History

BEER, BRATWURST AND GEMUETLICHKEIT!
The year was 1968. A secret was about to be revealed to all of Richmond and the surrounding area. The two main players that would eventually release this news were Mr. Edwin (Ed) Lohmann and Mr. Frederic (Fritz) Schwenk. These two gentlemen were attending a Gesangverein (Singing Society) party at the old Virginia Inn on North Chamberlayne Avenue when the came upon the idea that the people of Richmond should be let in on all of this Gemuetlichkeit (cozy homelike, snug informal, good natured) fun. So for several months thereafter they schemed together with some of their cohorts on how to get their idea accomplished. Soon, the plan was complete.

The plan, of course, was to show the people of Richmond all of this good natured fun. So in 1969, the first Oktoberfest of Richmond was held at the old Holiday Inn (The Abbey) on Robin Hood Road. Ed and Fritz secured the financing for this event from and through the Gesangverein Virginia and the Deutscher Sports Club Richmond (German-American Sports Club) which still co-sponsor the Oktoberfest of Richmond. The first Oktoberfest of Richmond exceeded all expectations with almost 500 people in attendance. Beer steins were given to all paying attendees and this tradition has continued each year, A note of interest is that no date was on the first stein because no one knew at that time if the event would continue. Now after 37 years, the Oktoberfest of Richmond has grown from the 500 people in 1969 to about 4500 people over two nights now. Fritz Schwenk had the banner made that was used at the 1969 Oktoberfest and the official beer was Richbrau. This first banner, still used today as the official Oktoberfest banner, was designed by another Gesangverein Virginia member Mr. Adolf Naujokat, who now lives in Hamburg Germany. Mr. Naujokat was also President of the Deutscher Sport Club for many years.

The Oktoberfest moved to the Arena in what is now the Diamond Complex on Hermitage Road in 1970. The Oktoberfest was held at the Arena for 10 years and because a two night event (Friday and Saturday) 1in 1975. Because of increasing popularity and attendance, the Oktoberfest was moved to the exhibition hall at the Virginia State Fairgrounds at Strawberry Hills in 1980. Again, in 1999 the Oktoberfest moved to the Showplace on Mechanicsville Turnpike because the Fairgrounds was in the process of being bought by the Richmond International Raceway and rental agreements could not be firmed up. The Oktoberfest did move back to the Exhibition Hall at Richmond International Raceway where it was held in 2005 for the 37th year. The Richmond Oktoberfest will celebrate its 38th year on October 27th and 28th back at the Showplace.

The Oktoberfest of Richmond has faithfully tried, over the these past 37 years, to provide authentic Bavarian food, drink, decorations, music, entertainment, atmosphere, and Gemuetlichkeit for everyone from babies in arms and up. This Oktoberfest has been patterned after the Oktoberfest which takes place in Munich in the state of Bavaria, Germany. The first Munich Oktoberfest began on the occasion of the royal marriage of Princess Theresa of Sachsen Anhalt and Crown Prince Ludwig I of Bavaria in the year 1810. Maybe the only big difference, other than the size, between Munich and Richmond is that music here is provided throughout the evenings for dancing to polkas, waltzes, and American standards. Entertainment should also be mentioned because not only does the Oktoberfest of Richmond hire excellent local and out of state musicians, it also hires a truly homegrown traditional Bavarian Folk Dance Group. This group, the S. G. T. E. V. Hischjaegers, has been performing at the Oktoberfest since 1973. This dance group was formed in 1972 in Frau Hurdelbrink's German class at J. R. Tucker High School. The Hirschjaegers received some of their early help and instruction from the Washingtonians, another Bavarian Folk Dance group from Washington D. C. It is nice to know that Ed and Fritz, who both have attended the Nunich Oktoberfest, are still around scheming with different cohorts now to always make next year's Oktoberfest of Richmond just a little better that the past year.

By "Buck" Britton