Photo: Small businesswoman Glenda Jones
CULLMAN – Author of “Saving Capitalism,” co-creator of the film “Inequality for All,” and former United States Sec. of Labor (1993 to 1997) Robert B. Reich notes that consumers are the true job creators. This rings true for many local small businesses that participated in Oktoberfest this year, many of whom are sole proprietorships that only have one or a few employees; however, it is businesses like those that make up the backbone of the Cullman economy.
The majority of the vendors who participated in this year’s Oktoberfest were from Cullman or Cullman County, but there were a few vendors from the rest of the state including Steel City Pops, which is located in Birmingham.
Another such vendor was Glenda Jones from Eufaula; although Jones is not from the Cullman area, she understands the importance of buying locally and supporting small businesses across the state. “It is important because your town relies on the taxes, it helps local people find jobs and having us here also helps,” said Jones, who also mentioned that local businesses help the local community. “I help churches and libraries with some of the proceeds,” she said, “and I want to install the love of reading in kids.” On another note, Jones says Cullman is a nice place and says she loved the people with which she interacted during the festival.
Tonya Mitchell, of Hanceville, was at Oktoberfest selling hand-made jewelry and dream-catchers, just as she has for the last five years. She echoed Jones, stating, “Shopping locally brings more money into the communities. The more people that you have shopping at smaller businesses helps everybody.” And besides the economics, Mitchell says that local businesses have handmade, quality goods that you may not be able to find anywhere else.
For more information about Robert Reich and “Inequality for All,” see http://inequalityforall.com/.
A brief history of Oktoberfest
Samantha Vest
Every year, during the first week of October, Cullman hosts Oktoberfest. It is one week of German- themed music, food, and crafts, and is meant to be a celebration of Cullman’s German heritage.
The city of Cullman, as most people know, was founded by German immigrant Col. Johann G. Cullmann in the 1870s. The city began attracting a large number of German immigrants after its founding and is still known today for its German roots.
So it’s no surprise that Cullman would celebrate Oktoberfest. But where did this festival come from, and how did it get started?
Of course, Oktoberfest did not begin in Cullman, nor even in the United States. The festival got its start in October 1810 in Munich, Germany when Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married, and the inhabitants of Munich were invited to attend the wedding celebrations and the accompanying horse races.
It was decided to hold the horse races again the following year, and the races eventually became a recurring event. However, it did not take long for the horse race to turn into an actual festival, complete with a carnival, jewelry booths, a parade, dancing, beer and music. The annual October festival- hence the name ‘Oktoberfest,’ though the festival would eventually be moved to September, with only the final two-three days in October- became quite popular and was considered an important event in Germany.
Oktoberfest’s popularity began spreading to other countries, due in part to the large number of German immigrants living in various countries around the world. By the mid-1900s, Oktoberfest celebrations were being held worldwide, including in the United States.
Cullman began holding Oktoberfest in 1977, and the festival has been held every year since.
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