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Lewes' second Oktoberfest to take place Sept. 20 in town's historic district

Fun Friday event to feature German-themed music and food
August 14, 2013

The Lewes Chamber of Commerce’s Historic Lewes Business Committee is sponsoring its second Oktoberfest at the next Fun Friday event Sept. 20. Market Street between Front Street and Second Street will be closed to vehicular traffic from 3 to 7 p.m., and the event will take place from 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Fun Friday events began three years ago to encourage people to come to Lewes on Friday and extend their weekend in the fall and spring.  In addition to last September’s inaugural Oktoberfest, previous Fun Fridays included Lewes Celebrates the Royal Wedding and Italian- and fiesta-themed events.

Oktoberfest is a 16-day festival held annually in Germany, running from late September to the first weekend in October. Chamber member Chet Poslusny, who is a real fan of all things German and has attended an Oktoberfest in Munich, is chairing the event. The chamber requested the closure of the portion of Market Street from Front Street to Second Street to accommodate the dancing that will take place in front of Mary Vessels Park.  A group of costumed Bavarian-style dancers will be performing and encouraging festival-goers to dance along with them. A 10-piece German oompah band will also entertain.  All are encouraged to wear their lederhosen and dirndls and show off their best dancing skills.

Lewes will create a beer garden atmosphere on Market Street - minus the beer to be in compliance with the city’s ordinances.  Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, one of the event’s sponsors, is having commemorative glass beer steins fabricated with the Dogfish Head logo and the event’s custom-designed logo by graphic designer Crystal Heidel. They will be on sale that day at the chamber’s visitor center in the Fisher-Martin House in Zwaanendael Park next to the museum and at the festival site beginning at 4 p.m. On the day of the Fun Friday Oktoberfest, the steins can be taken into participating restaurants and presented to receive a discount on Dogfish’s pilsner-style beer, My Antonia, available at a number of the restaurants in the historic Lewes business district. German cuisine will be featured in many of the restaurants.

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