Click here to view the Events page of the Deutscher Sport Club, Richmond, Richmond Oktoberfest, Inc. is owned and operated by Deutscher Sportclub Richmond and Gesangverein Virginia, Deutscher Sportclub Richmond, VA The Hirschjaeger Verein performs the Doppeltanz at the Richmond Showplace In 1968, a planning meeting was held with GV President Ed Lohmann, GV Vice-President Frederic (Fritz) Schwenk, DSC President Adolph Naujokat, and past DSC President Erich Albus in attendance. Hans Stienen , President, (804) 451-4344 Brad Ewald, Vice President, (804) 353-6455 We also provide coffee, soft drinks and water. A Richmond Oktoberfest beer stein was designed and beer steins were given to all paying attendees, a tradition which continued for many years. Under Frau Hurdelbrink’s tutelage and with some early help and instruction from the Washingtonians, who had performed at our first Oktoberfest, they became S.G.T.E.V. Another element of the Richmond Oktoberfest that has carried on since the beginning is the emphasis on German style entertainment. Gary Ilch, Alexander Raring, Anne Boraas, Sonny Cecil, Carmen Hoge, Armin Grashoff, Graham Sherrod Jr., Christian Staiger, Doug Kountz, Erich Pickelhaupt. It's for the whole family to enjoy. Box 37472 Richmond, VA 23234. It is of a traditional type carried in parades by many clubs and civic organizations throughout Germany as their official emblem. This event is a sample of German Bavarian culture at its best. Today and tomorrow is Oktoberfest. " For example, a Richmond Oktoberfest beer stein has been designed and produced each year since the beginning, but in about 2010, the rising cost of the steins made it necessary to sell the steins, instead of giving them to each paying guest. Around 1967, a new Safeway Store was opened in Richmond, and since they planned to have a large selection of goods from around the world, this store became known as the International Safeway. May it endure for another fifty years. Ed Lohmann, Adolph Naujokat, Erich Albus, Frank Berling and Fritz Schwenk, were members of both the Virginia Gesangverein, and the Deutscher Sport Club. As a result, the Old Dominion Building became the new home of the Richmond Oktoberfest and what had been the cattle judging area became the Oktoberfest’s dance floor. Last weekend marked their 10th annual Oktoberfest in which they remember the German heritage of Richmond with traditional Bavarian polka, dancers, food, and of course, beer! Since the Richmond Oktoberfest began in 1969, many civic groups, bars and even churches have more recently discovered Oktoberfest and have started sponsoring Oktoberfest themed events as fund raisers. Please try again later. Needless to say, it turned into a great party. Come celebrate the coming of Oktober with friends and soon-to-be-made friends at this year’s OKTOBERFEST in the Historic Depot District of Richmond, Indiana! Ed, Fritz, Adolph, and Erich secured the financing for this event from the two German Clubs. Now after 50 years, the Oktoberfest of Richmond has grown from the 500 people in 1969 to about 4500 people over two nights. This is Richmond's original, authentic German Oktoberfest, supported by the Gesangverein Virginia and the Deutscher Sports Club. They take part in the opening ceremonies of the Oktoberfest and typically an Ambassador’s representative crowns the Richmond Oktoberfest Queen. These events reminded Ed Lohmann, who was then the President of the Gesangverein Virginia (GV), that he always wanted to bring the Oktoberfest to the people of Richmond. The Richmond Oktoberfest is the most authentic German folk fest in Virginia. He shared the idea with his Vice-President, Frederick (Fritz) Schwenk. In 1999 the Oktoberfest was moved to the Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike, because the Fairgrounds were in the process of being bought by the NASCAR organization and turned into the Richmond Raceway Complex and rental agreements could not be firmed up. Fritz was born in Bavaria and had attended the Munich Oktoberfest in 1933 before immigrating to the United States. var current="Don\'t forget. The Annual Richmond Oktoberfest is the largest German / American Oktoberfest festival in the state of Virginia, playing host to nearly 5,000 people over the two day indoor event. For the Grand Opening they planned a big event emphasizing different ethnic groups. var today=new Date() “Gesangverein Virginia” means “Singing Association of Virginia”. In 1972 Frau Sandra Hurdelbrink’s German class at J. R. Tucker High School started dancing traditional Bavarian folk dances. Oktoberfest, Richmond-style T he end of September brings a bevy of festivals and events to Richmond, not least among these St. Benedict Catholic Church's Oktoberfest celebrations. The cheapest way to get from Richmond Station to Oktoberfest, Munich costs only 51€, and the quickest way takes just 5½ hours. 