Naperville's Oktoberfest features, beer, brats and bands

For many, Oktoberfest means eating brats, sipping beer and listening to bands. But for Ron Keller, it's a chance to celebrate his heritage.

Keller's roots date to 1852 when his great-grandfather, Adam, came over from Germany to settle in Naperville. Adam married his wife in 1860 and the two had 10 children, all who became involved in the farming industry.

Keller's father grew up helping out on a dairy farm, but would find time to play German songs with his wife. Keller's mother played the marimba, cornet and piano, while his father played the alto horn in a band. Whether they were singing or playing their instruments, Keller's parents always had German music playing in their home.

"A woman asked, 'How did you get involved in music?'" Keller said. "I said, 'I didn't have a chance. It came in from all sides of the family.'"

Keller combined his love of his heritage with music and picked up the tuba when he was a teenager. He played traditional waltzes, marches and polkas at the Washington Junior High School and Naperville Community High School talent shows with his closest friends.

But his love for his culture hasn't stopped there. This year, he will be playing his 1905 German Helicon Tuba at Naperville's Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest will be Friday and Saturday, Oct. 1 and 2, at Naper Settlement, 523 Webster St., Naperville. The festival invites people to celebrate the city's unique culture with food, music and authentic culture that bring you back to Germany.

New this year are the children's activities, which include everything from face painting to balloons to a bean bag toss, said Michelle LeBlanc, founder of the Naperville Cultural Center.

To help out with the games, she invited students and teachers from the German School to come and share their personal stories about Oktoberfest.

Eleven students and teachers from the German School in Naperville will volunteer at the festival, said Angela Jostlein, school director.

This is the first year the school has become involved with the celebration and she said the students are excited to share their experiences.

Jostlein said the school meets Fridays at Congregation Beth Shalom, a synagogue, to teach others the German language and culture. Jostlein said she hopes some of her students will be able to pass along their knowledge to young ones who are interested in learning more about German traditions.

Also at the festival is live music, featuring Keller's German band, with music known to get people out of their seats to dance. Joining them are classic rock bands such as One More Time, No Show Joe and Evil Wayz.

While listening to music, people can enjoy a brat or slice of apple strudel from My Chef catering.

Combining the festival's smells, sights and sounds with authentic German songs are what keep Keller from putting his instrument down. His love for the music brings back fond memories of his culture and he hopes he can share a piece of that with people.

"That's what it's all about," Keller said about his music. "It stirs the soul."