The Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest festivities are set to begin in earnest on Friday with the traditional keg-tapping ceremony. While the festival has already hosted events over the past two weekends, the keg tapping marks the official commencement. This year, musician Steven Page and Oktoberfest board president Chef D had the honor of tapping the keg.
During the ceremony, Walter Ostanek, known as the Polka King, was awarded a King Charles Coronation Medal for his remarkable contributions to music and the Kitchener-Waterloo community. Ostanek, a renowned Grammy Award-winning musician with over 50 albums, was recognized for his outstanding achievements.
The official beer keg tapping ceremony commenced in downtown Kitchener, marking the start of the KW Oktoberfest celebrations. A large crowd gathered to witness the ceremonial keg tapping at what is believed to be the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Germany.
Tracy Van Kalsbeek, the executive director of K-W Oktoberfest, highlighted the vibrant atmosphere in downtown Kitchener this weekend, with various events taking place, such as a beer garden, FARMtoberfest, DOGtoberfest on Gaukel Block, KIDtoberfest inside city hall, and numerous vendors along King Street.
Van Kalsbeek encouraged attendees to explore the offerings at the Wilkommen Platz, emphasizing that all activities downtown are free and serve as an excellent starting point for festival exploration.
The weekend will feature live music performances, including Walter Ostanek on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, the Steven Page Trio on Friday night, The Watchmen on Saturday, and Jessie T and friends on Sunday evening.
The grand parade is scheduled for Monday, beginning at 9:30 a.m. in downtown Kitchener and proceeding along Weber Street to Waterloo. Michael “Pinball” Clemons, a Canadian football icon and the current general manager of the Toronto Argonauts, will lead the parade as the official grand parade marshal.
K-W Oktoberfest stands as the largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Munich, Germany.
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