The Vorwerk family – Chris, Jenny and their sons, Alex and Ajax Vorwerk – attended Friday’s Oktobfest festivities at the New Ulm Best Western Friday to support their family during the night’s two performances. Their uncle and great-uncle, Phil Vorwerk performs with the Concord Singers. The New Ulm natives have been coming to Oktoberfest for over 20 years, and they look forward to the music and general atmosphere of fun.

The music started at 5 p.m. with the Concord Singers, followed by a performance by Ipolka.

“We come every year,” Jenny Vorwerk said. “His dad (Chris Vorwerk’s) is a Concord Singer, but he’s not here right now, he has a winter home in Texas.”

Mark and Jean Lieser came from Elk River, a 110 mile drive for the second time in two years. The couple were dressed in traditional German garb for the event. They said that they look forward to the event.

Mark and Jean Leiser came from Elk River to catch the Best Western’s Oktoberfest for the second time in a row.

“We have a brother and sister-in-law have been here three times, and they brought us for the last two,” Jean Lieser said.

When asked what they looked forward to they said, “Just this, and the Schell’s Brewery. We’re going at 10:30 a.m., this is our first time for the Schell’s Brewery, but we took a tour last year. For the festivities tomorrow, this is our first time.”

The Best Western not only hosts Oktoberfest, but hosts many of its guests, making it one of the busiest nights for the hotel.

“It’s been crazy, we have had over 100 check-ins today.” Front Desk Receptionist Kathy Wurster said. “That’s a full house, we have 117 rooms in house so, if we have 100 check-ins and two people to each room, that’s a lot.”

As far of the impact to New Ulm’s economy, Sarah Warmka, the President of the Chamber of Commerce said that, “we can safely say over 5,000 people attended last weekend’s events, but how many is a bit of a guess.”

The Chamber sold 3,373 wristbands, but that doesn’t count those under 21 who attended, or the crowd at the Best Western or the Morgan County Vineyards.

The weekend’s festivities will close up Saturday evening with the Oktoberfest at Schell’s Brewery. The gates open at 10:30 a.m., beer wagon arrives at 10:45 a.m., tapping of the keg at 11 a.m., entertainment begins at 11:02 a.m., last call is scheduled for 4:30 p.m., and the brewery closes at 5 p.m.