Hays Oktoberfest September 30, 2016 at Municipal Park in Downtown Hays, KS

·        A German celebration honoring heritage, history, and homecoming

·        Starting with Honor our Heritage in the morning, followed by tapping of the keg

·        Beer, food, and crafts vendors will be selling their goods benefiting not for profit organizations

·        Polka music and historical demonstrators will be on hand throughout the day as well

·        This year’s theme is honoring the 250th Anniversary of Catherine the Great’s Manifesto

HAYS, KS, September 13, 2016 – The Volga German Society of Ellis County and Rush County along with the Sunflower Chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, and the Ellis County Historical Society welcomes everyone to the 44th annual Hays Oktoberfest in Municipal Park.  The Ellis County Historical Society’s Honor our Heritage starts at 8:30 am with historical demonstrators and interpreters.  Food booths open up at 9:00 am and the keg is tapped at 11:30 am by Mayor Shaun Musil. 

Hays Oktoberfest promotes the rich heritage of the Volga German and Bukovina Germans who settled in Ellis County, Kansas.  It also celebrates the history of early settlers in Ellis County, which was created in 1867.  The event is held on Fort Hays State University Homecoming weekend and this year also coincides with Hays High’s Homecoming.   The booths at the Hays Oktoberfest all support not for profit organizations. 

Entertainment this year will feature the Joe Dolezal Band starting at 9:30 am and the Ron Werth Band starting at 3:00 pm.  Historical interpretation of Beer Making by a German farmer will be on stage following the tapping of the keg at 11:30 am.  There will also be a “get mugged” game booth which gives people the opportunity to win past Oktoberfest mugs. 

This year the beer will be sold in cans.  Also this year, Defiance beer will be offered as well.  For those wishing to participate in drinking a $2 band fee is required.  This year there will only be two booths to buy beer at, one on the southeast corner of the park by the tennis courts.  The other beer booth will be in the southwest corner of the park in the shelter house. 

This is the fifth year the Volga German society of Ellis and Rush County, the Sunflower Chapter of the American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, and the Ellis County Historical Society have partnered together in celebrating a full day of Heritage and History in Ellis County.  The three organizations along with the Oktoberfest Committee are made up of community members who have continuously worked to improve the Oktoberfest in Hays and promote the heritage and history of Ellis County. 

For more information about Hays Oktoberfest please call Jaime at the Ellis County Historical Society 785-628-2624 or email curator@elliscountyhistoricalsociety.org.