Where can you find a little bit of German culture in Branson? At Faith Lutheran Church’s annual Oktoberfest on Sunday, October 20, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Oktoberfest was voted two years in a row for the “Best of Branson Special Event!” We’re ready to have a good time and share the taste of Germany at this year’s annual event!
It all began as a church dinner for the community at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, called the "German Sausage Dinner" featuring bratwurst, kraut and homemade potato salad. In 2009, in celebration of St. Paul's Lutheran and Our Savior Lutheran's 10th year anniversary coming together as Faith Lutheran Church, the name of the event was changed to Faith Lutheran's Oktoberfest, and it has grown into a fun festival for everyone. “Oktoberfest is a great place for families to connect and have fun” said Joel Kruger, pastor at Faith Lutheran. “From the live polka music to bouncy houses, it’s a lively place to get together.”
“Our Oktoberfest celebrates culture, preserves customs and promotes a whole lot of family fun” said Gina Brandt, festival organizer. Enjoy live music and dancing with “Happy John’s Polka Band.” The kids can have a good time too at the bounce house, as well as outdoor games in the kinderpark. Tractor- driven wagon rides will also be available this year, weather permitting. Easy and friendly games are planned for the adults that include the stein holding contest and cake walks! The popular gift basket raffle and silent auction have exploded this year with many generous items that will be available to bid on. The drawing for these will be at 3 p.m., and you need not be present to win. “With so much German heritage in our congregation, great detail has been used to keep this as authentic as possible, styling it after the ‘Haufbraus Haus’ décor and atmosphere for the whole community to come enjoy” Brandt smiles as she shares that “it takes many hours and much effort from our church volunteers to bring so much detail to this annual event that we love, and each year we can’t wait to share it with our friends and neighbors!”
“Oktoberfest would not be complete without the authentic German food. From our famous taste-tested bratwurst to the authentic German potato salad recipe from one of our members that has been used since the early years of the ‘German Sausage Dinner.’ This third-generation potato salad recipe is from the Schaefer family, which is homemade each year by the local cousins,” commented Sandy Wilkinson, Oktoberfest volunteer. “It would not be an official German meal without sauerkraut; it is even made from a 500-year-old Brandt family recipe from the Neidersachsen area in Germany.” Whether you delight in the complete meal that you can dine in or take out, or ala carte items, you will experience the taste of Germany.
This year we are going all out with the walk-through German Marketplace.
Featured in the Marketplace will be an assortment of homemade baked goodies from famous Lutheran Ladies (and men, too). Cakes and cake walk, monster cookies and delicious goodies will be available, along with an assortment of German products. And, of course, we cannot forget the Bavarian pretzels, a tradition in Oktoberfest for a snack, and the beautifully decorated ‘Leubkuchenherzen’, the individually heart-shaped gingerbread-like cookies that are sometimes worn around the neck and snacked on as the festival carries on.
The community is invited to come join in and experience the largest Oktoberfest in Branson! The event is Sunday, October 20, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at Faith Lutheran Church, 221 Malone Drive, just off the roundabout by Cox Hospital. Be sure and check out our newly remodeled sanctuary, along with our brand new Faith Lutheran School classrooms. “We are proud to offer our school to our neighbors and friends,” said Joey Bluege, School Administrator and Associate Pastor at Faith Lutheran.
Check out our Facebook page at Branson Oktoberfest, or visit FaithBranson.org. For more information, call the church office at 417-334-2469.
All are invited to attend.
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