Laughter filled the air in Festhalle Barn as dozens of people clad in traditional German garments gathered together, drank beer, and danced to polka-themed tunes. The milestone 60th anniversary of Amana Colonies’ Oktoberfest celebration was underway, this time with expanded activities and an additional day of beer and brats.
“My favorite part of Oktoberfest is actually the camaraderie, the friendships we make here,” Jon Childers said. “There are a lot of people, particularly people who grew up in the Amanas, who have friends and relatives from all over the country that come home this time of year.”
Childers was this year’s Bürgermeister and has been attending the beer and bratwurst festivities for 50 years. He also previously helped to organize the festival for 13 of those years…