401 N. 3rd Street | Richmond, VA 23219 | (804) 782-2777, © 2021 Visit Richmond VA. All Rights Reserved, $12 in advance; $12 seniors and military; kids under 15 free; $15 at the door. Come celebrate at the only authentic Oktoberfest in central Virginia. Current local and state regulations covering festivals like Oktoberfest, as well as our desire to provide a safe environment for our many wonderful guests, volunteers, entertainers, sponsors, and vendors, make hosting an event this year impossible. These gentlemen and some cohorts from the two clubs met at the Gesangverein meeting place, the old Virginia Inn on North Chamberlayne Avenue, where they formed a committee that worked out the details for the first Richmond Oktoberfest. From the beginning the committee decided that the Fest should be an authentic German style festival filled with good German entertainment, that would result in what the Germans call “Gemütlichkeit” (cozy, homelike, informal, good natured) fun. https://deutschersportclubrichmond.com/, Gesangverein Virginia, https://gesangvereinvirginia.com, Copyright © 2018 The 1969 Fest exceeded all expectations with almost 500 people in attendance. var before="the 2019 Richmond Oktoberfest - October 4 & 5!" History:The idea for the Richmond Oktoberfest first occurred to Mr. Edwin Lohmann after he attended the Munich Oktoberfest in Germany in 1965. While the event is still in the planning stages, we are working with several area organizations to make the event fun for all ages. A Oktoberfest é também uma feira de produtos e diversões celebrada em Munique (München), no estado da Baviera (Bayern), no sul da Alemanha, e disseminada por vários lugares do mundo. The entertainment will be highlighted with the traditional march of the regional German Societies, the crowning of the Oktoberfest Queen, and the popular Beer Stein Hoisting Contest.A great variety of German and domestic beers will be on hand, and the wine stand offers a selection of German wine. Hans Stienen , President, (804) 451-4344 Brad Ewald, Vice President, (804) 353-6455 Even though The Showplace is now a Roses, Richmond Oktoberfest will be held this year on Oct. 18 and 19 at Richmond International Raceway in the Old Dominion Building. Today, it is a German social club dedicated to the preservation of German traditions and language in the Richmond metro area. todayy+=1900 In his later years, Ed Lohmann recalled that the tradition of holding the Oktoberfest on the third weekend in October arose because it was so hot inside the Arena, that it was necessary to hold it in cooler weather and to throw open all the doors for ventilation. The program will be rounded off by the well known local brass band “The ACCA Sauerkrauts” and the Hirschjäger Bavarian Dancers. In 1970 the Oktoberfest moved to “The Arena”, which was located on Hermitage Road where the Diamond Complex and the Arthur Ashe Center are now located. The Oktoberfest was held at the Arena for 10 years and became a two-night event (Friday and Saturday) in 1975. Adolph was then the President and Fritz and Erich were past Presidents of the Deutscher Sport Club. These beer steins, designed in Richmond, but made in Germany, have become collector’s items in many homes. The primary emphasis is on high quality bands, which not only can play traditional German Oktoberfest music and sing in German, but which can also play a variety of music and create great crowd participation. The Oktoberfest Board of Directors thought of moving back to the “Exhibition Hall” at what was now the Richmond Raceway Complex and went to look at that building. While it doesn’t have the size of the original Oktoberfest in Munich, it is very much like a real local or regional Folkfest in Germany. The two Richmond German Clubs who annually host this event, the Deutscher Sportclub, and the Gesangverein Virginia are relatively small. Box 37472 After some years, the two clubs incorporated the Richmond Oktoberfest as a non-profit corporation under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The 51st Annual Richmond Oktoberfest is changing dates to the first weekend of October. Make sure your plans include Oktoberfest in Richmond's Historic Depot District! The Richmond Oktoberfest is gearing up for its two-night annual event on Friday, Oct. 26 and Saturday, Oct. 27 at the Showplace in Mechanicsville from 6 p.m. to midnight. if (difference==0) The snack bar offers the well liked German snack called “Landjäger”, pretzels, authentic German Potato pan cakes, German wieners and French fries. Richmond Oktoberfest 2016 Video Footage Highlights. var difference=(Math.round((Date.parse(futurestring)-Date.parse(todaystring))/(24*60*60*1000))*1) The beer served was Richbrau, which was then brewed in Richmond. This year the featured band is the renowned Oktoberfest Party Band ”Die Lustigen Almdudler” from Syracuse, New York. Imported German beer, German food for your dining (including Bratwurst, Knockwurst and Landjaeger from Milwaukee), and a truckload of authentic German pastries and bread fresh from the Reinecker Bakery in Macedonia, Ohio. The first of these Karneval events is the Kappenfest, which we celebrate after the 11th day of the eleventh month, when the Karneval season starts and the Karneval Ball, which is celebrated prior to Ash Wednesday. var todaym=today.getMonth() Oktoberfest of Richmond, Inc. P.O. The dance group must have enjoyed this party, because they promised to