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Willkommen: Hickory invites you to Oktoberfest

Alan Rogers

Bob Wilusz plays his accordion on the opening day of Oktoberfest 2007.

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DETAILS
What: Oktoberfest, celebrating its 23rd year in downtown Hickory
When Noon to 11:30 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Saturday; Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where Downtown Hickory
For more information Call 322-1121 or go to www.hickoryoktoberfest.com.

MUSIC LINEUP

Friday
6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Contagious
Alternative blues rock that takes you from traditional blues slide guitar to original, modern, aggressive blues sound
Hear samples at www.contagiousblues.com
9:15 to 11:30 p.m. Charity Case
’80s and ’90s rock, old-school hip hop and a dash of country.
Fronted by Ace from the Ace & TJ Morning Show, this band’s five members are committed to raising money for Grin Kids, a charity that each year sends a plane of terminally ill and chronically handicapped children and their families to Disney World.
Hear samples at www.charitycaseband.com

Pavilion Stage
5:30 to 7 p.m. Tablu
Blues covers from Freddie King to Tabbnoit. Hear samples at www.myspace.com/tabluband
7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Foothills Oompah Band
Traditional German beer hall music
10 to 11:30 p.m. The Harris Brothers
Old-time string band music to blues, country, rock and nearly everything in between

Kidsfest Stage
8 to 9 p.m. Rick Cline’s Trash Can Kids
An exciting and innovative way to get kids playing music on ordinary, everyday objects. Percussion teacher Rick Cline will lead kids in a circle of trash cans, teaching them rhythms to make music.

SATURDAY
Main Stage
12:30 to 2 p.m. Pandemic Steel Drum Band and The Pandemic Community Steel Drum Band
2:45 to 4:15 p.m. Dead End Parking
Funk/fusion/jam quartet
Hear samples at www.myspace.com/deadendparking
5 to 6:30 p.m. The Extraordinaires
Classics of beach music, rhythm and blues and rock
Hear samples at www.theextraordinaires.com
7:15 to 8:45 p.m. FRACXURED
Rock from the last 5 decades
9:45 to 11:30 p.m. Drivin’ ‘n Cryin’
Their hits 'Fly Me Courageous,' 'Scarred but Smarter,' 'Build a Fire,' 'Honeysuckle Blue,' and 'Straight to Hell' brought Southern rock to its peak of concise, passionate eloquence. Driven by a lethal rhythm combination, with Tim Nielsen on bass and Jeff Sullivan on drums, the unmistakable voice and lyrics of Kevn Kinney burned like a brand into the hearts of fans, not just bedrock believers from Dixie, but Americans in every corner of the country.

From Staff Reports

buzz@hickoryrecord.com

Published: October 9, 2008

Hickory - When the weather cools off, the streets of Hickory heat up.

This year's Oktoberfest, the city's 23rd annual German-themed festival, helps usher in autumn and all the merriment that comes with it.

"It's time to slip into your lederhosen, break out the beer and brats and get ready to polka," says Festival Chairwoman Tracy Nestor.

Nearly non-stop music cranks up Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m. and lasts until the festival ends each night. Five stages bring festivalgoers the best in blues, rock, old-time, beach, contemporary Christian and even German music.

Oktoberfest rocks the kids, too. The little ones get their own stage with demonstrations from gymnasts, martial artists and young actors. They can even get in on the act with Rick Cline's Trash Can kids.

An expanded Kidsfest area also includes rides and a veritable inflatable kingdom where little ones rule and adults are held at bay outside the inflatable entrance.

Also look for the return of the Flex Flyer, the giant inflatable cushions that bounce kids high into the air.
You can use that to lure them by booths of more than 75 fine craft and art vendors. Their handmade items range from copper yard art to fine photography, landscapes, sculpture and first-rate jewelry. For the more practical shopper, Oktoberfest vendors boast merchandise such as sunglasses and handmade soap.

Food booths serve everything from homemade chicken pie to Polish sausage to everybody's favorite, funnel cake, and give visitors one more reason to love Oktoberfest.

Then there's the beer garden. Make those two more reasons.

For festivalgoers feeling guilty about all those treats, the Fourth Annual Oktoberfest footrace is Saturday. The 10K Run and 5K Run/Walk raises money for the Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry.

Another way to do something good for the community while you're doing something fun for yourself: Bring a couple cans — or even a whole bag full — of non-perishable food for the Castle of Cans — the Castle of Caring. Donations go to Catawba County agencies, which help feed families in need. You also can drop off your cans at Food Lion stores in the county.

The three-day festival will bring an estimated 100,000 people downtown, say organizers with the Hickory Downtown Development Association.
And you're invited.