Today, when one hears the term Octoberfest, your mind often thinks about the meaning of the old-world word term. Octoberfest throughout the centuries has been known as a festival that has its roots based in old Germany. Octoberfest is a celebration of the autumn season that involved merrymaking and the drinking of their local beer. In Germany, this festival would have over six million participants and last for 16 days. This celebration became part of the autumn season and in many ways, it became the last celebration of a summer now gone.
Today in America, the term Octoberfest is often used as a frame of reference. The older German communities in American, like in Wisconsin in the La Crosse area have carried on the tradition of a festival in the fall to great commercial success. Therefore, in the Midwest, the term Octoberfest means a weeklong festival in Wisconsin, celebrating a great harvest, the end of summer and a chance to “kick-back” and enjoy some great music, food and local beer.
St. Mary of the Angels School, located in the near north side of Chicago, 1810 N. Hermitage (located 3 blocks from the Kennedy Expressway & Armitage exit) will be hosting Octoberfest in Bucktown this Saturday, Oct. 11 from 11 AM to 9 PM. This one-day festival will try to capture the spirit and flavor or those old world celebrations, but with a slightly different approach, an approach that features a “family event” atmosphere.
This Fall Celebration in Bucktown is a festival of fun, entertainment and good cheer with a mission. Our mission is to have 100% of all profits from the event going to back to help a neighborhood school that is over one-hundred years old. St. Mary of the Angels School (pre-K through the 8th grade), has helped students and families with their “Family School” approach to education since the late 1800’s. Over the last several decades, St. Mary of the Angels School, with over 70% of their families living below the national poverty line, has been able to see 50% of those students accepted into the Top High Schools in Chicago. A combination of focused education, character development and a strong Catholic faith in the classroom has led to this success.
