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Darlene Warner, decked out in her Oktoberfest outfit, takes a video of her friend performing with the Heidi und Heimat Echo Band during the Capital Ale House Oktoberfest celebration. ABOVE: members of the SGTEV Hirschjager German dancers of Richmond perform during Oktoberfest.
Warren Rhodes (right) and Geoff Francario of Specialty Beverage reload kegs to keep the beer flowing yesterday.
Oktoberfest attendees along Caroline Street dance to traditional German music.
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BY CATHY JETT
With a swing of a mighty wooden mallet, Mayor Tom Tomzak kicked off Oktoberfest in downtown Fredericksburg at noon yesterday.
He hammered home a tap in the first keg, then handed a stein filled with some of its foaming contents to Evan Judd, a World War II veteran who took part in the Berlin airlift.
"Here's to world peace and the closeness of the world," Tomzak said as lively German music played in the background.
Closeness was an apt description for the Oktoberfest celebration itself, which was sponsored by Capital Ale House for the second year.
The event had been expanded from the 900 block of Caroline Street in 2009 to the 800 and 900 blocks, plus the 100 and 200 blocks of George Street. But more than 10,000 people turned out, about twice as many as last year, estimated Matt Simmons, president of the Richmond-based Capital Ale House chain.
Among the participants were friends and polka fans Gloria Spear of Lorton and Darlene Warner of Woodbridge, who donned lacy blouses and dirndl dresses for the occasion and planned to dance to the music of their friend Barbara "Heidi" Perry's band.
"I love polka dancing," Spear said. "I'll dance with whoever asks me."
Perhaps it was the beautiful weather or the chance to dance, drink and eat German fare, but lines were already snaking down Caroline Street when the festival opened. People waited patiently to buy tickets that they could exchange for beer, beer steins and bratwurst, along with giant pretzels, weisswurst and sausages flavored with the local Blue & Gray Brewing Co.'s Fred Red Ale.
Kay West, who drove up from Richmond with five other fans of Capital Ale House's Oktoberfests, took one look at the lines and headed over to Sammy T's for lunch instead. Afterward, they strolled downtown, took in the festival and waited in line only about 10 minutes to buy beer.
"We visit all the ones in Richmond, and so we decided to come here," said West, adding that it was only her second visit to the 'Burg. "Fredericksburg is lovely. We'll definitely come back."
Simmons said that while lines were long at the beginning, they grew more manageable as the afternoon wore on. He said that Capital Ale had originally planned to have more food vendors, but several fell through at the last minute.
That was fine with Jeff Fults, who set up a stand to sell German hot dogs and bratwurst in front of his Wally's Homemade Ice Cream Shoppe at 821 Caroline St. By midafternoon, he'd nearly run out of bratwurst and had to thaw some Italian sausage.
"I'm a huge fan of this event," he said. "Even if some of these people don't spend money today, at least they'll be back and buy something later. Some of these people have never been to downtown Fredericksburg."
Next year, Fults said, he'd like to see the event expanded to a third block of Caroline Street.
Across the street at the Virginia Wine Experience, 20-somethings crowded around Junior Acevedo, Brooklyn Brewery's Mid-Atlantic brand manager, for a tasting of the brewery's Oktoberfest beer. It was one of 25 beers and two wines on offer for tasting yesterday.
"It's been steady since 1 o'clock when I got here," he said as he poured some of the amber liquid into plastic cups. "I've never seen it like this. It's crazy."
Mary Wyant, whose son Edwin Wyant owns the shop, said that while traffic in the store was good, sales were below normal.
"Last year, we were hoping people would come back," she said. "We haven't heard that kind of feedback, but that doesn't mean it's not so."
Adults weren't the only ones who had fun yesterday. The 100 block of George Street was turned into a zone just for kids, a festival first. It featured moon bounces, balloon artists and Kerri Caldwell of Fun 2 C Faces in Fredericksburg.
She dabbed bright green paint on 5-year-old Adam Peery's face as his aunt, Jacqueline Peery, snapped picture after picture. By the time Caldwell was done, Adam had been turned into the Green Horned Monster, complete with dark green lips and a slash of painted-on teeth. His cousin, Rylie Edenton, 3, opted for the more stylish princess look.
"It's an exciting day for Fredericksburg," said Bruce Peery, the cousins' grandfather and a city resident. "My grandson saw a toy store on Caroline Street, so we'll probably go there next."
Cathy Jett: 540/374-5407
Email: cjett@freelancestar.com
