Vendors are set up for the Seymour Oktoberfest in 2021.
Tribune file photo
The 49th edition of the Seymour Oktoberfest will feature plenty of traditions along with some new features or changes.
Like always, there will be a variety of food booths (73) and arts and crafts vendors (42) set up from Thursday to Saturday, the biergarten will be open all three days in the parking lot at Walnut and Second streets and the carnival will be open from Wednesday to Saturday in the B&O Railroad Parking Lot.
Some changes include discount carnival ride bracelets being sold at Seymour City Hall (instead of the Boys and Girls Club of Seymour) until noon Wednesday. Take note that downtown streets will be closed as of Tuesday.
Also, The baking contest location is back at the Community Foundation of Jackson County in Seymour this year on Thursday, and the talent show has moved to 4 p.m. Saturday.
There also are two new stage sponsors this year: Schwätzer’s German Restaurant for the North Stage and 92.7 Nash Icon WXKU for the South Stage. German American Bank remains the sponsor of the West Stage. Various types of music and performers will entertain the crowd on a daily basis.
Kendra Zumhingst, chairwoman of the Seymour Oktoberfest board, said there will be two vendors set up by Burkhart Plaza this year, and a large inflatable will draw people to that area. While there, be sure to take photos with the fall decor setup.
She said the board is excited to welcome five new food vendors this year: Miss Piggy’s Turkey Legs, Boozie Bundts, JenJie’s Spud Shop, Gresham’s Hand-Dipped Corn Dogs and Moutoux’s Nut House.
“We’re excited about having turkey legs,” Zumhingst said. “That’s one of the things that we had probably like seven or eight years ago, and we’ve actively been trying to get somebody. Miss Piggy’s, they do the turkey legs up at the Indianapolis 500, and so I moved the radio station down by the biergarten so that we can account for the extra space. We haven’t been able to fit them in spacewise.”
Boozie Bundts will sell alcohol-infused Bundt cakes, JenJie’s will have ribbon fries, funnel cake fries, nachos and hot dogs, Gresham’s will have the corn dogs along with Ginocchios Pizza and Moutoux’s will have German roasted nuts.
“They are supposed to be amazing,” Zumhingst said of the hand-dipped corn dogs. “Everyone on the food trail just says that they are amazing.”
Returning after a year’s absence are The Cinnamon Shack (cinnamon rolls, coffee and gourmet hot chocolate), Psi Iota Xi sorority (Reuben and grilled cheese sandwiches) and St. Ambrose Catholic School PTO (homemade breads, fudge and persimmon pudding).
Of the arts and crafts vendors, Zumhingst said nine are new this year. Find a full list of food and arts and crafts vendors online at seymouroktoberfest.com.
Other popular attractions are the hot air balloon glow Friday night and the hot air balloon race Saturday, both of which are dependent on the weather. Those are at the grass lot at Fifth and Walnut streets.
On Saturday, there’s the 5K walk/run at 8 a.m. at Seymour High School, baby contest at 9 a.m. on the North Stage, parade at 1:30 p.m. on West Second and North Walnut streets and stein hoist at 4 p.m. in the biergarten.
Geraldine “Gerry” VonDielingen is this year’s parade marshal. The 83-year-old Seymour woman recently celebrated her 50th year of working at McDonald’s on East Tipton Street.
Zumhingst said she was nominated for the honor by Shawn Mahoney.
“You can look at our Facebook page where we announced it and people agreed and loved the idea of her being the parade marshal,” Zumhingst said.
Another new thing this year is a partnership with Hackman Family Farm Market of Vallonia. Food and arts and crafts vendors could put in an order for mums, pumpkins, straw and gourds to be delivered to the festival grounds to decorate their booths. Awards are given each year for the best decorated food and arts and crafts booths, so these decorations could help them win.
Those awards and the baking contest and window decorating awards along with the princess and princess contest are part of the opening ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the North Stage.
Yet another new feature at this year’s festival is Oktoberfest ambassadors, who will be available on the festival grounds to help answer questions. Zumhingst said that was Seymour Mayor Matt Nicholson’s idea.
“He messaged me and said, ‘Hey, I want to talk about something,’ and we got on the phone and I was like, ‘I absolutely love it,’” she said. “I think it’s super exciting. I will wholeheartedly give him mad props.”
The information booth will still be available at the intersection of Chestnut and Second streets, where people can have questions answered and also out-of-towners can sign the guestbook for a chance to win one of two $50 gift cards.
“They have to be from out of town,” Zumhingst said. “It could be from as close as Uniontown, but it’s outside of Seymour. We have people as close as Austin and as far as the West Coast. You’d be surprised at how far people come from to come to this. People make this a spot in their destination.”
That’s what she likes about the Oktoberfest: It draws people from near and far and offers something for everyone.
“It is really crazy the volume of stuff that happens,” Zumhingst said. “I always say people think this just happens. They don’t realize this is a year-round commitment. We have stuff that literally happens year-round. All of the money that we bring in, we give back to the community in the form of grants and donations and sponsorships, so it’s a big deal. We’re excited, and I love Oktoberfest.”
