Proust! Rotary Palatine celebrates the season with Oktoberfest

The event runs Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from noon to midnight, and Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday is also Family Day with games, crafts and entertainment of interest to children.

Admission is free to this event which features authentic German music, food, drinks and activities for all ages.

“We will start the festival on Friday at 5 p.m.,” said Melissa Gardner, Rotary Palatine President. “One of our village officials will be officiating a barrel blessing and tapping ceremony, which will kick off our Oktoberfest event. Come celebrate in your leather gear and dirndls!”

Composting and recycling stations will be established to reduce landfill waste.

“Our club is concerned about the environment, and this event provides us with an opportunity to contribute to keeping the community clean in a fun, environmentally friendly way,” said Randy Klingner, Palatine Rotary Environmental Board President.

“Everyone knows that beer is a big component of any Oktoberfest celebration,” said Al Stoeckel, president of the brewing company. “There are a number of beers being poured this year. Krombacher Pils is an imported, full-flavored German pilsner. Another beer on our list, Half Acre Lager Town Oktoberfest, a Märzen-style beer brewed by Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago, is more The beer is popular among Austria’s beers. In addition, Half Acre brews a Hefeizen that is deeply rooted in the Bavarian tradition. We will also be offering two different wines, Merlot, Pinot Grigio and White Claw hard seltzer.

The event will also feature authentic German cuisine from vendors including Morkes Chocolates, Tap House Grill, Friends of the Rotary, Schnitzel Platz, Tre Amici Pizza, Kooker’s and Pizza Bella. Morkes will have a variety of caramel apples, spiced donuts and other desserts. Tap House Grill will serve pretzels with cheese, fried pork bites, barbecue pork chops and potato salad. Pop and water will be available for purchase from the Palatine Rotary Club.

Friends of Rotary will cook sausages and sausages. Schnitzel Platz will serve schnitzel sandwiches, a long frankfurter, pork shank with gravy and sauerkraut balls. Tre Amici will feature hot dogs, German pizza and a Reuben. Kooker’s will serve Thuringer and sausages, Leberkaese sandwich, Bavarian platter, salads and desserts. Pizza Bella offers ground beef and sausage sandwiches.

The musical entertainment will begin on Friday night with Die Musikmeisters from 5-8:30pm followed by The Polkaholics from 8:45pm-midnight. Saturday entertainment includes a Die Kellerknaben Trio show from 3:30-6pm followed by a Phenix show at 7pm-midnight. The Sunday lineup includes Die Musikmeisters on stage from noon to 3 p.m., followed by the Rhinemaidens and their Alphorn demonstration at 3 p.m. and then Phenix from 3:15 to 6 p.m.

Family Day games and activities will be Saturday from noon to 3:30 p.m. with face painting, balloon art, fire department displays, raffle prizes for kids, and building a birdhouse from Home Depot. On stage will be musical performances beginning at noon with Palatine and Schaumburg schools as well as Hoffman Estates high schools. The Bonnie Lindholm School of Dance will entertain you with dance performances. At approximately 12:30 p.m., the winners of Scarecrows on Parade, a scarecrow decorating contest sponsored by the Village of Palatine, will be announced.

This year, Family Day will include an Oktoberfest Family Bike Ride sponsored by the Bike Palatine Club on Sunday morning in Towne Square at the corner of Smith and Slade Streets. Riders are asked to meet at 10:30 a.m. and the ride will begin at 11 a.m. Visit Bikepalatin.com for more information.

“We will be selling raffle tickets for a chance to win one of our wine, liquor or merchandising baskets as well as other great prizes,” Gardner said. “We also have wheelbarrows full of beer and a barbecue. Tickets are $5 each or $20 for five tickets. We will be drawing Sunday afternoon at 4pm and winners do not need to be present.”

You can view the full schedule of events and learn more about the Palatine Rotary Club at palatinerotary.org, on Facebook or email oktoberfest@palatinerotary.org. Money raised at Oktoberfest helps support charities and community projects. Rotary’s motto is service above self – in the community and around the world. The Palatine Rotary Club meets every Tuesday at 7:15 a.m. at the Grand at Twin Lakes on Northwest Highway in Palatine. Email info@palatinerotary.org for details.

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