Oktoberfest, the world’s biggest annual festival which is held in Munich, Germany, ended on Oct. 6. However UVSS course union German Klub, which is affiliated with the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies, will host its own Oktoberfest, Oct. 18, at Velox Rugby Club. Organizers plan to introduce the main German traditions and are welcoming participants from all areas of the UVic community.
The event is led by the executive committee of the German Klub, which consists of current UVic students: Lauren Thompson, David Samociuk, and Nastja Kharine. Both Thompson and Samociuk are studying in the Department of Germanic and Slavic Studies while Kharine is a linguistics student born in Germany.
With the help of volunteers in the German Klub, these friendly facilitators busied themselves with all the preparations needed to deliver the original event’s festivity to Victoria. Last year, the German Klub held a small Oktoberfest-themed party with about 30 people in attendance. But after taking Professor Peter Gölz suggestion of using the Velox clubhouse, they planned to expand the event to provide a beer hall experience. “What’s really more German than that?” says Samociuk. UVic German Klub has hosted Oktoberfest at the Velox in the past with good reactions.
The event will provide a number of highlights, including food reminiscent of Germany such as low-cost beer, cider, bratwurst, and pretzels. The executives booked a live performance by an accordion player, while also featuring Schlager music, which is kind of German pop music that features light, catchy tunes. “It’s like club music, but German clubs are different in terms of how they do things at the club. It’s like a really silly music and people usually sing along,” explains Samociuk.
“It’d be really cool if people from the other faculties and around the community actually came,” says Samociuk. “By promoting fun stuff you see the deeper culture within.”
The club is hoping that with participation from other faculties this event will lead to bigger interest in the department as a whole. “More interest, more classes, and more diverse stuff. In general it would be a good spiral effect,” says Samociuk.
“With larger venue, it makes it easy to have people from other faculties and even parts of the community to come, join in, and celebrate with us,” says Thompson.
The tickets ($10) are on sale at the SUB from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 15 and 16, or click here to visit the Facebook event page. Participants are required to bring two pieces of identification due to Oktoberfest being a licensed event. German costumes (Dirndl and Lederhosen) are welcome.
Oktoberfest
Oct. 18
7 p.m. to 12 p.m.
Velox Rugby club
Admission $12 at the door
