It is reported that the annual Oktoberfest celebrated in Munich, Bavaria, Germany, brings together more than 6 million people from around the world for three weeks.
From late September to the first week of October, people gather to celebrate what started with the marriage of King Ludwig.
In 1999, Pete Muller, the charter president of the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay, thought — without the marriage — about celebrating the club’s efforts to eradicate polio and support the many community projects it hosts and is involved with by raising funds with an annual Oktoberfest celebration.
With good local beer and authentic German food recipes, the annual Rotary Club of Hilo Bay Oktoberfest became part of the social landscape of East Hawaii.
For the first 13 years, this annual event was hosted at the large pavilion at Wailoa State Recreation Area. More than 200 guests enjoyed the evening with delicious Oktoberfest food, good fellowship, endless flow of good beer and wine and packed live and silent auctions.
Each year, the club contributed to Rotary’s efforts of eradicating polio as Rotary worked with partnering organizations such as the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, UNICEF and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to reduce the number of polio cases throughout the world by 99 percent. There’s just 1 percent to go, and the effort continues.
The popularity of the Oktoberfest celebration outgrew the Wailoa pavilion and the event was moved to Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale, but after a few years, the hale was not large enough. Today, Sangha Hall on Kilauea Avenue provides the needed space for 500 guests to enjoy Oktoberfest.
The authentic Oktoberfest recipes continue this year with bratwurst, bockwurst, sauerkraut, German potato salad, baked beans and pretzels, the wine and beer continue to flow, the silent and live auctions have expanded, the Oktoberfest Costume Contest was added and live music and dancing defines the word celebration.
It is simply good fun to be part of this event.
This year, the Rotary Club of Hilo Bay hosts its annual Oktoberfest from 5-8:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at Sangha Hall.
To purchase tickets in advance, send a text to 895-4284 or talk to a Hilo Bay Rotarian.