Willkommen Oktoberfest To Soulard

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Bust out your lederhosen and massive, glass beer mugs - this weekend is the Soulard Oktoberfest celebration. The annual festival started in 2004 is back and according to Helga Thalheimer of Sixth Start Travel it has been getting "bigger and more successful every year." She says many people are coming in from out of town and many St. Louisans are planning to enjoy a "staycation" in the Soulard neighborhood this weekend to enjoy traditional German music, food, and drinks. The festival is taking over two city blocks centered on Eighth Street this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Many people know Soulard best for a certain large, debaucherous French party, but with the proximity to the breweries the neighborhood boomed with German immigrants during the 1840's. Many of people who immigrated to the Soulard neighborhood were employed by on of the eight large breweries that thrived there, possibly the best know of which were the AB and Lemp operations. In fact, before World War II, many streets in south St. Louis City carried traditinal German names. While once a year Mardi Gras reminds us of Soulard's French influence, Oktoberfest celebrates the German community that also played a large role in shaping the neighborhood.

This year's celebration boasts three bands that have come all the way from the Rhineland to our little village to perform. If you are headed to the festival you will see, "a lot of fans of the band CHIKERIA; it has a big following," according to Thalheimer, who made arrangements for the performers and many fans who are coming in town for the festival. There will be music in the tents all day during the three day run, but the highlighted performances are:

• CHIKERIA will be playing in the Hofbrau - Autohaus tent Friday at 7:30pm, Saturday at 8:30pm , and Sunday at noon.
• The Anheuser-Busch Platz tent will host two-time Grammy winners Brave Combo Friday and Saturday evening at 8:30pm.
• The Obenheimer Express is technically across the Rhine River from Germany, but they have an old-world German heart. They will be playing what you typically think if when as German music in the Spaten tent Friday at 8:30pm, Saturday at 8pm, and Sunday at 2pm

Aside from the music you can be assured there will be lots of bier in those tents. The festival grounds will also host an Art Market all weekend as well as a "Kids Karneval" area with those cool, inflatable bouncy things. Daily events will include performances and contests throughout the weekend. Event picks for each day of the festival are:

• Roller derby featuring The Arch Rival Roller Girls Friday at 6pm
• Miss Oktoberfest Pageant Saturday at 2pm
• The BMW Club Car Show Sunday at 12pm

The festival starts Friday at 5pm, Saturday at 11am, and Sunday at 11am. Admission to the event is free and it all takes place between Carroll and Lafayette Streets in the Soulard neighborhood. Haben Sie Spaß!