Oktoberfests have been celebrated in Canada for a long time, not least at the Concordia Club, by holding annual dances. Brass band music, folkdance demonstrations and “Bratwursts” with “Sauerkraut” were an integral part of these celebrations. Oktoberfest 1967 however was totally different. As Concordia’s contribution to Canada’s 100th birthday, our President Ren Ghirincelli and manager Julius Rauchfuß organized a four day festival, complete with beer tent, several orchestras, a shooting booth, souvenir sales, “Lederhosen” and “Dirndlkleider”. The atmosphere and the thereby generated income were second to none. All profits were donated to two organizations “Big Brothers” and the “Multiple Sclerosis Society”.

The celebrations had left such a positive impression in the city that it came to the notice of the chamber of commerce. The decision was taken to organize a city-wide Oktoberfest and “Oktoberfest Incorporated” was created. The four German speaking Clubs, Concordia, Schwaben, Transylvania and Alpenclub, together with the entrepreneur Jonas Bingeman, were the foundation of this enterprise and its first president elect was the president of Budd Canada, Darwin Clay.

The Concordia Oktoberfest grew alongside the other festivities. There was hardly a year when the facilities were not enlarged or improved. A particular problem presented itself in the form of a shortage of toilet facilities. One of the board members, Erwin Weiler, found a solution. Two freight trailers were placed behind the tents and converted to modern toilets, which served their purpose well for 25 years. In 1994, under President Horst Allmendinger, the board decided to build permanent washroom facilities.

During the second year of Oktoberfest celebrations, a second tent was erected. However, the number of guests was so great that before long a third, fourth and fifth tent followed. This had drawbacks because wherever tents were placed beside each other, wooden pegs and ropes barred the way. Whenever it rained, torrents of water would cascade downwards between the tents. This did not seem to impede the festive mood of visitors from this region and from far away, and thousands enjoyed the Oktoberfest at the Concordia Club.

The ability of the Concordia Club to present the festival with authenticity, even though this led to increased expenses, made it the most popular “Festhalle” of all. Concordia’s Tanzdeel folk dance group, the “Schuhplattlergruppe” and the brass band contributed substantially to the success. The Concordia band in the tent, consisting of Concordia members under the direction of Nick Osbelt, provided all the Bavarian “Urwüchsigkeit” required for the occasion. It became the most popular orchestra in the city.