CULLMAN, Ala. – The City of Cullman, Cullman Parks, Recreation and Sports Tourism and the Cullman Oktoberfest Committee kicked off an abbreviated Oktoberfest celebration Friday evening at Depot Park. Although shortened in length, the event seemed to suffer no shortage of people as crowds filled Depot Park.
After music from Wolfgang Moritz and Polkawagen, 2019 Burgermeister Steve Moore turned the keys to the burg over to 2020 Burgermeister Steve Sides.
Sides has been fulfilling Burgermeister duties all week long, making visits to local businesses and other stops, and told the crowd, “I have had just the best time the past seven days, and with one to go. It’s been just a great privilege and an honor.”
After the official ribbon cutting, Sides turned the program over to former Burgermeister Nancy Moore, who introduced Miss Oktoberfest: three of them, in fact! With a smaller group of contestants this year due to commitments at area Friday night football games, organizers decided to forego the traditional cupcake eating and name Annelise Hyche (Cold Springs), Charli Overton (Good Hope) and Ashley Mann (West Point) to share the title.
Burgermeister Sides led the crowd over to the beverage tent for a real keg tapping, performed by Goat Island Brewing’s new brewmaster Matthew Schumacher. After tapping, Schumacher handed the first stein to Sides for the official Prost! (the German version of “Cheers!”).
Through the evening, The Overtones and Pine Hill Haints provided live music while folks took carriage rides, hit the food and beverage vendors, visited the cornhole tournament over at the Festhalle, took part in the walking tour with Michael Sullins and Julie Burks, or just relaxed in the park.
Oktoberfest continues today:
Saturday events:
- 7 a.m.-2 p.m. farmer’s market (Festhalle)
- 8 a.m. craft show begins (Cullman County Museum parking lot)
- 9 a.m. sidewalk chalk contest (Cullman City Hall sidewalk)
- 9:30 a.m. Oktofurfest: wiener dog race registration
- 10 a.m. Wallace State Singers & Jazz Band (main stage)
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m. carriage rides
- 10 a.m.-10 p.m. biergarten and food vendors open; pumpkin patch
- 10 a.m.-4 p.m. kids’ activities (Kids’ Area)
- 10-11:30 slime and tissue paper craft
- 10:30 pickle eating contest
- 10:30 paper airplane contest
- noon-1:30 birdhouses and painting craft
- 2-4 tie dye mask and rock painting
- 11 a.m. Wolfgang Moritz (gazebo)
- 11 a.m.-1p.m. Oktofurfest
- 11-12 wiener dog races
- 12-12:30 costume contest
- 12:30-1 pet parade
- Noon- Brat eating contest
- 12:30-2 p.m. Oompah-Calypse (main stage)
- 1 p.m. cruise in (German cars)
- 2 p.m. cruise in (non-German cars)
- 2:30-6:30 p.m. Polkawagen (main stage)
- 3 p.m. Sacred Heart raffle drawing
- 4-7 p.m. St. Paul’s Lutheran School Cornhole Tournament (Goat Island Brewing)
- 7 p.m. Round 2 (main stage)
- 8:30 p.m. Avenue G Band (main stage)
- 9:30 p.m. raffle giveaway winner
- 9:30-10 p.m. stein hoisting/best costume contests
- 10 p.m. Blind the Sky (main stage)
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