GALION – As the sun set on a warm autumn evening, Oktoberfest lights were just coming up. Four stages of bands played four styles of music for strolling festival goers on Thursday, opening day of the festival.
One change noticeable this year at the festival is the Brush and Palette Club art show offers more art from more local artists. The space for the show is bright and airy with unique gifts for sale including tiny paintings, ceramic pins, message magnets and pumpkin art.
“It’s a cooperative effort,” said Carol Kable, organizer of the show. “We have 10 artists that were willing to display.”
The Brush and Palette Club is in its 54th year and just celebrated an “Over 50th Anniversary” at Kingwood this past summer. The group has been doing art shows at the Oktoberfest for several years.
Kable said the club encourages the artists to do self-promotion such as the art show and sell some of what they have done.
According to Kable, the Crawford County Arts Council will also be at the Oktoberfest on Saturday with Art in the Alley, an activity for all ages to draw and create art on building walls and pavement in Cider Alley. The event runs from noon until 6 p.m. “or until the chalk runs out.”
Kable is wearing two hats at the Oktoberfest this year. She, along with Dave Smith and Jan Meek, are once again organizing the Christian Stage line up.
Smith said, “It’s a nice festival – a way to come together as a community and strengthen relationships. It’s a good time for everybody.”
Smith is also wearing two hats and has been working sound and performing at the Christian Stage for over 10 years. “It’s a very important thing for a community to do,” he said about Oktoberfest. “Life is all about relationships. You have to do things in this world that make it a better place to live. We are entering God’s call by doing this music.”
Lt. Lynn Sterling, officer with the Galion Police Department, walked the Thursday night Oktoberfest beat. “It’s a good family festival,” she said. The police department has little trouble during the festival, but there are a few problems. “We have kids that want to start fights,” she said.
Sterling has a little common-sense advice for festival goers for full enjoyment of the event: Keep money in pockets. Only carry small bills. Leave your dogs and bikes at home (for safety reasons neither are allowed on the festival grounds). Walk in groups.
Kent Gimbel, organizer of Oktoberfest, boasts that the Galion Oktoberfest is the only festival in the area that has four bands playing all at the same time in separate locations throughout the grounds. He started planning for the huge September undertaking back in January.
The Oktoberfest has been around for years, but Gimbel has been organizing it for the last 15. “The Moose had to give it up,” he said. “There was a big meeting at the city and I raised my hand … that was 15 years ago,” he laughed.
At first getting bands to come to the festival was done by word of mouth. “Now they call me,” he said. He also hears about bands through the connections that he has made over the years. Gimbel’s sound man suggested a new up-and-coming country act, Jessica Hannan Band, who is performing Saturday.
Gimbel is in charge of organizing the bands on the Main Stage and Stage 2. The Elks have a Bier Garten with music that they schedule themselves. Friday night line up on the Main Stage is DIRECT ENERGY at 7 p.m. On Saturday it’s Presidential Brass at noon, Standard Time at 2 p.m., Dick Mackey Sextet at 4 p.m., Erik Gimbel Orchestra at 6 p.m., finishing up with Jessica Hannan Band at 8:30 p.m.
Stage 2 Friday line up is Viper at 7:30 p.m. and Get-A-Way at 9 p.m. Saturday’s bands for Stage 2 are Perfectly Damaged at 6:30 p.m. and Mule Kick at 9 p.m.
The Elks Bier Garten is hosting Local Groove on Friday night at 8:30 p.m. and Fearless Heart on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.
There are plenty of games of chance and prizes and rides for small children and adults. The festival also features a variety of vendors and unique dining options.
