With a good deal of German food stuff, beer and audio on hand, Hoffman Estates’ Platzkonzert Germanfest provided a full Oktoberfest knowledge in September.
And there were being even actions for the young ones.
“It really is 1 of the uncommon Oktoberfests wherever in Chicagoland that’s absolutely free and has a kids place,” claimed Ryan Johnson, the village’s liaison to the festival.
For numerous of the hundreds who attended the weekend competition, it was a possibility to get in contact with their German roots.
Hoffman Estates Trustee Gary Pilafas, whose wife Michelle started the celebration 15 many years ago with the village’s arts fee, reported extra than 7,000 persons attended on Friday, even though close to 15,000 arrived Saturday. Sunday drew a smaller crowd.
Johnson said planners only experienced a limited time to set all the things alongside one another, and they confronted source chain concerns. Items such as hot doggy buns and German beers have been difficult to procure.
“All people hiccups have been genuinely difficult to get over,” he mentioned, “(We) ended up stockpiling as we went.”
Co-chair Gayle Vandenbergh reported getting enough volunteers was tough as very well.

























The occasion, held at the Virginia Mary Hayter Village Green, is a collaboration that features the village, the Hoffman Estates Park District and this kind of sponsors as Audi Hoffman Estates,
Among the weekend’s highlights were being Friday evening fireworks and Saturday’s stein-carrying contest.
For children, the Kinderplatz space was out there, with adjustments to accommodate the pandemic which include an open impediment course alternatively of an enclosed bounce property.
Bartlett citizens Tony and Denise Fini loved the food stuff and audio, with Denise indicating she favored the huge pretzel.
“This will work out very well for us, for the reason that we employed to go to Hans’ Bavarian Lodge to try to eat all the time,” Tony stated. “And that closed down a variety of many years back. So when they started out this right here, it was so good and effortless.”
Tom and Lucy Ruzicka from Elgin noshed on knackwurst and a schnitzel sandwich with German potato salad, when quaffing down beer in the tent and listening to Die Musikmeisters Band, which performed all the things from polka to the Beatles.
“I was raised on all this things,” she stated.
Mary Streufert from Streamwood mentioned she has been to Munich for Oktoberfest, “so I like that a more compact variation is below.”