VINCENT PUGLIESE / Courier & Press
Rhein Valley Dancers Carol and Larry Garbo dance
to the music of the Schnapps Band from
Cincinnati during the opening night of the
Germania Maennerchor Volksfest on Thursday. The
festival continues today and Saturday.
Earl Barkley Peterlin works to swallow a
bratwurst during the Bratwurst Eating Contest.
By BYRON ROHRIG Courier
& Press staff writer 464-7426 or blrohrig@evansville.net August 6, 2004
hhhh! Perfect weather, brats
and pig knuckles, music from three different stages and
beer.
Then there was the lusty singing of "Roll Out
the Barrel" and "Ein Prosit der Gemutlichkeit."
(Most won't hazard to translate it, but loosely, it's
"a toast ... good times and fellowship.")
For anyone who witnessed those features of the opening
of Germania Maennerchor's annual Volksfest and didn't
have their blues chased away, counseling is seriously
recommended.
It was also entertaining to watch Mayor Jonathan
Weinzapfel's discomfort when Germania chorus member Gene
Lutterbach shared his songbook with the mayor during the
three-day event's opening liturgy. Weinzapfel looked
distinctly out of place among the members of Germania
men's chorus.
Speaking moments later as he tapped the ceremonial
first keg of beer, Weinzapfel was more in his element.
"It's about time they had a good West Side Kraut to
open up the first keg," Weinzapfel quipped.
Afterward: "It's neat. I've been to quite a few
of these over the years. This is my first time to be in
the opening and to tap the first keg. It's neat - one of
the fun things I get to do as mayor."
Mike Forcum, co-chairman of the event, said in
Munich, Germany's famed Oktoberfest festival, the mayor
of that city performs a similar ceremony at the
beginning.
Forcum seemed pleased at how smoothly all was going
as the festival got under way. Germania began ordering
food for the festival in January - 3,000 pounds of pig
knuckles, 2,500 pounds of bratwurst.
There was no excuse for being without music.
Cincinnati's Schnapps Band entertained on the main stage
outdoors, while Rhein Valley Brass entertained in the
ballroom and Famous Polka Squad played in the
rathskeller. Or food. The brats get the best press, but
one of the best kept secrets of the festival is the
turkey sandwich. Don't knock it until you try it. No
need to stay away from the Volksfest if you're on a
low-fat diet. And if you find a better one anywhere for
only $2, sound an alarm. Then there's the sauerkraut.
The Volksfest's batch is a dream for kraut-lovers. Not
too tart, not cooked to blandness - just right. In the
steamy kitchen that chairman John Goebel has been
involved with since 1969, he explained how it's done:
The cooks place the pig knuckles in brine to marinate
five days before the fest starts. They drain the
sauerkraut brine, then cook it in the pig-knuckle brine.
"I can't tell you how we make the pig-knuckle
brine," Goebel said. "You trying to get me
killed?"
The German potato salad is a pretty good bet, too.
Cooks get together by 7 a.m. each day of the festival to
cook 300 pounds of potatoes, said Pat Abernathy, a
member of the Maennerchor auxiliary. She hit the deck
Thursday at 6:30 a.m.
Abernathy said the recipe probably originated in
Germany, but the West Siders have added ingredients such
as peppers, which were not in the original. Preparing
the delicacy in large quantities is probably the biggest
factor in its taste, she said.
Another part of the opening-night festivities was a
bratwurst-eating contest, the second year for the event.
The Miss Evansville Flatboat Team - John Bogan, Jeff
Wilmes and Carl Schmitt - downed a total of 19 brats to
win among three teams Thursday. Another competition will
be held at 7 p.m. today. Then the Thursday and Friday
winners will compete against the Germania Maennerchor
team Saturday.
Saturday is Children's Day at Volksfest, with
activities for kids under 12 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30
p.m. The event is free and open to the public, but
children must be accompanied by adults, said chairwoman
Linda Smith. A German Dress contest and a Chicken Dance
contest are scheduled as part of children's activities
Saturday.
Vanderburgh County Council candidate Troy Tornatta
and Yellow Cab were sponsoring free cab rides home from
the festival for those who imbibe too much. Tornatta's
name for the campaign? "Troy 'brat' you home
free."
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2004 The E.W. Scripps Co.
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