Page 4 - Oktoberfest Guide-2026

Oktoberfest near and far

would run around with my hood, where we visited Oktoberfest celebration at
cousins and we would have Sharf’s restaurant after Mass Mt. St. Joseph Academy
such a good time.” for some gemuetlichkeit,” he school for the entire commu-
For the past several years, says. nity. She insisted her stu-
Arnold has returned to Collard might not have dents participated in the
Munich for Oktoberfest, appreciated his parents’ hosting of these events so her
including a trip with his motives at the time, but with students would better learn
brother and son. “We were the help of Mary Nelson, a and experience the intentions
actually in the opening German teacher at Mt. St. behind many of the tradi-
parade for Oktoberfest and it Joseph Academy, “we were tions. Years later, on one of
was such an experience,” he more directly introduced and our school-hosted trips to
says. “We were on a float educated on traditions, Germany, her students had
going through the city, customs and the significance the pleasure of visiting King
waving at people from the of Oktoberfest. In fact, for Ludwig’s famed Neuschw-
buildings on each side of the many years, Mrs. Nelson anstein Castle, bringing the
street. We got to the Okto- would organize and host an lesson full circle.”
berfest (location) where they halls, one could hear the Part of a cultural
do the beer tapping and oom-pah music and ‘Ein heritage tour
opening ceremonies and it Prosit!’ song, enjoying the Matthew Collard grew up
was just incredible. Since Gemutlichkeit all year long, in WNY and remembers
then, I’ve been going every but especially during Okto- going on “an annual ethnic
year and I’ve had the chance berfest season,” he says. “On Mass pilgrimage all over”
to bring my father who was the third Sunday in Septem- the region as a child, travel-
in his 80s. He loved Oktober- ber, everyone enjoyed going ing throughout the area visit-
fest; he had a great time.” to the German Steuben Day ing Catholic churches in the
parade on Fifth Avenue, various ethnic neighbor-
A celebration of which ended at 86th Street to hoods and enclaves. That
tradition and family continue celebrating. The meant going to an Italian
parade is still held each year
Family memories are Catholic church on Buffalo’s
abundant around Oktoberfest and continues to celebrate West Side for St. Joseph’s
and similar, smaller-scale German heritage and culture, Day and an Irish Catholic
celebrations in the United where the beer comes after.” Church in South Buffalo for
Buffalo might not be able
States. St. Patrick’s Day, in addition
to compare with the full-
“As a child, my earliest to a Polish parish for Easter.
memories of Oktoberfest scale Oktoberfest in Munich, “Finally, in September
activities (are from) when I but that doesn’t mean people and October, we would visit
have no opportunities to
lived in the German neigh- churches in German neigh-
connect with their heritage.
borhood of Yorkville in borhoods. These Masses
“Having moved to
Manhattan, on East 84th were always the Saturday
Street,” says Dan Schwarz. Buffalo several years ago, vigil Mass and, following the
“It was in the center of my wife and I have enjoyed Masses, we would consult
the German heritage, culture
German town, only two with some of the local parish
and food that is available
blocks to East 86th Street, members for suggestions on
here. There is even a German
which was called Sauerkraut local restaurants to
Boulevard for the German Federation that organizes the visit…During Oktoberfest,
bier halls, cafes and busi- many German clubs in the these experiences often led
Buffalo and surrounding
nesses that lined both sides us to St. Lawrence or St.
areas of Western New York,”
of the street. Walking along Michael’s followed by a visit
the sidewalk, passing the bier Schwarz says. to the Schiller Park neighbor-