On Saturday, Oct. 11, the Marin community gathered together at Menke Park in the Corte Madera Square to celebrate the traditional German holiday Oktoberfest.
Running from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., the event featured traditional German and Austrian bands, crafts, face painting stations and food trucks with various traditional cuisines.
Laura Rowe Richards, a Redwood alumna from the class of ‘64, was volunteering at the event.
“Many of the locals traditionally come to this. Then there are people from around Marin County who come every October,” Richards said.
Polly Baney, who was working alongside Richards also commented on the event.
“It’s a great fundraiser. We’re raising money for the beautiful hanging baskets [around town], and the proceeds also go to the local Corte Madera Lions Club and a bunch of local charities that we donate to every year,” Baney said.
The Corte Madera Lions Club is a service club that supports numerous local non-profits through fundraisers, such as Oktoberfest. Beyond the fundraisers of the event, Oktoberfest also brought people together via tradition and celebration.
“Everyone gets to get all dressed up in their dirndls and their lederhosen and their hats,” Baney said. “So it’s a fun outfit, and a fun event.”
Many attendees of the event dressed themselves in old-fashioned German attire: lederhosen, which are Bavarian leather shorts for men, and dirndls, which are women’s traditional alpine dresses.
Among those embracing the tradition were attendees Katrin Guliaievea and Nora Stratton. Guliaievea, being native to Ukraine, and Stratton, being native to Bavaria, Germany, shared their experiences being in the United States for the event.
“This is my first Oktoberfest in America, after having been here for three years,” Guliaievea said. “ It’s amazing for me.”
Stratton additionally spoke on her perspective on celebrating Oktoberfest in Corte Madera.
“It’s really nice. I feel like I’ve taken a mini-trip home,” Stratton said. “I get to wear my traditional outfits and enjoy the culture, and it looks like other people are enjoying the culture, as well.”
Fred Cassia, a member of the Corte Madera Town Council, mentioned how the event is great for all ages.
“[Oktoberfest] is for the Beautification Committee because they do the baskets all around Corte Madera, so this is a fundraiser for them,” Casissa said. “But it also serves as a great community event. Because if you look, there’s a whole bunch of kids, adults, and there’s stuff for the kids to do and for the parents and adults to do.”
Paula Ramsey was working at one of the arts and craft stations, helping children make authentic German pretzel necklaces.
“We do this every year,” said Ramsey. “And it’s free for the kids and anyone who wants one. It’s also a good snack.”
Along with arts and crafts stations, there was plenty of traditional German and Austrian music featured at Oktoberfest, too. John Lister additionally shared his experience playing the accordion at the event.
“We’re getting close to thirty years [of playing the accordion],” Lister said. “I do
Oktoberfest, Saint Patrick’s Day and all the other holidays.”
Oktoberfest happens every year in Corte Madera, and the festival will continue next year, too.
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