Local residents enjoyed the 2017 Cullman Oktoberfest Cowbell Chorus on Senior Day at Oktoberfest Thursday. / Nick Griffin
CULLMAN – Oktoberfest is in full swing, and hundreds of senior citizens came out to enjoy the annual Senior Day festivities Thursday at the Festhalle. Festivalgoers enjoyed live entertainment from Terry Cavanagh & Alpine Express, followed by a Senior Day lunch catered by Freddie Day Catering and finally the always-popular bingo competition.
Seniors and their families that came out for this year's celebration to take advantage of the time set aside especially for them. Some of the guests even became part of the entertainment, joining the live music as the "2017 Cullman Oktoberfest Cowbell Chorus." Seven guests were invited to join Terry Cavanagh & Alpine Express at the front of the tent to add their touch to the German style of music.
Director of the Cullman County Commission on Aging, Dusty Baker, said he thinks the event provides a lot of value for the participants and the community and he has seen it grow year after year.
"It's great to have a special day for them to celebrate each other and to give the community a chance to come out and celebrate them because of all they've done to make this community what it is," Baker said. "It also attracts people from all over the place outside the county and in Birmingham; that helps to keep this event growing every year."
This year's Senior Day festivities also included help from the coordinator of the Donald E. Green Senior Center, Stephanie Neal. Neal was excited about the entertainment and food provided for this year's event.
"We have entertainment that will be provided by Terry Cavanagh, free hot dog lunches for the seniors, which is anyone 50 years old or older, first come first serve and we'll have bingo starting at noon with prizes. I also really want to thank our sponsors this year who helped us do this: Drinkard Development, The Elks Lodge, Cullman Savings Bank, Wal-Mart Transportation, Cullman Coca-Cola and Kindred Hospice."
Neal continued, "We really think it's great to have some time dedicated to the seniors so they can come out and enjoy fun and fellowship with one another as well as the Oktoberfest celebration. We like to offer it during the day like this because some seniors don’t drive at night so it gives even more of them a chance to come out and enjoy time with one another and the rest of the community."
Senior Day festivities wrapped up at 2 p.m.and led directly into an evening full of events for the community to come out and enjoy. The festivities will continue through the weekend with three more days packed with events until this year's Oktoberfest concludes on Sunday evening.
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