perform free of charge, if Richmond would ever start its own Oktoberfest. if (todayy < 1000) else if (difference>0) var todayd=today.getDate() New “Standarte” (Flag) first shown at the 50th Anniversary. Board of Directors Brad Ewald, Vice President, var montharray=new Array("Jan","Feb","Mar","Apr","May","Jun","Jul","Aug","Sep","Oct","Nov","Dec") The original Richmond Oktoberfest was and remains “the real deal”. If you have questions or suggestions about the Richmond Oktoberfest, please contact one of the following: Hans Stienen, President So, in 1969, the first Oktoberfest of Richmond was held at the old Holiday Inn (The Abbey) on Robin Hood Road. The Richmond Oktoberfest was started in 1969 by two ethnic German clubs, the “Gesangverein Virginia” and the “Deutscher Sportclub”. Watching the dancers reminded Ed of his years in Germany and the Oktoberfest he had attended in Munich. German The original Richmond Oktoberfest was and remains “the real deal”. One of the groups that performed at that occasion was the Washingtonia Bavarian Dance Group from Washington D. C. Ed Lohmann, Erich Albus and his wife Christel, as well as others of the Richmond German Community attended the celebration. Not only does it help put on the Richmond Oktoberfest, but it also uses proceeds from the Oktoberfest to give scholarships to college students in the Richmond area studying German language and literature. P.O. The 51st Annual Oktoberfest returns to Richmond Oktoberfest is celebrated in cities all around the world, including here in the River City. Box 37472 Richmond, VA 23234. While Erich and Ursula have long since retired from organizing the Oktoberfest, both still are volunteer workers who help put on the Oktoberfest. The Hirschjägers have performed at each and every Richmond Oktoberfest since their inception. In 2018, for the 50th Anniversary, a traditional German style banner, known as a “Standarte” was made to be carried in processions, both at the Oktoberfest and elsewhere, to represent the Richmond Oktoberfest. This event is a sample of German Bavarian culture at its best. var futurestring=montharray[m-1]+" "+d+", "+yr var todayy=today.getYear() » Location: Richmond, Virginia » Duration: October 17 and 18, 2014 This is the 46th annual celebration of the Richmond Oktoberfest, and it is the largest one of this category held in the state of Virginia. Richmond Oktoberfest Toggle header content. In recognition of their work to promote German culture and foster good relations between the United States and Germany through their work with the Oktoberfest, the Federal Republic of Germany awarded Ed Lohmann, Fritz Schwenk, and Erich Albus the “Bundes Verdienst Kreuz” (“Federal Cross of Merit”), a high civilian honor. There was no date on the first stein nor did it say “1st Richmond Oktoberfest”, because no one knew at that time that the event would continue in future years. Karneval (also called “Fasching” in some parts of Germany, “Carneval” in Rio and in Florence, or “Mardi Gras” in New Orleans) has a long tradition. In 2013 the Show Place property was converted into a Roses store and the Oktoberfest was once again forced to look for a new home. Additional banners were made for the 25th and 35th Anniversaries of the Oktoberfest. Hirschjäger Bavarian Dancers. Don't have a babysitte function countdown(yr,m,d){ Ed had already become aware of the popularity of this festival among American GI’s when he was stationed in Bavaria (8 years prior to 1965), but the Army would not grant him leave to attend during those years of military service. The Presidents of the two clubs appoint the members of the Oktoberfest’s Board of Directors and the Oktoberfest continues to be actively supported by both German clubs and their members. (804)-451-4344 (804) 353-6455. As they were leaving, one of the Board members, Russ Boraas, convinced them to also look at the Old Dominion Building, which had been the State Fair’s cattle barn. September 26, 2020. The entire venue is decorated in German style, so as to create an appropriate ambiance for the German party. Vendor Booths open from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Historic Depot District Oktoberfest Celebration! Other events are the Sommernachtsfest (Mid Summer Night Festival), the annual German Style Christmas Party, and other parties and picnics. E //enter the count down date using the format year/month/day You may be aware of the fact that the Richmond Oktoberfest is the largest and most authentic Fest of its kind in Virginia. Richmond Oktoberfest brings the spirit of Munich to the heart of Virginia with proceeds benefiting... Jump to countdown(2019,10,4). Sep 24, 2016 - The 50th Annual Richmond Oktoberfest. A large brick structure on the Register of Historic Landmarks, it had sloping ceilings on four sides, surrounding an elevated roof in the center, which was over a 63 by 100 foot cattle judging area. The Richmond Oktoberfest has not gone unnoticed in Germany. document.write(current) We regretfully announce that the 16th Annual St. Benedict Oktoberfest must be canceled due to reasons associated with COVID-19. 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