Oktoberfest Quad Cities at the Hauberg Civic Center -- October 22.
Saturday, October 22, noon – 8:30 p.m.
Hauberg Civic Center, 1300 24th Street, Rock Island IL
An outdoor celebration of German music, food, and culture will take place at Rock Island's Hauberg Civic Center on October 22, with Davenport's German American Heritage Center co-presenting the second-annual Oktoberfest Quad Cities, a day filled with games, children's activities, the crowning of the festival king and queen, and music from the German band Die Musikmeisters.
A lively band ensemble that performs traditional German instrumental and vocal songs largely in the Chicago area, Die Musikmeisters have also traveled throughout the Midwest and United States. The band’s repertoire includes German polkas, waltzes, marches, and dance music, as well as a variety of American favorites, and its musicians have over 500 songs in their repertoire. Die Musikmeisters play such favorites as "Edelweiss," "The Liechtensteiner Polka," "Du Du Liegst Mir Im Herzen," "Die Rauberbraut," "The Beer Barrel Polka," "The Happy Wanderer," "Auf Wiedersehn," "Ein Prosit," "In Munchen Steht Ein Hofbrauhaus," "The Schnitzelbank Polka," and "E-I-E-I-O Polka," and with the vocalists singing in German and English, the band has also been known to incorporate energetic Dixieland and a variety of other genres into their performances.
With the event co-sponsored by CoolBeanz Coffee House and Crawford Brew Works, Oktoberfest Quad Cities invites Hauberg Civic Center guests to celebrate the Quad Cities' German roots no matter what their heritage is. There will be kids activities offered starting at noon, with Oktoberfest Trivia taking place at 1:30 p.m. and various games such as the annual pretzel toss offered throughout the day. A ceremonial keg tapping will take place at 4 p.m., with food, beer, and souvenir mugs available for purchase throughout the festival and live music by Die Musikmeisters ongoing from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Attendees are also invited to wear their best Oktoberfest finery for a chance to be crowned King & Queen of Oktoberfest QC.
Held annually in Munich, Bavaria's Oktoberfest is traditionally a 16- to 18-day folk festival running from mid- or late-September to the first Sunday in October, with more than six million people from around the world attending the event every year. Locally, it is called d’Wiesn, after the colloquial name for the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese (“Therese’s green”). Oktoberfest is an important part of Bavarian culture, having been held annually since 1810. Other cities across the world, among them the Quad Cities, also hold Oktoberfest celebrations that are modeled after the original Munich celebration. During the Munich event, large quantities of Oktoberfest Beer are consumed; during the 16-day festival in 2013, it was reported that 7.7 million liters of beer were served. Visitors also enjoy numerous attractions such as amusement rides, sidestalls, and carnival games, and there is traditionally a wide variety of regional foods available.
The second-annual Oktoberfest Quad Cities will take place at the Hauberg Civic Center on October 22, admission will be free from noon to 4 p.m., and ticketed entry after 4 p.m. is $10 in advance and $15 at the door, with ages 12 and under free at all times. For more information and tickets, contact the German American Heritage Center at (563)322-8844 and GAHC.org.
