Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest

Kitchener-Waterloo Oktoberfest is an annual eight-day festival in the twin cities of Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Based on the original German Oktoberfest, it is billed as Canada's Great Bavarian Festival. It is held every October, starting on the Friday before Canadian Thanksgiving and running until the Saturday after.

Related Topics:
Festival - Twin cities - Kitchener-Waterloo - Ontario - Canada - German - Oktoberfest - Bavaria - October - Thanksgiving

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While its best-known draws are the beer-based celebrations, other cultural and entertainment attractions also fill the week. The most well-known is the parade held on Thanksgiving Day; as the only major parade on Canadian Thanksgiving, it is televised nationally.

Related Topics:
Beer - Parade - Televised

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The twin cities and surrounding area have a long history of German roots; Kitchener was formerly named Berlin. A large portion of the population identify themselves as being of German heritage, and many still speak German well. A common phrase at the celebrations is gemuetlichkeit, German for congeniality, or warm friendliness.

Related Topics:
Formerly named Berlin - German

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The festival's mascot is Onkel Hans, a rotund man in Bavarian dress with a thick moustache, lederhosen, and a traditional felt hat with tassel. His graphical image shows him holding a beer stein in one hand, and a sausage (in a roll) in the other. A lesser-known icon is his counterpart Tante Frieda, a similarly stout woman wearing a dirndl.

Related Topics:
Bavarian dress - Lederhosen - Beer stein - Sausage - Dirndl

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Another icon of the festival is Miss Oktoberfest. This position was formerly selected in a televised beauty pageant, the applicant coming from across North America. The position is now selected by a closed committee of judges from a panel of local applicants; community involvement and personal character form the main criteria under the new system.

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