the beer continues to flow at the rate of approximately 7 million liters (nearly 2 million gallons) per festival!

There will be no horse racing at the Sisters event this year, either; but there will be plenty of beer. Featured brews will be from Sisters' own Three Creeks Brewing Company and will feature Anvil Amber and Stonefly Rye. For the sixth consecutive year, the Sisters Knights of Columbus Roundtable will host the Sisters Oktoberfest.

Event organizer, John Ries, said the Oktoberfest is the local Knights' principal fundraiser for their charitable outreach. "We're planning for a crowd of 200, hoping to raise money for charitable donations to the community. Most of our profits are donated to the Kiwanis Food Bank."

The Oktoberfest will be held in the St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church Parish Hall. Dave Huni, co-chair of the local Knights Roundtable, stressed that the event is for the entire community, "This is a great opportunity for guests to see St. Winefride's Garden, the water feature, and Skip Armstrong's beautiful wood sculptures." He added, "In the past we've also used the funds to help sponsor seminarians at Mt. Angel and help local families in distress."

This year's event will commemorate the 200th anniversary of the first Oktoberfest and will be held from 1-6 p.m. on Sunday October 17. For the second year in a row, the Alpine Echoes band will play live music from 2-5 p.m. The popular theme band specializes in German, Scandinavian, and folk dance music. They encourage audience participation by offering demonstrations and teaching authentic folk dances to participants. In addition to vocal numbers, the nine band members play accordion, clarinet, tuba, flute, banjo, bass, fiddle, trumpet, drums, and Austrian cowbells.

The dinner will feature a traditional Bavarian menu, including genuine bratwurst, sauerkraut, and homemade German potato salad. For dessert, there will be a choice of German Black Forest cake or carrot cake, and the admission price includes a glass of beer, red or white wine, or a soft drink. A children's hot dog menu will also include Tater Tots, applesauce, dessert, and soda.

The Knights of Columbus is an international organization founded in 1882 as a way to provide charitable service and monetary support to local parishes and the community. In addition to the charitable contributions that will be made possible through this event, the Sisters Knights of Columbus - like their worldwide counterparts elsewhere -donate their time and physical labor to community outreach.

Tickets are $15 and may be purchased in advance from any Knight, at the church office, or at the door. Children's tickets for ages 6-12 are only $5, and children five and under are free. Advance tickets are also available by calling John Ries at 541-549-2078. St. Edward the Martyr Catholic Church is located at 123 Trinity Way, near the high school.