CULLMAN, Ala. – After more than 35 years, Cullman’s Oktoberfest is still going strong. This year’s event, which officially kicks off tonight, promises to be huge, with entertainment like Taylor Hicks, more than 65 vendors signed up for the arts and craft show and a host of activities throughout the week. Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism (CPRST), which took charge of the event this year, expects attendance to be the highest yet.
CPRST Recreational Development Director Christy Turner told The Tribune, “This is a transition year for Cullman Parks, Recreation & Sports Tourism to be in the lead for Oktoberfest. It has been a great experience and has been wonderful to work with the members of the Oktoberfest Board. We are excited to see what the future holds for this event and our community! We are looking forward to seeing everyone out at Oktoberfest!”
Daily activities
- School tours starting at the Cullman County Museum, by pre-registration only, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays
- Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild quilt show at the Cullman County Museum, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Events
Events are at the Festhalle unless otherwise note
Wednesday, Oct. 2
- 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wolfgang Moritz at the Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-2 p.m. School Tours at Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild Display at Cullman County Museum
- 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Freddie Day Catering
- 5 p.m. Busy Bee Café German Menu
- 5-7 p.m. Sacred Heart German Dinner
- 5-10 p.m. Carriage Rides
- 5-10 p.m. Cullman Oktoberfest Biergarten
- 6-7 p.m. Opening Ceremonies and Miss Oktoberfest
- 6-10 p.m. Children’s Activities at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 7 p.m. Paper Airplane Contest at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 7-10 p.m. Terry Cavanagh & the Alpine Express
- 7:30 p.m. Pickle Eating Contest (Ages 14 & Under)
- 8 p.m. Best German Costume Contest & Longest Beard and Braid Contests
- 9 p.m. Stein Hoisting Contest
Thursday, Oct. 3
- 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Farmers Market
- 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wolfgang Moritz at the Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-2 p.m. School Tours at the Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild Display at Cullman County Museum
- 10-11:30 a.m. Terry Cavanagh & the Alpine Express
- 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Senior Day, featuring lunch, bingo and live entertainment. For more information, call Stephanie Neal at 256-734-4803.
- 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Freddie Day Catering
- 5 p.m. Busy Bee Café German Menu
- 5-10 p.m. Carriage Rides
- 5-10 p.m. Cullman Oktoberfest Biergarten
- 6-6:45 p.m. Cullman Community Band
- 6-10 p.m. Children’s Activities at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 7 p.m. Paper Airplane Contest at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 7 p.m. Candlelight Walking Tour (Beginning at the Cullman Depot)
- 7-10 p.m. Terry Cavanagh & the Alpine Express
- 7:30 p.m. Pickle Eating Contest (Ages 14 & Under)
- 8 p.m. Best German Costume Contest & Longest Beard and Braid Contests
- 9 p.m. Stein Hoisting Contest
Friday, Oct. 4
- 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Wolfgang Moritz at the Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-2 p.m. School Tours at the Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild Display at Cullman County Museum
- 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Arts & Crafts Show at Depot Park
- 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Freddie Day Catering
- 3:30 p.m.-midnight (overnight) Cullman Oktoberfest Biergarten
- 4-10 p.m. Children’s Activities at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 5 p.m. Busy Bee Café German Menu
- 5-5:30 p.m. Storytelling at Loretta’s Bookstore
- 5-7 p.m. Wine Tasting at the Biergarten
- 5-7 p.m. Christ Lutheran Oktoberfest Dinner- Sample Augusta’s German Heritage at Christ Lutheran Church. Advance tickets are available.
- 5-7 p.m. Avenue G
- 5-10 p.m. Cullman Oktoberfest Classic Car Show
- 7 p.m. Paper Airplane Contest at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 7-9 p.m. The Overtones
- 7:30 p.m. Pickle Eating Contest (Ages 14 & Under)
- 8 p.m. Best German Costume Contest & Longest Beard and Braid Contests
- 9 p.m. Stein Hoisting Contest
- 9 p.m.-midnight (overnight) My One & Only
Saturday, Oct. 5
- 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Farmers Market
- 8 a.m. Oktoberfest 5K & 10K Run
- 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Arts & Crafts Show at Depot Park
- 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Children’s Activities at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 8:30-9 a.m. East & West Elementary Singers
- 9 a.m. K9s-4-A-Kause at Depot Park- at Depot Park: 9-10 a.m. – Registration ($10 to enter race or contest) and free trick training session 9-10 a.m., contests with awards for prettiest, best trick, best costume, most handsome, worst hair day, best vocal and celebrity look-a-like 10-11 a.m., races for all dogs 11-11:30 a.m., Wiener dog racing for all dachshunds 11:30 a.m.
