Nancy Toppan
Don your dirndl and grab your bier stein—Oktoberfest ist hier!
Fall is made for festivals, and nothing ushers in the harvest season like a German Oktoberfest celebration in Robson Ranch. Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest, beer festival and traveling funfair held annually in Munich Bavaria, Germany since 1810. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the original Munich event.
On October 17 the neighborhood of East Crestview broke out their ‘lederhosens’ and dusted off their ‘dirndls’ as they were welcomed to the Parkers and Toppans by the sound of polka tunes and the aromas of traditional Oktoberfest foods. German sausage (bratwurst), sauerkraut, hot German potato salad, fresh green salad, pretzel rolls and tangy apple and cherry strudel was on the menu. The Parker’s keg was filled with refreshing ice-cold beer.
The neighborhood festival opened with “tapping of the first keg.” Upon tapping, our host, David Parker, then cries “O’zapt ist!” meaning “it is tapped,” and the merriment began!
The dance floor was laid at the Toppan’s where Nancy and Pete taught the fun and festive “polka.” The dance floor was soon filled with energetic polka dancers, followed by the “chicken dance,” which has also become a favorite at American Oktoberfests. The lively, infectious song for the dance hit beer halls in Germany a decade ago and immediately became a craze.
With an awesome turnout of nearly 60, the East Crestview Oktoberfest will long be remembered as a jovial, fun-filled festival.
“Prost!” “Cheers!” “Zum Wohl!” To your health!