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The Lancaster Historical Society and the City of Lancaster Visitors & Tourism Bureau invite you to join us at the 3rd Annual LancasterOktoberFest, to be held on Friday and Saturday, October 10-11, 2008, at the Historic MKT Train Depot and Rose Garden.
A Preview Party on Friday night, October 10th, will kick off the event with a delicious dinner and beer-tasting from 6:30 – 9:30 PM. Mayor Marcus Knight will lead the opening procession and welcome guests from across Southern Dallas County and EllisCounty. Ticket price of $40 per person includes a complete meal catered by Kuby’s Sausage House of Dallas, with smoked bratwurst, German potato salad, sauerkraut, and apple strudel, plus three beverage coupons. Beverages will include several German beers on tap, Thomas Kemper Root Beer on tap, and three varieties of wine being made especially for this event. As a special treat, the Historical Society has commissioned an award-winning Lancaster home-brewer to craft a “Steel Dust Special” brew exclusively for this event. Bottled water and iced tea will also be available.
In addition to live entertainment, Friday night’s attractions will include a Beer & Wine Auction, with an eclectic assortment of beverages that have been donated by members and supporters of the Historical Society. Thanks to a special TABC license available only to charitable organizations, patrons may take home beer and wine purchased at this auction.
On Saturday, October 11th, OktoberFest will offer fun for the whole family. Special activities for children will include a Home Depot Workshop, free face-painting, a pet parade, a bounce house, and much more. Additional attractions include a pottery exhibit, a beer stein contest, a performance by Alpine Dancers (both children and adults), and live entertainment by a traditional "oom-pah" band.
A free shuttle will be available to transport guests between OktoberFest and the Historic Town Square, where 2nd Saturday on the Square will feature arts and crafts vendors. The shuttle will also make regular trips to the LancasterAirport, where guests may tour the Commemorative Air Force Hangar & Museum and the Cold War Air Museum. For a donation of $60, guests may take a ride in a vintage World War II plane, a Stinson L-5 Sentinel.
The Lancaster Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation that owns and operates the Historic MKT Train Depot and Rose Garden for the benefit of the citizens of Lancaster. Funds raised at OktoberFest will help preserve and maintain the Depot and Rose Garden. For more information about LHS, including a map to the Depot, visit www.LHSweb.org or send an e-mail message to info@lhsweb.org. By telephone, contact Peggy Smith at 214-460-5533.
OktoberFest - A Little History
The first OktoberFest took place on October 12, 1810, to commemorate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hildburghausen. In the year 1813, OktoberFest was called off as Bavaria was involved in the Napoleonic war. In 1816, carnival booths appeared. The main prizes were silver, porcelain, and jewelry. In 1819, the town fathers of Munich took over festival management. They decided that OktoberFest should be celebrated every year without exception. Now, OktoberFest is a two-week festival held every year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It is the world’s largest fair, with some six million people attending each year.
