Visit the Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest

The countdown starts around June. My husband rummages though our closet and then finds his Oktoberfest hat. He dusts off the green felt, makes dure that his pins and feathers are in place, and then proceeds to drive me up the wall talking about the upcoming festival. He'll begin with discussing the International Beer Tent and all the specialty imports he'll get to try there and then he'll go on about the food, the rides, the Oompah Band, the food again, and the dancers and revelers en masse. It's harmless really and I'm glad that he gets excited. He's not a drop of German, but we've made him an honorary one because he's embraced the culture so well.

My only teensy, weensy complaint about my hubby's overwhelming enthusiasm for this most festive of occasions that is a yearly tradition for our family - it's not until September. I have to breathe, hear and anticipate Oktoberfest for three and a half months before we ever get in the car to drive the hour or so to Newark from New Jersey. Now please don't think I lack my husband's enthusiasm for this event - I've been attending most of my life, first with my parents and their friends in the 80's, now with my own family, but I prefer quiet, QUIET, anticipation - alas, my dearest hubby "waits" another way. C'est la vie.

On the day of the festival, we hop in the car and head down to Delaware. As we approach Salem Church Road off of Route279, Ryan (a.k.a. the overenthusiastic adopted German) asks me (as he does every year) "how will I know when to turn?" "Look for the crowds of people on the left," I say year after year, "and then you'll know." I think his repetition of this question is all part of his "build-up" to the festivities, but it could just be a man-thing.

So we finally arrive at the fairgrounds behind the Delaware Saengerbund Association, after choosing a parking spot in the dozens offered along the road by homeowners, churches, businesses and the like and make our way to the front gates amidst other fairgoers many with strollers and carriages. The kids have a great day to look forward to - anyone under the age of 2 is free and the carnival rides come with the price of athe $6.00 admission. His impatience finally sated, Ryan allows himself to enjoy the day and I know I'm free of the preview for at least another six months, a fact that makes me VERY happy!

The sounds of the bands flows over us as we're caught up in the upbeat mood of the day. Passing the International Beer Tent where revelers stand at tables sampling the exotic flavors of the day, you get a glimpse of the Sponsor Tent, where you ca pick up an oversized, filled beer stein you can refill throughout the day and bring back in years to come.

Then we see it - the Festhaus Tent, housing as many as 1500 people at a time, a large stage where dancers twirl and jump to the lively polka music, people stand in line waiting to sample the traditional German carnival food from sauerkraut to bratwurst to strudel. Everyone is tapping their feet to the music or talking gaily with someone near them. We look at each other, smile and get in line to buy tickets that we can use to pay for our food and drink throughout the night. Once we've eaten, our son is bouncing and pulling on our hands to get out to the carnival itself, rides that are free to all fair-goers and a few dozen games to play. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy fill the air and the night flows on.

By the end of the evening, several towers of the plastic beer cups are piled high on tables, a competition that has gone on for decades among celebrators. It's good- natured fun and the pictures of the towers make for great souvenirs the next day and justifications of the possible hangovers!

So next September, find your way to the Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest in Newark by going to the associations website at http://www.delawaresaengerbund.org/DSBBackgroundInformationV3.shtml. Here you can get directions to the festival as well as learning about the group and it's yearly activities and events. Take a look at some of the past years Oktoberfest pictures to get an idea of what the fairgrounds look like and what you can expect!

If Newark is a little far to go for a day-trip, there are several inexpensive motels and hotels in the area where you can room within a mile or two of Salem Church Road. Make it a weekend event for you and your family and we'll see you next year! Prosit!