PFLUGERVILLE, Texas – The 49th annual Deutschen Fest kicked off in Pflugerville.
What they’re saying:
The festival promises traditional German food and drinks, as well as competitions, rides and shopping.
“It’s a really great event,” said Jonathan Hansan, with the Pflugerville Parks and Recreation Department. “The tagline is Guten Tag, y’all.”
Hansan said that event turnout has steadily increased over the years.
This time around, organizers are expecting to see upwards of 7,000 guests come out for traditional German food and drinks, competitions, rides and shopping.
Hansan said what sets this event apart from other Oktoberfest celebrations is its unique mix of both German and Texas culture, something that perfectly personifies Pflugerville.
“We’re not just German, we’re also Texan. And so it’s that German Texan festival which crosses over in a really cool way,” said Hansan. “Anything can be Texas German.”
He said it’s also a great way to support the community.
All the tents selling alcohol at the event are run by area nonprofits, including the Pflugerville Rotary Club, Firefighters Association and Park Foundation.
Many of the vendors are also local business owners.
“For some of these organizations, it’s and for some of the vendors too, it’s their kind of one big day a year, or one big weekend a year, where they either raise the money that they’re needing to do the rest of their year’s activities, or they make their sales that allow them to continue for the rest of the day,” said Hansan.
The festival runs through Saturday, Oct. 18, and pricing for admission varies, but there are a couple of ways to get free entry.Â
Those include dressing in either your Texas or German best by incorporating items like cowboy hats or lederhosen into your outfit or by purchasing an event T-shirt.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Bryanna Carroll