By Laura Mazur
Community Post
The celebration of the 33rd annual Minster Oktoberfest is just around the corner.

This weekend, Friday, Oct. 5 through Sunday, Oct. 7, the village will get back to its German Heritage roots with a boast of activities for all ages.

A big attraction for this year's event is the return of the Budweiser Clydesdales. This is the fifth time the gentle giants have ventured to Minster's festivities. They will be available for viewing at Melcher Street Park at the corner of Lincoln and Sixth streets.

Stands open at 6 p.m. on Friday and mugs commemorating this year's event go on sale at that time at Das Button Haus. A wide range of stands featuring arts and crafts will additionally be available at the start of the festival and will last through Sunday.

"People will be out for food, arts and crafts and a little bit of drink," said Oktoberfest Committee President, Paul Enneking.

For those who like to dance to the German beat, Cincinnati Schnapps and Free Rider will entertain crowds this first night. To enhance the dancing experience and beautify the town, a new dance floor has been put in, which has become a permanent structure of the south end of Minster Machine Centennial Park. This new concrete dancing surface replaces the former plywood piece, which had been used for 20-plus years, according to Enneking. The piece had become a tripping hazard, being considerably higher than the grassy park grounds it rested upon. With the recent beautification plan of Fourth Street, though, a new permanent structure that could be used for the festival and the rest of the year was a solution brought about by the village. The new dance floor is slightly larger than the plywood piece, so a bigger entertainment tent was needed to accommodate this.

Other new things for this year's affair will be the addition of a booth sponsored by the Minster Venture Crew, a branch of the Boy Scouts, who will be holding a shuffle mug game played on the same principles as shuffleboard and a booth with a new menu of chicken salad entr?es and more sponsored by the Minster American Legion Auxiliary.

The second day of Oktoberfest will start off at 9:30 a.m. with the registration of cars for the annual car show at Community Lanes Bowling Alley. Other competitions will also take place throughout the day, such as the Little Miss Oktoberfest Pageant, which will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall, where 17 young girls will vie for the title. Last year's winner was Margo Luthman, daughter of Randy and Amy. Later in the day, pageantry will take place for older girls as 15 contestants try to win the coveted crown of Miss Oktoberfest. The 2007 winner will take the place of last year's queen, Katie Dahlinghaus, daughter of Joe and Betsy. The beer tray relay competition on Fourth Street will bring out a heavier crowd as spectators cheer on their favorite teams.

Other events on Saturday include opening ceremonies, the German heritage Mass at St. Augustine Catholic Church and the all-park Chicken Dance on Fourth Street. A two-day showing of the history of the community will also be on display at the Minster Elementary School's gymnasium starting on Saturday and runs through Sunday.
Performing on Saturday will be the music of the Bavarian Boys, The Bier Band, Alte Kameradan, Cincinnati Schnapps and Freudemacher.

Enneking said he anticipates a large crowd for the weekend with the weather being predicted to be fair.

"It's a great way for people from here to see old friends and family, and for people not from here, it's a great way to meet a new bunch of people," he said.

Many people from Dayton and even some from Germany have attended the festival in the past. A vendor from California will also be a part of this year's treats.

Sunday's activities will start off at a steady pace with the annual Oktoberfest 10k Run, starting at Minster High School and ending at Fourth Street. The Minster Oktoberfest Parade will have its own route around town, as well, traveling from the Dutch Mill Caf? to the corner of Seventh and Lincoln streets.

About 135 units will be a part of this year's parade titled, "175 years and still..." including ones that put on enjoyable shows such as Harold's Haunted Cornfield, Kich's Greenhouse with its steam calliope and the Desert Patrol with three-wheeled cars. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be a highlight for many, as well as will be Ohio 501st and the Jedi Assembly, which represent characters of the dark side and the light side of the Force from the Star Wars movies. Details are also being worked out for the NASCAR Shriners' cars to be a part of the parade.

"We're looking for a good turn-out," said parade committee member Kathy Hausfeld. "It brings in so many people. It's a great parade with something for everyone."

Music from the Bavarian Boys, Alte Kameraden and Freudemacher will entertain audiences the last day of Oktoberfest.