Ein Prosit der Gem%uFFFDtlichkeit
By 1978 the corn tent at Oktoberfest was hoppin.
The corn tent was a popular tent by 1970 when the old world and new world met for Oktoberfest in Forest Park.
German sausage and kraut was a hit at the Oktoberfest in 1967.
View of the parade and Madison St. in 1967.
This photo from the second annual Oktoberfest features the parade down Madison St.
The 1974 Forest Park Review featured this beer tent at the annual Oktoberfest.
With gratitude, the Oktoberfest committee chairs, Roberta Marunde (President of the Forest Park Damenchor) and Fred Marunde (President of the Maennerchor) wrote a letter featured on the front page of the Review on October 20, 1966, announcing the first Oktoberfest a “Giant Success.” With a storm threatening, the event was almost canceled and attendance was expected to be minimal.
But the “Beer Tent” was finally completely erected at 6:30 p.m., and Hannah Avenue and Madison Street (next to the bank) was transformed into a lively event. The crowds streamed in for bratwurst, huehnchen, sauerkraut, kartoffelsalat and revelry.
From that fateful night on, Forest Park would host an annual Oktoberfest, and the event grew and grew. It would eventually be a three-day event, and Forest Park would host a parade, carnival rides, food vendors, and a mini-marathon until the early 1990s.
In late 2014, Peter Herdeg and a group of volunteers with a vision brought the German Fest back to Forest Park, this time at the picnic area of the Grove near the Altenheim.
