Page 3 - GC-Nov-Dec-2024
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The German Citizen • November-December 2024 • 3
      A mix of new and old at Buffalo German Festival

                                        Chuck Klaes of Outback Kettle
      summer,  and  not  overwhelm  that  Corn  was  busy  selling  kettle  corn
      weekend. This way attendees could  all weekend.
      still get their German fix in, and en-  "It's  great  to  see  everyone  out
      joy  other  Labor  Day  weekend  here again," Klaes said of the festi-
      events  with  friends  and  family.  It  val, which had been on a three-year
      was  also  to  help  our  volunteers,  hiatus in 2020, 2021 and 2022 be-
      who have been so generously giv-  fore returning last year. "You really
      ing up their Labor Day weekend for  do get the best bang for your buck
      years to help make the event a suc-  with the vendors here."
      cess."                            The  Bavarian  Nut  Company
         The  Alphorns  and  Bavarian  was another longtime event vendor
      Folk Dancers also performed, along  that returned this year. Kevin Zeis,
      with  the  SGTV  Edelweiss  Schuh-  member  of  the  German American
      plattler Dancers, the German Amer-  Musicians  band,  was  busy  selling
      ican  Musicians,  Bergholz  German  steins in the vendor tent.
      Band  and  Polka  Boyz. The  Hum-  "People  in  Buffalo  really  get
      mel  look-alike  contest  was  also  into the ethnic festivals," Zeis said.
      held,  as  in  previous  years.  Tradi-  "You see it with the turnout at Ger-
      tional  German  beers  such  as  man Festival, Polish Festival, Dyn-
      Warsteiner, Spaten and Oktoberfest  gus Day."                                                      ONE LAST OKTOBERFEST
      were  featured,  with  new  offerings   Lisa  Stuart,  owner  of  Crafted                      By Christel Kasprzak
      such as Clarksburg Cider also avail-  Class,  sold  a  variety  of  specialty,                     n October 12 over 150 family members and friends came together
      able for purchase.             Buffalo-themed  items,  including                               Oto honor Frank Wailand for his musical contribution to the Ger-
         Keg  bowling,  implemented  at  glassware  and  koozies.  Witamy                         man community. As the leader of Die Auslanders, Frank’s trio provided a
      the  Festival  just  prior  to  COVID,  Buffalo  also  sold  interesting  arti-             variety of traditional and up-tempo German and American music for over
      was again a hit among families, like  san-related items.                                    50 years.
      it was in 2023. Also featured during   Many families took the oppor-                           The Oktoberfest was held at the Francis J. Donovan Post and was or-
      the  weekend  was  a  European  car  tunity  to  enjoy  adult  beverages                    ganized by Mark Kasprzak, guitarist for Die Auslanders and a friend for
      show as well as face painting and  while  their  children  enjoyed  the                     nearly 50 years. Mark wanted to honor Frank not only for his musical
      craft activities for children,   outdoor weather. Kevin Finsterbach                         contribution, but also for his military service during the Vietnam War era.
         West Herr Auto Group served as  of North Tonawanda smiled as his                            While Die Auslanders played, the dance floor had a steady flow of
      an event sponsor, along with the lo-  young  daughter,  Heidi,  tried  her                  people dancing a waltz, polka, Rheinlander and more.
      cal office of the Consulate General  hand at keg bowling.                                      Frank told me recently that while stationed in Germany, he and a cou-
      of Germany. Beer services were co-  "It's  a  great  day  to  be  outside,                  ple buddies went to a club to hear live music. Frank was so impressed
      ordinated  through  Briar  Brothers  enjoying  games  and  having  a  few                   with the band that he thought someday he’d like to have that same type of
                                                                                                  band in Buffalo. He certainly did just that and along the way, made many
      Brewing, Hofbrauhaus Buffalo and  German beers," said Finsterbach.
      Flying Bison Brewing Company.     Others  wore  Lederhosen  and                             lifelong  friendships.  In  50  years,  he  had  just  three  guitarists;  Bob
         The festival serves as the Feder-  traditional  German/Bavarian  out-                    Matuzak, Chuck Stock and Mark. His two drummers were his friend of
      ation  of  German-American  Soci-  fits.  James  Melewski  of  Cheek-                       more than 40 years, the late Bill Kuczmanski, and for the past couple
                                                                                                  years, Rich Keigley.
      eties of Buffalo & Vicinity's biggest  towaga  entered  the  costume  con-
                                                                                                     How  many  Oktoberfests,  Spring  Garden  functions,  Frȕhlingsfests,
      fundraiser of the year. All proceeds  test.                                                 weddings, etc. has Frank played? We can only begin to imagine. Thank
      are directed toward the missions of   "Go big or go home!" Melewski                         you, Frank, for the wonderful music, memories, enjoying shots of Kleiner
      the  not-for-profit  Buffalo  German  said of the event.                                    Feigling and Jagermeister with many of us and for just being you. Wir
      Federation  and  its  nine-member                                                           wȕnschen Dir alles Gute. Bis bald!
      cultural  organizations.  Knowles
      stated that the Buffalo German Fes-
      tival Committee has been working
      on a five-year plan that will soon be
      rolled out.
         Grapevine  d'Vine  Winery  of
      Lancaster  produced  a  specially
      made  "Buffalo  German  Festival"
      wine  for  the  event,  with  Crystal
      Beach  Loganberry  also  being  a
      popular seller. Wines on site were
      described  as  being  between  7  and
      13 percent alcohol per volume.

















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