Beer, music are highlights of Palatine Oktoberfest
The Rotary Club of Palatine will hold its 13th annual Oktoberfest Friday, Sept. 17, through Sunday, Sept. 19, on the corner of Smith and Slade streets in downtown Palatine, south of the Metra train station.
The event runs 5 p.m. to midnight Friday, noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is free to this tented event that features authentic German music, food, beverages and activities for all ages.
"We kick off the festival on Friday at 5 p.m.," said Randy Klingner, Palatine Rotary president. "Our mayor, Jim Schwantz, will officiate over the blessing and tapping of the keg ceremony, which will start our Oktoberfest event. Come celebrate in your lederhosen and dirndl!"
"Everyone knows beer is a large component of any Oktoberfest celebration," said Al Stoeckel, beer chairman. "There are a number of beers being poured this year - Krombacher pils, which is an imported full-flavored German pilsner - along with three great beers brewed locally at the Wild Onion Brewing Company in Lake Barrington: 'Oktoberfest' German style lager, 'Hefty-Weiss' Bavarian style hefe-weizen and kolsch, a crisp clean German ale.
"For the non-beer lover, we offer two different varieties of wine, merlot and pinot grigio, and from Wild Onion, a strawberry lemonade hard seltzer."
The event will also feature authentic German food and offerings from vendors such as Morkes Chocolates, Tap House Grill, Lincoln Land Kettle Corn, the American Legion, Friends of the Rotary, Schnitzel Platz, Tre Amici Pizza and Kooker's.
Morkes will have a variety of caramel apples and spiced doughnuts. Tap House Grill will offer pretzels with beer cheese and spicy mustard, deep fried schnitzel pork bites, sauerbraten pot roast sliders and ice cream.
Lincoln Land Kettle Corn will have regular and jumbo kettle corn. Pop and water will be available for purchase from volunteers supporting the Rotary Club of Palatine.
The American Legion will be providing french fries, cheese fries and cheese curds, while the Friends of the Rotary will be cooking brats and hot dogs. Schnitzel Platz will offer schnitzel sandwiches, frankfurters on buns, pork shank with gravy and sauerkraut balls.
Tre Amici will feature sausage, German and Reuben pizza. Kooker's will have weisswurst Thuringer, brat combos, a Leberkase sandwich, a Bavarian plate, salads and desserts.
Musical entertainment will kick off Friday night with Die Musikmeisters from 5-8:30 p.m., followed by Phenix from 9 p.m. to midnight. Saturday's entertainment includes Ed Wagner's Brass Band performing from 3:30-6 p.m., followed by Phenix from 6:30 p.m. to midnight.
The musical lineup on Sunday features Die Musikmeisters on stage from noon to 2:30 p.m., followed by Johnny Wagner performing from 3-6 p.m.
Games and activities for Family Day will be from noon to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, including face painting, police and fire department displays, children's raffle prizes and birdhouse building by Home Depot.
On stage will be musical performances starting at noon with the Palatine, Schaumburg and Conant High School music departments. German dancers Vest Dance Troupe and Bonnie Lindholm School of Dance will entertain with demonstrations.
At approximately 1 p.m., the winners of Scarecrows on Parade, a scarecrow decorating contest sponsored by the Village of Palatine, will be announced.
This year, Family Day will feature an Oktoberfest Family Bike Ride sponsored by the Bike Palatine Club on Sunday at the corner of Smith and Slade streets from 11 a.m. to noon. Visit bikepalatine.com to register or for information.
"We will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win one of our wine, liquor, or merchant baskets, as well as flat-screen televisions, each valued at over $500," Klingner said. "We also have wheelbarrows of beer and a grill. Tickets are $5 each or $20 for 5 tickets. We will hold the drawing on Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., and winners need not be present."
View a complete schedule of events and learn more about The Rotary Club of Palatine at palatinerotary.com/Oktoberfest, on Facebook or email oktoberfest@palatinerotary.com. Money raised at Oktoberfest helps support charities and community projects.