The Oktoberfest keg has been tapped
The sounds, sights and smells of Oktoberfest were spread across downtown Kitchener Friday morning as the official Oktoberfest keg tapping was underway.
On Friday at noon, the official keg tapping for this year’s 54th annual Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest was held as crowds were welcomed back.
“The 54th celebration of Oktoberfest in Kitchener-Waterloo is here and we’re so excited to be bringing the spirit of Gemütlichkeit back to the community,” said Allan Cayenne, president of Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest in a media release. “There are so many new ways to experience the festival this year, it’s going to be great to see the community back together again!”
K-W Oktoberfest officials say this day has been a long time coming and are happy to have locals and visitors gather and watch the beer flow.
Kitchener resident Gordon Thomas said he feels excited to be back at Oktoberfest again after so long.
Another Kitchener resident, Bridget Lewis said: “we have such a rich German heritage here in Kitchener that we should be out celebrating whether you’re German or not.”
Hundreds of locals and visitors from all over were in Kitchener to participate in the festivities.
Downtown Kitchener was filled with not only familiar sights of Oktoberfest.
“It lifts my heart when I hear Oktoberfest and when I hear that music when they’re singing, it’s delightful,” said Cecilia Piller, Kitchener resident.
CTV News spoke to a couple who travelled from Missouri who drove 14 hours for the festivities and said they’re happy to be back and celebrating Oktoberfest like they did years before.
“Wander around and see the people and enjoy the crowd and event, looking forward to the keg tap and the music and the dancing and just a really fun event,” said Ray and Marilyn Heidbrink, from Missouri.
Others travelled for a taste of Bavarian food.
“I got an Oktoberfest sausage with sauerkraut and it tastes wonderful, it’s great,” said Waterloo region resident Bridget Lewis.
The celebrations didn’t stop there, the Schwaben Club hosted an Oktoberfest buffet and then will open up the hall and their Biergarten for more festivities.
“Our band will be here after that, the bars are fully flowing and people are dancing and having a good time,” said Tracey Hanke, vice-president of the Schwaben Club in Kitchener.
Though they recently downsized from their Kitchener location to Breslau, they said their celebrations would be just as significant.
“It is nice to be back in person to see people to dance, to enjoy the camaraderie with everyone,” said Hanke.
Another Oktoberfest tradition, the Thanksgiving parade is set for Oct. 10 beginning at 8 a.m.
CTV Kitchener will air the parade at noon.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
NEW 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire': A crowd pleaser that turns it up to 11
Hot on the heels of last year's 'Godzilla Minus One' comes 'Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,' the first ever Academy Award winner in the giant reptile's decades-long film career.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.