Enjoy two nights of traditional German oompah music and classic rock along with delicious German-style beer and cuisine under a large heated tent at Naper Settlement’s Oktoberfest on Friday, Sept. 30 from 5 to 10 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 1 from noon to 10 p.m. at 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. Family-friendly activities will take place on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. Advance tickets are $12 adults, $8 children 4-12; at the gate tickets are $15 adults and $10 children 4-12, members and children 3 and under are free. Advance ticket sales for both Friday and Saturday tickets will end at noon on Thursday, Sept. 29 both online and in the lobby. Food and beverages are available for purchase at the event. Tickets are available at www.napersettlement.org/oktoberfest.
“Oktoberfest provides attendees the opportunity to enjoy traditions celebrating Naperville’s German heritage,” said Special Events Coordinator Adison Glick. “Cultural expressions such as music and culinary classics take center stage at the event.”
On Friday night, Paloma takes to the stage at 6 p.m. Dressed in traditional lederhosen, Paloma has been entertaining crowds in the Midwest for almost 40 years and performs a variety of classic and hit German songs. The band is known for pulling unsuspecting audience members on stage to join in on the fun.
“We call it the Cow Bell School when we grab two people out of the audience and give them a crash course on how to play the cow bell. We play a song that everybody knows, like edelweiss, and we encourage everyone to sing,” said Paloma’s accordion player, Erich Freiberger. Cow bell participants receive Paloma t-shirts that say “Cow Bell Graduate” on the back.
“One of our big mottos is we like audience participation, not observation,” said Freiberger. “We don’t just want you to watch. We want you to have a good time.”
On Saturday, guests will be dancing all day and night with The Happy Wanderers, Jimmy’s Bavarians, Die Musikmeisters and Freeze Dried, who mixes traditional polka with a variety of modern music styles that will be sure to transform every audience member into a fan.
Oktoberfest would not be complete without an assortment of beer and wine. Rodney Strong Wine Estates will offer four varieties of wine and Schamberger Bros. is providing varieties that include Spaten Oktoberfest (Marzen Style), Hofbrau Oktoberfest (Golden Rich Lager), Schofferhofer Grapefruit (Sweet Grapefruit Hefeweizen) and Bell’s Octoberfest (Marzen Style). Spaten is the world’s first Oktoberfest beer and is always the first one tapped at the Munich Oktoberfest.
“Everything Naper Settlement offers during this weekend celebration makes this the best Oktoberfest,” said John Schamberger, VP of Marketing at Schamberger Bros. “German style beers along with a great music line-up under a giant decorated tent… I give this [Oktoberfest] an A+ rating!”
Food vendors for the weekend will be My Chef Catering, Joey’s Red Hots, ‘Ol Tyme Kettle Korn and Nothing Bundt Cakes. My Chef Catering will be serving some German favorites including bratwurst with sauerkraut, spaetzle with gravy and apple strudel.
The Infiniti of Naperville children’s area will feature activities on Saturday that will include Pinot’s Palette, where kids can create their own masterpiece, and PRO Martial Arts for children to try out karate moves. There will also be lawn games for children to play.
“Children of all ages will find delight in our afternoon activities on Saturday,” said Glick. “You can never get too old for painting, karate, or good ol’ fashioned games!”
Thank you to the Oktoberfest sponsors: 95.9 The River, Advanced Data Technologies, Alfresco’s Photo Booth, Bells Brewery, The Dolly McCarthy Show, Fair Oaks Ford Lincoln, Gobie, Infiniti of Naperville, Naperville Magazine, Noodles & Company, Pinot’s Palette, Pinstripes, Positively Naperville, PRO Martial Arts, Rodney Strong Wine Estates, Schamberger Bros. Inc., Top Golf, Unilock, Woody Buick GMC, Wight and Company and Wintrust Commercial Banking.
