The Misfits opened the festivities with Willie Nelson’s “Good Hearted Woman,” intertwining classic country and traditional polka.

The Tanner Stark band followed the Misfits, playing their brand of outlaw country inspired by artists like Waylon Jennings. The band which started a year ago is spearheaded by New Ulm native Tanner Stark. This Oktoberfest will be the band’s one-year anniversary.

“It’s a good turnout so far,” Stark said of this Oktoberfest. “Especially on a Friday, it’s kind of early in the day yet, but I think there will be a lot of people ready to party tonight. I will be one of them.”

Alyson Sneddon, a native of Encampment, Wyoming, stopped off from a class reunion in Thief River Falls to take in the bands performing downtown. She said that she looked forward to everything going on this weekend. The beer, the music and the people. Her impression of New Ulm was a good one.

Jay Salamon, a veteran of Oktoberfests, traveled all the way from his home in Safety Harbor, Florida to experience New Ulm’s Oktoberfest.

“It’s beautiful, it’s gorgeous. It’s a little bit hillier over here than I expected.” she said. “But this is a beautiful place, and driving into here, I just have to thank everybody for our food. I just had a brat burger, it was good.”

Other vendors included Gary and Denise Palmer’s Simply Made Right, who provided loose meat sandwiches to festival goers in their first year. This is their last festival of the season. The Palmers participated in 12 festivals this season.

In attendance was Jay Salamon, who came all the way from Safety Harbor, Florida.

“We were here last year, but there was a gap of about four or five years when I didn’t come because I was running a German club.” Salamon said. “I had to take care of that Oktoberfest. It’s nice to enjoy it instead of running it”

Annie Crowe from Lansing, Michigan came to the Oktoberfest for a girl’s weekend. She says that she looks forward to the bands downtown and the local shopping.

The Misfits entertain the crowd downtown Minnesota St. during Oktoberfests on Friday.

“We have been here for 15 years,” Crowe said. “We come every year.”

Former mayor of New Ulm, Terry Sveine was outside the K Bar with friends before catching the events of the evening, calling it a pitstop before heading downtown. He stressed how important Oktoberfest is to the community.

“Its great to see all of this, but that speaks to the power of the chamber and chamber board, they’re always doing something keeping our town active and lively,” Sveine said. “Which brings in more visitors and makes the locals happy.”

At 5 o’clock the festivities moved to the Best Western where the Concord Singers performed at 5-6 pm, then taking a half an hour break before returning to do a second set. The ballroom was full, although they moved the keg opening to Saturday night. The Concord Singers played a set of traditional polkas and were joined by the Narren of New Ulm.

Katarina the Narren, whose real name is Kathy Rubey, was one of the many Narren dancing between the rows of tables inside the ballroom. Katarina has been a Narren since 1999.

The Narren walk about the audience taking in the Oktoberfest at the Best Western on Friday.

“We’ve been to St. Paul, with the German American Institute,” Katarina said. “The Narren will be going to Fasching in Ulm, Germany February 4th to the 11th and participate in all the Fasching events in Germany.”

It was also a family affair for the Clausens, a family from Wacania, MN, who travelled an hour to catch the festivities. Included were David, his son Andrew, daughter-in-law Brittney and grandson Alexander.

David is an ancestor of Germany and had previously traveled to Munich with his wife and caught an authentic Oktoberfest. Asked if it was similar to New Ulm’s.

“About times a thousand,” he said of the comparative festivities. “The whole city is having a good time, drinking beer and dancing with those pretty girls.”

The festivities will begin again downtown at 10 a.m. Saturday with the keg tapping, the German-American Day Parade at 11 a.m. at 4th N. and Minnesota.