Published: April 18, 2008 11:47 am         

Muenster, county prepares for Germanfest

MUENSTER — The city of Muenster plans again this year to roll out the welcome (or should we say willkomnen) mat for a number of expected guests equaling more than 20 times the town’s population.

It’s year 33 for the largest event in the western Cooke County community of 1,700, featuring German food, live music from Grammy-winning performers, folk dancing, fun run, bicycle race and games of several varieties.

Germanfest, scheduled from April 25-27, packs the Muenster City Park each year, rain or shine, and this year Chamber of Commerce officials expect about 35,000 attendees over the festival’s three days.

Admission is $6 per person on Friday and Sunday and $10 on Saturday. Children under 8 are admitted free. Adults in complete German costume will also get in free — though the key is being in “complete” German attire, which is determined by the festival’s volunteers (many of whom are of German descent).

Margie Starke, Germanfest coordinator of the Muenster Chamber of Commerce, said a few liberties may be taken, such as allowing modern walking shoes, but that volunteers at the gate are mainly looking for full-body costumes and attire (such as liederhosen), and hats.

Whether or not a visitor is in traditional German clothing, they are asked to bring a guten apetit, according the press release, as the three-day festival features “mouthwatering German sausage, scrumptious apple strudel, hearty cheeses and homemade bread, cakes and pies.”

Music is also an essential part of the festival — both modern and old world German. Live performances are scheduled throughout the festival. Included are German folk performers in the annual Tanz Halle (dance hall) tent, where bands such as Alpenfest of Houston, the Polka Kings of Lawton, Okla., and clog and line dance troupe Alpenmusikanten.

For those with a more Americanized taste, several Texas music and rock performers are scheduled for the weekend, including Hard Nights Day (a Beatles cover band), The Greingo Kings, The Bellamy Brothers, and Texas Country acts Mark David Manders, Scott Burgess, Only In Texxxas, Alley Kat, The Bois D’ Arcs and Ben Austin Smith.

For those who want both traditional polka and rock, they can listen a lesser-known genre of “nuclear polka” in the form of the Grammy Award-winning Denton-based band Brave Combo, a regular to Germanfest.

The Bellamy Brothers are perhaps the most well-known of the acts, having scored a No. 1 hit on the Billboard chart in 1976 in multiple genres for “Let Your Love Flow” and later on in the Country charts for “Redneck Girl” and “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?”

“You just have to make some calls,” Starke said, in regard to booking the well-known talent.

All the performers are scheduled to appear on the Muenster State Bank Stage, a permanent fixture in the park located in the center of the park.

There’s a children’s stage, as well, with the Side Street Circus of Denton is set to perform, in addition to appearances around the festival.

Visitors to the children’s area may also find lots of new activities, according to the Chamber of Commerce. “Balloonytik Betty” is scheduled to be on hand with her balloon sculptures. Face painters, an inflated bounce house and climbing wall are also planned for children.

Kids will also find carnival rides and arts and crafts to occupy their time.

Another large attraction of the festival involves competitions.

On Saturday is a Fun Run which fills Main Street each year, with a route running through several of the back roads near Muenster in 5K and 15k contests.

The number of registrations for a Bicycle Rally, as well as the Fun Run, is slightly higher than usual this year, Starke added. She said the Fun Run usually has around a thousand participants.

The metric bicycle rally takes athletes on a 63-, 40-, or 22-mile route through scenic areas of Cooke and Montague Counties.

Participants may register the morning of both of the events, but discounted rates end Thursday for the bicycle rally and on Friday for the fun run (and Sunday for online registration). Registration for the bicycle race is available at Laura’s Flowers and Gifts in downtown Muenster or on the Web site.

A barbecue competition is also expected to bring some (literally) heated competition.

“We had the cook-off last year, so this will be our second, sanctioned cook-off,” Starke said.

The barbecue event is sanctioned by the Lone Star Barbecue Society, with categories including chicken, pork, spare ribs, brisket and sausage.

Mrs. Baird’s Bread is expected to bring an 80-foot tall smoker to the event.

To a less aggressive degree, the traditional Nägelschlagen booth will allow visitors to test their skills in hammering in nails into a log with the sharp end of a hammer. Others may show off their brawn at the Optimist Club bell-ringing booth, which this year will feature a smaller version for children. A simulated rock climbing wall and other carnival-style events are also on tap.

Muenster is about 14 miles west of Gainesville on U.S. Highway 82.

Opening and closing times are: 4 p.m. to midnight Friday; 11 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.

For information or to register for the barbecue cook-off contact the Muenster Chamber of Commerce at (940) 759-2227.

Officials at the chamber may also be reached via e-mail at chamber@ntin.net or by writing to the Muenster Chamber of Commerce at P.O. Box 714, Muenster, TX 76252-0714.

On the Net:

www.germanfest.net