Oktoberfest In Lodi, CA With
Gruber Family Band, Oct. 26th

• PostEagle
• November 11, 2013
• Uncategorized
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The Tokay Rotary Club in Lodi, California staged one of the best Oktoberfests of the season at the American Legion Hall. The hall holds 500 comfortably with a stage where the Gruber Family Band performed and a kitchen opening onto the hall from which was served a truly delicious buffet of wiener schnitzel and wurst with sauerkraut and more. They set up the bar outside where they tapped several kegs of Spaten of different varieties. Several picnic tables were occupied outside with families, so the kids could run around unimpeded.

The Gruber Family always provides great music and some fun surprises along the way. They played authentic German and Austrian music mixed with American, Slovenian, and Croatian, mixing it up well enough to keep the dance floor occupied. The fest officially opened with a Lodi alderman tapping the first keg and sampling it to ensure acceptability. The local Schuhplattler group, coaxed out of retirement, entertained us during the musical interludes. And the Gruber Family sprung their surprises to liven up the evening: the beer stein holding contest for the ladies, the yodeling and schuhplattler dance contest for the men, the chicken dance, the cowboy and Indian dance, an exercise where everyone sits on the floor in lines and follows the directions of Martin, and mixer dances (Paul Jones), and more.

The event was lively and everyone well-behaved. This is a must do for 2014.