Wear your lederhosen to Palatine Rotary's Oktoberfest
The Rotary Club of Palatine will host its 15th annual Oktoberfest Friday, Sept. 15, through Sunday, Sept. 17, on the corner of Smith and Slade streets in downtown Palatine to raise funds for local charities and community projects in the Palatine area.
The event runs from 5 p.m. to midnight Friday; noon to midnight Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. Saturday is also Family Day with games, crafts and entertainment for children.
Admission is free to this event, which features authentic German music, food, beverages and activities for all ages.
"We kick off the festival on Friday at 5 p.m.," said Melissa Gardner, Palatine Rotary president. "One of the village officials will officiate over the blessing and tapping of the keg ceremony, which will start our Oktoberfest event. Come celebrate in your lederhosen and dirndl."
Rotary Club of Palatine will be collaborating with several organizations to create a low waste event. Composting and recycling stations will be in place to reduce landfill waste.
"Our club is concerned about the environment, and this event provides an opportunity for us to contribute to keeping the community clean in a fun and environmentally friendly manner," said Randy Klingner, Palatine Rotary's environmental chairman.
"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. Another beer on our menu, Half Acre 'Lager Town' Oktoberfest beer, a Märzen style brewed by Chicago's own Half Acre Beer Company, is the most popular beer style among the beers in Austria.
"In addition, Half Acre has brewed a Hefeweizen with deep roots in the Bavarian tradition. We will also be offering two different varieties of wine, merlot and pinot grigio, and White Claw hard seltzer," Stoeckel said.
The event will also feature authentic German food from vendors including Morkes Chocolates, Tap House Grill, Friends of the Rotary, Schnitzel Platz, Tre Amici Pizza, Kooker's and Pizza Bella.
Morkes will have a variety of caramel apples, spiced doughnuts and other sweet treats, while Tap House Grill will offer pretzels with cheese, deep fried schnitzel pork bites, sauerbraten pot roast sliders and potato salad.
Pop and water will be available for purchase from the Rotary Club of Palatine.
The Friends of the Rotary will be cooking brats and hot dogs. Schnitzel Platz will offer schnitzel sandwiches, foot long frankfurters, pork shank with gravy and sauerkraut balls.
Tre Amici will feature sausage, German and Reuben pizza; Kooker's will have Thuringer and brats, a Leberkaese sandwich, a Bavarian plate, salads and desserts; and Pizza Bella will offer beef and sausage sandwiches, as well as spaghettieis ice cream noodles.
Musical entertainment will kick off Friday night with Die Musikmeisters from 5-8:30 p.m., followed by The Polkaholics from 8:45 p.m. to midnight. Saturday's entertainment includes the Die Kellerknaben Trio performing from 3:30-6 p.m., followed by Phenix from 7 p.m. to midnight.
The musical line up on Sunday features Die Musikmeisters from noon to 3 p.m., followed by Rhinemaidens and their alphorn demonstration at 3 p.m., and then Phenix from 3:15-6 p.m.
Games and activities for Family Day will be Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m. and include face painting, balloon art, fire department displays, children's raffle prizes and birdhouse building by Home Depot.
On stage will be musical performances starting at noon with Palatine, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates high schools. The Bonnie Lindholm School of Dance will entertain with dance demonstrations. At approximately 12:30 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 morning at Towne Square, on the corner of Smith and Slade streets. Riders are asked to meet at 10:30 a.m.; the ride will start at 11 a.m. For information, visit bikepalatine.com.
"We will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win one of our wine, liquor or merchant baskets, as well as other great prizes," said Gardner. "We also have wheelbarrows of beer and a grill. Tickets are $5 each or $20 for five 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.org, on Facebook or email oktoberfest@palatinerotary.org.
Money raised at Oktoberfest helps support charities and community projects. The club meets at 7:15 a.m. Tuesdays at the Grand at Twin Lakes on Northwest Highway in Palatine. For details, email info@palatinerotary.org.