Oktoberfest on the Riverwalk in Batavia proposed
Wiener schnitzel and oompah music may come to the Batavia Riverwalk Oct. 1 to 3 after a German-American social club proposed an Oktoberfest for the area.
City officials, despite some reservations about crowds and parking, seem inclined to allow the fest.
The Batavia City Council will vote Monday on giving a temporary liquor license, and allowing a street closure, for the event.
The food and beverage tent would be on the grounds of Riverwalk, which belongs to the Batavia Park District. But Houston Street would be shut from Island Avenue to Water Street for a carnival.
Resurrecting a partyThe Fox Valley Chapter of the German-American National Congress wants to have the party. It used to have an Oktoberfest in South Elgin and Elgin, through 2006.The club has asked large shopping centers from Elgin to North Aurora for the use of their lots, but has been turned down, said club president Willi Gohs.When the party was held in Elgin, it attracted about 8,000 visitors over the three days, he said.The club plans to serve German food, including three kinds of bratwurst, sauerkraut and strudel, plus beer and wine.That - and the crowd size - makes Batavia city officials a little nervous. Although they are always discussing ways to revitalize downtown, they don't want to offend existing businesses such as restaurants with a non-Batavia festival.Admission to the Oktoberfest would be free; visitors pay only for their food, drink and carnival rides. There would be music and dancing at the family-oriented event.A chance to show off"If it came to town, it is bringing in a lot of people. Not everyone is going to be eating German food. I would think the restaurants in town would benefit from it," Alderman Michael O'Brien said Wednesday night, during a discussion about the liquor license."We should have some confidence in how beautiful the Riverwalk area is and our architecture is. People may not visit the businesses right then and there, but may say, 'Let's go back to that nice little town,' " City Administrator Bill McGrath said.The fact the festival isn't run by, or benefiting, a Batavia group bothered some aldermen. They suggested the club try to use local vendors (the sausage is made in Aurora). Gohs said the club may collect canned goods for the Batavia Interfaith Food Pantry, in lieu of the $1 it charges for wristbands identifying people old enough to drink alcohol."I like that idea!" Alderman Janet Jungels said.Gohs, who lives in Batavia, said the Fox Valley Chapter has 220 members, from Plano to Elgin. The Lake County Chapter has agreed to help run the event. When it was in Elgin, volunteers worked 500 four-hour shifts.Alderman Jim Volk favored a one-year experiment."I think it could be a lot of fun. I think it could be very interesting," he said.