Best Western Plus kicks off first week of Oktoberfest
Miss New Ulm 2026-2027 Frankee Vavra, First Princess Keira Sullivan and Second Princess Emma Hoffmann pose with the Narren in the ballroom at the Best Western Plus New Ulm before the ceremonial keg tapping Friday to open Oktoberfest Weekend One. (Photo by Amy Zents)
Bethany Scott, general manager of the Best Western New Ulm Conference Center and Tavern 507, performs the opening keg tapping Friday night for the first weekend of Oktoberfest. Marvin Huiras of New Ulm was the first in line to receive a beer. Photo by Amy Zents
The Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band from Germany performs Friday night at the Best Western Plus New Ulm as part of Oktoberfest Weekend One. (Photo by Amy Zents)
Miss New Ulm 2026-2027 Frankee Vavra, First Princess Keira Sullivan and Second Princess Emma Hoffmann pose with the Narren in the ballroom at the Best Western Plus New Ulm before the ceremonial keg tapping Friday to open Oktoberfest Weekend One. (Photo by Amy Zents)
Bethany Scott, general manager of the Best Western New Ulm Conference Center and Tavern 507, performs the opening keg tapping Friday night for the first weekend of Oktoberfest. Marvin Huiras of New Ulm was the first in line to receive a beer. Photo by Amy Zents
The Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band from Germany performs Friday night at the Best Western Plus New Ulm as part of Oktoberfest Weekend One. (Photo by Amy Zents)
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NEW ULM -- The Best Western Plus New Ulm tapped its ceremonial keg Friday to open Oktoberfest Weekend One.
Prior to the keg tapping, the Leon Olson Tribute Band played from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in the ballroom.
The official keg tapping was held from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
A crowd got in line for the "Anstich," the ceremonial tapping of the first keg that officially opens Oktoberfest.
The Anstich is the traditional ritual in which a keg is struck with a mallet and the host declares “O’zapft is!” -- “It’s tapped!” No beer is served until the strike is complete.
The tradition began in 1950 when Munich Mayor Thomas Wimmer tapped the first keg at the Schottenhamel tent in Munich.
Bethany Scott, general manager of the New Ulm Conference Center and Tavern 507 New Ulm, stood up front to introduce the ceremony.
The beer poured was Schell’s Oktoberfest, a Maerzen-style amber lager from August Schell Brewing Co. in New Ulm.
Marvin Huiras of New Ulm received the first beer.
Huiras said he was looking for a couple from Florida who were featured in the newspaper.
“I’m looking for these people and they never showed up this year,” Huiras said.
“The Journal took a picture of these people. They didn’t show up unless they come next Saturday. I was going to give this to them. Look at them. They’re from Germany,” Huiras said.
“They must live far, but they (originally) came from Germany. They might be here next weekend,” Huiras said.
Following the keg tapping, an authentic German band called The Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band took the stage. The hotel has not hosted a band from Germany in several years, according to
Peggy Wieland Sudheimer, who has worked at the Best Western for 33 years.
“It is so nice to have a German band here. When I started 33 years ago here, they used to have so many German bands. It was so nice,” Sudheimer said.
The appearance of The Happy Hour Oktoberfest Band in New Ulm is part of their THIR(S)TY2 Tour 2026. The tour started in Isen, Germany before coming to New Ulm for Oktoberfest.
The group is billed as THE original authentic Bavarian band from Germany, described as a Bavaria-based party band with over 30 years of entertainment experience. The five-member group calls themselves “Bavarian ambassadors” and is multi-awarded -- Winner of the West Germany Prestige Award Band of the Year 2020/2021 and Winner of the European Enterprise Award 2022 Best Traditional Themed Entertainment Provider – Bavaria.
The Narren were also there. New Ulm royalty attended the keg tapping for their inaugural event as newly crowned royalty.
Miss New Ulm 2026-2027 Frankee Vavra, First Princess Keira Sullivan and Second Princess Emma Hoffmann were crowned at Turner Hall and posed with the Narren in the ballroom after the ceremony.
Week Two continues on Friday, Oct. 9, includes The Concord Singers from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., the official keg tapping from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., The Concord Singers from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., The iPolka Band from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Dain’s Dutchmen from 10 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, Oct. 10, includes the Concord Singers from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Bockfest Boys from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., the Concord Singers from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and again from 9:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
To find out more go to newulm.com