Arlington’s annual Oktoberfest returns to Stovall Park this Friday, October 23, from 6 to 10 p.m., bringing live German music, food trucks, beverages and yard games to the 52-acre South Arlington green space. The family-friendly night will feature performances by the German Band of North Texas and a stein hoisting contest, according to a post from the City of Arlington
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The celebration is presented by Arlington Parks, Recreation & Culture in partnership with the Sister Cities of Arlington Texas German Committee, and it honors a 1951 post-World War II humanitarian effort in which Arlington residents shipped four trainloads of food, clothing and supplies to refugees in Bad Königshofen, Germany, according to the City of Arlington. That relief mission led Bad Königshofen to become Arlington’s first sister city, and the two municipalities maintain one of the longest-running sister-city relationships in the world, the city notes.
A Park Named for the Man Who Helped Build Modern Arlington
Stovall Park itself carries civic history beyond its German ties. The 2800 W. Sublett Rd. site is named after former Arlington Mayor and 14-year City Council member S.J. Stovall, who helped shape major city developments including Interstate 20 and City Hall, and who served 20 total years in Arlington municipal government as a council member and mayor, according to city park records…