The annual Oktoberfest will take place Sunday, kicking off the fall season while providing crafts, food and entertainment for local residents.
The 46th edition of the local festival will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the front yard of the Champaign County Historical Society Museum, 809 East Lawn Ave., Urbana. Admission is $2 per person, with children 10 and under admitted for free with a paying adult. Parking for Sunday’s festivities is free in the Melvin Miller Park parking lot adjacent to the museum.
Established in 1972, Oktoberfest is the largest fundraiser for the county historical society, with proceeds from the event accounting for over half of each year’s operations budget, according to the society’s website.
Museum curator Dick Virts said around 70 vendors have signed up to participate in this year’s festivities including artists, crafts, performers and food vendors.
Demonstrations on Sunday will include items being made from iron at a mobile forge, broom crafting and a display of raw fleece and spun yarn.
Rob Pollock, historical society vice president, said this year’s entertainment will be highlighted by a performance by the Graham Falcons Marching Band from 3 to 4 p.m.
Earlier in the day, Mary Pollock and her 1914 Wurlitzer military band organ will play outside in the morning and until 1 p.m.
The Champaign County Dulcimer Club will perform inside from noon to 12:45 p.m.
Between 1 and 2 p.m., the Steinberger Oom-pah Band will perform outside.
“There’s a number of groups that are coming back that have traditionally been there – the Wurlitzer, the Oom-pah band and the Dulcimers,” Pollock said. “We’ve got the Graham band which hasn’t performed at the Oktoberfest. This will be there first time performing and it’s going to be the second year in a row that we’ve featured one of the county’s bands.”
