First Posted: 9/22/2014
October is just around the corner, and that means it’s time for Oktoberfest in the Wyoming Borough.
This year will mark the fifth Oktoberfest hosted by the borough set for Friday, Oct. 3 to Sunday, Oct. 5 and featuring live entertainment, food, crafts, merchandise and kiddie rides. The festival will run from 5 to 11 p.m. on Oct. 3, noon to 11 p.m. on Oct. 4 and noon to 6 p.m. on Oct. 5 at the Midway Shopping Center on Route 11 in the borough.
Wyoming Borough Manager and Recreation Board member Tamra Smith has always had a big hand in helping to set up the festival, admitting the planning has its fair share of frustrating moments.
“It’s a lot of hard work just trying to get all the vendors and coordinate with them as to who’s coming, who’s selling what and get all of the spaces on who will be next to who,” said Smith.
Live entertainment will be available every day and will include the bands Empire Indecline, the Jeanne Zano Band, Joe Stanki and the Cadets, Stealing Neil and Party Mouth. DJ Granteed will play music in between the bands’ performances.
There will be barbecue, bratwurst, hot dogs, hamburgers, gyros, pirogies, haluskhi and Caribbean food as well as kielbasi and sausage.
There will be a beer tent where Oktoberfest beers will be available for sale and a wiener dog show will be conducted on the last day of the event at 3 p.m.
“Last year we had triple the people we’ve ever had, probably because of the location,” said Smith. “We used to have it at Flack Field, but I think it was too hard for people to see. Now, it’s right on Route 11 and people are stopping in to shop, getting groceries and they can come in and have something to eat.”
Smith is looking for another big turnout.
Even before the relocation, she noticed an increase in size of the event. The new location has helped bring in more attractions for people to enjoy throughout the festival, including a parade which will start at 3 p.m. at First Street and proceed south on Route 11 to the Midway Shopping Center.
