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22 . WATERLOO alumna; -Wednelday. October 9. 2013 a? . , .ix 1 l ... .P' _ . . Oktoberfest goes Festival puts the b k th b ' 3 f f '° ac to e asms A... .. . ocus on amflres BYBOIVIIMNAC council as they put on a free fw BYCHlinwrre Pm Pniouu. things like root beer keg tap~ ChmicleSIajf lunch. counesy of Pillers, at fort)»: Chronicle ping; the Waterloo public square The festhalls also show- he 45th annual Kitchâ€" featuring food. music and Oktoberfest is one big case German cultural activi» I ener-Waterloo Okto- dancing. . '_ .. . . beer bash. But it’s also a ties A new event this year is berfest isn't so much That food theme contin- 3 . , family-friendly cultural Learn to Cook Like Oma, at about what's new this year as ues Saturday morning with f , ' " 1. event. Kitchener Farmers' Market on it's about celebrating the the 32nd annual Oktoberfest ‘ - a" , This year. the 45th Oct 12 from 10 am. to 1 pm. things that have become the Family Breakfast from 7:30 anniversary of the Kitchener- “A German grandma is staples of Canada's largest am. to ll a.m. also at the 1‘ Waterloo Oktoberfest. fea. coming in and giving some Bavarian festival â€"- food, the Waterloo public square and tures dozens of activities for cooking tips on German fare. celebration of German cul- along King Street in the ’ kids andthat‘salsogmredto fami- ture and family fun. uptown core. The event is -~ . "lt's no secret that it's a lies.” he said. “We don’t have a lot of also free to the public. - party,a.ndthat’san important The Kitchener Willkom~ new things this year." said although a donation of non- - , element of the festival.” said men- Platz, a Bavarian»style Dave MacNeil, the new exec» perishable food items for the ». ” - - Dave MacNeil, executive village at Benton and Freder- utive director of Kâ€"W Okto- Food Bank of Waterloo director ofOktoberfmt. ick streets in downtown berfesl. “What we really con» Region and it's annual . ‘ “But for people coming in Kitchener, serves as the heart centrated on this year is Thanksgiving Food Drive is Â¥ - ‘ ' ‘ to the region, there’s so much ofOktoberfest from 10 am. to doing what we do and doing encouraged. “ ' " g ‘ more than what goes on in ll p.m, throughout the festi‘ it better. That morning is capped “ 3 \ the festhalls. and these events val. It features free, live enter “it means putting a little off with the 35th annual Great 0 £ - ‘ 5 . highlighta bit about that" tainment on the Children‘s more production value into Oktoberfest Barrel Race as ; ' a. \- ‘ » MacNeil has been an Stage. displays and activities. everything and just getting teams of four race barrels ’ - Oktoberfest volunteer for information and souvenirs hack to our core roots.” down King Street in uptown . more than 20 years He's also Families are also invited to One of those events that Waterloo starting at 10 am. - ' ., served stints as the director of register for the 5<km Fun Run. ' proved to be a hit in its first “It's the 35th year for the “ . . '.‘ marketing, and second and a “chase the chicken” event. year in 2012 was Oktoberr barrel races in uptown Water- IMP“ L firstvioe-president. Kids get to run down King l PAST, highlighting the grow- loo, and it's a great event that \‘ a He was installed as interim Street ahead of the parade on . trig local food truck move goes along with the break- 1,“ .. executive director after Mark Oct. 14. merit. It returns even bigger fast.” said McNeil. : ’ . Kreller's death in April. and The festival also includes and better this year on Oct. Those are the tent pole ‘ has since been named to the an educational component. 12 and ()(1. l3. and is spon events that have made the position permanently. In past years. Onkel Hans and sored by Blackberry. festival a family-friendly , ; But 5 a former employee Miss Oktth have visited “We really trying to put event and helped it reach out ‘ at CTV. he's been involved area schools. This year. that Oktoberfest spin on it to as wide an audience as 1 ' . ‘ with both the Thanksgiving Grade 5 students will be and have some entertain- possible. It's a great addition E Day Parade and the Miss brought to the Alpine Hub for merit in the square including to those who visit the local ”b” A Oktoberfest gala for years. an experience created, in dancmg and stuff like that.’ festhalls and experience the , and his three children have pan, byteachers said McNeil 'lt W1“ he a fun spirit of ‘gemutllkchkeit' a ‘9» alwaysenjoyedthmeevents' 'We teach them about the event, and we’ve got some little moredirectiy. a ‘ 9' The parade is the largest festival and about the Ger- great partners involi ed Of course, that spirit is on "" ' and most obvious of events man community and culture. there ' full display during the annual , ' , for kids. with about 150,000 It's become kind a curriculum of course. you can‘t talk KW Oktoberfest Thanksgiv- . “ people liningthe route annu- exercise with the school about food in the uptown mg Day Parade, it starts at ._ g‘ . ally. But there'splentymore boards on German heritage.“ t ore without mentioning the 8 .50 a m. in uptown Waterloo ' ‘ 3* .,_ . Most of the feethdls hold a MacNeil said Mayor's Oktoberfest lunch and is the biggest parade of family day on Sunday and There has been an effon to eon that helps kick off events its kind in ('anada. attracting 1 ThanksgivingMonday. change the image ofthe festir in Waterloo this Thursday more titan I500“) spectators . 'They‘re open to kids.“ val as just one big drinking from 11.30 am to 1 pm. The along King \treet as well as MacNeil said. 'Thereba lot of party. public is invited to join drawtng a ndll()nal television youth inthere,and theyget to 'We're trying to get fami Waterloo Mayor Brenda Hal audk‘nt'l’ see the cultural events and lies comedn and we're trying loran and members “filly (ml '0"st dance groups,andtheyhave togetkidscnmdfhesaid. a 9 v 5 l 0i mud“ r. . . I.