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German Food, Live Music & Family Fun Highlight In-person & Virtual Programming
Note: Attached are images of Schützengiggles and Polkadelphia.
BETHLEHEM, PA–Oom-pahs, bratwurst, dachshunds and the legendary Hasselhoff-off highlight the 10th Oktoberfest presented by Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) Sept. 26-27. This year’s event will feature in-person programming at SteelStacks as well as virtual programming, offering Oktober-festivities for all.
Highlighting the 2020 Oktoberfest are “Outdoor Dining with a Show” experiences Sept. 26-27 on the Air Products Town Square at SteelStacks where guests can listen to German-style music while enjoying a menu that features offerings like a loaded potato pancake covered in corned beef brisket, fried sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and Rueben-style dressing, and Schweinshaxe (roasted pork shank) served over browned butter spaetzle and cabbage. Guests can finish it all off with apple strudel from Mattie’s Strudel Haus and ice cream from the Bethlehem Dairy Store.
Seating on the Town Square is by reservation only with tables good for up to four people in the same party. Two seating sessions – 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. – will be offered both days. Table reservation price is $10 and ArtsQuest Members can make reservations starting tomorrow, 10 a.m., while the public can make reservations starting Sept. 11, 10 a.m., at www.steelstacks.org/
On Sept. 26, the Schützengiggles Oompah Band will perform on the Town Square’s Highmark Blue Shield Community Stage. This traditional German brass oompah band performs everything from standard German Oktoberfest tunes to pop covers that everyone knows.
The popular Polkadelphia takes the Town Square’s Highmark Blue Shield Community Stage Sept. 27. Whether rocking out at the local biergarten or strolling through the bustling tents at an Oktoberfest, this band always brings the ‘haus’ down.
Oktoberfest fans looking to pick up their bratwurst, strudel and other Oktoberfest favorites to take home can do so by visiting the four food vendors taking part in the “Oktoberfest To-Go” Food Service and Biergarten on PNC Plaza at SteelStacks. Featured vendors are Karl Ehmer, Heaven on a Bun, Waffle de Lys and Heidi’s Strudel & Island Expressions. Beverages including Yuengling Oktoberfest, Hofbräu and more will be available for guests to purchase to enjoy with their food if they opt to sit in the Biergarten.
“Having proudly sponsored Oktoberfest in recent years, your neighborhood airport was committed to ensuring its successful takeoff in 2020. Whether with food, music or cultural entertainment, everyone needs an escape from present challenges, and this amazing event certainly provides that energy-driven destination for in-person or virtual attendance,” says Lehigh Valley International Airport Executive Director Thomas R. Stoudt.
Other Oktoberfest highlights include:
Dragtoberfest – Sept. 26, 8:30 p.m. (in-person)
Tickets: $12/$10 students & seniors/$9.50 ArtsQuest Members
The Lehigh Valley’s favorite drag queens are back for some fierce and socially-distanced performances at the base of the blast furnaces. Join Elektra Fearce St. James, Georgia Versace Couture and Clan Ann (Sharron Ann Husbands and Carol Ann Carol Ann) – who many of you might recognize as our Golden Girls Drag Show actors – for a night of great fun and faces. Tickets will be available starting Sept. 10 at www.steelstacks.org/
Virtual Hasselhoff-off – Sept. 24, 8 p.m. (live via Zoom & Facebook Live)
No pandemic can dampen Germany’s love for the greatest performer of all history, David Hasselhoff. We return for year five of finding the best Hoff in the land complete with the slow-motion virtual beach run!
Virtual Weiner Dog Parade
Everyone love the dachshunds at Oktoberfest. This year, these loveable dogs will strut their stuff in our virtual parade. Proud owners are encouraged to dress them up in their favorite costumes and create home videos, which they then submit to our Oktoberfest judging panel. The judges will review all the submissions and announce the ‘King and Queen’ via Zoom and Facebook live Sept. 27, 2 p.m. Registration opens Sept. 10 at www.steelstacks.org/
Oktoberfest Steinholding Competition (virtual & in-person; finals Sept. 27 at SteelStacks)
The U.S. Steinholding Association and ArtsQuest are once again partnering on this competition where participants hold steins full of beer at arm’s length for as long as they can. Preliminaries will take place virtually via Zoom starting Sept. 16, while the semi-finals are set for Sept. 26 at SteelStacks and the final competitors will battle it out at SteelStacks on Sept. 27. Winner takes home $250 and a berth in the U.S. Steinholding Association 2020 National Remote Steinholding Championship. Registration is $40 and includes an official stein; register starting Sept. 10 at www.steelstacks.org/
Family Fun (in-person)
Including free art kits for kids, an in-person workshop at the Banana Factory and a Chalk the Walk Coloring Contest on Sept 26, 2-5 p.m., at SteelStacks.
Virtual Oktoberfest 5K presented by Yuengling
The popular Oktoberfest 5K goes virtual, with all proceeds from the event going to support the nonprofit ArtsQuest, which presents Oktoberfest. Register at www.steelstacks.org/
Official Oktoberfest hours for SteelStacks activities are 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 11a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. Oktoberfest presented by Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) is also supported by D.G. Yuengling & Son, Kistler O’Brien and Service Electric Cable TV & Communications. For more information, visit www.steelstacks.org/
Information provided to TVL by:
Mark Demko, ArtsQuest
http://www.artsquest.org/
