2023 DATE: August 18-20, 2023
This post documents my experience on August 19, 2012.
Referring to a German ethnic group who once lived in the former Kingdom of Hungary, the Donauschwaben (just fun to say!) mostly came to the Cleveland area after World War II and established the German-American Cultural Center to keep their language and traditions alive.
Then, in 1970, when they realized that their center wasn’t big enough, they found some property in Olmsted Township…
…and eventually set up the huge cultural center they have today.
I came to the center for the Sommer Oktoberfest…
…and parking was run like (German) clockwork…
…with a different volunteer to direct you every 20 feet or so (often with a beer)…
…and it was impressive to see the amount of vehicles there.
In fact, as I walked to the main event…
…there were even more (non-German) vehicles, but these were on display, thanks to Local 1005…
…who was happy to inform you on the Chevys they made.
Beyond the Chevys…
…and the children’s playground…
…awaited the Oktoberfest…
…where booths included a Kinder Tent with games and grab bags…
…a Ladies Crafters Tent with intensely staring German dolls…
…a raffle for the gamblers…
…the German Language School of Cleveland…
…and a clothing booth (Bavarian Specialties) to help festival goers feel a little German…
…or a lot more if they so desired.
But the vendors were only part of the fun.
Many families and friends hung out in the biergarten…
…either waiting in line for a balloon animal…
…or enjoying the beer they purchased…
…by the glass…
…by the mug…
…or by the boot.
Meanwhile, those in the tent enjoyed some home-cooked food…
…while listening to the music of the DS Brass Band.
Before leaving the event, I decided to bring some dinner home for Julia and me….
…so I got some tickets at the ticket booth (each ticket was worth $0.50)….
…headed to the food lines…
…and purchased the schnitzel and brat dinners (with an ala carte potato pancake).
And let me say that everything was delicious – especially that incredible potato salad!
Just make sure you know the cost of your order before buying tickets and paying out because, at both places, I had to correct the volunteer on the price.
With my food containers in hand, I started to head out….
…but I couldn’t help but become intoxicated by the music (the feeling was not from beer)..
With this sudden sense of giddiness…
…mere seconds went by before I was buying our unborn child something to grow into.