Printer Friendly Version - Raise a Stein to Deep River Rotary’s Oktoberfest on Sept. 30

Jenny Pace keeps a close eye on the arm height during the beer stein holding contest at the fourth annual Deep River Oktoberfest in 2014. The event returns on Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Deep River Historical Society Stone House. Photo by Julie Eckart Johnson/The Courier

Six years ago, Mark Griswold celebrated a milestone birthday by traveling to Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. He came home with traditional Bavarian garments—lederhosen for him and a dirndl for his wife, Lorianne Panzara-Griswold.

“When he gave me that, I thought, ‘When would I ever wear that?’ and then we had the idea that we’d bring Oktoberfest to Deep River,” said Panzara-Griswold, a Deep River Rotary member and past president. “It started as a little fundraiser on my property six years ago and took off from there.”

The event was popular enough to move to the grounds of the Deep River Society’s Carriage House, 245 Main Street, and will be held this year on Saturday, Sept. 30. Last year’s event sold out and this year, the Rotary booked an even bigger tent and hopes to draw 200 people.

Tickets ($75) for the adults-only event are available online and include a German meal with appetizers, dinner, cheeses, and dessert, as well as German beers, wine, and soft drinks.

“We have some really authentic beers, none of which you can get around here,” said Panzara-Griswold. “A lot of people who come really enjoy trying the different beers.”

For an even more authentic experience, the Rotary is selling Oktoberfest steins. Many of those in attendance don German attire like lederhosen and dirndls. Mark Griswold will emcee the evening, drawing on his experiences in Munich to bring games, toasts, and the “tikki tokki oy oy oy” chant to the crowds.

“We have a lot of fun all night long,” said Panzara-Griswold. “There aren’t individual tables and people have the chance to meet new people and meet your new neighbors and celebrate a lot of the fun activities that go along with the Munich Oktoberfest. It’s fun and interactive—you toast your neighbors, and get to know each other.”

Proceeds from the event benefit the Rotary Club of Deep River, which funds local, regional, and international efforts. While the club supports efforts throughout the world, proceeds from Oktoberfest are earmarked to help locally.

“This year we’ll focus on the fire department and we work with the backpack program, scholarships, and Student of the Month,” said Panzara-Griswold. “We try to meet the needs locally in our communities.”

Oktoberfest not only is a fundraiser for the Rotary Club, but it also helps raise awareness for the club. In the past, many people have learned about the Rotary Club’s mission due to events like Oktoberfest.

“Our club has done a better job in the past few years about expressing our mission and selling people on our mission and what Rotary does. We help a lot in our local community and our local schools,” said Panzara-Griswold. “We put on a fun event that’s interactive where people are making friends, meeting neighbors, and we’ve gotten membership out of these events.”