Kitchener–Waterloo Oktoberfest facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kitchener–Waterloo Oktoberfest |
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Elizabeth Witmer MPP taps keg to open Oktoberfest (October 11, 1996)
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| Frequency | Annually, surrounding Canadian Thanksgiving |
| Location(s) | Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario |
| Country | Canada |
| Years active | 55 |
| Inaugurated | October 14, 1969 |
| Attendance | 700,000 |
Kitchener–Waterloo Oktoberfest is an annual nine-day festival in the twin cities of Kitchener–Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Based on the original German Oktoberfest, it is billed as Canada's Greatest Bavarian Festival, and is the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world. It is held every October, starting on the Friday before Canadian Thanksgiving and running until the Saturday after. Estimates indicate that the event attracts roughly 700,000 visitors to Waterloo Region, Ontario every year.
While its best-known draws are the beer-based celebrations, other cultural and entertainment attractions also fill the week. The most well known is the parade held on Thanksgiving Day; as the only major parade on Canadian Thanksgiving, it is televised throughout Canada and portions of the northern United States on CTV. During the 2016 Oktoberfest parade, an estimated 150,000 people lined the streets along the route.
The twin cities and the surrounding areas of Waterloo Region have a long history of German roots; Kitchener was formerly named Berlin. Many of the Canadians of German ethnicity reside in or near these municipalities. Many still speak German as well. A common phrase at the celebrations is Gemütlichkeit, German for congeniality, or warm friendliness. This word is even programmed into the bus route displays, so during Oktoberfest it will show the route and Gemütlichkeit, or Willkommen.
The festival's mascot is Onkel Hans, a rotund man in Bavarian dress with a thick moustache, lederhosen, and a traditional felt hat with tassel. His graphical image shows him holding a beer stein in one hand, and a sausage (in a roll) in the other. A lesser-known icon is his counterpart Tante Frieda, a similarly stout woman wearing a dirndl.
Another icon of the festival is Miss Oktoberfest. This position was formerly selected in a televised beauty pageant, the applicant coming from across Waterloo Region. The position is now selected by a closed committee of judges from a panel of local applicants; community involvement and personal character form the main criteria under the new system.
Contents
History
The first Oktoberfest event took place in 1967 with events held from October 11 to 14th. Festivities took place at the Concordia Club in Kitchener and drew a crowd of 2,000 people.
Many celebrations in the festival take place in festhallen; these venues serve beer and traditional foods, and host traditional dancing and music, particularly polkas.
Events
Nightly ticketed events take place at festhalls across the region based on the traditional concept of Oktoberfest. Throughout the week the following single events take place and have become an important part of the overall festival.
Opening ceremonies
These include an official keg-tapping to start the festival; at Wilkommen Platz, downtown Kitchener (before 2019 at Kitchener City Hall) (Friday)
Pancake breakfast
Free breakfast for all comers, in Uptown Waterloo (Saturday)
Barrel Race
Keg-rolling race in Uptown (Saturday)
Oktoberfest 5K Fun Run
A family oriented Turkey Trot down the parade route right before the Thanksgiving Day parade. (Monday)
Oktoberfest Parade
Including bands, traditional dancers, floats and revelry, down King Street in both cities; broadcast nationally by CTV (Thanksgiving Monday) and local radio coverage is provided by CKGL.
During the 2016 Oktoberfest parade, an estimated 150,000 people lined the streets along the route.
Miss Oktoberfest
The Miss Oktoberfest Pageant started in 1969 and was held at the German Club in Kitchener. In 1970, the format was changed, and the winner of Miss Oktoberfest would then compete for Miss Canada. In 1971, the winner of Miss Oktoberfest Donna Sawicky, went on to win Miss Canada.
Festhall Single Night Events
- University Nights – a night for local University students run by the local Sigma Chi fraternities. Buses run all night from University Avenue in Waterloo to the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium, where the event takes place. Traditionally, Wilfrid Laurier University's night is on Thursday and University of Waterloo's is on the Friday of the second weekend, however both nights attract students from both schools, as well as other nearby colleges.
- Rocktoberfest – major concert featuring rock acts, as well as more traditional music; Queensmount Arena (Altes Muenchen Haus), Kitchener (Sunday)