49th annual Seymour Oktoberfest
Wednesday
5 to 10 p.m.: Carnival open (discount bracelets honored; bracelets $25 at Luehrs’ Ideal Rides ticket booth)
5 to 10 p.m.: Biergarten open
Thursday
10 a.m. to noon: Baking contest (drop-off 10 to 11:45 a.m. and judging at noon at Community Foundation of Jackson County, 107 Community Drive)
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Food, activity and arts and crafts booths open
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Biergarten open
5 to 10 p.m.: Carnival open (discount bracelets honored; bracelets $25 at Luehrs’ Ideal Rides ticket booth)
Schwätzer’s German Restaurant Stage (North Stage)
1 to 3 p.m.: Martel-Strickland jazz duo (formerly with jazz singing great Dinah Washington)
4:45 to 5:30 p.m.: Seymour High School Marching Owls and Guard
5:30 to 6 p.m.: Opening ceremonies, prince and princess contest, booth awards, window decorating contest awards and baking contest awards
7:30 to 8:45 p.m.: Southern Indiana Taiko Japanese drumming performance and workshop
9 to 11 p.m.: Roadhouse mutant electro beats
92.7 Nash Icon WXKU Stage (South Stage)
6:30 to 7:15 p.m.: Wright Hands
7:15 to 8 p.m.: Bluegrass Express
8 to 8:45 p.m.: Zion Road
German American Bank Stage (West Stage)
6:30 to 10:30 p.m.: Schulhaus 4+3 German Band
Roving entertainers
Three sets throughout the day: Spoon Man
5 to 8 p.m.: Sky’s the Limit stilt walking
Friday
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Food, activity and arts and crafts booths open
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Biergarten open
1 to 11 p.m.: Carnival (bracelets honored from 1 to 5 p.m.; bracelets $25 at Luehrs’ Ideal Rides ticket booth)
7:30 to 8:30 p.m.: RE/MAX Professionals hot air balloon glow (grass lot at West Fifth and North Walnut streets)
Schwätzer’s German Restaurant Stage (North Stage)
5 to 6 p.m.: Cotton Patch country/bluegrass
6 to 7 p.m.: TAPP’D Seymour
8 to 11 p.m.: Back 2 Mac Fleetwood Mac tribute
92.7 Nash Icon WXKU Stage (South Stage)
5 to 6 p.m.: Country Kickers
6:30 to 7:15 p.m.: Dan Branaman & Eagle Ridge
7:15 to 8 p.m.: Highway 46 Band
8 to 8:45 p.m.: Left Field String Band
8:45 to 10 p.m.: Southern Indiana Cloggers
German American Bank Stage (West Stage)
6:30 to 10:30 p.m.: Schulhaus 4+3 German Band
6:30 p.m.: Chicken and polka dance contest with the Second Street Dancers
Roving entertainers
Three sets throughout the day: Spoon Man
12:30 to 3:30 p.m.: Verrückte Volksmusik accordion and banjo
6 to 9 p.m.: Sky’s the Limit stilt walking
Saturday
7 to 8 a.m.: Registration for Oktoberfest 5K walk/run (Seymour High School)
8 a.m.: Oktoberfest 5K walk/run (Seymour High School)
11 a.m. to 11 p.m.: Food, activity and arts and crafts booths open
11 a.m. to 11 p.m: Biergarten open
1 to 11 p.m.: Carnival
1:30 p.m.: Oktoberfest parade (Community Drive, Second Street and North Walnut Street)
4 p.m.: Oktoberfest Stein Hoist contest (biergarten)
4 p.m.: RE/MAX Professionals hot air balloons arrive (grass lot at West Fifth and North Walnut streets)
5:15 p.m.: RE/MAX Professionals hot air balloon race (grass lot at West Fifth and North Walnut streets)
Schwätzer’s German Restaurant Stage (North Stage)
9 to 10 a.m.: Oktoberfest baby contest
4 p.m.: Oktoberfest talent show
7 p.m.: Normyn Akree classic and rock favorites
92.7 Nash Icon WXKU Stage (South Stage)
2 to 4 p.m.: Cornerstone Praise Team
5:30 to 6:15 p.m.: Lost River Band
6:15 to 7 p.m.: Cumberland Gap
7 to 7:45 p.m.: James White & Deer Creek
7:45 to 8:30 p.m.: Rocky Branch
German American Bank Stage (West Stage)
2:30 to 4 p.m.: Schulhaus 4+3 German Band
6:30 to 10:30 p.m.: Schulhaus 4+3 German Band
Roving entertainers
Three sets throughout the day: Spoon Man
1 to 4 p.m.: Verrückte Volksmusik accordion and banjo
6 to 9 p.m.: Sky’s the Limit stilt walking
On the Web
For information about the Seymour Oktoberfest, visit seymouroktoberfest.com or facebook.com/seymouroktoberfest.