Festival adds to town's anniversary celebrations

By Kim Walter - Daily Correspondent

It only seems fitting to say goodbye to summer and hello to fall by attending Oktoberfest in Strasburg, Saturday, Oct. 1, from 2 to 8 p.m. As with the other festivals, admission is free for the day.

This is the fourth year that the Strasburg Chamber of Commerce has put everything together for the one-day event. It is also the second year for the new location on Holliday Street, right in front of the chamber's building. Oktoberfest is on a much smaller scale than other celebrations that the town holds, so there will be just one street blocked off.

This year, before the event technically starts, the Kiwanis Club of Strasburg is hosting a pancake, sausage and sausage gravy breakfast at Sandy Hook Elementary School at 7 a.m. The club often holds breakfasts, and Oktoberfest seemed like the perfect time to add one more for the community. The festival committee is looking to plan another community activity to keep everyone busy between the breakfast and when the vendors and entertainment are ready at 2 p.m., but nothing was confirmed at presstime, Strasburg Chamber of Commerce president and festival chairman Rich Orndorff explained.

Craft vendors will have a variety of fall items for sale, while civic and service organizations, and businesses will have booths set up to advertise with demonstrations.

The festival also hopes to add vendors from the area's farmers market this year.

Food for sale will include the traditional German cuisine, but also barbecue, pretzels and funnel cakes. Additionally there will be a beer garden located behind the chamber office for those of age.

Activities for children will go from 2 to 6 p.m. for no cost, and will consist of pumpkin decorating and face painting, and possibly a rock climbing wall and petting zoo.

Musical entertainment will take place in the First Bank parking lot. A list of performers is not yet set in stone, but Orndorff assures that it will full of crowd pleasers -- even if they're not necessarily associated with a German type of festival.

"It's not a traditional Oktoberfest ... it's Strasburg style," said Orndorff.

In conjunction with the town's 250th anniversary, the 250 committee plans to auction off some of the Hometown Strasburg banners that you may have seen up around town throughout the year.

Though Oktoberfest is advertised as ending at 8 p.m., Orndorff suggests that it could last longer into the night if people seem to still be enjoying themselves.

"We certainly want everyone to have a good time," said Orndorff.

If You Go

• Info: 540-465-3187
• Web: www.strasburgvachamber.com/oktoberfest