The Oktoberfest celebration begins in New Glarus

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) – Goodbye September and hello Oktoberfest. New Glarus began its fall celebration Thursday evening, just days before the end of September, filling downtown New Glarus with polka, live music and beer.

People enjoyed the first night of the celebration by wearing traditional lederhosen and Swiss dirndls. Kathy Penniston-Smith said her dirndl dress was passed down through her family and she looked forward to the opportunity to wear it every year.

“It belonged to my grandmother, she had died in 1982, and my mother has kept it in her house ever since,” Penniston-Smith said. “When I was here two years ago, she asked me if I wanted it, and I’ve been wearing it to Oktoberfest here in New Glarus ever since.”

While Penniston-Smith got her outfit from her grandmother, some other people bought it overseas.

“We were in Munich with some friends about 10 years ago and there was a store that had lederhosen, so my buddy and I bought them,” said Ed Pillar.

Pillar said he got his wife, Cindy, to go back to the store and get a dirndl so they could look the part at future Oktoberfest celebrations.

This year's celebrations began with the announcement of this year's winners of the King and Queen competition.

A wooden barrel tap will be held on Friday at 7 p.m., followed by free wagon rides and chainsaw wood carving on Saturday.

Sunday is the last day of Oktoberfest New Glarus and features another day of free wagon rides and a petting zoo.

Penniston-Smith said the event was amazing, but her favorite part was getting to dance the polka.

“It reminds me of how I grew up. I love dancing polka, that's mainly why I come. My dad has been in a polka band since he was 16 and now he's 82 and still going strong, so I hate to miss a dance,” Penniston-Smith said.

The free event takes place from Thursday to Sunday.

Further information about the event can be found here.

Click here to download the WMTV15 News app or our WMTV15 First Alert Weather app.

Copyright 2024 WMTV. All rights reserved.