Fountain Hills celebrated another successful Oktoberfest at a new location (Centennial Plaza) recently at a record 117 degrees. A big thank you goes to the guests who came from all over the Valley, the food vendors with their delicious offerings, the trade vendors who were all local entrepreneurs, the volunteers for their hard work and especially to Four Peaks Rotary, who hosted the festival.
The Mayor performed the traditional honor on Friday by tapping the keg and announcing in perfect Bavarian, “O zapft is,” i.e. “the beer has been tapped.”
Fountain Hills Oktoberfest was first held in 2008 and prides itself as the only public event that honors a 200-year tradition. The festival originated on Oct. 12, 1810, in celebration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It was the first time that commoners were invited to a royal event. It was so successful that it’s been repeated ever since.
A heartfelt thanks to the Echten Waldbuam, a group of three professional musicians, who have honored Fountain Hills since 2008 with their Oktoberfest tunes and contemporary sets, just like Germany celebrates the festival. Victoria, an up-and-coming local entertainer, added to the musical experience.
As the originator of the Fountain Hills Oktoberfest I enjoy the event with the great teamwork, the community support and it is a special pleasure to me to see the many guests who party in the traditional attire, dirndls for the ladies and lederhosen for the gents.
A great benefit was the location at the Community Center that offered an air conditioned biergarten with indoor food service. The newly-created shade covered Centennial Plaza created a nice outside atmosphere for visiting and dancing. Let’s all hope for cooler temperatures next year.