- 9-10 a.m. Cullman Middle & Cullman High School Singers
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Nimble Thimble Quilt Guild Display at Cullman County Museum
- 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Oktoberfest Junior Sidewalk Art Show
- 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Carriage Rides
- 10-11 a.m. Wallace State Singers
- 10 a.m.-11:59 p.m. Cullman Oktoberfest Biergarten
- 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Bingo at Sacred Heart Church (Concessions Sold)
- 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Freddie Day Catering
- 11 a.m.-noon Wallace State Jazz Band
- Noon Lions Club Bed Races at Depot Park
- 12:30 p.m. Bratwurst Eating Contest
- 2 p.m. Round 2
- 2:45 p.m. Paper Airplane Finals at the Cullman County Museum Parking Lot
- 4 p.m. Lori Rayne
- 4-7 p.m. Corn Hole Tournament at Goat Island Brewing Sponsored by St. Paul’s Lutheran Church & School
- 5 p.m. Busy Bee Café German Menu
- 5-7 p.m. Wine Tasting at the Biergarten
- 5:30 p.m. Blind the Sky
- 7 p.m. Pine Hill Haints
- 8 p.m. Best German Costume Contest & Longest Beard and Braid Contests
- 9 p.m. Taylor Hicks Unplugged
- 10 p.m. Stein Hoisting Contest
- 10:30 p.m. Winston Ramble
Event registrations
Some contests require or recommend pre-registrations, including:
- St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and School Cornhole tournament at Goat Island Brewing:
- Amateur registration $30 per team
- Professional registration $50 per team
- Visit www.stpaulscullman.com and www.alabamacornhole.com/events
- Oktoberfest 5K and 10K runs:
- Registration available at the Festhalle starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday
- Pre-register online at www.itsyourrace.com
- Cullman Community Lions Club Bed Races:
- Pre-register online at www.cullmancommunitylions.com
Burgermeister
Steve Moore is the 2019 Burgermeister. An Arkadelphia native and 1979 graduate of Hanceville High School, he is an operations manager at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center, and has worked for the company for 36 years. When not at work, he manages his own cattle and hay farm just outside Cullman, which provides the hay rolls for Cullman’s giant hay people.
Steve Moore and his wife Nancy Clemmons Moore took charge of the hay people after her parents, Phillip and Pat Clemmons, passed away in 2008.
Moore is a member and former chairman of the board of the United Way of Cullman County and has served on the Cullman City Schools Foundation Board. He and his wife have four children: Brittany, Nash, Caitlin and Hunter. They also have four grandsons: Kaden, Spencer, Liam and Cohen.
Official beers: Sam Adams Oktoberfest and Goat Island Colonel’s Fest Bier
Local brewery Goat Island returns to Oktoberfest with its award-winning Colonel’s Fest Bier, about which it says:
This Bavarian style March beer got a bronze medal in the 2017 Alabama Craft Beer Competition. It is copper to gold, very malty and full of flavor. Ample helpings of Munich malt give it its distinctive toasted malt background. The rest of the malt bill is designed to give it that wonderful body and a hint of sweetness. Did we mention that it is a malty beer? It’s very malty! The hop profile is very mild to, you guessed it, allow the malts to shine through. Fermenting with a German lager yeast strain leaves this beer with a clean drinkable taste. Enjoy!
German Food
As always, Cullman will cook up some of its finest German recipes and serve them at places like:
- Busy Bee Cafe
- Dreher’s
- Freddie Day (at the Festhalle)
- Rumors Deli
St. John’s held an Oktoberfest dinner Monday evening, and two other local churches will also hold dinners:
- Sacred Heart of Jesus Church – Wednesday, Oct. 2, 5-7 p.m.
- Christ Lutheran Church – Friday, Oct. 4, 5-7 p.m.
Music
Oktoberfest will include the standard can’t-miss musical highlights like Wolfgang Moritz and Terry Cavanaugh and the Alpine Express, but the event will also feature a wide variety of entertainment including:
- Taylor Hicks, Saturday, Oct. 5, 9 p.m.
- Winston Ramble, Saturday, Oct. 5, 10:30 p.m.
- Friday evening entertainment with Avenue G, The Overtones and My One and Only
- Saturday entertainment with Dr. Bill’s Mountain Music (at the museum), East and West Elementary School Singers, Cullman Middle and High School Singers, Wallace State Singers and Jazz Band, Round 2, Lori Rayne, Blind the Sky and Pine Hill Haints.
Wiesn Festzelt VIP experience
CPRST advertised:
We’re excited to announce the Wiesn Festzelt, the true Oktoberfest VIP experience!
Come celebrate the Cullman Oktoberfest in our first ever traditional VIP party tent, the Wiesn Festzelt!
Tickets are available for a one-day experience or a two-day experience on Friday, October 4 and Saturday, October 5, and access includes a limited edition Wiesn Festzelt shirt, a drink token, all you can eat hors d’oeuvres, entertainment, exclusive bathrooms, a private bar, and game day tvs!
For more information or to purchase a VIP ticket, call the Cullman Civic Center at (256) 734-9157 or email info@cullmanrecreation.org!
For more information of Cullman Oktoberfest 2019, visit www.facebook.com/cullmanoktoberfest/.
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